Includes: Official International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) rules.

"What is Powerlifting?" There is a growing misconception among athletes, athletic coaches, and the general public of the true definition of Powerlifting. The sport of Powerlifting consists of three (3) lifts : The Squat, the Bench Press, and the Deadlift along with a required TOTAL. "What are the real Powerlifting Records?" A new Powerlifting organization will often advertise a newly established set of lifting records without credence to existing marks. For the purpose of education and history of the sport, the original Powerlifting Records from the state of West Virginia including several National, American, and World Powerlifting Records are highlighted. "What is strong?" Strength training methods specific to "getting strong" may or may not originate from those who have performed at the highest level in competitive Powerlifting or Weightlifting. A total of five (5) Training Logs directly from the Workout Journals of the author are mapped. The workouts include the sets and repetitions, poundages, and maximum lifts from the official Powerlifting competitions. The achievements, Powerlifting, and Weightlifting Records of several lifters are identified and ranked within the book for the purpose of "Setting the Records Straight."

“Map[s] the shifting definitions of gender and masculinity . . . provides the rare insight into the world of bodybuilding that only an insider could offer.” —Sport in American History For most of the twentieth century, the “Mr. America” image epitomized muscular manhood. From humble beginnings in 1939 at a small gym in Schenectady, New York, the Mr. America Contest became the world’s premier bodybuilding event over the next thirty years. Rooted in ancient Greek virtues of health, fitness, beauty, and athleticism, it showcased some of the finest specimens of American masculinity. Interviewing nearly one hundred major figures in the physical culture movement (including twenty-five Mr. Americas) and incorporating copious printed and manuscript sources, John D. Fair has created the definitive study of this iconic phenomenon. Revealing the ways in which the contest provided a model of functional and fit manhood, Mr. America captures the event’s path to idealism and its slow descent into obscurity. As the 1960s marked a turbulent transition in American society—from the civil rights movement to the rise of feminism and increasing acceptance of homosexuality—Mr. America changed as well. Exploring the influence of other bodily displays, such as the Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia contests and the Miss America Pageant, Fair focuses on commercialism, size obsession, and drugs that corrupted the competition’s original intent. Accessible and engaging, Mr. America is a compelling portrayal of the glory days of American muscle. “An entertaining narrative of the bodybuilding subculture in America.” —Kirkus Reviews “Deftly written and superbly researched.” —Journal of Sport History