John Peterson
01-04-2009, 12:18 PM
Hey Friends,
This is the first of several responses to a man that asked some good questions that I thought that many of you might find interesting. It deals with Charles Atlas and his associate Dr. Fredrick W. Tilney, ND and the original Charles Atlas Course from 1922.
In a private e-mail the man asked me if he understood me correctly (from one of my posts from more than a year ago) that I had (and still do have) a copy of the original Charles Atlas Course from 1922. If so, he was wondering if it was exactly the same course when Doc Tilney was Atlas's partner as it was after Charles Roman took the reins and became Charles Atlas's partner in very late 1928. And if not, how was it different.
Well, first off, the exercises that are contained in each lesson from the 1922 edition are identical to those contained in the later editions. BUT the instructions on how to implement them were slightly different in some cases. And not nearly as clear in my opinion as when Mr. Roman took over. So let me just start with Lesson One and only Lesson One for now.
First off, the course was not yet called "Dynamic Tension". It was literally called, "The Charles Atlas Course". Dynamic Tension (which was a brilliant name for Atlas's Method) came after Charles Roman bought out Doc Tilney and became Charles Atlas's full fledged business manager in very late '28 or very early '29. At that point, though the exercises remained exactly the same, it is clear that Doc Tilney's contributions which were clearly evident in the 1922 edition were completely written out and removed.
Example: page one; Paragraph three:
"A personally planned lesson will be sent to you regularly every week for twelve weeks. Each lesson contains something NEW and will be VERY IMPORTANT. They get more interesting as you progress with the Course. In addition to the lessons you are at liberty to call on my Associate, Dr. F.W. Tilney, and myself for any information regarding your Health that you may desire and you will get prompt attention."
How the exercises were to be implemented was a little different in the 1922 edition as is found on
Page 2, paragraph 7:
..." The first series of exercises will consist of those for building a solid foundation for the entire body. This lesson will give special methods for developing a strong powerful spine and nervous system, also exercises for acquiring great lung power. THE EXERCISES ARE TO BE FAITHFULLY PRACTICED EVERY MORNING IMMEDIATELY ON ARISING."
Now friends the above paragraph is different from the one that appears in the "Dynamic Tension"course that Charles Roman re-wrote with Mr. Atlas in 1929 addressing the same exercises. There Mr. Atlas states,
"This Lesson will give special methods for developing a strong powerful chest and acquiring great lung power. THE EXERCISES ARE TO BE FAITHFULLY PRACTICED EVERY MORNING IMMEDIATELY ON ARISING AND BEFORE RETIRING."
There are also other differences too. For instance in the 1922 edition on page 8, paragraph three of Lesson One it states:
"Other courses on health and physical culture consist of a few exercises pulling at rubber strands, lifting weights, squeezing dumbbells and tensing methods, and they advertise extravagantly about the wonderful results which their course will give. They seldom tell you how or when to bathe; when to exercise; what, how and when to eat; how to overcome your condition of weakness,-if they do, it is in a haphazard kind of way, being general rather than specific instructions."
The above paragraph, although absolutely true was subsequently removed form the later editions of the "Dynamic Tension Course" from 1929 onward. This may have been because Earle E. Liederman and other competitors that were obviously being referenced were no longer in business. Whatever the reason, it was a good move in my opinion not to even mention the competitors.
Anyway guys, that's it for right now I'll share more on this topic later.
---John Peterson
This is the first of several responses to a man that asked some good questions that I thought that many of you might find interesting. It deals with Charles Atlas and his associate Dr. Fredrick W. Tilney, ND and the original Charles Atlas Course from 1922.
In a private e-mail the man asked me if he understood me correctly (from one of my posts from more than a year ago) that I had (and still do have) a copy of the original Charles Atlas Course from 1922. If so, he was wondering if it was exactly the same course when Doc Tilney was Atlas's partner as it was after Charles Roman took the reins and became Charles Atlas's partner in very late 1928. And if not, how was it different.
Well, first off, the exercises that are contained in each lesson from the 1922 edition are identical to those contained in the later editions. BUT the instructions on how to implement them were slightly different in some cases. And not nearly as clear in my opinion as when Mr. Roman took over. So let me just start with Lesson One and only Lesson One for now.
First off, the course was not yet called "Dynamic Tension". It was literally called, "The Charles Atlas Course". Dynamic Tension (which was a brilliant name for Atlas's Method) came after Charles Roman bought out Doc Tilney and became Charles Atlas's full fledged business manager in very late '28 or very early '29. At that point, though the exercises remained exactly the same, it is clear that Doc Tilney's contributions which were clearly evident in the 1922 edition were completely written out and removed.
Example: page one; Paragraph three:
"A personally planned lesson will be sent to you regularly every week for twelve weeks. Each lesson contains something NEW and will be VERY IMPORTANT. They get more interesting as you progress with the Course. In addition to the lessons you are at liberty to call on my Associate, Dr. F.W. Tilney, and myself for any information regarding your Health that you may desire and you will get prompt attention."
How the exercises were to be implemented was a little different in the 1922 edition as is found on
Page 2, paragraph 7:
..." The first series of exercises will consist of those for building a solid foundation for the entire body. This lesson will give special methods for developing a strong powerful spine and nervous system, also exercises for acquiring great lung power. THE EXERCISES ARE TO BE FAITHFULLY PRACTICED EVERY MORNING IMMEDIATELY ON ARISING."
Now friends the above paragraph is different from the one that appears in the "Dynamic Tension"course that Charles Roman re-wrote with Mr. Atlas in 1929 addressing the same exercises. There Mr. Atlas states,
"This Lesson will give special methods for developing a strong powerful chest and acquiring great lung power. THE EXERCISES ARE TO BE FAITHFULLY PRACTICED EVERY MORNING IMMEDIATELY ON ARISING AND BEFORE RETIRING."
There are also other differences too. For instance in the 1922 edition on page 8, paragraph three of Lesson One it states:
"Other courses on health and physical culture consist of a few exercises pulling at rubber strands, lifting weights, squeezing dumbbells and tensing methods, and they advertise extravagantly about the wonderful results which their course will give. They seldom tell you how or when to bathe; when to exercise; what, how and when to eat; how to overcome your condition of weakness,-if they do, it is in a haphazard kind of way, being general rather than specific instructions."
The above paragraph, although absolutely true was subsequently removed form the later editions of the "Dynamic Tension Course" from 1929 onward. This may have been because Earle E. Liederman and other competitors that were obviously being referenced were no longer in business. Whatever the reason, it was a good move in my opinion not to even mention the competitors.
Anyway guys, that's it for right now I'll share more on this topic later.
---John Peterson