Loved and despised in equal measure, the squat has long been the iron game's go to exercise for maximum leg development. A cornerstone of most trainee's leg routines, there is certainly no doubting the exercise's popularity. Yet despite the fact that the back squat in particular has enjoyed a decades long dominance amongst gym rats, … Continue reading Peary Rader’s Magic Circle
Having previously detailed forgotten physical culture devices like the Iron Boots and the Swingbell, the time has come to discuss another treasure from bodybuilding's past, namely the 'half moon bench'. Promoted heavily by the Dan Lurie Barbell Company during the sixties and seventies, the "Half-Moon" or "Round Bench" promised to stretch the ligaments and cartilage around the … Continue reading Dan Lurie’s Half Moon Bench
Part of the functional training fetish exhibited by members of the strength and conditioning community in the opening decade of the twenty-first century, the Bosu Ball was not too long ago, a ubiquitous piece of gym equipment. Nowadays found in the corner of the gym floor, if at all, the Bosu Ball, along with the … Continue reading The History of the Bosu Ball
Dating to the 5th century BC, records relating to the halteres can be found as far back as 700 BC. Weighing anywhere from 2 to 9 kilograms, Halteres were initially used to help Greek athletes train to extend their long jump distances. Holding halteres in each hand, athletes would increase their long jump distances by … Continue reading Halteres: The Dumbbells of Ancient Greece
