Pushups Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Joe Louis ~ Pushups

Posted on Monday, October 22nd, 2018 by John Wood

In 1942, Joe Louis enlisted into the U.S. Army and was sent to Fort Riley, Kansas for 13 weeks of basic training. Here he performs pushups with fellow troopers at the Cavalry Replacement Training Center on July 13, 1942. Louis was a member of a horse cavalry training unit while in the service.

Tokyo Police Force Training

Posted on Tuesday, November 11th, 2014 by John Wood

In 1956, 19-year old Kazuhiko Nakadaiji won the Mr. Japan title in a nationwide contest. Greatly impressed with his development, Tokyo police Chief Katsuki Takayanagi hired Nakadaiji to help train his officers and help to build strength for judo. Barbells were limited but calisthenics and bodyweight movements offered a way to allow a large group of people to train at once. Elevated pushups are also, of course, just as effective today as they are back then and a fine addition to any program.

The Iron Sheik’s Persian Club Challenge

Posted on Saturday, February 22nd, 2014 by John Wood

he Iron Sheik's Persian Club Challenge

Many oldschool Pro-Wrestlers had their own strength challenge to confound their opponents and sometimes members of the crowd.
The Iron Sheik had “The Persian Club” challenge where he offered $2000 to all comers if they swung a pair of “75 pound” traditional meels for as many reps as he could.

To my knowledge The Sheik was never beaten, and what’s more, Sheik used the Persian Club Challenge to injure then-champion Bob Backlund before their title match back in ’83 (it wasn’t the first time he used the clubs to get the upper hand against his opponents either, see below.)

He’s a crafty one, that Sheik.

Also of note is the Takhteh Shena (traditional Zurkhaneh pushup board) at his feet. Before his pro-wrestling gig, the Sheik was a bonafide stud on the amateur mat and competed for the Iranian Greco-Roman team in the 1968 Olympics.

Dan Lurie

Posted on Thursday, February 6th, 2014 by John Wood

Dan Lurie

As a bodybuilder, Brooklyn-born Dan Lurie won the “Most Muscular” subdivision and finished second in the AAU Mr. America contest in 1942, 1943 and 1944.

As a strongman, Dan performed 1655 push ups in 90 minutes, a bent press of 285 pounds (at a bodyweight of 168 pounds) and backlifted 1810 pounds.

Lurie went on to become a very successful gym owner, magazine publisher and TV strongman. He also established the Dan Lurie Barbell Company which produced barbells and plates primarily on the east coast.

Bonus points if you noticed that the dumbbell that Dan is holding in this photo is from Professor Anthony Barker’s Strength Maker Bar-Bell System.

Jack LaLanne: January 1942 Strength and Health Coverman

Posted on Friday, October 7th, 2011 by John Wood

Strength and Health 1942, Jack LaLanne

Before he was selling juicers, breaking records for pushups, and urging the world to do calisthenics on their living room rugs, Jack LaLanne was featured on the cover of Strength and Health Magazine several times — four, to be exact. This is his earliest cover, January, 1942, and Jack is looking pretty impressive.