It's often very difficult to find something worthwhile in the fitness industry that is Entertaining Factual Historical Previously I've written about Rogue Fitness' numerous documentaries, which are on my 'must watch' list for anyone interested in the history of the Iron Game. Recently I stumbled across Omar Isuf's collaboration with the History channel on ancient… Continue reading What We’re Watching – Ancient Workouts With Omar
The secret of my strength explained. Many physical culturists possess large-size muscles, yet they lack something-something fundamental. Some possess it in a degree more than others, but they have not specialized in its training. Have you seen my performance on the stage? If so, you have probably noticed that my movements, when performing a feat… Continue reading Samson, ‘The Secret of My Strength Explained’, Samson’s System and Methods (c. 1920s)
The basic concept of lying on a bench and taking a bar from arm's length to the chest and back is a very simple one. However, bench pressing with maximum efficiency and power is an extremely exacting art relying on many major and minor principles and utilizing the coordination of the many muscles involved. While there is… Continue reading Bill Kazmaier, ‘Bench Pressing Style And Technicalities’, Bill Kazmaier and the Bench Press (1981), 4-6
In the United States alone, over 30 million people suffer from one form of eating disorder or the other. These statistics are not to be taken lightly, especially in light of the fact that there is one death every hour attributed to these eating disorders. As far as psychological disorders go, eating disorders have the… Continue reading Guest Post: A Brief History of Eating Disorder Diagnosis and Treatment
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
As most people who work out at the gym will testify, running on the treadmill, while being a pretty great way to get your cardio in, can often feel torturous. Interestingly enough, if you have ever compared running on the narrow confines of the treadmill belt to punishment, you wouldn’t be too far from the… Continue reading Guest Post: The Fascinating History of the Treadmill
Today, physical education is an integral part of every school’s curriculum. Children and teens require regular physical activity to develop and exercise their motor skills, so it’s not a surprise that this type of education found its way into schools. So how did we get to physical education being so important and how did it… Continue reading Guest Post: The History and Development of Physical Education
By the time you receive this issue of HARDGAINER we will be about half way through the year. So it's a good idea to take stock as to how your training is going so far, so that you make the rest of the year as productive as possible. Question #1 Are you stronger now than you… Continue reading John Christy, ‘Mid-Year Checkup’, Hardgainer Magazine, July/August (1999)
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
Looking for something to break the monotony of dumbbell and barbell training? Admit it, every once and a while you like to try something new. Exercises or machines that truly test you. Well today, we're going to look at the Swingbell, an old school piece of bodybuilding equipment promoted by York during the heyday of… Continue reading The Lost Art of Swingbell Training
