We have come a long way in terms of boosting our workout performance by fine-tuning all the habits that surround that single one, and in particular, by refining our menus to suit our goals. Athletes have always done their absolute best to find that perfect ratio when it comes to food intake in order to... Continue Reading →
Robert Paris, ‘Defining the Iron Age’, Ironage.us (c. 2003)
For those of us whose bodybuilding heroes are from the IronAge, finding our place in the land of modern bodybuilding has been tough. We feel out of place. Our heroes and our IronAge ideals often seem incompatible with the world of bodybuilding. As we struggle to reconcile bodybuilding's past with its changes, it is our... Continue Reading →
A Few Sandovian Stage Feats
I love feats of strength. Admittedly that's not the most surprising admission given the purpose of this website but it is one worth stating every now and then. It doesn't matter if it is someone lifting a barbell or a bale of heavy. Make it heavy enough and I will watch it or, if I... Continue Reading →
Machine Training in the 1940s
For anyone skeptical of the weird and wonderful modern gym equipment found in the dark recesses of the internet, it's important to note that unscrupulous salesmen and women have long sought to capitalise on people's better nature. For every individual willing to spend months and years working out, there's two more seeking to get fit... Continue Reading →
Guest Post: Bodybuilding Routines in the 1950s!
The era of 1930s to 1960s was an era of revolution in the field of bodybuilding. Legends like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Clarence Ross and John Davis etc were at the top of their games back in 50s and 60s. But those were simple times as well. Everything was pure and people were more inclined towards eating... Continue Reading →
Guest Post: What “dieting” meant to people in the 1900s
Dieting in the 1900s The concept of “dieting” has been around for a very, very long time. If historical data is to be believed, people have been convinced about the power of dieting for as long as 500 years now. Can people control their body weight and composition by controlling what they eat, when they... Continue Reading →
T.C. Luoma and Bill Phillips, ‘Muscle Media 2000 Exposes 30 of Bodybuilding’s Biggest Myths That Stand Between You and Success!’, Muscle Media, (October/November, 2000).
1 -- You can get as big as a pro bodybuilder without taking steroids; it just takes longer. Despite what many of the magazines say, all professional bodybuilders use either steroids or steroids in combination with other growth-enhancing drugs. Without manipulating hormones, it just isn't possible to get that degree of muscularity, the paper-thin skin,... Continue Reading →
Forgotten Exercises: The Dumbbell Swing
Almost a half-century ago the one and two hand swing lifts were very popular among lifters and bodybuilders alike, especially the one hand lift. Over the years, however, both of these lifts have slumped into oblivion so that today there are very few who ever practice them, either as an exercise or for record-breaking performances.... Continue Reading →
Forgotten Exercises: The LaLanne push up
This website's love for Jack LaLanne is perhaps firmly established through our previous posts. Well with that in mind, today's post discusses the LaLanne push up, a fingertip push up now synonymous with one of twentieth-century's most vibrant fitness personalities. So in today's short post we're going to examine the exercise, its history, and most... Continue Reading →
Jack Lalanne’s Power Drink (Playboy Magazine, 1984)
Coming from the 1984 Playboy interview previously covered on this website, the Lalanne 'Power Drink' serves as a timely reminder that one of the oldest physical culturists in the game was adamant about the importance of vitamins, minerals and copious amounts of vegetables. Let it serve as a timely reminder to eat, or in this... Continue Reading →