The following post is taken directly from Thomas Inch's 1920s work, On Strength. Inch, as we have previously discussed on Physical Culture Study, was one of the early and influential British physical culturists. Inch was a weightlifter, weightlifting organizer and a prolific writer. He wrote for several decades with Health and Strength magazine, likely contributed... Continue Reading →
Two Worlds Collide: Bill Kazmaier and Cactus Jack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIIPv2TqXZ8 The internet can be a truly wonderful way to occupy one's time and recapture childhood memories. As a child of the 1990s, who grew up with television shows from the 1980s, I had two twin loves, wrestling and the World's Strongest Man (WSM) competitions. Sadly for me, television broadcasting in Ireland during that time... 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 →
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 →
Randall M. Taylor, 18-Min Home Dumbbell Workout, Planet Muscle (Volume 4, Number 1, 2001)
For many years serious athletes and bodybuilders have known that free weights build muscle size, strength and power faster than any other form of resistance training. Today's smart bodybuilders are also acutely aware that the process does not take as much time as many have erroneously believed and that, by using dumbbells (because they DO... Continue Reading →
Deadlifting Cheese at the World’s Strongest Man (1983)
I have, I believe, been fairly open about my love of the World's Strongest Man, specifically the opening decade of the competition. Whereas today's competition is professional, modern and scientific, the contests of yesteryear were undoubtedly more tongue-in-cheek. This is not to say that the contests were no less contested and the competitors impressive but... Continue Reading →
How Do You a Single Handed Dead Lift? 1920s Style
The following post is taken directly from Thomas Inch's 1920s work, On Strength. Inch, as we have previously discussed on Physical Culture Study, was one of the early and influential British physical culturists. Inch was a weightlifter, weightlifting organizer and a prolific writer. He wrote for several decades with Health and Strength magazine, likely contributed... Continue Reading →
Fitness Programmes in the 1960s: Dennis the Menace, Mr. Wilson’s Uncle
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6o3dct When I say mid-century fitness programme, you're probably thinking of Jack LaLanne's long running programme broadcast across the USA. While this is a fair assumption to make, old Jackie boy was not the only individual concerned with improving America's health and wellbeing. Broadcast in 1962, the following 'Dennis the Menace' episode revolves around... Continue Reading →
Fred Hatfield, ‘I May Know Diddly, But I Know Squat!’ (2001)
The passing of Dr. Fred Hatfield in 2017 saw the passing of one of the lifting community's most prolific coaches. Known as 'Dr. Squat' thanks to his own immense strength, Hatfield also helped to popularise scientific forms of training. The above article, written sometime before 2001 is perhaps the most comprehensive guide I've come across... Continue Reading →
How Do You a Single Handed Dead Lift? 1920s Style
The following post is taken directly from Thomas Inch's 1920s work, On Strength. Inch, as we have previously discussed on Physical Culture Study, was one of the early and influential British physical culturists. Inch was a weightlifter, weightlifting organizer and a prolific writer. He wrote for several decades with Health and Strength magazine, likely contributed... Continue Reading →