Training while travelling has always been a pain for me. While I try my best to find hotels close to gyms or with some adequate facilities, chances are I'll get caught out every once and a while. Though not boasting the largest lifting numbers, certainly much lower than much of the site's readership, there are... Continue Reading →
Sergio Oliva Trains Shoulders
Known as 'The Myth' for his quite frankly cartoon like proportions, Sergio Oliva has long occupied a hallowed place in Bodybuilding's pantheon of greats. Mr. Olympia in 1967, 1968 and 1969, Oliva inspired a generation of gym goers and iron addicts. Somewhat frustratingly, footage of the man training is relatively hard to come by, hence my... Continue Reading →
Andreas Munzer – The Ideal Way to Massive Legs (1995)
Forced Rep, Negatives, Free Weights & Machines - People have called me mad. They say no sane man would inflict my degree of discipline on himself. Perhaps they're right, but I feel that extremism in the quest of your best is no vice. If I seem to be in be in the iron grip of... Continue Reading →
The History of the Leg Press Machine
Though oftentimes derided on the gym floor, the leg press machine has nevertheless become a staple of weight lifting life through the globe. Yes it's not as 'hardcore' as the squat and yes it's oftentimes abused by bros quarter repping but this piece of equipment has a long and interesting history behind it. A long... Continue Reading →
Forgotten Exercises: Monkey Rows
Monkey or Armpit Rows... Admittedly it's not the most enticing of names. Regardless of its poor labelling the following exercise is one of my favourite forgotten exercises of recent times. A godsend for individuals with shoulder pain, Monkey Rows offer a great alternative to commonplace exercises for trap and deltoid development like the upright row.... Continue Reading →
Forgotten Exercises: The JM Press
The Westside Barbell club run by Louie Simmons, is one of the current institutions of the iron game. Known for producing champion powerlifters and even effective machines such as the Reverse Hyper Extension, there is little doubting the club's importance for lifters, whether or not they adhere to powerlifting itself. In today's short post, we're... Continue Reading →
The History of the Burpee
An exercise loved and loathed across classrooms, the Burpee can be found in P.E. classes, conditioning circuits and anywhere where trainees are searching to shed pounds and increase definition. As simple as it is difficult, the exercise is often engaged in with relative unenthusiasm. In fact, I have yet to meet anyone who genuinely enjoys... Continue Reading →
The History of Weightlifting Belts
Owing to the increasing popularity of powerlifting, cross fit and olympic lifting, chances are you either own a weightlifting belt or see them on a regular basis on the gym floor. A means of bracing the abdomen, weightlifting belts are a source of controversy in the weightlifting world between those who see them as legitimate... Continue Reading →
D. Haddleton, ‘It takes guts to chisel out the Abdominals’, Health and Strength (1964)
Written by D. Haddleton, of Sydney, Australia in Health and Strength Magazine, in November 1964, the following article presents an 'old school' method of training the abs. It features several exercises long forgotten by the modern weightlifter, making it both an invaluable piece of Iron Game history and valuable training aid. Really want to kick-start some ab development?... Continue Reading →
Peary Rader, ‘Training for the Older Man’, The Rader Master Bodybuilding and Weightgaining System (1946)
After a man reaches the age of 50, and sometimes even 40, he sometimes feels that he is an old man, and tho he realizes the need for exercise for health’s sake, he thinks that he might be getting for heavy work. This all depends on how he has trained in years past. If he... Continue Reading →