The common person out there believes that muscles equal strength and vice versa. But this is not true. If it were true, then big bodybuilders would dominate every strength sport. They would be the champion powerlifters, strongmen and Olympic lifters. And while there have been a few people that have …
Maxick on Muscle Control
Strongman Profile series on Breaking Muscle wouldn’t be complete without Maxick, the master of muscle control. Strongman Profile: Maxick Teaches Us the Lost Art of Muscle Control Muscle control is for the most part a lost art that is no longer widely applied today. Yet a hundred years ago there …
Max Sick
Max Sick was a strongman and gymnast from Austria born in 1882, most famous for developing the Maxalding system with Monte Saldo. But he did much more than that. Early Life Born to Swiss parents, Maxick developed rickets and dropsy along with lung problems at a very young age. This …
Explosive Bodyweight Exercises
Take a look at the corresponding video that reveals about 5 minutes worth of explosive bodyweight exercises. Notice the creativity that went into forming these exercises. Yes, some of the moves are complex for someone who is in the novel stages of learning, but the beauty in the video is …
Otto Arco
Otto Arco (real name Otto Nowosielsky) was a Polish strongman and wrestling champion. He was born in 1881 and 22 years later he won the Austrian wrestling title, despite the fact he was only 5’2. He was considered to be the best wrestler in the world, pound for pound. Otto …
Antone Matysek
Antone Matysek is best known for his feat of strength where he lifted a custom made bicycle with three riders using a single hand, as shown in the picture below. He started his teaching career very early, at the age of 18 and won the “Strongest Man in America” at the age of …
John Grimek
John Grimek was born in 1910 in New Jersey, where he started training with his older brother George, who was already well developed and bigger than John. However, his brother wasn’t as interested in competitions as John was and in 1934 John took a heavy weight contest in New Jersey, …
David Macklin
David Macklin of Scotland showing the sensational scapula abduction which won him the silver award in April from Maxalding. You gotta wonder what did the guy that won gold do, because that is the most unbelievable scapula control I’ve ever seen. This is one exercise in muscle control that takes …
Book Review: The Key to Might and Muscle
In the physical culture book club I may have saved the best for last. The Key to Might and Muscle by George F. Jowett is one of the best books overall for learning what it takes to become very strong and build up a great body. I’ve read it in …
Maxick's Muscle Control
This video is a short overview of Muscle Control by Maxick. Muscle control is largely a lost art, especially to the level Maxick was said to have mastered it. If you want to learn how to get started this book which you can find on Amazon is a great place …
Muscle Control by Maxick
Muscle Control by Maxick is one of the most classic books of the oldtime strongmen. There are many other great books on the art of muscle control, but none are as popular as this one. It’s probably because the book is quite simple and the exercises are easy to follow. …
Book Review: Maxalding by Monte Saldo
Monte Saldo was less well known then his major partner, Maxick, in the system they created called Maxalding. That is also the name of the book which this review is about. Maxick became more well known from his books and weight lifting exploits, though Monte was no slouch in that …
Abdominal Vacuum Exercise
If you did one, and only one, muscle control exercise, this is the one it should be. It’s commonly known as the abdominal vacuum, because that’s just what you’re doing. You’re creating a vacuum of pressure inside. This vacuum is great for the lungs as you expel a greater amount …
Sig Klein Tribute
Video of Sig Klein Sig Klein has to be one of my favorites of the old time strongman. He was just such a perfectly developed athlete. And he did it all from weightlifting, various feats of strength, to muscle control and more. Not the least of which were his hand …
How to do a Cartwheel Article
This one is on How to do a Cartwheel. A simple gymnastic move that everyone should be capable of doing. Are you? I should of done this one a long time ago, judging by the number of questions I’ve had. But hey, better late then never right? It has a …