Dr. Conor Heffernan was an assistant professor of sport studies and physical culture at the University of Texas, Austin. Dr. Heffernan now resides in Belfast, providing sociology of sport lectures at Ulster University, which specializes in European and American health. Dr. Heffernan's work examines the transitioning nature of diets in the twentieth century.
Source: Ronald Reagan, ‘How to Stay Fit’, Parade Magazine, December 4 (1983), 4-6. Not long ago, the editors of Parade asked whether I would write an article on how I try to keep in shape. I said I would be delighted because I am a great believer in exercise, not only for reasons of fitness but also for […]
Most of us would agree that jumping jacks are not the most glamorous exercise, but one that nearly everyone has done at some point in their lives. Jumping jacks, depending on your experience, will either bring back fond memories of PE in school or result in you picturing tired members from your last circuit class. […]
Given the number of bodybuilding shows held every month, let alone every year, in places like the UK and USA, it’s difficult to imagine a time when their bodybuilding shows were relatively unheard of. Yes, vaudeville shows where performers would show off their muscles had been established in the 1800s, but it took some time […]
In 1965, former bodybuilder and US Marine Joe Gold opened up a gym in Venice, California, as a place for himself and his friends to train. Charging $60 a year, Joe kept costs down by making his own gym equipment, skimping on the heating, and recruiting every bodybuilder worth his salt as a member. Unbeknownst […]
Who among us has not watched Pumping Iron? Released in 1977, this docudrama is viewed by many as the most iconic bodybuilding movie of all time. It proved crucial in propelling bodybuilding into the mainstream of American society while also making a clear movie star out of Arnold Schwarzenegger and, most importantly of all, providing […]
