Those acquainted with the history of Physical Culture will no doubt recall the Saxon brothers, a travelling troupe of German strongmen who performed at the turn of the twentieth century. Blessed with remarkable physiques, the trio's mighty strength was undoubtedly aided by their healthy appetite for food and drink. In fact, as today's brief post… Continue reading Eat like a Saxon!
One of bodybuilding's most perplexing problems is deciding on how many repetitions. In recent years there has been a tendency to standardise the number to around ten, as this is felt to provide the best combination for muscular bulk, strength and stamina. Not too many years ago the guiding rule was low reps for bulk,… Continue reading Ivan Dunbar, How Many Reps Makes the Champion? (1964 Health & Strength Article)
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)
The quest for greater size has long plagued both the 'hard gainer' and the muscle bound hunk. At times it can seem that the need to ingest greater calories is almost as taxing as our workouts. A predicament that John McCallum, the focus of today's article, was keen to address. As you'll read below, McCallum devised… Continue reading John McCallum ‘Get Big Drink’
Photo Credit Building muscle is one of the most common fitness goals for all kinds of people, but it is also one that requires a good deal of commitment and effort. And if you are going to be investing all this extra energy, you want to make sure that you are doing the right things… Continue reading How to Build Muscle Faster
Known for being an incredibly bodybuilder in his own right, Reg Park was the go to bodybuilder of the 1950s. Possessing an incredible look of power and strength, Park was the envy of many a gym goer. How did Park build his monstrous physique? Well the answer, quite simply, was that he ate like a… Continue reading Reg Park’s Bodybuilding Diet
Published by the mid-century Bodybuilder Alan Stephens, the following article from Your Physique magazine details some time honoured means of bulking up in the easiest and most efficient way possible. Though much of Stephens' advice will seem like old hat to those a few years in the Iron Game, his writings were geared toward the beginner… Continue reading Alan Stephen – Bulking is Easy (1950 article)
The early forerunners of bodybuilding were adventurous in every sense of the word. From 20 rep squats to raw meat, these men and women stopped at nothing in the pursuit of pure, unadulterated muscle. For muscle anoraks like me, this pursuit resulted in a series of supplements being used, which of course, had varying levels… Continue reading Old School Supplements: Choline and Inositol
Famous as one of the one champion vegetarian bodybuilders of his time, Bill Pearl was a force to be reckoned with during the 1960s bodybuilding scene. Well built, symmetrical and possessing a force last seen in the days of yore, Pearl's physique inspired thousands of muscle fanatics to hit the weights room. Still training well into… Continue reading Bill Pearl’s 1967 Mr. Universe Workout
The GOMAD, or 'Gallon of Milk a Day', Diet is often the go to option for hardgainers struggling to gain weight in an easy and relatively straightforward way. Advocated by strength coaches, the dark recesses of the internet and the occasional big guy at the gym, there is no denying the impact the approach has… Continue reading The History of the Gomad Diet
