A Website Dedicated to the Study of Strength, Health, Fitness and Sport Across Centuries, Countries and Contests.
So often in today's world of World's Strongest Man, Olympic Weightlifting and Powerlifting, the assumption that strength is defined by maximum weight lifted goes unchallenged. It is as if we accept unquestioningly that the person who can lift 500 pounds once is stronger than the those who can 'only' lift 400 pounds for reps. It's... Continue Reading →
I am constantly fascinated with learning how strongmen and women trained. For me, one of the most interesting things about the history of fitness is learning how and why people trained, and for what reason. Today's post looks at Pat Casey, one of powerlifting's early celebrities. Pat Casey was one of the strongest men in... Continue Reading →
What does $50 mean to you? If you lived here in Indianapolis, Indiana, that's what you would have to hand over every hour that you worked with me. Would you listen, and at least try everything I told you to? Would you be patient? I'm sure you would. So, please make sure you listen to... 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 →
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 →
Whether you bodybuild, power lift, cross fit or simply keep fit, there's no denying the importance of the barbell to your training. Easily adjustable, stable under enormous weights and challenging to the nth degree, barbells are a time honoured means of building muscle and strength. Yet despite the barbell's unrivalled popularity amongst the current gym... Continue Reading →
For more than a century, the art and science of muscle building has been evolving and gaining popularity around the world. From the very early days and the pioneers of bodybuilding like Eugene Sandow and his predecessor, Ludwig Durlacher, all the way to the golden era of bodybuilding and the modern giants – this is... Continue Reading →
During the past twelve months or so that I've been writing for HARDGAINER, I've received hundreds of letters and phone calls with various comments and many questions. After receiving all this input, one thing has become very clear to me – you're reading the information in HARDGAINER, but many of you are failing to get... Continue Reading →
THE RADICAL GENETICS Five years ago, Adam Smith was heading down the wrong road of life. At 6-3 (190 cm) and a "sopping wet" 140 lbs (63 kg), Adam had severe scoliosis (curvature of the spine) which caused a serious curvature to his upper back, hips that looked displaced slightly to the right, and the... Continue Reading →
Stone lifting has, thankfully, come back into vogue both in strength competitions but also among the general lifting public. While previously on the site we have spoken of various acts of weightlifting in the Ancient World, it dawned on my recently that I have, to my own shame, rarely discussed some of the oldest, and... Continue Reading →