A Website Dedicated to the Study of Strength, Health, Fitness and Sport Across Centuries, Countries and Contests.
Named after French Canadian strongman Louis Cyr, the Cyr dumbbell is one of the most recognisable lifts in modern strongman competitions. Who can forget last year's Arnold Strength Classic which saw competitors run through a gauntlet of Cyr Dumbbells? Cyr's dumbbell is so popular in modern strength contests that it is sometimes difficult to remember... Continue Reading →
With so many people trapped in their own homes and not having a chance to go out, the food delivery industry is going through a revolution as we speak. Yes, delivery systems were used before the COVID-19 pandemic as well and tons of people relied on having their food delivered to them whenever they’re hungry,... Continue Reading →
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MycGlTq8Bb4 Wrestling has always held a special place in my heart. Thanks to my grandparent's old VHS collection, I grew up with the WWF and later the WCW firmly moulding my impressionable mind. Like countless others I was a 'Hulkamanic' growing up but I was always fascinated by the Iron Sheik. Known for kickstarting Hulk... Continue Reading →
In a former life as a teenage rugby player we did some dumb stuff in the gym. Heavy squats with bad form? Yup. Olympic lifts with rounded backs? You betcha. I trained around the time that 'functional training' was all the rage so I even have memories of friends back squatting on Swiss balls! Yes... Continue Reading →
Earlier this year we were treated to perhaps the most exciting Arnold Strongman Classic to date. We saw Hafthor Bjornsson win the event for the second year in a row with a domineering display of power. The 'Wheel of Pain' from Conan the Barbarian made an appearance and it was joined by an exact replica... Continue Reading →
Assault bikes are, for want of a better phrase, awful. Just awful. I remember how excited I was when my gym first got an old air bike. I hopped on, busted a gut for 2 minutes and then jumped off, vowing never again to use such a horrid machine. Funnily most people I chat to... Continue Reading →
Diabetes is the most common chronic health condition that affects the human population worldwide. In normal human bodies, the food we eat is broken down into glucose and released into the bloodstream. A spike in blood sugar signals your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin is a hormone that allows your body to use this glucose... Continue Reading →
Two wheels, some slabs of metal, a chain and an uncomfortable chair. What could be more simple to make then the common bicycle? Well motivated in part by a decision to begin cycling to work, I decided to delve into the history books to discover who invented the world's first bicycle. What should have been a... Continue Reading →
Chances are you've encountered the Body Mass Index ('BMI') at some point in your life. The measurement has become increasingly common as a health indicator and as we're increasingly warned about the obesity epidemic sweeping parts of the globe, it's nigh on impossible to ignore the statistics centring on BMI. So what is the BMI? When... Continue Reading →
The kettlebell is probably the weirdest looking of all gym weight training equipment. It looks like a cannonball with a handle on the top. The kettlebell is becoming more and more popular in gyms everywhere. This is because many trainers recommend it for a wide range of specialized strength building exercises. You can also lose... Continue Reading →