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"A Century of Old Time Strongman Training Secrets are Yours For The Taking"

Dear Friend,

Our good friend, Bill Hinbern sells the largest selection of Old Time Strongman related publications in the World and has been doing so since the mid-60s. In that time he has sent his great Old Time Strength reprints to every country on teh map. He even helped spawn a modern day strength revolution when he sold a very young Brooks Kubik the classic training books that originally got the young Dino-man interested in serious training.

Bill's operation is only a hop, skip and jump from the FHS compound and we are proud to say that we now feature many of his Classic reprinted old time strongman training books in stock and ready for immediate shipment. Now you can order all of these by phone or credit card - Browse these classics and re-live over a century of valuable strength history!

(Note: Foreign and non-domestic customers must contact us for a freight quote.)


"One of the Iron Games Greatest Teachers Now Teaches You..."

The George Jowett Collection

George Jowett was one of the Iron Game's most prolific and popular writers and one of the first to popularize heavy lifting. He is one of the most well known and respected Old Time Strongman authors and this set features three of his greatest training courses:

  • The Key to Might and Muscle - A monumental masterpiece sure to thrill anyone who loves to lift weights and read about real old time strongmen! Almost 300 pages of classic training information and many great vintage photos, originally published in 1926.


  • The Jowett Institute Course - A six month training course consisting of 12 lessons using adjustable plate loading dumbbells, 1927 edition. Includes complete lessons in: proven methods of gaining muscular body weight and reducing body fat; muscle chart; deep breathing; stretching; circulation; massage; indigestion; constipation; virility; sleep; skin; eyes; teeth; hair; progressive dumbbell training including muscle lengthening and contraction; advanced muscle building; etc. "Once a Jowett pupil, always a Jowett pupil."


  • Molding a Mighty Grip - In this book, Jowett reminisces about many of the famous old time strongmen and their specialty feats of grip strength. A great book available once again for the truly serious student of grip strength. Part of the Jowett Institute's famous "Molding" library, Fully illustrated, softcover - 8 l/2" in x 11" in in size, 1930 edition.

    The George Jowett Collection - 3 books for $94.99 (plus S & H)

  • The George Jowett Collection and
    George Jowett in his Prime.





    "Let The Masters Teach You How To Build A Bone Crusher Grip..."

    The Classic Grip Course Collection

    One thing that all of the old time strongmen had in common was that they all had tremendous levels of hand and grip strength. This collection features the classic grip courses straight from some of the strongest men of all time:

  • Molding a Mighty Grip - Part of the Jowett Institute's famous "Molding" library, Fully illustrated, softcover - 8 l/2" x 11" in size, 1930 edition.

  • How to Develop a Powerful Grip by Edward Aston - World's Middle-weight Weightlifting Champion, British Heavy-weight Champion Weightlifter, Britain's Strongest Man (1911-1934 retired undefeated), and one-time "Prince of Strength Athletes." This course details many of the unusual grip training exercises that he not only personally used but discovered throughout his colorful old time strongman stage career.

  • Developing the Grip and Forearm by Thomas Inch - The famous name, THOMAS INCH brings to mind one thing: GRIP STRENGTH. At 5'10 l/2" and 210 lbs., he could "Two Hands Anyhow" 356 1/2 lbs. and Bent Press 304 l/2 lbs. At age 68 he could Dead-Lift 540 lbs. He made a name for himself by offering £200 to anyone in the world who could lift his "unliftable" Challenge Dumbbell. Many a top strength athlete tried... only a very few succeeded in lifting the Inch's challenge bell. After a long time, and numerous requests, Inch decided to put down in writing the methods by which he felt one could best develop his grip strength to the maximum. So here it is...

  • Iron Claws: Grip Development and Bench Press Course by Michael H. Brown - This book is a product of the author's fascination with how the old-timers developed 16" forearms and enormous coin bending grip strength! Brown is a hands-on type of guy who views his gym as his laboratory where he loves to experiment with different theories... embracing the methods that work and discarding the ones that don't. While writing this book, the author even invented a special wrist roller, rack rebounders for heavy bench pressing, and a heavy-duty cable set using surgical tubing. A rare and extremely hard to find book full of valuable and result producing information available once again.

    The Classic Grip Course Collection - 4 courses for $39.99 (plus S & H)

  • The Classic Grip Course Collection



    "He Put More Weight Overhead With One Hand Than Any Man in History...Now He Teaches You the secrets of his Strength"

    The Arthur Saxon Collection

    At the turn of the century, Arthur Saxon put more weight overhead with a single arm than any man before or since. In 1906, The Strongest Man in the World wrote his first of two books describing his simple methods for developing genuine strength and power. While his methods were simple maybe even crude by today's standards, he knew how to build super-human strength... and now you can learn how to do it too... directly from the man himself:
  • The Development of Physical Power by Arthur Saxon - In his first book, written in 1906, Arthur Saxon explains in great detail with accompanying photos how to do ten different Old Time strongman lifts using barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells plus "ring and ball" lifting.


  • The Textbook of Weight-Lifting by Arthur Saxon - Arthur Saxon's second book originally printed in 1910 is one of the few books describing in detail the training methods of the old time strongmen. (Long before vitamins and steroids). Over 50 pages of text, photos and beautiful artwork printed on heavy enamel paper makes this book a must have in every Old Time strength library.


  • The Arthur Saxon Collection - 2 Books for $29.99 (plus S & H)







    The Arthur Saxon Collection





    "Hard-As-Nails Common Sense Basic Training From The Turn of The Century..."

    The Alan Calvert Collection

    Many strength historians feel that Alan Calvert had more original, innovative, and result producing ideas on weight-training than any other man of the early twentieth century. He founded the Milo BarBell Co. in 1902 and Calvert was the first editor and publisher of STRENGTH magazine. His three training books are a goldmine of information:
  • The Truth About Weight Lifting by Alan Calvert - Back in 1911, this was the very first hardcover book ever printed in America on the subject of weight-lifting. Fifteen chapters devoted to some of the greatest known feats of strength, how they were performed, which were genuine, and which were fake. Calvert tells how to strengthen the body for heavy work using the training methods of the famous Old Time strong men of the day. He discusses the difference between "strength" and "power" and weight-lifting vs. heavy dumbbell exercises.

    The Truth About Weight Lifting covers: Exhibition feats: lifts vs. supports or muscle strength vs. bone strength, How to do: the standard dumbbell lifts, the snatch, swing, jerk, press, the one-arm press, bent press, muscling-out, dead-weight lifting, harness lifting, back lifting, chain snapping, coin breaking, card tearing, stage work and more...


  • Super Strength by Alan Calvert - Originally published in 1924, this book is considered one of the best strength training books of all time. In its day it was considered the proverbial "barbell bible." Twenty-six chapters take you through: training the back, legs, abdominals, chest, shoulders, arms, hands, wrists and forearms, harness and platform lifting, the swing, snatch, jerk, bent press, muscle control, exhibition work, and much more! All this is timeless information that is just as vital and result-producing today as it was years ago when it was strictly man against iron!

    You will see photos of all the Old Time greats: Apollon, Arco, Cyr, Hackenschmidt, Jowett, Klein, Lurich, Massimo, Matysek, Nordquest, Paschall, Sandow, Saxon, Steinbach, Steinborn, Tauscher, Zottman and more. Order a copy of this beautiful 5" x 7 l/2" softcover book with 220 pages of text plus 95 pages containing 177 vintage photos. A real strength classic!


  • The Milo Barbell Courses - In the late nineteenth century, Alan Calvert had the privilege of witnessing the strongman and posing act of the great Eugen Sandow. Instantly young Calvert was bitten by the barbell bug. However, in those days barbells were very expensive if they could be found at all here in America. So in 1902, a year before Henry Ford started his automobile empire, Alan Calvert founded Milo Bar Bell Co. in Philadelphia and began producing all kinds of weightlifting equipment: globular, shot loading, plate loading, and solid; barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells, etc.

    His Milo equipment and instruction via his courses and Strength magazine were the last word in weightlifting in North America from 1902 to 1935. In fact, if you lifted weights, you probably owned a Milo and were following Calvert's world famous Milo Barbell Courses! Calvert developed a huge following with a ferocious loyalty. Many legendary stars of the strength world got their start with Milo Barbell Courses & equipment; John Grimek, Bob Hoffman, Dick Bachtell, Siegmund Klein, Anton Matysek, George Jowett, "Milo" Steinborn, Joe Nordquest, Ottley Coulter, The Good Brothers, David P. Willoughby, etc.

    The Alan Calvert Collection - 3 books for $84.99 (plus S & H)

  • The Alan Calvert Collection



    "The Lost Art of Muscle Control Lives On..."

    The Muscle Control Collection

    "Muscle Control" is one of the true "lost arts" of the Iron Game. Using this unique skill, the old timers were able to build mental concentration, complete relaxation and gain individual control over all the major muscles of the body. The results from these training techniques were amazing - and these classic courses are some of the few remaining documents on how to learn how to do the techniques correctly.


  • Muscle Control by Maxick - Originally published in 1910, this truly remarkable course has run through countless editions. The author, by adding muscle control to weight training, developed both an outstanding physique and was thought by many to be the strongest man in the World! Maxick set some of the most astonishing lifting records the world has ever seen. An 8 1/2" x 11" softcover book with over 50 beautiful photos of Maxick demonstrating the exact position for each control. Fabulous in content!

  • Matysek's Muscle Control by Anton Matysek - Matysek was a world renowned strongman who was featured month after month in Alan Calvert's "Strength Magazine." In this course, you will learn complete relaxation and concentration that will enable you to control all the major muscle structures in the body... Thicken the shoulders, broaden the back, increase your chest size. Three pages of text plus two beautiful 11" x 17" classic wall charts.


  • That's Muscle Control by Ed Jubinville


  • Muscle Control by Walt Baptiste


  • The Muscle Control Collection - 3 books and 1 wall chart course for $59.99 + $8 S&H. Note that the Maxick book is currently at the printer's and will ship separately once it is ready; the other items in this collection will ship immediately.

    The Muscle Control Collection



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