A friend of mine recently made a very serious and from my perspective funny discovery. Having spent months training in a University gym replete with shiny new barbells, he decided to join me in my own gym for a catch up and quick training session. Ever the opportunist, he decided it was 'Chest Day' and… Continue reading The History of the Olympic Barbell
https://unsplash.com/photos/XFneC_rHR48 Since Triathlon originates from the beginning of the 20th century and since it gained it’s popularity much later, in the mid-1970s, it is safe to say it’s a pretty modern sport. Looking at this facts, many people would say that it hasn’t got much of a history, and that is partly true. Its history… Continue reading Guest Post: The History of the Triathlon
A mainstay in gyms across the globe, the leg extension is perhaps one of the most controversial machines amongst the lifting community, at least from the 1990s onward. For some it is a one way ticket to an ACL tear, while for others, it's one of the most effective means of building up the iconic… Continue reading History of the Leg Extension Machine
Who was the first man to legitimately squat 1,000 lbs.? Its a simple question, with a disputed answer. As covered previously on this site, Dave Waddington was credited with a 1,013 lbs. squat in 1981. There was just one problem. No officials had seen Dave's efforts, meaning that his squat although impressive, was relegated to… Continue reading Lee Moran And the Thousand Pound Squat
Early this month I had the pleasure (?) of helping a friend of mine at his local powerlifting meet. Over the months he had squatted, benched and deadlifted with a remarkable intensity and focus. When the time came for the big day, I was honoured that he asked me to come along. Admittedly, I didn't… Continue reading Suits, Boots and Brutes: The History of Powerlifting Gear
The concept and idea of activewear has changed dramatically over time. While clothes – and indeed sports - have existed for centuries, it wasn’t until recently that someone struck on the idea of creating clothes made for sports. Until the turn of the 20th century athletes would compete in their street clothes or – as… Continue reading Guest Post: The History of Sportswear
Though oftentimes derided on the gym floor, the leg press machine has nevertheless become a staple of weight lifting life through the globe. Yes it's not as 'hardcore' as the squat and yes it's oftentimes abused by bros quarter repping but this piece of equipment has a long and interesting history behind it. A long… Continue reading The History of the Leg Press Machine
Forced Rep, Negatives, Free Weights & Machines - People have called me mad. They say no sane man would inflict my degree of discipline on himself. Perhaps they're right, but I feel that extremism in the quest of your best is no vice. If I seem to be in be in the iron grip of… Continue reading Andreas Munzer – The Ideal Way to Massive Legs (1995)
In many ways the gold standard of the Iron game, few lifters will go through their careers without using an Eleiko barbell at some point in time. An iconic range in the weightlifting community, the history of this Swedish company is often forgotten. Indeed, so commonplace have Eleiko products become, be they barbells or plates,… Continue reading From Waffles to Weightlifting: Eleiko Barbell
Lower back pain is an all too common problem these days for the average office worker. Long stints in the chair, hunched over, with poor posture. It's little wonder back ache is one of the leading complaints for desk jockeys. If just sitting for extended periods of time causes such pain, imagine what lifting hundreds… Continue reading The History of the Reverse Hyper Extension Machine
