CBD thread

[Kazza61]

Arnold was smoking weed towards the end of the film Pumping Iron but I doubt it aided his Olympia winning physique. CBD oil and other products are relatively recent innovations and some of the best and strongest physiques in the world were built long before it was ever heard of. Whether it is of any benefit I don’t really know but I can be sure it isn’t actually needed.

[Harry Hayfield]

The earliest reference I can find to cannabis in the UK (with a connection to physical culture) comes from the Newcastle Daily Chronicle on April 6th 1887 (specifically in the adverts section) where an advert reads:

"For Asthma, Hoarseness: Grimault's Indian Cigarettes of Cannabis Indica (otherwise known as Purple Kush) have been tried in the hospitals and found to give immediate relief in all cases of Asthma, Nervous Coughs, Hoarseness, Loss of Voice, Facial Neuralgia and Sleeplessness. Sold by all chemists, or Post Free of F Newbery and Sons, 1 King Edward Street, EC, London"

The syrup cost 2/9 and the cigarettes 1/9, therefore would suggest that you focus your search for physical culturalists from 1880 - 1900

[Kazza61]

That's an interesting reference Harry but I doubt those claims lived up to much in the way of scrutiny. In the same way cigarettes were once promoted for their 'health' benefits, the reality we now know is very different.

[Harry Hayfield]

That's an interesting reference Harry but I doubt those claims lived up to much in the way of scrutiny. In the same way cigarettes were once promoted for their 'health' benefits, the reality we now know is very different.

You are quite right, indeed during the Victorian era they went completely overboard on ideas that are bonkers these days, did you know for instance they even invented the steam powered exercise machine?

[Kazza61]

Even in recent times Harry. In the 1980’s a firm tried to market a pair of trunks which had a pouch at the front into which you were supposed to slip a frozen gel pack! The theory being that if the testes were kept cooler than the rest of the body they would produce more testosterone and subsequently turn you into a muscular behemoth! Cold or not of course, they would never produce more than the normal amount. I remember reading an advert for them in Muscle Digest - the title of which was “The Ice Man Commeth”.

[peter yates]

Even in recent times Harry. In the 1980’s a firm tried to market a pair of trunks which had a pouch at the front into which you were supposed to slip a frozen gel pack! The theory being that if the testes were kept cooler than the rest of the body they would produce more testosterone and subsequently turn you into a muscular behemoth! Cold or not of course, they would never produce more than the normal amount. I remember reading an advert for them in Muscle Digest - the title of which was “The Ice Man Commeth”.

Hey Tony, maybe that is why in the Charles Atlas course we are encouraged to splash ice water on the testicles.

[Kazza61]

Hi Peter. I read somewhere that Charles Atlas was something of a puritan and he also thought washing the tackle in ice cold water would deter young chaps from "unnatural" practices....
Pull the other one Charles!

[peter yates]

My mate who did the course as a young lad said obviously Atlas did not live in the North of England.

[Kazza61]

Exactly Lol. I'm from the North of England and as a kid there wasn't much of an option so our family jewels got washed in ice cold water every morning whether we wanted to or not. By rights I should have been enormous!

[peter yates]

Luxury, I grew up in Darwen, Lancashire and we had no running water so we had to rub ourselves in snow in the winter and stand out in rain in summer. Aye we were tuff in them days.