Most people recognize a bodybuilder by his muscular arms. The arms are usually the first muscle people notice. If your arms are developed then you have a good start on your bodybuilding career. The main muscles of the upper arms are the bicep and tricep. Let's first talk about the bicep. The bicep is a… Continue reading Pat Neve, ‘Attain Maximum Arm Size’, Ironman Magazine (November, 1975).
Owing to the increasing popularity of powerlifting, cross fit and olympic lifting, chances are you either own a weightlifting belt or see them on a regular basis on the gym floor. A means of bracing the abdomen, weightlifting belts are a source of controversy in the weightlifting world between those who see them as legitimate… Continue reading The History of Weightlifting Belts
Cambered bars, that is bars with a slight or pronounced bend, are one of the more niche elements of the gym floor. While many of us will be familiar with the EZ Bar, undoubtedly the most popular form of cambered bars, far fewer will have used Safety Squat, Buffalo or straight Cambered Bars as part… Continue reading The History of the Cambered Bar
The Irish alcohol industry has, at its core, always been particularly adept at marketing. From Whiskey to Guinness, sellers have used a variety of inventive advertisements to flog their wares to a thirsty public. Illustrating this is today's post about a strange encounter between Eugen Sandow, a Prussian born strongman and Murphy's Stout based in… Continue reading Sandow and Stout: An Irish Story
I remember hesitating abut using the title that appears on the top of this page. I can hear the "oohs!" and "aahhs!" and I can see the looks of astonishment and disappointment on your faces: "Steiner - IRON MAN'S feature-writer, advocating, a split routine? Why, this guy's flipped his wig. He's been hollering so much… Continue reading Bradley J. Steiner, For Rugged Strength And Muscle Size Try This Novel “Split Routine (1972 Article)
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 Who Invented the EZ bar?
It happened to Rocky Balboa. He got soft. He earned all that money, got used to the good life, and lost his competitive edge, his "eye of the tiger." His old fart of a trainer told him, " The worst thing that could happen to a fighter happened to you - ya got civilized." Rocky… Continue reading T.C. Luoma, Back Training in Focus: Back Training with Shawn Ray (1995)
Who invented the Landmine? No. I'm not talking about the explosives! What I am talking about is the landmine attachment that is found in gyms all over the world. Many of us are now firm devotees to the landmine. Over lock down, and in my small but beloved home gym, my landmine attachment was a… Continue reading Who Invented the Landmine?
In late 2021, I had the honor of speaking with Jeff Russo about his experiences in the health and fitness industry. Jeff has spent the better part of his career helping personal trainers and gyms better serve their clients. As will become clear from our interview, Jeff helped pioneer a new, and thoughtful approach, to… Continue reading Physical Culture Study Interviews Jeff Russo from Pro Fitness Program!
Can we build a new kind of gym? No this isn't an idealistic post but one inspired by the Bristol co-op gym. Let me explain. As we've talked about previously on this website, gyms in the twentieth century have typically been defined by a single model. An owner, or group, owns the gym. They charge… Continue reading Can We Build a New Kind of Gym? A Call to Arms for the Readership
