We constantly talk about current pop and film stars, but for some reason we forget about the great people who have passed away. If sometimes you come across articles and news about the same forgotten actors, then not many will remember the great athletes. So, for example, some have not even heard of such a person as Georg Hackenschmidt, but this is a truly famous athlete of the twentieth century. He is a circus athlete, the first professional wrestler and the first world champion to compete in freestyle wrestling. In those early years he had no equal; he himself created exercises for muscle development and wrote several books. Let's get acquainted with the life story of this man.
Georg Hackenschmidt: biography
Georg Carl Julius Hackenschmidt (Hackenschmidt) was born in London on August 1, 1877. The midwife who delivered the child said that she had not seen such a hero for a long time! The father was proud of his powerful son, and the mother was ready to give all her health for her firstborn. Georg is a Baltic German who began his career in Russia.
He began to get involved in sports at school. His favorite were exercises on gymnastic apparatus. He ran quickly and swam deftly. Later he became interested in cycling.
Having moved to Tallinn in 1895, he got a job at a machine-building plant. It was there that he realized that he liked physical activity. He himself made a hammer for himself, which weighed a whole pound, and began to use it for training.
Having become interested in weightlifting, Georg Hackenschmidt meets the wrestler Georg Lurich. This man became Hackenschmidt's first coach.
Family and childhood of an athlete
Georg Hackenschmidt, later known as the Russian Lion, was born in the Estonian city of Tartu, on the night of August 1st to 2nd, 1878. His family subsisted on the small earnings of his father, the German Georg Friedrich Heinrich, who worked as a master dyer; the mother of the future hero, half Estonian and half Swedish, did housework. In the future, Georg Hackenschmidt himself always considered himself an Estonian.
There is a small story about the birth of Geckenschmidt; they say that the midwife who delivered the birth claimed that Georg was the largest baby in her history. From which we can conclude that the future Russian Lion was strong from birth.
So in childhood, in his company of children, he was famous for his willpower and physical strength, which made him the leader and ringleader of the Tartuv children. Georg liked this superiority and decided to improve in this area, starting with a childish imitation of the famous athletes of the time, especially Evgeniy Sandow, who was interested in gymnastics and weight lifting.
At the age of ten, the school teachers begin to notice the potential in George, who is completely passionate about sports; on their advice, he realizes the importance of constant training to achieve a significant result.
Strength training
Georg Hackenschmidt, whose training was mainly with weights and a personal hammer, spared no effort and body, training in an athletic club.
The athlete paid special attention to training his legs. To develop muscles, he not only used barbells, but also jumped rope, various tables and chairs. Often George could be found on the stairs of the church, which led to the spire itself. He took a two-pound weight in each hand, put some boy on his neck and climbed up these stairs.
Georg Hackenschmidt also loved jumping: high, long, but each time with an additional load. Even in his old age, when Georg was 82 years old, he did not stop jumping, pulling the rope between the chairs.
Leg training on simulators
Hack squats with narrow feet
- 3 sets of 12,10,8 repetitions
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Exercise
Leg press
- 3 sets of 12,10,8 repetitions
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Exercise
Leg straightening in the simulator
- 3 sets of 10-15 reps
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Exercise
Leg bending in a lying machine
- 3 sets of 10-15 reps
- Body part: Hamstrings Equipment: Exercise
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Start of an athlete's career
Such hard training and hard exercises were not in vain for Georg. By 1896, after training in athletics for only a year, he could squeeze up to 98 kilograms with one hand. And he could easily lift 56 kilograms on the biceps of his right arm!
He begins to perform for the public, showing his strength, and it was then that Georg Lurich appeared in his life, who influenced Hackenschmidt’s serious passion for wrestling.
In 1898, the European Championships between amateurs of Greco-Roman wrestling were held in Vienna. Of course, Georg decided to take part in this tournament. Thus, the young man won his first championship.
Inventor and philosopher
Georg Hackenschmidt can be called an innovator in the field of strength training. From the very beginning of his sports career, he tried to develop a scientific system for developing his own strength. For example, it was he who invented the exercise that is still used by bodybuilders around the world. We are talking about a hack squat, which allows you to maximize the use of the anterior thigh muscles. Later, the athlete will develop a simulator with a similar effect (hack machine).
Another “crown” exercise of the “Russian Lion” was jumping. By pushing off the floor with both feet, he could overcome any obstacle, be it a table or a rope stretched between the backs of chairs. By the way, Gakkenshmidt could easily repeat such a trick even at 82 years old.
But the most amazing hobby of the “Russian Lion” is writing. While living in Britain, he became close friends with Bernard Shaw, and soon began publishing books himself. He mainly gave practical advice on sports training and psychology. “The Complete Teaching on Struggle”, “Antagonism: Consciousness and Character”, “How to Live” - this is not a complete list of his books. They were no less popular with the public than the author’s performances were in his time. So, the “Russian Lion” regularly gave lectures at European universities.
***
Georg Hackenschmidt died in London on February 19, 1968 at the age of 90. However, he did not stop training until the end of his life. The last time he came to the attention of the press was at the age of 86: he was filmed by a reporter for the British magazine Strength & Health. Wearing running shoes and gym shorts, he was as strong as he had been in his youth.
Moving to Russia
Georg decided to move to Russia in 1898. For further residence he chose St. Petersburg. He was brought to this city by Doctor Kraevsky, whom the aspiring athlete Georg Hackenschmidt met in Vienna. It was this man who showed the wrestler the path to strength and health, teaching him to eat properly and combine exercises.
By 1900, Hackenschmidt became a real ace. He won his first tournament in professional wrestling in Moscow. For forty days, Georg proved to the athletes that he was the strongest of them. Kraevsky did everything in his power for Georg. As the athlete later said, this doctor became a second father for him, everything he was able to achieve was the merit of Kraevsky.
His salary was only 2.5 thousand francs, which was considered a small amount at that time. But subsequently his salary increased so much that if he had remained to work as an ordinary worker in Tallinn, he would have been able to accumulate such an amount as the new monthly salary only in his entire life.
Championship records
After a series of victories, he began performing original acts in the circus under the pseudonym Lenz. Getting to know Lurich helped me decide my future fate. In 1898, Georg moved to St. Petersburg and took up wrestling under the guidance of Doctor Kraevsky, the “father of Russian athletics.” The editor of a sports magazine described his first meeting with Hackenschmidt.
“A broad-shouldered young man walked through the door, looking like nothing special. But as soon as he took off his jacket, we gasped. I have never seen such muscles before. Before us stood Hercules without an ounce of subcutaneous fat. He easily squeezed 80 kg, then 104 kg, which left us in amazement.”
How did the athlete eat?
Georg took great care of his health. He paid great attention to nutrition. I never allowed myself to overeat, remaining slightly hungry after meals.
His diet was based on fruits, vegetables and nuts. Georg Hackenschmidt consumed the latter in large quantities every day to give the body enough protein. Since he was a vegetarian and did not eat meat or dairy products at all, he needed a lot of protein from nuts to maintain health and muscle growth.
Foot placement options
The position of the legs determines which muscles the exercises are aimed at. There are 4 installation options in total.
- The feet are on the lower edge of the platform. The emphasis is on the front of the thighs.
- The legs are placed in the center and next to each other. This is how the lateral bundle of the quadriceps muscle is pumped.
- The feet are brought together and located at the upper edge of the platform. The exercises work the buttocks and hamstrings.
- The legs are spread apart at shoulder width, the toes pointing in different directions. The hip adductors feel the load during squats.
"Russian Lion" Georg Hackenschmidt
The athlete received this title from the Russians, who admired the strength and physique of the young wrestler. In the ring, he defeated the strongest professionals, without giving up his victory to anyone.
In the circus, Georg simply performed, showing off his physical abilities: he lifted huge weights and heavy barbells. By the age of twenty, the athlete could lift more than one hundred and fifteen kilograms with one hand.
Professionals respected him and tried to achieve the same parameters, but no one succeeded.
They began to call Georg the “Russian Lion” when the number of his victories exceeded a thousand. Each time he confirmed his title at tournaments and world championships, taking gold medals and championship belts with the ease and grace of a lion. He hunted for them like a lion for prey.
The athlete’s career includes more than three thousand victories. He deservedly received each medal; no one could challenge his championship.
Georg Hackenschmidt, whose photo was published in newspapers every now and then, became a real hero and treasure of Russia. Doctor Kraevsky was infinitely proud of him, who put all his efforts into the champion.
This man was admired by everyone - children and old people, women and men. Georg did not feel sorry for himself; he understood that people wanted a real spectacle and his victory.
Georg Hackenschmidt developed many strength training exercises for himself. The exercises that this athlete invented are still used by modern wrestlers; one of them was named after the creator - the hack squat. It maximizes the use of the front of the thigh, allowing you to achieve better results.
Hakk Machine - Georg's amazing invention
The design of this exercise machine is a steel frame with shoulder pads with movable sleds - for greater convenience during exercises. This machine was designed by Georg himself.
Hackenschmidt simulator - the principle of its operation is to effectively develop and pump up the muscles of the legs, buttocks, thighs, and, in principle, enhance the potential of the legs. It must be said that this invention was unique in its kind back in those days, even now, after so many years, it has not lost its effectiveness, but on the contrary, it is in great demand among modern bodybuilders. It is produced by every serious manufacturer of sports equipment for fitness clubs.
The king gives George a harem
This curious incident, which can be called a real adventure, happened to Hackenschmidt on tour in Samoa. There he again defeated everyone with his opponent, which aroused the interest of the king himself. The local ruler liked the Russian hero so much that he definitely wanted to leave him on his territory.
He invited George to a personal meeting, where during the conversation he promised to make the young man rich if only he would stay in his country. The king offered the young man a great title, even a palace and a personal harem. But Georg refused. Then the ruler decided that he simply did not like the girls offered for the harem, and he invited George to choose wives for himself - any wives he liked. Hackenschmidt was unapproachable, for him there were only two homelands - England and Russia, he was not going to accept a third.
Another adventure with an athlete took place in Manchester. After the competition, Georg decided to take a walk around the neighborhood and see the city. There he was attacked by a whole gang. Seven thugs surrounded him, hoping that they would be able to snatch a considerable sum from the champion, but that was not the case! Georg literally in a couple of minutes turned the evil gang into poor fellows scattered across the square and begging for mercy.
They offered both a harem and a janitor's salary
Gradually, Georg Hackenschmidt became more and more popular both among the Russian public and among foreign ones. After victories in European and world championships, he toured all over the world, meeting with enthusiastic reception everywhere. Mainly, such a stir was caused by the attractive appearance of his muscles: women admired him, men certainly wanted exactly the same one for themselves. Sometimes things got funny. One such case is described in the book of his biographer Olaf Langsepp. While on tour in Samoa, he caused incredible delight among the local king. The royal person immediately offered Hackenschmidt a royal title, and even a harem, which was due to his status. Georg politely refused both.
But Gakkenshmidt still changed his country of residence. True, his choice was not so exotic. After 1911, the strongman lived first in France, and later moved to England. At first, his fees for fights were about 2,500 francs per month, which was very little, by French, British, and even Russian standards - at that time even janitors received more. But gradually the rewards increased. As a result, in a month he began to earn as much as a simple worker in England would earn in his entire life.
Hackenschmidt's first loss
Georg was the most invincible of the wrestlers, but still once lost to the American Frank Gotcham.
The fight took place in Chicago, this date - April 3, 1908 - became almost tragic for many fans! After all, everyone was sure that George could not be defeated.
The entire battle took two hours and three minutes. During this time, none of the wrestlers fell or gave an advantage. But Frank fought dishonestly: every now and then he tried to scratch Hackenschmidt’s face and eyes with his nails, broke the rules, but the referee did not seem to notice this. Many saw that Gotcham's body was shining; it was not sweat, but oil, which was specially applied so that the opponent's hands would slide and he could not knock down the wrestler.
In subsequent years, this fight was vigorously discussed. Almost everyone was sure that Frank won unfairly, that the judges were simply bribed.
Revenge could have taken place in 1911, but George had a serious leg injury, which prevented him from taking revenge on Gotcham. The defeat had such an effect on the athlete that he never entered the ring again.
World fame of the Russian Lion
At the next world wrestling championship in Paris, injuries received by the athlete over the years of training appeared, which did not allow him to complete all his performances. In May 1900, Georg completely devoted himself to restoration, which gave a triumphant result at the Moscow competitions; he was warmly welcomed by the audience who had punished him.
Georg Hackenschmidt becomes a world-class athlete, performing at competitions in major cities of Europe and America, winning international recognition; he was especially warmly welcomed in England, where in the summer of 1903 twenty thousand sports fans flocked to his performances. In Germany, the famous sculptor Begas notes with admiration the beauty and harmony of the Russian athlete’s body and creates the sculpture “Chained Prometheus” from his image.
Georg's streak of success ends in April 1908, in a long duel with Frank Goch, dishonest refereeing forces Hackenschmidt to refuse to continue the fight. In frustration, Georg decides to give up continuing his sports career.
The Russian Lion's magnificent professional sports career lasted only a dozen years, during which time he participated in thousands of wrestling matches and became the author of dozens of athletic records. After sports, oddly enough, Georg became interested in philosophy and quickly gained recognition in this field.
Retirement of a great athlete
After leaving the ring, Georg Hackenschmidt began to develop a scientific system. She had to reveal the secret of his strength, which he could share with the whole world. Georg talked a lot with the wrestlers who remained in the ring, he helped them with advice, developed a training system for them, but never trained them himself.
After he ceased to be popular, the great athlete disappeared, but he was replaced by the mystical philosopher Georg Hackenschmidt. His book “Man and Cosmic Antagonism towards Mind and Spirit” is known to many. Several other works have also been written, but they are not particularly popular.
Soon after his retirement, George returned to London. In 1961, at the championship in London, Russian athlete Yuri Vlasov set a world record. Georg Hackenschmidt personally presented him with the award and presented him with a photograph of himself with a signature.
On February 19, 1968, in the ninety-second year of his life, Georg Hackenschmidt left us forever.
Hack machine squats
Hack machine squats are performed similarly to the principle of fixed back squats. Hackenschmidt squats produce the same effect, but at the same time, exercises involving them will be much more effective, since a much wider range of muscles are involved here, and, therefore, you will be able to pump up faster. Muscle training is carried out by moving additional weight along the plane, bending the legs at the knees.
Girls and beginners can exercise on the simulator, as it is considered the least dangerous when performing basic technical tips. There are several options for positioning the feet on the platform while performing the exercise.
- Legs on the top of the platform - Gluteus and Biceps hamstrings
- Legs on the bottom of the platform - Quadriceps
- Feet together - Quadriceps
- Legs apart - Hip adductors
Which muscles are actively working in each case - follow the following instructions.
We recommend considering the technical aspects of performing squats in a hack machine using the following technique as an example.
Hack squats with narrow feet
It is worth noting that exercises in the Hack machine are somewhat different from classic squats with a barbell. Here the pressure of the projectile shifts to the lower body, and not to the shoulders (for this you will need to resort to a different type of training). The simulator helps improve the condition of the muscles of the buttocks, quadriceps, and as synergists - the muscles of the calves, legs and abs. That is, muscle pumping is done in a comprehensive manner.
What do you need to perform proper squats in a hack machine?
First, you need to choose the most optimal weight for yourself on the simulator. Here it is important not to overdo it, but to calculate everything correctly. It is necessary to take a position in such a way that your back rests against the back of the “apparatus”. Straighten up so that your shoulders touch the shoulder pads, and place your feet on the platform parallel to shoulder width. Bend at the lower back, then lean forward a little.
- Place your feet back to the starting position.
- Then proceed to prepare the projectile for movement: you need to unlock the restraining fasteners and remove the clamps.
- As you exhale, slowly begin to lower the platform by bending your knees, lowering yourself to a 90-degree angle at the knee joint.
- At the bottom support, make a smooth push with your feet, directing the weight upward. Then straighten your legs, then return to the starting position.
Squats in a hack machine must be performed several approaches, exactly as many times as specified in the training structure. We recommend looking at the detailed technique, tips and mistakes of the exercise in the next video.
Squats in a hack machine have a number of features that make it stand out from regular classic squats. It has its advantages, which include:
- easy accessible technique for performing exercises. You automatically no longer need to “balance” with the barbell to better transfer its center of gravity;
- load capacity increases;
- minimal risk of injury during training, since the entire load is evenly distributed;
- squats in a hack machine will allow you to develop your body on your own, without backup, without resorting to the services of third parties;
- As the muscles in your legs develop evenly, your body will begin to produce hormones responsible for growth.
Example of a training program with a hack machine
Combining exercises into a complex for leg development is extremely simple. If you have a Hack machine in your gym, combine it with leg presses, sitting and lying leg curls. We offer the following basic training for beginners on equipment.
