If you haven't read part one of this history please do so here, as I'll be referencing quite a bit from the earlier piece. Now... where were we? Last time I discussed the history of Olympic weightlifting in the United States, I mentioned the early strongwomen, Minerva's weightlifting belt (awarded in the 1890s by Richard… Continue reading Women’s Olympic Weightlifting in the United States: Part Two
Though few exercise programmes maintain a venerated status for long in the Iron Game, the mystique surrounding 20 Rep Squat programmes has endured. As hinted by the name, such programmes require lifters to back squat twenty times before unloading the bar, and in my own experience, lying on the ground questioning your decision-making. Primarily touted… Continue reading The History of 20 Rep Squats
A health shop is admittedly, an odd thing to write about. In today's world of GNC's and stores with fanciful names like 'Vitality' or 'Mr. Pump', modern gym goers are blessed with a wealth of pill peddlers to call upon. This, shockingly, was not always the case. While health stores did exist in some guise… Continue reading Leroy Colbert’s Health Store
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 Forgotten Exercises: The JM Press
In a rare turn for this website, today's post focuses on a 2023 reseach article which recently crossed my path. Published by Tor Söderström, the article focuses on twenty years of interviews with gym-goers at a Swedish gym and, in doing so, highlights the changes in both exercisee's motivations, as well as their training patterns.… Continue reading Research Corner: How Has Fitness Changed in the Past Twenty Years?
The intricate and intertwined relationship between sports and the environment is an evolving saga, deeply rooted in humanity's history and civilization's annals. This narrative endeavors to unravel the nuanced dynamics that have marked this interplay over centuries, presenting a comprehensive exploration of how sports have impacted and been influenced by the natural world. From the… Continue reading Guest Post: The Connection Between Sport and the Environment: A very short history
Here are five exercises published in the New York Evening World for developing the muscles and improving the health and strength. No. 1 is a stretching movement for strength. Carry the left foot and leg backward, and the right hand and right arm forward, stretching from the hand to foot consciously through the length of… Continue reading Five More Physical Culture Exercises (1900 Article)
Trainee One: "Drink a protein shake within 30 minutes of training or else" Trainee Two: "Why, what happens?" Trainee One: "You'll lose all your gains and the workout will be wasted." Yes, this was a conversation I encountered multiple times as a teenager training in the 2000s. Sometimes I was Trainee Two, asking good questions… Continue reading When Did ‘Anabolic Windows’ Become a Thing?
The intricate relationship between sports and marketing stretches back to the annals of history, finding its nascent roots in ancient civilizations like Rome and Greece, where athletes and gladiators were endorsed by prominent figures or even the government. However, it was during the late 19th and early 20th centuries that organized sports marketing started to… Continue reading Guest Post: The Detailed History of Sports Marketing and Advertising
Sports, an enduring aspect of human culture, have been celebrated in an array of settings and spaces known as sports facilities. These sites have seen a remarkable evolution throughout history, mirroring the progress of architecture, technology, and our relationship with sports and entertainment. Here’s a captivating journey through time that will help you learn more… Continue reading Guest Post: How Sports Facilities Evolved Over Time: Rise in Sports Architecture
Studying the History of Fitness