While the Manueklear is lighter weight and doesn’t have the original’s leather straps, it still performs the same basic function. There are no instructions, but it’s easy enough to adjust the straps for a perfect fit. I happen to like to have the bottom of my elbows hanging slightly below the bottom of the neoprene elbow padding. It’s definitely comfortable when curling, although I think I would have preferred the neoprene neck brace to have the strap side face out rather than in when on my neck. 

Ultimately, this is not heavy duty workout equipment, but it really doesn’t have to be. It feels like it will hold up well for its intended purpose and it’s hard to beat the price. This is the type of equipment that not every home gym needs, but is fantastic if you’re ready to expand your arm training options.

The post Review: Manueklear Arm Blaster appeared first on fullSTEAMahead365.

You can check out Part 01 here.

Even though in the last entry I just took a look at the exterior front and back covers and was hoping to get into something a bit more meaty in this entry, the first two interior ads, the one on the other side of the front cover and the one on the opposite page before the Contents and Shows and Events schedule page, were similarly interesting and worthy of its own entry.

That’s obviously a great shot of Bob Hoffman, most likely at or around his physical peak. I’ve only really seen photos of him when he was much older and didn’t look like he trained much, if at all. In any case, the testimonials are interesting to read. I also did a quick Google search for “The Road to Super Strength!” booklet, but it doesn’t appear to be online. This was being sold well into the 1940s, though, it seems, as a different ad appears in Popular Science from March, 1946. I wonder if it was updated much, if at all, 8 years later.

This is a strange one. I never really heard of the “Perfect Voice Institute,” but sure enough, some form of the company and information is still around, even though the original is from 80 years ago! Based on this Yahoo! Answers entry, the technique was implemented by Eugene Feuchtinger in 1932. You can actually see Feuchtinger’s booklet at that Perfect Voice link!

The post What can we learn from a fitness magazine from March 1938? – Part 02 appeared first on fullSTEAMahead365.

Before we dive into the contents in future blog posts, I thought it would be nice to see the front and back covers.

As you can see, the same teaser style featured here on the front cover of this magazine from the 1930s is still in vogue today (aka, clickbait).

According to the inside cover, the man on the cover is Jimmy “Muscles” Jackson of the Jamous (sic?) Jackson Trio. Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with him, but his physique is definitely impressive regardless of era, just with the somewhat lackluster legs that would be the standard into roughly the mid- to late-1960s.

As would be the standard practice for fitness publications even into the modern era, the magazine was a showcase for the publisher’s products, in this case, Hoffman’s York Barbell company products, which, like this magazine, was founded in 1932.

Hoffman always had a preference for weightlifting over pure bodybuilding, so that’s of course what’s often emphasized in the magazine and here in the ads, but, save for the iron boots, this ad and its products wouldn’t look too out of place today.

As related to my earlier statement about legs and the lack of relative development and emphasis at the time, the exercise demonstrated in the upper right appears to be a freestanding version of a leg extension. I suspect this setup would be even better for freestanding leg curls, however. Otherwise, it’s a very 1930s way to focus on leg development outside of the core weightlifting exercises in the upper- and lower-left photos.

Finally, note the use of the term “SUPERMEN,” along with other superlatives. Comic book hero Superman would make his debut on newsstands on April 18, 1938, which would be one month after the cover date of this magazine. Coincidence? Of course, but it goes to show that it was probably a common term at the time, so it’s only natural that a really strong guy in a comic would be called a Superman.

See you soon in Part 02, where we’ll dive into the interior of this fascinating historical magazine.

The post What can we learn from a fitness magazine from March 1938? – Part 01 appeared first on fullSTEAMahead365.

While my focus has always been and continues to be on bodybuilding, i.e., lifting weights in a healthy and intelligent manner to build the best body my genetics and age allow, I still make time for a wide variety of other related fitness activities, including Cardio, Yoga, CrossFit, and Plyometrics. To me, that’s the first key: Make sure you’re at a gym that allows for a wide range of different fitness activities. Don’t just stick with cardio. Don’t just stick with weights. Mix it up. You’ll not only be healthier and more capable, but you’ll also maintain your motivation.

The second key is: Don’t pay too much. This is the golden age of gyms and gym memberships. In many areas, the choices of gyms are overwhelming. I presently go to a place called The Edge, and it’s only slightly more expensive than a place like Planet Fitness, yet offers many times the equipment and options, including child care (with a nice bonus of actually letting the kids do supervised workouts!). This ties in nicely to the third key: Don’t compromise. Shop around and make sure the gym can grow with your needs. If not, make sure you’re not locked into a long-term contract in case you find you need more.

There is one bonus key that I’ll also provide… With all other things being equal, the only difference between those who are fit and those who aren’t fit is consistency. The fit ones keep a regular workout schedule. So, ultimately, whether you workout at home or go to a fancy commercial gym, what really matters is making sure your workouts are reasonably intense and reasonably consistent to go along with a reasonable diet. Most exercise and diet programs are effective, but they need to be utilized to work.

The post What to Look for in a Gym in 2019 – Three Keys appeared first on fullSTEAMahead365.

Here’s the link!

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