Bill Pearl’s Gym in Sacramento, CA

Posted on Monday, May 24th, 2021 by John Wood
Here’s a look at the storefront and an early advertisement for Bill Pearl’s Gym in Sacramento, California, circa 1957. This location started out as part of the “American Health Studios” chain but when AHS ceased operation suddenly in 1959 (not unexpected in the health club biz), Bill took it over fully. If you know where to look for it, the building is actually still there!
All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2005-2021 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Author: John Wood. All contents, including images and text, copyright © 2005-2021 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc. Not to be reproduced without permission. All rights reserved. We will most likely grant permission but please contact us if you would like to repost. IMPORTANT: Equipment and books, courses etc. pictured in blog posts are generally not available for sale unless specifically noted.

Charmion

Posted on Monday, August 13th, 2018 by John Wood
Laverie Vallee was a trapeze artist from Sacramento, California who took the stage name Charmion when she performed in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. At ten years of age, young Charmion became enamored with the circus, and through great determination (and some reluctance from her family) undertook a variety of physical training disciplines at a local gymnasium. Charmion’s physique, which would be just as impressive these days, well over a century later, was built through not only trapeze work, but training on the horizontal bars, fencing, bag-punching, wrestling, and hand-balancing. She also regularly lifted dumbbells in the 50-70 pound range. She stood only five feet tall and weighed 115 pounds but was said to have an arm just as big around as the prize-fighter James J. Corbett.
All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2005-2021 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Author: John Wood. All contents, including images and text, copyright © 2005-2021 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc. Not to be reproduced without permission. All rights reserved. We will most likely grant permission but please contact us if you would like to repost. IMPORTANT: Equipment and books, courses etc. pictured in blog posts are generally not available for sale unless specifically noted.

Rekordnaia Stanga

Posted on Wednesday, August 19th, 2015 by John Wood
How about this thing of beauty? Known as Rekordnaia Stanga or ‘World Record Barbell,” these Russian sets were imported by Chester O. Teegarden’s STRONG Barbell Company of Sacramento, California back in the 1960’s and advertised for sale in Iron Man or Lifting News. They were steel with nickel plating and as you might guess, they were not cheap to bring over. Hard to say how many of these sets were ever sold but we know of at least one, Pat Casey did a lot of lifting and set many records on one of these beautiful sets.
All Contents, Including Images and Text, Copyright © 2005-2021 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc., Not to be reproduced without permission, All Rights Reserved
Author: John Wood. All contents, including images and text, copyright © 2005-2021 by John Wood and Thunderdome Media Inc. Not to be reproduced without permission. All rights reserved. We will most likely grant permission but please contact us if you would like to repost. IMPORTANT: Equipment and books, courses etc. pictured in blog posts are generally not available for sale unless specifically noted.