Now admittedly this is not the catchiest title I'm ever going to use but it hopefully conveys the purpose of today's post. Back when I started training, assisted pull up machines were a thing of scorn. Who, we would wonder, would bother with such an oddity? Couldn't individuals muster a solitary pull up by themselves?… Continue reading Who Invented the Assisted Pull Up Machine?
For whatever reason some training systems remain in the public psyche while others fall to the wayside, continued only by a few dedicated and often fixated trainers. Thus while nearly every intermediate and certainly every advanced trainee is familiar with manipulating rep ranges, few seem to stray outside the comfort zone of 5 x 5,… Continue reading Forgotten Training Protocols: 4 x 10 Clusters
I love origin stories. And fitness is full of them. Eugen Sandow and the first major bodybuilding show of 1901. When women first competed in weightlifting at the Olympics. The first man or woman to lift/press/pull insert world record number here etc. etc. We also have those critical originators and thinkers who helped to popularise… Continue reading Pavel Tsatsouline, ‘Vodka, Pickle Juice, Kettlebell Lifting and Other Russian Pastimes,’ Milo, Vol 6, no. 3 (1996).
In 2018 the strength and conditioning community lost one of the most creative, and controversial, coaches of recent memory, Charles Poliquin. Known primarily for his work with Olympic athletes, Poliqun's training methods and philosophies were often times at the cutting edge of the field. This is not to say that Poliquin was not without his… Continue reading Charles Poliquin’s Nausea Leg Routine
This, admittedly, is an article promoted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Like many during that time, gyms in my area were closed or reopened on restricted times. The market for home gym equipment saw unprecedented levels of demand and adjustable dumbbells were selling for two or three times their original value. Today's post looks at Powerblock,… Continue reading The History of Powerblock Dumbbells
Nowadays kettlebell training is the staple of modern fitness due to its flexibility and effectiveness. Yet this form of unique strength training has a history much older than we originally thought, going far back in time and around the globe. The kettlebell, originally a tool of functional strength, is now a ubiquitous force in athletic… Continue reading Guest Post: The History of Kettlebell Training: From Ancient Strength to Modern Fitness
Three or four centuries ago, some lawyers in Europe decided that a man was legally of age when he became 21 years old. Apparently, the reasoning was that a youth of 21 had acquired sufficient experience and judgment to manage his own affairs. It is a peculiar fact that thousands of people today believe that… Continue reading Alan Calvert, The Man of Thirty: Can He Improve Physically?
My name is Conor and I suffer from TBD. That is training boredom disorder. It is a serious condition that seems to impact 1 in 5 gym goers each month and at least 3 in 5 home gym owners each month. Other descriptions include 'f**k around-itis' or 'spinning your wheels.' More seriously, I get bored… Continue reading Forgotten Exercises: The Siebert Press
Lee Moran was the first man to squat 1,000 lbs. in competition and an absolute goliath within the sport. The following source, from a powerlifting magazine in the 1980s - annoyingly I've lost the source which so rarely happens it is worth mentioning - details his thoughts on a 3 month training split to bring… Continue reading Lee Moran’s Squat Workout
This short post brings together two twin loves of mine, Odd Lifting and the Indian Encyclopedia of Physical Culture. Published in English in 1950, the Encyclopedia details a variety of traditional and modern exercises used in India. Part of a broader effort to promote traditional Indian movements, like heavy club swinging, bethanks, dands… Continue reading 1950s Advice on Stone Lifting
