The Top 10 Oldtime Strongman and Physical Culture Books by Logan Christopher
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The Top 10 Oldtime Strongman and Physical Culture Books By Logan Christopher Why Did I Pick These 10 Books? The following books where chosen for this top ten list based on a number of criteria. First of all they need to be easily available. One book that would make the top of this list is The Spiritual Journey of Joseph L. Greenstein but unfortunately that book is out of print. You can usually still find used copies but at quite a premium (like on Amazon here http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1885440308/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=188544030 8&linkCode=as2&tag=strongmanbooks-20 ) Secondly, I didn’t want to make the list overly redundant. What I mean is that I tried to select books with some different topic matters to give you a more well rounded look at physical culture. Thirdly, I only selected one book from each author, the best one in my opinion. While there are many others available I also wanted to give different viewpoints. Fourth, there had to be usable and actionable information within. Many books about the oldtime strongmen are biographical in nature. And while you can learn things from them that way, I wanted their to be at least some solid training information in each one. And this list covers books of the oldtime strongmen, no one new and modern. There are a few great new authors in the strength realm these days, but this list covers people over 60 years ago at a minimum and all of which are unfortunately gone today. Here is the list in no particular order: 1. The Development of Physical Power by Saxon 2. Secrets of Strength by Liederman 3. The Key to Might and Muscle by Jowett 4. The Mystery of the Iron Samson 5. The Way to Live by George Hackenschmidt 6. Goerner the Mighty by Edgar Mueller 7. Muscle Control by Maxick 8. Functional Isometric Contraction by Hoffman 9. Vitality Supreme by Bernarr MacFadden 10. How to Develop a Powerful Grip by Edward Aston With these ten books you’ll get plenty of ideas on how to train your whole body, using barbells, dumbbells, bodyweight, kettlebells, isometrics, odd objects and muscle control. You’ll find lots of tips on diet and health. And you’ll learn about many of the oldtime strongmen, how to perform feats of strength and really what it takes to become ridiculously strong. Long descriptions of each and links to buy them will be found below. If you’ve already got these books I’ve added links to them on Amazon where you can pick them up in both Copyright 2012 Legendary Strength. All Rights Reserved. www.StrongmanBooks.com paperback and Kindle versions. I’ve also put together an incredible package deal for you on this set. Total retail price is $179.50, but you can grab all ten books for over $80 off. Just $99 plus shipping and handling. Even if you already have some of them this package deal is worth it. Go here to order: http://www.strongmanbooks.com/GetTop10Books/ Copyright 2012 Legendary Strength. All Rights Reserved. www.StrongmanBooks.com The Development of Physical Power by Arthur Saxon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/145375508X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=145375508 X&linkCode=as2&tag=strongmanbooks-20 Arthur Saxon's first book on weight lifting and strength. His original name was Arthur Hennig and over the years he traveled, trained with and performed as part of the Saxon Trio. The original members were Arno Saxon and Oscard Hilgenfeldt, later on to be replaced by Arthur's actual brothers Hermann and Kurt. The Development of Physical Power is a classic in learning what it takes to become truly strong from a man who lifted 371 lbs. overhead with a single arm. Inside you'll learn basic and advanced exercises with barbells and dumbbells. 1. Introduction 2. My Early Days 3. Incidents in My Professional Career 4. The Saxon Definition of Strength 5. My Views on Light Exercise 6. What Sports Help Weight Lifting? 7. Weight in Relation to Lifting 8. Routine of Training 9. The Bug Bear of Training 10. My Ideas on Diet 11. General Weight Lifting 12. What It Feels Like to Lift 350 lbs. with One Hand 13. One Handed Lift to the Shoulders 14. The Bent Press 15. One Hand Snatch 16. Single Handed Dumbbell Swing 17. Two Dumbbells Simultaneous Lift Overhead 18. Two Hand Jerk 19. Two Hand Jerk Continental Style 20. Two Hands Military Press 21. One Hand Military Press 22. Holding at Arms Length 23. Double Handed Lift on Back 24. Ring and Ball Lifting 25. Baths and Massage 26. My Measurements and Record Lifts William Pullum said "The Saxon Trio were the first to demonstrate the real possibilities of weight lifting." Here is a short piece from the intro: "I would say that, above all, I look for strength and power in a man, especially an athlete, Copyright 2012 Legendary Strength. All Rights Reserved. www.StrongmanBooks.com quite regardless of muscular development. The fact that a man may have full physical development, but disproportionate power and energy has been proven to me so many times, that, in my book, I propose to aim at and instill the value of genuine power, without any attempt to obtain large increase in the dimensions of the different muscles. This means that I look upon as almost worthless the taking of different measurements for purposes of comparison from time to time, as is generally done by young men who train on the different systems which are now before the public. I shall teach you to judge a man by his capabilities as an athlete, whether a weight-lifter, wrestler or not, and not by the measurement of his biceps or chest. In the course of my travels I have met quite a number of physical culturists who have come to me to show their development, and whilst it must be admitted it has been splendid to look upon, yet it has also been evident to me that a number of such men have injured their health in an endeavour to squeeze the last fraction of an inch from out of their muscular development. My idea will be, and always has been, to leave the muscles to look after themselves, but I place a premium upon the possession of untiring energy, great staminal and vital power, and a sound constitution." This book was followed up by a sequel giving more details on heavy lifting, titled Text Book of Weight Lifting. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1453756213/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=145375621 3&linkCode=as2&tag=strongmanbooks-20 Copyright 2012 Legendary Strength. All Rights Reserved. www.StrongmanBooks.com Secrets of Strength by Earle Liederman http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1466496487/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=146649648 7&linkCode=as2&tag=strongmanbooks-20 Earle E. Liederman was one of the leading strength authorities of his time. He was originally inspired by Eugen Sandow, whom he later partnered in business with. He became the editor of Muscle Power magazine later in life. Some of his famous pupils include George Jowett and Charles Atlas. The great Eugene Sandow endorsed Liederman's course. "I have tested your system of physical culture, and I do not hesitate to express the opinion that it is a perfect health and muscle building system, both from a medical and a practical point of view, and one which if honestly practiced, cannot fail to produce the best possible result. I certainly recommend anyone desirous of obtaining health and strength to follow your system. That you may continue successfully in your good work is the wish of your fellow-enthusiast, Eugene Sandow." Secrets of Strength is all about building incredible strength. includes the following chapters: 1 - Inherited and Acquired Strength 2 - Power and Strength 3 - Strength Through Muscular Development 4 - Are Small Bones a Bar to Strength? 5 - Strength Through Natural Advantages 6 - Quality of Muscle the Basis of Strength 7 - Strength Through Symmetry 8 - Strength from Perfect Digestion 9 - The Importance of Big Lungs and a Strong Heart 10 - The Secret of Nervous Energy 11 - Building Vital Force and Reserve Energy 12 - Building Strength Here's a small excerpt from inside: “There are three principal reasons why the average work-man is not very strong. The first being that he has too much work, being forced to continue after he is tired, with the consequence that he destroys tissue faster than he can rebuild it. Second – That only few employments require the use of all the muscles, and all- round development is the prime requisite of great bodily strength. Third – It is but rarely that work or labor requires the extreme contractions and the vigorous effort which produce muscles of great size and high quality…A short period of daily exercise, of the right sort, will give a man greater strength, a better shape and better health than he could possibly get by labor.” Earle Liederman wrote a number of other great books including Muscle Building, Endurance and The Art of Wrestling. http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field- keywords=earle%20liederman&linkCode=ur2&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Aearle%20liederman&tag=strongmanbooks-20&url=search- alias%3Dstripbooks Copyright 2012 Legendary Strength. All Rights Reserved. www.StrongmanBooks.com Functional Isometric Contraction by Bob Hoffman http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/147925004X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=147925004 X&linkCode=as2&tag=strongmanbooks-20 Bob Hoffman was probably the man most responsible for bringing weightlifting to the masses with his York Barbell Company.