Page 117 - The Iron Games E-book

The Iron Games Strength Lifting

HISTORY OF STRENGTH LIFTING

Strength Lifting is not a modern invention.
Egyptian tombs show pictures of lifting bags filled with
sand and stone swinging and throwing exercises. These
types of things were also popular in early Germany,
Scotland, and Spain. Weightlifting competitions date
back to the early Greek civilization. These events led to
the origination of games that later became known as the
modern Olympics. The pioneers of these events did not
have the sophisticated equipment that we have today or
the research on training and physiology to back up the
exercises, but they did have the most important thing —
the desire to lift something heavy for fun, sport, and
physical health.
Mother Nature’s gifts are all that these originators
had to use. They made equipment out of whatever they
could. As time went on, they created more modern
inventions for weightlifting. For example, dumbbells
originated in the 1700’s when a rod was placed between
two church bells. When a clapper was removed from the
bells, they became silent, or dumb, hence the word
dumbbell. Indian clubs, which resemble a bowling pin
and kettle balls (cast-iron balls with a handle), were
popular in the early 1800’s. Weight-training equipment
evolved in the form of pulleys, air pressure devices, and
multi stations in the 19th century. At first, the people
who used this type of equipment were strongmen
performing at contests and exhibitions. Amateur
weightlifting became a sanctioned event at the Olympics
in 1896, although there were no female athletes.
Women’s weightlifting didn’t become a sanctioned
Olympic sport until 2000.
Weight training progressed significantly in the
1900’s with the invention of the adjustable, plate-loaded
barbell. Weight training became more popular at this
time because it was much easier to change the weight on
the barbells. Weight training really gained momentum

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