There is a large machine at one corner of my gym that has been relegated for the use of hanging towels, hoodies and jackets over. The other day while I was doing some oblique exercises next to it, I asked my trainer why no one ever used it, he shrugged dismissively and said “That’s just… Continue reading From Hero to Zero? The History of the Smith Machine
Many young men take up weight training because they are underweight. Individuals who have been underweight most of their lives usually have high metabolic rates, i.e., they burn calories at a rapid rate, making it difficult to add mass to their frames. Having such high BMR’s, these individuals are especially prone to overtraining. In such… Continue reading Mike Mentzer,’High Calorie Diet: 6000 Calories,’ Heavy Duty Nutrition (1993), 16.
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
Many young men take up weight training because they are underweight. Individuals who have been underweight most of their lives usually have high metabolic rates, i.e., they burn calories at a rapid rate, making it difficult to add mass to their frames. Having such high BMR’s, these individuals are especially prone to overtraining. In such… Continue reading Mike Mentzer,’High Calorie Diet: 6000 Calories,’ Heavy Duty Nutrition (1993), 16.
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
Better known as Rheo H. Blair, Irvin Johnson was one of the foremost bodybuilding nutritionists of the 1950s and 60s. Producing one of the most sought after protein powders in the Iron Game, Blair was lauded for his nutritional knowhow and ability to achieve seemingly unbelievable weight gain amongst his clients. Bearing that in mind,… Continue reading Irvin Johnson’s Scientific Body Building and Nutrition Course (1951)
I love my PhD research. After three years, very few people can say that, but here I am. Now the reason for such positivity is not because a student recently gave me whiskey as a thank you present but rather because of the amazing access I'm given to lifters' records of yesteryear. You see earlier… Continue reading Lost Feats of Strength: Klein’s Tiger Push Ups
A phenomenon unknown to the modern lifter is the importance of workout posters within the gymnasium. Scattered across the gym walls, workout courses from Joe Weider, Mark Berry and a host of other weight lifting aficionados would highlight simple and effective workouts for both the beginner and advanced trainee. Such courses would usually come in a series… Continue reading Mark Berry’s Simple But Effective Workout Course (1930s)
