Harold Zinkin spent part of his youth at the bottom of a four-man human pyramid on Muscle Beach, holding up three men while the crowd watched the one on top. History may be written by the victors, but it’s also written by the loudmouths, and Zinkin was never a loudmouth. He was the man who,… Continue reading The Man Who Made the Modern Gym (and the Man Who Took the Credit)
Commercial gyms and standardized training equipment are relatively modern phenomena. Humans have been lifting weights for a long-time using tools that predate them. Among such tools, sandbags have proven themselves to be quite durable. They have been documented in training manuals as far back as 1793, co-opted by military conditioning programs, and, to top it… Continue reading Guest Post: The History of Sandbags in Physical Training
Dip belts emerged in the modern strength culture as an answer to the ceiling effect of bodyweight-only training. The late 20th century witnessed a revolutionary surge in dip belts’ adoption in bodybuilding, powerlifting, calisthenics, and subsequently, in home-training solutions. The modern dip belt is a waist-worn belt with weights suspended with a chain. It was… Continue reading Guest Post: The Popularization of Dip Belts in Modern Strength Culture
Well ... it finally happened. Gyms are beginning to open around the world. Lifters rejoice! Now I've previously discussed my own training struggles down the global lockdowns. For the first time in my life I was unable to go to the gym, had virtually no access to a barbell and ... somehow ... I survived.… Continue reading How Has Gym Equipment Changed Over Time?
Well ... it finally happened. Gyms are beginning to open around the world. Lifters rejoice! Now I've previously discussed my own training struggles down the global lockdowns. For the first time in my life I was unable to go to the gym, had virtually no access to a barbell and ... somehow ... I survived.… Continue reading How Has Gym Equipment Changed Over Time?
