A Website Dedicated to the Study of Strength, Health, Fitness and Sport Across Centuries, Countries and Contests.
A piece of equipment so commonplace on the gym floor that we often take its very existence for granted. That, at least, is my impression of the E-Z Bar. Having previously discussed the history of barbells, the ancient origins of the dumbbell and even the Swiss Ball for God's sake, it's somewhat shameful that the... Continue Reading →
This article first appeared in Bob Hoffman's Strength and Health Magazine in 1957. It details the point scoring for the precusors for today's modern bodybuilding shows. Of particular interest are the categories dealing with muscularity and athleticism. Many of us forget that physique competitions used to include some form of strength component dealing with the... Continue Reading →
A piece of equipment so commonplace on the gym floor that we often take its very existence for granted. That, at least, is my impression of the E-Z Bar. Having previously discussed the history of barbells, the ancient origins of the dumbbell and even the Swiss Ball for God's sake, it's somewhat shameful that the... Continue Reading →
Never afraid to promote his own products in line with good workout advice, Bob Hoffman and York Barbell were once the go to suppliers of knowledge within the Iron Game. A position Hoffman often used to great financial and sporting advantage. Nevertheless Bob and his team did produce some good pamphlets on training as evidenced... Continue Reading →
As many readers will no doubt be aware, protein bars have become almost ubiquitous in certain parts of the Western world, owing in part to their durability and in part to their successful advertising. Indeed, at the time of writing, I can walk five minutes to the local shop where I will be greeted by... Continue Reading →
If you could only perform one exercise for the rest of your training career, what would it be? Such a question plagues the online forums as an inciter for heated debates about why the deadlift or squat reigns supreme. This question is as old as time itself, as many famous physical culturists gave their opinion on... Continue Reading →
Unless you've been living under a rock, you will be well aware that protein powders are big business. Nowadays protein powders, bars and even brownies can be picked up in airports, gas stations and local convenience stores. Gone are the days when your Whey protein was sold in a shady part of town by a... Continue Reading →
John Grimek was one of the greatest American weightlifters and bodybuilders of the 20th century. Nicknamed 'The Monarch of Muscledom', Grimek also competed for the US in the 1936 Olympics in Germany. It's fair to say he knew something about lifting weights. Today's article sees Grimek discuss one of the most pressing issues in bodybuilding.... Continue Reading →
This article first appeared in Bob Hoffman's Strength and Health Magazine in 1957. It details the point scoring for the precusors for today's modern bodybuilding shows. Of particular interest are the categories dealing with muscularity and athleticism. Many of us forget that physique competitions used to include some form of strength component dealing with the... Continue Reading →
The history of Bodybuilding and Physical Culture is full of those great 'what if' moments. What if Joe Gold never opened Gold's Gym? What if Arnold never took up the sport? And what if drugs never infiltrated physique competitions? Another great 'what if' moment that many of us are unaware of comes from the 1940s,... Continue Reading →