A bunch of us went down to the gym one time to watch Reg Park work out. He was in town doing a show. We lined up along the wall with our eyeballs hanging on our cheeks and tried not to look too jealous when he started lifting. Park walked in looking more like Hercules… Continue reading John McCallum, ‘Training for Gaining’, The Keys to Progress
"They call him the Freckled Heckler, a misnomer for one of the friendliest guys in bodybuilding" stated Rick Wayne in his classic, out of print, and highly sought after book "The Bodymen". A book that incidentally resides in Ken Waller's kitchen cabinet, a handy reference for a quick trip down memory lane! Bill Grant echoed… Continue reading ‘Ken Waller: Catching Up With The “Freckled Heckler’, IronAge, 2005.
The Competitive Bodybuilder Few people in bodybuilding ever have to ask: Should I compete? When you reach that advanced stage, you will know it. In fact, if you are as motivated as I was, nothing could prevent you from stepping into the ranks of the professional bodybuilder. Competitive bodybuilders are the elite in the field… Continue reading Lou Ferrigno’s Secrets for Competitive Bodybuilding
Is Arnold Schwarzenegger a fortune teller? It would explain quite a lot. Who else can boast a career in bodybuilding, Hollywood, politics, investing and hosting mega events? I am, of course, being somewhat tongue-in-cheek here. I do not believe Arnold could tell the future, although I am surprised this was not the premise of any… Continue reading Is Arnold a Fortune Teller?
Strength performers have, historically, been somewhat shady individuals. For every Arthur Saxon who tried their best to be as honest as possible, there were hundreds of individuals seeking to deceive the public. Typically during the late 1800s and early 1900s, strength performers deceived the public in one of three ways Lying about an object's weight:… Continue reading How Strongmen Lied to the Public and the Case of Gus Hill
"And now for something completely different" I'll be spending a few weeks discussing various writings on lifting weights that have left an imprint on me in many ways. As anyone who has dedicated themselves to the gym for a prolonged period will attest, lifting weights is about so much more than exercise. It is a… Continue reading Inspirational Reads: Henry Rollins, ‘The Iron and Soul,’ 1994
As many of you may know, I am an accredited dietitian, as well as a natural bodybuilder and sports model. My health and fitness dreams are coming true this year with my team selection to compete in the Musclemania and Fitness America Championships in Las Vegas following my strong showing at the Asia Pacifics. In… Continue reading Mark Robinson, Secrets to Fitness Success, Ironman (Australia), December 2013, 20 (11), 98-101.
I love feats of strength. Admittedly that's not the most surprising admission given the purpose of this website but it is one worth stating every now and then. It doesn't matter if it is someone lifting a barbell or a bale of heavy. Make it heavy enough and I will watch it or, if I… Continue reading A Few Sandovian Stage Feats
For many years serious athletes and bodybuilders have known that free weights build muscle size, strength and power faster than any other form of resistance training. Today's smart bodybuilders are also acutely aware that the process does not take as much time as many have erroneously believed and that, by using dumbbells (because they DO… Continue reading Randall M. Taylor, 18-Min Home Dumbbell Workout, Planet Muscle (Volume 4, Number 1, 2001)
It's often very difficult to find something worthwhile in the fitness industry that is Entertaining Factual Historical Previously I've written about Rogue Fitness' numerous documentaries, which are on my 'must watch' list for anyone interested in the history of the Iron Game. Recently I stumbled across Omar Isuf's collaboration with the History channel on ancient… Continue reading What We’re Watching – Ancient Workouts With Omar
