Strength and Health Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Ellington Darden

Posted on Tuesday, February 20th, 2018 by John Wood

Ellington Darden was a champion bodybuilder who graced the cover of several different magazines in the 1970’s. He made the cover of Strength and Health Magazine and Muscular Development Magazine several times but he never did make the cover of Iron Man Magazine…

He did, however, make the back cover a few times, one of which of which is shown here from the November, 1970 issue.

Darden went on to write countless training articles and a few books (about fifty).

You can get your hands on one of his best books here: The New Bodybuilding for Oldschool Results.

Bosco!

Posted on Thursday, November 9th, 2017 by John Wood

Bosco was Harry B. Paschall’s super strongman cartoon character whose exploits thrilled and entertained readers of Strength and Health Magazine for years. Bosco also starred in Paschall’s four great training books: Muscle Moulding, The Development of Strength, Muscular Arms and Shoulders and The Bosco System of Progressive Physical Training.

Bob Hoffman’s Protein From The Sea

Posted on Saturday, January 30th, 2016 by John Wood

Bob Hoffman’s Protein From The Sea!

Straight from the pages of early 1960’s Strength and Health magazine comes Bob Hoffman’s Protein From The Sea! You remember the ads and if you ever tried it you sure never forgot it. Here’s some of the ad copy:

Fish are considered to be the best fed animals in the world, consuming nutritious, organically-rich vegetation and other fish, which in turn have eaten the organically-rich foods so abundant in the depths of the sea. The fish protein used in HOFFMAN’S PROTEIN FROM THE SEA is richer than organic meats and many other high protein products in the essential amino acids. It digests well, is almost 100% assimilated and supplies your body with elements it needs for building, maintenance and repair.

TAKE ONLY 1 TEASPOON AT LUNCH AND DINNER. Here is real economy! You take only 1 teaspoonful at lunch and dinner for the low, low cost of 15 cents per day. This gives you more protein than found in many full course meals! Best of all, 2 teaspoonfulls of HOFFMAN’S PROTEIN FROM THE SEA provides 18 grams of pure protein and helps complete and assimilate 180 grams of incomplete protein found in cereals and vegetables–an amazing burst of nutritive power! Available in handy powder and convenient tablets.

Frank Leight – Mr. America 1942

Posted on Wednesday, February 4th, 2015 by John Wood

Frank Leight, AAU Mr. America 1942, is shown here with some classic globe barbells and kettlebells on the cover of the July, 1942 issue of Strength and Health Magazine. Frank Leight finished 2nd in 1940 (losing to John Grimek and 3rd in 1941 (again behind Grimek, and Jules Bacon) before finally winning the Mr. America contest himself in 1942.

January, 1940 Strength and Health, John Grimek Cover

Posted on Tuesday, August 13th, 2013 by John Wood

The great John Grimek on the cover of the January, 1940 issue of Strength and Health Magazine. A few months later, Grimek went on to with the first AAU Mr. America contest. Grimek won it again the next year, prompting a rule change that someone could only win the contest once, figuring that Grimek would likely otherwise just keep winning indefinitely. This line of thinking wasn’t a stretch either as Grimek was certainly ahead of his time.

Tommy Kono ~ Strength and Health Magazine, August, 1955

Posted on Thursday, October 25th, 2012 by John Wood

Strength and Health Magazine, August, 1955 - Tommy Kono Cover

Tommy Kono graces the cover of the August, 1955 issue of Strength and Health magazine. Just a few months later, in October of 1955, Tommy would go on to take the Gold medal in the light-heavyweight (82.5 kg) class at the World Championships held in in Munich, West Germany. Kono’s winning total was 435 kg, and consisted of a 142.5 kg press, a 127.5 kg snatch and a 165 kg clean and jerk.

John Grimek

Posted on Saturday, March 17th, 2012 by John Wood

John C. Grimek, from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, has the unique distinction of being one of “the greatest” in pretty much every aspect of strength training that you can think of…

As you can probably tell, Grimek was a champion bodybuilder and won every contest he ever entered. This included the AAU Mr. America contest twice (in 1940 and 1941 – the only man to do so) and Mr. Universe in 1948. Grimek was a fixture on the cover of Strength and Health magazine and either the subject of, or the author of dozens of training articles.

…but he also wasn’t just all show, Grimek was as strong as he looked. Grimek represented the United States at 1936 Olympics in Berlin (where he accomplished the highest American total) and put up impressive numbers in many different lifts.

To give you a few good examples, Grimek could easily rip phone books, lift 11-3/4 pounds on the “Weaver Stick” and actually worked up to supporting a thousand pounds in the overhead press position.

Strength and Health Magazine: Volume 1, Issue 1

Posted on Thursday, March 15th, 2012 by John Wood

Strength and Health issues number one, Wally Zagurski cover

Just in case you ever need to know who was on the cover of the very first issue of Strength and Health magazine, the answer is Walter “Wally” Zagurski. This issue hit the scene in December of 1932. Starting a magazine in the teeth of the Great Depression was quite an ambitious undertaking for Bob Hoffman, something which will be covered in great detail in the second volume of The Dellinger Files.

Zagurski was an original member of the “York Gang” who lifted back when it was called the “York Oil Burner Athletic Club.” He competed in the 1932 Olympics, won the 1933 Sr. National Weightlifting title at 165 pounds and was a very good all-around strength athlete.

Sig Klein ~ Kettlebells!

Posted on Wednesday, August 10th, 2011 by John Wood

Sig Klein was talkin’ kettlebell training decades ago. He had kettlebells in his gym… he featured kettlebells in his training courses… he wrote articles about kettlebells in Strength and Health… Yet you don’t hear ol’ Sig’s name pop up much in modern kettlebell literature… Some of the experts need to do a little more homework.