Charles Atlas was born in Italy in 1892 as Angelo Siciliano. He moved to the USA with his parents when he was 13 years old in search for a better life, which turned out to be the right decision later on.
Charles Atlas
Angelo started training after visiting the Brooklyn Art Gallery where he was inspired by the Greek Gods mythology. There is a story about a bully, which Angelo always told, who kicked a sand in his face at a beach. Young Angelo weighed only 97 pounds at that time and that’s when he decided to start training hard in the nearby YMCA, using barbells, dumbbells, calisthenics and pulley-style resistance. This type of training didn’t produce satisfactory results for the young Angelo (as he claimed) and later on he saw a lion stretch in a zoo and came to a conclusion that animals become strong by pitting muscle against muscle, so why wouldn’t he use the same technique? According to this story, that’s how Charles Atlas came up with the idea of the Dynamic Tension, his own training program.
Wrestler’s bridge with a twist, by Charles Atlas
Bernarr Macfadden, who run the “Physical Culture” magazine, held a photo contest in 1920 which was won by Angelo Siciliano. Prize of a 1000 dollars was great, but what was even better is that “The World’s Most Perfectly Developed Man” title helped Angelo to get a job in Coney Island where he performed various stunts and feats of strength.
Finally, in 1922 Angelo decided to legally change his name to Charles Atlas. Charles sounded more American, but Atlas idea derived from his friend who told him he resembled the statue of Atlas, which was on a top of a hotel in Coney Island. Charles founded his company, Charles Atlas Ltd. in 1929 and, believe it or not, this company still exists today.
Charles Atlas doing a handstand at 62
Even though a reliable source says that Charles Atlas had a family history of heart attacks and that he died following a daily jog on a beach, it turns out he never really jogged* at that age nor did he have the history of heart diseases. Instead, Charles was using a stationary bike at his own home and he developed diabetes in his 70’s. He was put on a high protein diet, which unfortunately clogged his arteries. After one of his daily exercise routines, Charles experienced chest pain and had to be hospitalized for further testing. He died at the age of 80 on December 24th, 1972 at the Memorial Hospital on Long Island.
Charles Atlas ripping a phonebook in half
Handstand pushup by Charles Atlas
* Many thanks to Bill Gibbons, a friend of Charles Atlas Jr, who provided more precise information about circumstances which led to Charles death.
Comments
I was a friend of Charles Atlas Jr until his passing in August, 2008 at the age of 89. He told me many wonderful stories about his famous father, and repudiated the fact that he (Atlas Sr) did NOT die from a heart attack after a jog on the beach. Atlas did not jog at that age, but used a stationary exercise bicycle on his condo balcony in Palm beach, Florida. Charles Atlas developed diabetes in his late 70s (from his mother’s side) and his doctors put him on a high protein diet to offset the effects of the disease. This in turn clogged his arteries, and he began to experience chest pains after his daily exercise regime. He was eventually hospitalized for tests, and died at the Memorial Hospital on Long Island on December 24th, 1972.
BTW, Charles Jr never mentioned a history of heart trouble in his family, and he himself worked out regularly until a spinal aneurism put him in a wheelchair at the age of 85.
Hope this helps.
Hi Bill,
it definitely helps. Thanks a lot for contributing!
Is that reliable info?… (about his death) It seems like some dude from the internet is the source…
Hi Guys, there is a new Charles Atlas biography out. I read it and was pleasantly surprised at the wealth of information and facts about Atlas that was packed into the book.
I wrote a preview for Amazon.com on the book. See the link below.
https://www.amazon.com/Charles-Atlas-The-Myth-Muscles/dp/1927558492
Cheers,
Bill
I think Charles Atlas Courses rule!
Did he do any weights or set records or any strong feats Luke that?
Charles atlas was born in 1893 not in 1892 as state wrong.. And he have some lift records for example could lift
from ground over head about 270 pounds with one hand.it was his best record.
Charles Atlas was born on October 30th, 1982. He died on December 24th, 1972 aged 80. I knew his son Charles V. Atlas, who established a number of facts about his life with me during a number of conversations.
Mr Gibbons,
What’s different in your Samson workout than Atlas or someone just doing daily pushup, chin up, body weight squats in high volume?
Thanks for response.
My generation of kids would always comment to each other when are strength was inadequate, Stop trying to act like your Charles Atlas.
Hi William,
You have direct knowledge and my trust, but I think you may have made a little typo in your previous comment. Should it be, “Charles Atlas was born on October 30th, 1892.” ? This would then confirm and clarify that he was 80 when he died.
Kind regards,
Ashoka
His daughter, Dianne is still living at 104. His Father lived to be 96. They come from a family with good genetics.