31325 ss 001

Muscle Building Methods Down the Ages

STRONG MEN OF THE PAST AND PRESENT

By APOLLON

V| TSCU-; MMLDINU! What wondorfnl vistas cif unlimiled Power and miglit the phrase eoiijures ii|> tn tlie iii ind. And ii is just thnt aspeet of i I u* 1111 i I c i i 11}' lip <>f mieliły mtiseiijur strongtb whioh I would liki* to deal witli in tliis oponing article of what I trust will |)mvi’ inloresfing on ilu- subjoct of miisrle niltnro.

Al tor liaring givrn a deal of eareful tlumght to tln* subjoet. I lmvo eonoeiyed tlu* idoa ul gutheriiig togetlier sometliing wliirli will appenl Indii to tln* yoimg student of pliysicnl oullure wlio knows littli* nr not Iriiig of the snbjeot as an aotual soiotico. and also ło tln* oxporiom*ed pbysioal oulturo cnthusinst-s wlm yot inny glouin a ray of kimwłedge from tlu* roading abnut tliis wondorfnl soionco.

Strong Men and Methods.

I inloiid lirst of all to roview tlu* strong mon of tlu* past, tlu* vory long past. ilu* nu>n of legend and bisiory, and tliou I propose to refer t<» tlu* doings of strong mon of tln* moro roouiil limes, say a generał ion or so ago. I will then eonie to tlmse wlio Imid the sta go moro or less i u prosent ii mes.

li is n fasoinating snbjeot, and ono iii wliich overy pbysioal eulturist oan interes! liimsolf, and not om* oan afford to romain in ignoranoo. To a.ssoointo niusolc-building, a soiiml. sam* and prnefcieal prooess of paiiiing ineroased physical strongtb. witli snob subjoot.s. as (iroek mytliojogy and legendary loro may at lirst glanee appear a tri Ile ineniigrumis. but aetually it is not so. as 1 will endeavour to show.

Imniortal sf rengtli, snęli as is siipposed to Inna* boon possossod by tln* (iroek (Jods is. of eourse. rallier different from tlu* pnroly pliysicnl st rengtli witli wliieli we members of the liiiinaii race aro blessod. To tln* very praotieal-mindcd umil tlu* ret-ords of ama/.iug fents of .sireiiglli and omluranoo roputod to liavo beru performod by “Tlu* (Jods" rallier iindermines bis emifidoiieo and beliof in tln* subjt*et in generał. Ile gots ilu* idea tlml all sueli matters ure pnroly mylbieal and logomlary, and In* adopts a sooplioal oiitlook oyon willi rogard to feals performod in aotual fu et by tlio grc*at mon of ilu* “uearor past.”

Men of Legend.

I.ot iis rid oiir miiids of all snob seeptieism if tlint is auy part of nur vi<*wpoiut. and rathor lot iis beliero tfliut-ilu* iiiimortnl deods of lin* Imroes of the past aro truły re<*ordod. The faiłb and trust of litilo oliildren aro lieaiitiTul tbings, the soeptioism and intoloranee of tlu* “know-alls" nre evil tbings. I.ol iis lmvo vision. givo play to onr iniaginutions. soe tlu* lieroes of tlu* past iii aotual tlosli and blond, and su establisli in onr ininds a standard of liigli ideals to wbioli wo slinll always be striving to aspire.

Almost- everv sol mol boy and selioolgirl for tbat inalter knows of Hcreulos, and wlio will say lImt tlu* larger nunibor of t Ii4*iu an* not iiiimedintely oonseioits of uplift and inspirntinn at tlic morę nioiition of tlu* na mor    ll oonjures up

in tlu* forefront of tboir ininds a vision of a bero. uli poworful. iii tboir oliildisli eoneeption, not a sou of Jupiter and a demi-god. bul a mail. a rea! mail of migbty miiselo and siuew. wlio aebievod tlmse wonderful feats, tlu* twelve iabours of Hercules, by slioer pbysioal strongtb and fonu* of will. A oap li reski ve in the eniirt of Ompliato. (Jnoeii of Lydia. soi Iroo and married to Dojnuira. wlio. pitiful tragody of it. was tln* iineoiisoious enitse of lu*r busbamrs deatli by poisoning. Tlien* is (not was) onr horo. and tliiit is limv I liko to view tlu? limiter. Meiifioti “ Hereulean f«*ats ” mul one bas immedinto visions of tlu* ideał strong mail beantiful of body. lii be and agile, aetive of mim] — all-powerful.