"Sandow: The Beginning"
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Sandow's System, the one he marketed, is well documented and many copies are still in existence. On close examination however, the System does not give the answers we are looking for. Light weights, high repetitions, spring dumbbells, fancy developers and remedial exercises, as good as they were they did not develop the mighty strength and physique of Eugen Sandow. So what did? Ê For the answer to the question I believe we first have to go back to the time before Sandow's birth, to the beginning of the nineteenth century and to Germany and a man named Friedrich Jahn, who formed sometime in the early part of the century a gymnastic organisation. This organisation, not unlike the British Health and Strength League one hundred years later, grew very quickly and put on displays and festivals throughout Germany attracting many devotees and enthusiasts, until eventually gymnastics became a national sport or pastime. This was not only in Germany but throughout Europe.

It would probably be into this type of organisation or gymnastic club or society that the young Friedrich Mueller would be introduced, possibly through his schooling or later whilst studying at college. Sandow, we know, was an accomplished gymnast as many of his later posing exhibitions proved. He often finished a show with a back flip. The physique? Well look at the physiques ofÊ modern gymnasts, weights aren't the only route to physical perfection. Ê Well that's the grounding, the basic Mueller physique. But what about Sandow?

The strength, the refinement, the Sandow well balanced physique, Sandow the bodybuilder, Sandow the strongman, and was he really the Father of Modern Bodybuilding? First we must ask the question. What is a "father"? Well according to Chambers dictionary it is "a male parent, a forefather or originator." Sandow was two of these, but the latter he certainly was not. If bodybuilding means the use of progressive and selective exercise to develop specific muscles of the body, which I believe it does, that would make the originator of such a system the true Father of modern bodybuilding. Sandow was there at the very beginning and was probably the very first pupil, but originator he certainly wasn't. That accolade goes to his friend and mentor Louis Durlacher, or as he was better known, Professor Attila.

Attila it is claimed developed the shot loading barbell; the forerunner of the modern day disc barbell, by adding more lead shot into the hollow globes resistance could be increased bit by bit. Prior to this cumbersome solid barbells and dumbbells and a variety of lumps of iron were hoisted above by brute strength and excessive bodyweight. Lifts were 'anyhows', that is getting the weight up anyhow; muscle was developed but just as a side effect. Attila altered all that, and Sandow was the perfect example, the proof that progressive weight training worked.

The exercises would be not unlike today's. Biceps can only be developed by curling movements, triceps by straightening the arms against resistance, and the lats by pulling. The anatomy of the body decides on the movement and no matter how innovative the system this can never be altered.Ê Sandow of course would also train on the lifts he used in his stage performance, lifts chosen by him and refined so as to put any challenger at a disadvantage. Sandow was one of the first scientific weightlifters. With help from Attila, body positions would be worked out, muscles essential to the lift would be strengthened and lifts increased by grammes instead of kilogrammes using Attila?s new shot loading weights. Ê

Sandow eventually moved on from Attila,Êrefined and developed the system and became the world?s first celebrity bodybuilder and trainer to both royalty and the masses. Ê Ê

- Gil Waldron
Thanks to Gil for this marvelous article, exclusive to this website.

Sandow Photographed in His Later Years

The Story of the Mr. Olympia Trophy, also known as "The Sandow"