Found an old copy of the Atlas Course

[inertia]

I got my mitts on an old copy of the Atlas Course my dad apparently had for decades. Because of this forum and John's books, my expectations were VERY high. Still, I only planned to read through it to see if I learned something new. I found the material to be as good as advertised, and Atlas's words were so encouraging and inspiring that I'm just going to go through the whole course to the letter! (Supplemented with some of other exercises I enjoy.)

This was written in the 1920s?! Seriously?!

Hey I'm not just saying this to be a bandwagon guy. It's my honest opinion.

[inertia]

My dad didn't stick with the course, just as I likely wouldn't have as a teenager. But he kept it, and has periodically done the dips for years. So to answer your question, he didn't put his whole heart into the course, but maybe he'll give it another whirl once I give it back.

His course is from the early 70's.

[Andy62]

I have a copy of that original Atlas Course from the 1920s as well as several others since. The thing that amazes me is how little the course has changed over the decades.

[kelbiz]

inertia;

Great find!
Hey...are the 5 Free Gifts included?

Jack

[John Peterson]

Hey Gordon,

The two men that I knew that had copies of the Charles Atlas 1922 course were my Grandfather and Noel Johnson. As a young professional boxer Noel had regarded it as the bible for strength and conditioning and much preferred it to the Farmer Burns Course that he followed before the Atlas Course and which his older brother had ordered in 1915. Noel said the reason for his preference was because he had discovered that he had far greater ability as a striker rather than a grappler and he believed the Atlas course with the Push-Up between chairs as it's foundational exercise was absolutely the best for conditioning boxers.

Now, since I too have a copy of the 1922 Course I must say that I am in complete agreement with Gordon. In fact, although I would say there was actually a little more motivational material in the 1922 Atlas Course the exercises themselves are absolutely identical though the course from 1922 that I have had no photos in it. There was also a difference in Lesson Three on internal cleanliness as related to the recommendation of using enemas as a means of staying disease free. Now as relates directly to that recommendation I asked my grandfather why Mr. Atlas had recommended it back then but not in later editions of the course. His answer made the enema recommendation seem very practical. It seems that prior to the invention of antibiotics a great many people by comparison to today contracted appendicitis and died as a direct result. In fact, Noel Johnson told me that as a young man of fifteen in 1914 he had a bout with appendicitis where the doctors opened him up and removed his ruptured appendix and literally told his mom and dad that his survival was doubtful. He was in the hospital for 31 consecutive days before his body healed. I mention this because that is how serious Appendicitis was back in those days and it was believed that internal cleanliness was the way to prevent it and Charles Atlas took the initiative in telling his students how to avoid it.

So you see friends Charles Atlas's Course from 1922 was far, far more than muscle building. It had state of the art health building first and foremost with deep breathing exercise of the type taught by Edwin Checkley, emphasized the importance of good hygiene, stressed all natural nutrition, positive motivational advice straight out Alois P Swoboda's Course and offered the world's best method of self generated resistance to create the best and most complete body sculpting and muscle building ever written. Is it any wonder that my grandfather was totally sold on it's benefits? I don't think so.This is also why I presented every single exercise from the Original Charles Atlas Course from 1922 and many more in Pushing Yourself To Power and I will also do so in my future books because I do not want the worlds greatest Physical Culture course to be lost to today's generation.

---John Peterson

[inertia]

No free gifts. There was an advertisement to buy some supplements and a fancy watch. Also a money back garuntee certificate and a membership card. Lots of 13 cent stamps :).

[Andy62]

The original Atlas course was indeed a classic that changed the world of physical culture for the better and many individual lives in the process. I think that we all should thank John Peterson for preserving its heritage and principles in his publications. There are only a few DVR/VRT and isometric exercises in the original Atlas course and I am grateful to John for adding more of these types of exercises in his books as they were the basis of the Swoboda course that Atlas gave so much credit too for his knowledge and development.

[MikeNY]

I bought a copy of the course in the 1980's, came with a membership card and stuff. Lost it in a move in 2000, wish I still had it. PYTP, Powerflex and the M7 are much better versions of the course, easier to understand, clear and concise. Never used mine but was already doing much of the Atlas type exercises. I'd lifted weights as a teen and switched over to body weight exercise for sports and fitness.

[cliffa74]

I have the 1920's Health & Fitness Charles atlas course.
I had been wondering of it was worth it to buy the updated Dynamic Tension course with pictures.
I guess not, if the only real difference is friend or enema.

[Greg Newton]

Hi Cliff,

I think the course is worth it, especially since most of the pictures are of Atlas in his early fifties and he looks FANTASTIC. I reference to it and read it periodically for inspiration and occasionally I'll find an exercise to try that I've long neglected or had missed previously.

[John Peterson]

Hey Guys,

If the Sit-Up from the original Atlas course has been changed then it has been diminished in value. In the original course it was recommended to go as far forward as possible. Even to the point of touching one's forehead or chin to the knees. The only thing that held the feet down was muscular tension alone and this my friends meant the that the legs were being Isometrically contracted to the max(At least that was the case with me). Likewise with the Leg Raise the recommendation was to raise the feet as high as possible and to try and touch the floor above and beyond your head. By doing the exercises in this fashion full body strength and flexibility was enhanced a great deal.

I wish the owners had not messed with the original course. It was perfect as it was.

---John Peterson

[inertia]

inertia;

Great find!
Hey...are the 5 Free Gifts included?

Jack

Actually I spoke too soon. There are tips for boxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, hand balancing, and feats of strength. These must be the aforementioned "5 Free Gifts".

[MikeNY]

Talk about strange, my friend picked up a new copy of the Atlas Course at a garage sale, she paid nearly nothing. Looks like I'll have a copy again. Strange as I read this thread I thought about buying a second copy to replace the one I lost. The one I had was memographed and stapled to heavy blue paper, crappy looking even new; now I have to settle for a brand new booklet; for free.

Tell your wives and gf's, they hit garage sales, my bet is a lot of copies are sold there and cheap. Women are smarter than men.

PS I think the Atlas Course does it all, if you got it, all you need. John is a much better writter and the M7, PYTP, Powerflex all better written, clearer versions than the original; but the original is nice to have.

[John Peterson]

Hey MikeNY,

I could not agree more. The Charles Atlas Course is a piece of history that every man should own. And frankly, the Atlas exercises should be the foundation of every mans strength and fitness for life. That's why they have been my foundation and the foundation of all that I teach.

---John Peterson

[MikeNY]

John I never would have thought about looking a copy of the Atlas Course at a garage sale. Pays to talk about what we are thinking about it seems. My buddy Tom's wife finds books for him all the time, cut rate prices, and new editions many times. All you guys looking for a copy at a steep discount tell that lady in your life about the Atlas Course.

John I couldn't agree more with you, The Atlas Course booklet is as modern as tomarrow and to think it was written in 1922. As you and I have talked about through the years the Perpetual lesson alone is the gateway to fitness. The older I get the more the Atlas Course and his 10 Steps to a Better body impress me.

PS the wonderful thing about the Atlas Course is not just that is works, but it doesn't hurt you. Just talking tonight to a friend, he mentioned life at the Gym, how people that were in great shape are now obese and people can not keep with the program year in and out. He mentioned the hardcore and the 400 pound squats for 23 reps, how they blew thier knees in the end. Bless those poor souls.