Book Description

During the Victorian era, scantily clad Eugen Sandow acquired fame and fortune through bodybuilding. Under the guise of becoming physically fit for health reasons, Sandow managed to display his well-toned physique in Vaudeville shows, photographs and posters. Often taking classical Greco-Roman poses, he displayed his statuesque body for Thomas Edison's motion picture documentaries as well as in private meetings for his lady fans. By attracting admirers, Sandow was able to sell his books, magazines, exercise equipment and food supplements. He succeeded in creating a culture of physical fitness and made a fortune by establishing gyms where his followers could go. His publication Sandow on Physical Training is not merely an exercise manual complete with illustrations, photographs, charts and testimonials of other fitness experts attesting to the efficacy of his exercise methods, but also a biography of Sandow's experiences as a young man in Europe. By demonstrating how he was living proof that his exercise methods worked, this entertaining and informative book is a perfect example of the modern scientific approach that helped Sandow the author establish credibility as a serious fitness expert.