Five of the Best Vintage Strongman Books Ever Published - These are MUST Have Books!

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Dedication to Hard & Heavy Weight Training - By RJ Hicks, BS Exercise Science, CSCS

Year after year you hear the excuses of many trainees for their lack of results in the weight room. Poor genetics, old age, the wrong program, plateaued muscles, the list of excuses goes on. These excuses blind us to the real problem at hand, inhibiting us all from receiving the training results we deserve. An honest assessment must be made with one's training approach to developing muscular size and strength by asking the following questions. Am I lifting heavy enough weight to provide...

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The Mighty Atom Documentary is Finished and it's Fantastic! - by Bob Whelan

"Known as 'The Mighty Atom,' Joseph Greenstein was, indeed, the greatest and perhaps the most unlikely strongman who ever lived. He overcame impossible odds to simply survive to adulthood, then learned to harness the powers of the body - and more importantly, the mind - to achieve the impossible. Stopping an airplane from taking off with his hair, bending cold rolled steel with his hands, biting...

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My Buddy Jeff Bankens Does an Impressive 145 Pound Bent Press with 2 inch Bar

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CARDIO - For Life and For You! - By Jeff "T-Rex" Bankens

Last summer, our friend Christian Tackett wrote an article entitled “Cardio Thoughts”.  In this article he talks about the “fake news” he was told regarding cardio vascular training for most of his training career.  He then goes on to say that his coach (our coach), “Maximum Bob” Whelan advised him to take another look at cardio.  It changed Christian’s life.  

You can read that article for yourself at this link (http://www.naturalstrength.com/2017/07/cardio-thoughts-by-christian-tacket.html?m=1 )

As soon as I read that article it struck a cord with me.  You see, it was not very long ago that, Like Christian, I too believed I did not need cardio.  After all, I was not only a weightlifter, I was a performing strongman.  I saw those two activities as a free pass on cardio vascular training.  Enter “Maximum Bob” Whelan.  He taught me something that I pray I will never forget.  He said, ‘Jeff, do the weight training for YOU, and the cardio for YOUR FAMILY’.

What Bob meant, was that, while weight training alone will make your musculoskeletal-skeletal system strong and virile, it will do little to nothing for your cardio-vascular system.  What point is there in having a strong, powerful body if you are not going to put in the necessary work to ensure that body STAYS strong and powerful for years to come.  If I want to be around to see my son grow up, and (God Willing) play with my grandkids, I better do something to ensure that my heart and lungs stay healthy enough to get me there in one piece.

Bob shared that advice with me a little over two years ago.  I am here to tell you that it was some of the best advice I have ever received!  In the last two - three years, God brought mentors into my life that I am convinced were meant to help bring my physical game to the next level.

Rather than re-hash that story, I suggest you read it for yourself at this link (http://www.naturalstrength.com/2017/06/starting-over-and-getting-stronger-all.html?m=1 ).

After seeing the physical changes I have experienced over the last 2 years, I can say that Bob knew exactly what he was talking about.  I can also say that, on the other side of two years’ worth of cardio training under my belt, I now see that the cardio is not just for my family, it is for me too!  I heeded good advice that brought about what we are all looking for: RESULTS.  I would like to take a few minutes of your time to share with you the results I have seen manifested in my own life, to encourage YOU, the natural lifter.

I was told that, besides two days of weight training, I needed to have a minimum of two cardio workouts per week.  Implementing this was not that difficult, as I already had a treadmill in the house.  It even came with a built-in incline and two cross-country ski poles to boot!  I was all set, and began implementing the cardio work into my regular weekly schedule.  I usually have two - three cardio sessions per week that are usually thirty - forty-five minuted in Length.  While the intensity varies, I try to make a practice of regularly pushing myself so that I do not become “satisfied” with a certain level of fitness.  Just to be clear, when I say I push myself, I do not go crazy.  For example, I may try to increase the length of time I maintain a certain speed before  slowing down to catch my breath.  Other times I may walk an extra five minutes, or try to get another quarter or half mile in before quitting for the night.

Doing these things has helped me get stronger and fitter than I have been in many years, at an age when many people have started to let go and  become couch potatoes, forty.  I now find it quite thrilling to be getting stronger and leaner at the END of youth, looking down the road at middle age with a smile!

As I mentioned earlier, I am a performing strongman.  In fact, I am also a minister.  As stated in previous articles, I have a unique ministry that allows me to combine the feats of strength of the performing strongmen of old, with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ!  This has allowed me to speak and perform for many 1,000’s of people over the years.  I regularly speak at elementary schools, churches, youth groups, employee picnics, and other family-oriented venues.  It is a really unique way to connect and share with others that I really enjoy!  

Even though I have been doing this a long time, I have never done a large multi-day event as “TRex”.  One of my desires for many years has been to be given the opportunity to do something big, and last summer I did it!

It all started in October of 2016.  I reached out to the largest church in my area, in hopes that I might be able to schedule a time to speak and perform for them one Sunday or Wednesday.  The children’s pastor contacted me and asked that I meet with him.  I was hoping and praying for a successful meeting, but I had no idea what God had in store for me!  I was about to find out just WHY GOD had brought mentors Bob Whelan and Dennis Rogers in my life.  It was to prepare me for this very meeting!  You see, the children’s minister was not looking for someone to speak and perform for some random service, he was looking for someone to be the children’s speaker at a four-night / two-day church-wide revival!  

He proceeded to explain to me that I would have to prepare and preach four different sermons, with a unique performance tailored to each sermon, as well as write an anti-bullying program that would need to be presented seven or eight times during a two-day period that same week!  I can only imagine the ridiculous look I must have had on my face!  I had just been asked to do exactly what I had been dreaming of doing for so many years!

To be honest, I knew I (in myself) was not prepared, but I could not pass up an opportunity like this.  These types of events can be life-changing for the attendees, as well as the presenter.  It was a once in a lifetime event and I had to say “YES”.  I said yes to this because:  1) I knew this was an opportunity from God that I could NOT pass up; 2) I WAS prepared as an experienced speaker / preacher; 3) God had brought two men in my life that were ALREADY helping me get ready for this event, Bob Whelan and Dennis Rogers.  Knowing these things, even though I was very surprised and nervous, I KNEW it was going to be a success.

From October 2016 through August 2017, I trained my butt off!  I learned during that season of life that having an end goal in mind will keep you in the weight room and on the treadmill, not to mention on your knees (in prayer), and in the Word (studying the Bible).  After all of those months of preparation, the week had come, and it was showtime!  I ended up performing more than TEN times over a four day period, with little rest between performances.  I also spoke more than TEN times, either preaching from the Bible or giving an anti-bullying program.  We probably ministered to a couple of thousand kids that week.  Make no mistake about it, by the end of that four night period I was tired.  I was tired mentally, physically, AND spiritually!  But, I was not nearly as tired as I SHOULD have been.  You see, I had been preparing for that week for a long time, because of the mentorship of the men God brought into my life.  HE planned ahead for my success, so that those kids would get to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

I can tell you for a fact, had it not been for the hours of proper cardio-vascular training, I would not have been able to display the strength I had forged through the hours of weight training and practicing feats of strength.  I can also tell you that, had I not built up my “wind”, I would have been hard-pressed to properly present the Gospel or the anti-bullying program.  

I was successful because I was obedient to the instruction I was given, and you can too!  Remember, weight lifting is for YOU, cardio-vascular training is for YOU AND your family!

Jeff “TRex” Bankens is available for performances and speaking engagements.  He can be reached via his website or e-mail address listed below.  Feel free to drop him a line, as he loves to communicate with people from all over the world.

Website:

www.jefftrexbankens.com 

E-Mail: 
trexpowerevents1@gmail.com 

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/TRex.Jeff.Bankens

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/MrJbanken01

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Favorite Exercises - By Jim Duggan

Everybody who lifts weights realizes that there are many exercises from which to choose that will make up an effective training program. Whatever your goal may be- gaining muscular size, building maximum strength, rehabilitating an injury- there is no shortage of movements to help you get there. And, if you train consistently, and progressively, you should be able to make considerable gains in the form increased strength, more muscle, better health, and improved appearance. One of the...

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The Reality of the Fitness World - By Sutinder Mann

I came across an article in which a drug user outlined their experience of training with and without drugs. It got me thinking about the difference between physical culture and the fitness world and I wanted to communicate that to the widest audience and not just those of us who labour under heavy iron. I wanted my prose to get through to those who have not lifted and appreciate our situation. So below is my humble attempt: A Tale of Two Neighbours.Joe and Bob live on the ground floor...

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A Beginning Powerlifting Program - By Jim Duggan

The title of this article would imply that the routine that follows would only be of use to aspiring Powerlifters. The reality is that just about anyone can benefit from a basic Powerlifting program. Whether you are an aspiring lifter, or an experienced lifter coming back from an extended layoff, or someone who seeks to build size and strength, a program built around the three powerlifts will produce the results you are looking for. If you plan on entering Powerlifting competitions,...

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Looking for an old York Giant Krusher and a York Horse-shoe Exerciser

Hey Bob how are you doing? It’s Jeff Gretz. I'm looking for an old York Krusher and a York Iron Horse-Shoe exerciser both with springs. I am looking to pay top price for any of the spring type exercisers. Please let me know if you know anyone that wants to sell or trade. Thanks, Jeff  moasf@comcast.ne...

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Working Out When You're On Vacation - By Jim Duggan

One of the biggest challenges about going away on vacation, for those of us who love to train, is the issue of working out. Do I attempt to train? Or do I take a "true vacation" and not work out for the duration of the time away? For many people, the prospect of missing just one workout is almost too much to bear. This seems to be especially true of runners and other distance athletes. Maybe it...

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Health, Strength and Longevity - By Sutinder Mann

When I look at modern bodybuilding today I ask myself  Where is the love?Nowadays you have champion bodybuilders who have compromised their health to such an extent they can no longer train either due to internal damage to their organs or damaged skeletal structure due to the unnatural weights their drug engorged muscles could hoist. It should be called bodybreaking rather than bodybuilding. On steroids they grow quickly and burnout and are unable to face the iron again. There is...

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Reader Wants an Issue of Strength & Health

Good Evening Bob,My name is Will I am trying to find a copy of this magazine: Strength and Health 1981 September Vol 49, Num 5.  My mother is on that cover and I would like to get it for her as a gift? If you have any available I would like to purchase it.Thank youWill Doxtaderdoxtaderw@gmail.com...

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Never Miss an Update

Submit your email to our mailing list. (Look near top right corner of site.) You will get new post updates only. No daily spam.&nb...

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Question from a Reader: "... Where to purchase Anvils and a resource for instructions?"

Hello Bob,

I am writing in reference to the article:

A Birthday Celebration With Anvils And Granite ... By Jim Duggan.

Do you have a recommendation on where to purchase anvils and a resource for instructions?

Thank you in advance.

Alex

Please send responses directly to Alex at:
aandawellness@gmail.com

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A Birthday Celebration With Anvils And Granite - By Jim Duggan

There are many benefits to lifting weights. Too many to list here, but, one of the best things about strength training is that there is always a way to challenge yourself. Whether it's poundage progression, timed sets, ultra-high reps, or a new workout routine, you can always find a way to make your training both interesting and challenging. Getting older presents its own form of a challenge. Hoisting...

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A good letter from Sutinder Mann

Real World Fitness?As I lifted the corner of the beast and pushed the immense metal frame forward with considerable might; I was thanking God that I lifted. If I were weak, I could not have accomplished this feat. It was more than being strong but an awareness of bodily power and being in harmony with my muscles which told me how much I could load them with.It brought to mind the sage words of George Hackenschmidt“The knowledge of one's strength entails a real mastery over oneself; it...

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Listen To Brad Steiner Talk about Self Defense

If you are interested, I am going to be a guest on Coast to Coast Radio again this coming Wednesday (August 2) at 10 pm (to 12 midnight). You might wish to mention this to anyone you know who is interested in self-defense. If you are interested but cannot listen to the live broadcast, then you will be able to listen to a recording of the Show on www.prescottcombatives.com Best, Brad ...

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Cardio Thoughts - By Christian Tackett

For 18 years of my training career, l have been told that cardio was bad for me.  I have heard it all from "Cardio will destroy your recovery ability" to "You won't be able to recover effectively enough for your workouts" to "There is no evidence that cardio will improve your performance" to "There is no evidence that shows that the heart can be strengthened."  Yes, l believed these and more, and falsely believed that l was doing my body a service by keeping from it.  That...

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The True Masters of Natural Training - By Sutinder Mann

Truth has a power all of its own, you may try to cover it up with lies or ignore it but it remains the truth. In the training world a sincere physical culturist has an internal compass which points to the truth but as fallible beings we get lured by flashy claims. When I first read Stuart McRobert and Bob Whelan, I knew they were the real deal and ordered their books, which now serve as references on my bedside table. About five years ago, the summer before I started back at work, I...

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The Strongman Priest - By R.J. Hicks, BS Exercise Science, CSCS

RJ Hicks is an active duty officer in the US Air Force and a Graduate Student in Exercise Science. Who was the first college strength coach? Many believe it was Boyd Epley, at Nebraska, but few have heard of the man who formed the position, without knowing it, decades before people commonly accepted weight training. Father Bernard Lange was a man of character who ruled his weight room without opposition from 1935 into the late 1960s. A man of tremendous strength and love for his university,...

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Practice Makes Perfect - By Jeff "T-Rex" Bankens

This article is a follow up to the recent video posted on this website showing "yours truly" bursting a hot water bottle.

Bursting hot water bottles is a feat that has been performed by old time strongmen for decades. I have been performing this feat myself for nearly 10 years. I really like adding it to a performance because it is exciting to for the audience to watch, and really builds the tension in the room leading up to a grand explosion of rubber and hot air!

While bursting a hot water bottle is, no doubt a very exciting feat to perform, it is very taxing on the entire body. Performing this feat can tax your chest, biceps, abdominals, neck, and cardio vascular system. It can also wreak havoc on your tongue, which makes it difficult to speak shortly after performing this feat. The degree to which it taxes you depends on several factors, including: the type of Hot Water Bottle being used (some are tougher than others), the cardiovascular fitness level of the individual performing the feat, and what feats have been performed prior in your performance.

I was reminded of the importance of taking your own advice about 2 months back. I was performing at the annual employee crawfish boil for the company I work for. I have been performing here annually for at least 7 years. In preparing for my performance, I only took one of the listed factors into consideration: my cardiovascular fitness level was pretty high, as I have implemented some big changes in the last 1-1/2 years. That being said, I did not seriously consider the the feats I had performed prior to bursting the hot water bottle (I was tired and winded by the time I got to the hot water bottle). I also overestimated my ability to burst the new bottles I recently acquired (They are 2 - 3 times harder to burst than my normal bottles). Up to that point I had only practiced bursting them when my body and mind were "fresh".

I wish I could say my years of experience allowed me to skate through that feat and complete it with seeming ease, but I would be lying to you. I was able to get about 30 breaths of air into the bottle, and then it began to overcome me. In general, my body and mind were tired, and more specifically my cardiovascular system were taxed by the time I got that much air into it. I could literally hear and feel the air escaping as I tried in vain to "hold my breath" in the bottle. The struggle became too much, and I let the air escape, put the bottle back up to my lips, and started over. You see, the first time went so well that I decided to give it another shot. Once again, I was severely disappointed. I admitted defeat, moved on and completed the performance.

That failed performance taught me something valuable, again! It taught me that practice makes perfect! No matter how good you think you are, you should never skip out on practice! I was overconfident in my abilities and it cost me a failed performance. Thankfully the crowd was forgiving and enjoyed the rest of the performance.

So, what are the takeaways from this failed feat of strength?

Do not take yourself so seriously that you cannot mess up in front of people. Learn to laugh it off and move on.

Planning is key. Lay out your performance (or workout routine) in such a way that you are able to complete all of the required feats (or exercises). Practice, practice, practice. You do not become an expert at something without hours and hours of repetitive practice.

Should you have any questions regarding this article, public speaking, or performing feats of strength, please do not hesitate to contact me at www.jefftrexbankens.com

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Bursting a thick Hot Water Bottle "How to's" & necessary practice - By Jeff "T-Rex" Bankens

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Starting Over and Getting Strong(er) All Over Again - By Jeff "T-Rex" Bankens

It has been a while since I have written an article for Bob, and I can honestly say that, as of the writing of this article, I am in one of the strongest places I have ever been in my life. This is, in large part, thanks to a couple of guys that have invested time in me as a person and as a lifter. One of them, of course, is "Maximum" Bob Whelan.

I have talked about this in other articles, but I believe it is worth mentioning again. About a year and a half ago, Bob gave me the gift of strength all over again. What I mean, is that he helped me take a step back, analyze my current training system, and see that it had some major holes.

The toughest thing (at first), was knowing that I had to "start over". The reason was that I had to take a lot of the "fluff" & "fads" out of my programming , and then transitioned to 2 full body workouts plus 2 (or 3) cardio days, per week. It is nothing fancy, just hard, heavy, & consistent lifting using the basics. I have a very simple home gym setup. My workouts are performed with barbells, dumbbells, a trap bar, a treadmill, and a few other useful tools. The transition back to "the basics" was quite a change, and took a break-in period. While this was a tough pill to swallow, it literally changed my life.

The other changes I speak of occurred shortly after I implemented the changes Bob helped me make. First, I was given the opportunity to train one on one with the best living old time strongman in the world. Next, I was given the chance to prepare for a four night children's revival at a local church, coming up later this year.

You see, I have the privilege of being a lifter, an old time strongman, and a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

With all of these changes and opportunities happening, I became (and still am) pressed for spare time. Beside ministering, performing, and lifting (all three are "hobbies"), I have a full-time job, a wife, and a three year old "big boy" named Isaac.

With all of this going on in my life, I have learned of the importance of three things:

Setting Attainable Goals will help keep you focused. These days I am working on making my body as strong and healthy as possible for the long haul while also becoming more proficient at the feats of strength I perform. I also have to have time to pray, write sermons, and put together a different program of feats for each night of the revival. None of this could ever come together without properly set, attainable goals.

Getting connected with the right mentors in life will help you attain the goals you set. If not for Bob and the other gentleman I spoke of earlier, there would be no Jeff "TRex" Bankens at this time. Because of their generous investments in me, I will get to carry on their legacies. This means that their investment in me will (God willing) bear fruit. I now get to invest what I have learned in others, including my own son. I would like to point out that mentors have been instrumental in every area of my life. In business, health, relationships, etc. Surrounding yourself with the right people is one of the best investments you can make. 

Decide today that you will never give in and quit. Life is but a vapor, it goes by fast. Do not waste it. Once you have found an attainable goal (or goals) that drive you, and you have been surrounded by the right people to help you attain these goals, decide here and now, that you will see these goals to completion.

Am I saying that if you follow these three principles you will become happy, healthy, wealthy, and wise? Or, that you will become anything that you think about, no matter what? No, not at all. I am simply saying that you will become a success, and your life will not have been lived in vain.

In just the short time I have implemented these principals into my life, I have achieved some lifting goals that used to only be dreams of mine:

1 set of 20 reps in the trap bar deadlift with 300 lbs. prior to this, I had not lifted 300 lbs. for more than 5-10 reps in any lift. This was a big boost to me mentally. My next goal is to achieve 2 sets of 10 with 400 lbs. Once this is done, I will set my sights on 1 set of 20 reps with the same weight.

A 134 lbs. Bent press with an oversized circus dumbbell. I did not even start training this lift until November of 2016. My goal is to be lifting around 150 lbs. before the children's revival later this year.

These are but two of the many goals I have been able to achieve since implementing these principles in my life. I know there are more things coming down the road, and once again, I am excited to see what lies ahead of me in my lifting career.

In conclusion, I would like to say that (up to this point), I have not ever been as sure of a training system and the direction my life is heading, as I am now. It is because God blessed me with the opportunity to implement three things in my life: 1- I set attainable goals for my life, 2- I was able to be surrounded with the right people that helped me attain those goals, and 3- I decided that I would not quit until those goals were achieved. I have also learned that once those goals are achieved, I will have to set new goals, attain them, and pass on what I have learned to others. Doing this over and over throughout your lifetime will allow you to leave a legacy that you would never be able to build on your own. You will truly be a success, in the gym, in your life and family, and (most importantly), in eternity.

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