A Website Dedicated to the Study of Strength, Health, Fitness and Sport Across Centuries, Countries and Contests.
Bodybuilders, its fair to say, will often try just about anything to gain another pound of muscle mass. A practice that has resulted in some fascinating products hitting the shelves. Today's product, York's 'Protein from the Sea', protein powder emerged in the 1960s and promised to harness the pure protein of fish to build muscle.... Continue Reading →
Ah yes the much-maligned calorie. Whether you’ve ever tried to lose weight, put on mass or even just feel okay about eating junk food, chances are you’ve come across those pesky calorie numbers on food labels. You may be surprised to learn that despite the ubiquity of calorie counting in today’s society, this unit of... Continue Reading →
Note: This article is about the legal history of Anabolic Steroids in the United States and not an endorsement or discussion about steroids and performance. There is perhaps no other topic in sports that garners as emotional a reaction than the use of steroids or performance enhancing drugs by professional athletes. For some the ends justify... Continue Reading →
Imagine if there was just one exercise you needed to obtain the perfect physique. What's more, you would only need to do it two or three times a week. Pretty good right? Well you're in luck. The 'Health Lift' provides everything you need and more. In the mid-nineteenth century, a fitness machine swept across the United... Continue Reading →
Many thanks to the great team at Ted-Ed for all their work in creating this wondering YouTube video based on a previous post of mine on the dark history of the Treadmill. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al-30Z-aH8M TED-Ed is a free educational website for teachers and learners and you can check out more of there amazing stuff by clicking... Continue Reading →
From Eugen Sandow to Charles Atlas, physical culturists have long made a living through mail order ads. Check out this old Arnie one from the late 1960s flogging the latest Weider product. So next time you grow weary of the hyperbole from today's modern advertisements, just remember that such ads are a time honoured tradition... Continue Reading →
Ah yes the trans fat. Now reviled as one of the most unhealthy substances a human can eat, trans fats were once presented as the epitome of clean eating in the United States. They were cheap to manufacture, easy to cook with and marketed with aplomb. Today we look at the fascinating history of the... Continue Reading →
It was only two minutes and four seconds ‘Fore Schmeling was down on his knees He looked like he was praying to the good Lord To ‘Have mercy on me, please.’ Bill Gaither, 1938 June 22, 1938 and over 70,000 fans crammed into Yankee Stadium to see the ‘Brown Bomber’ Jou Louis face off against... Continue Reading →
Have you heard about the health benefits of Coconut Oil? It’s great for energy, will help you burn fat and can even help you stave off infections. Coconut juice was even used as an IV Drip for injured soldiers during the Second World War. It’s been labelled a ‘super food’ by many in the dietary... Continue Reading →
Introduction Consciously or unconsciously, we are all aware of Charles Atlas and his business. In today’s article we will look at Atlas, Physical Culture and constructions of White Masculinity in 1920s to 40s America. I believe Atlas’s ‘Dynamic Tension’ product was successful in this time as claimed to provide men with masculine qualities that they... Continue Reading →