Picture of author.
72 Works 187 Members 2 Reviews 1 Favorited

About the Author

Image credit: Macfadden as David. Photograph by Napoleon Sarony.

Works by Bernarr Macfadden

Physical Culture Cook Book (1924) 13 copies
Manhood and marriage (1916) 9 copies
Vitality supreme (1929) 5 copies
Muscular Power and Beauty (2001) 4 copies
Home health manual (2013) 3 copies
Keeping Fit 3 copies
Fasting for Health (1978) 2 copies
Man's sex life 2 copies
Strengthening the Eyes (2012) 1 copy
New Physical Culture (1944) 1 copy

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Birthdate
1868-08-16
Date of death
1955-10-12
Gender
male
Nationality
USA
Occupations
physical therapist
trainer
Relationships
Macfadden, Mary Williamson (wife|divorced)

Members

Reviews

Deep breathing and a complete system for strengthening the heart, lungs, stomach and all the great vital organs. Contents Chapter I What is vital power?-Majority of people lack full possession of vital power; Civilized conditions to blame; Not to be had through drugs; Vital power within the reach of all Chapter II Vital power depends on functional vigor-Development of vital power means more than development of external muscular system; Strenthening of vital organs most important part; More than exercise needed; Important value of air and water, respiration and food Chapter III Blood and vitality-The purer the blood the greater the vitality of the body; Vitality stored in living cells; Importance of having dead cells replaced by the cells full of life Chapter IV Organs of digestion, circulation and respiration-The making of the blood; The work it does; How the wonderful process of digestion is carried on; How cells of the body are nourished and replaced; The organs of respiration; How the oxygen in the blood burns up waste Chapter V Building vital power with long walks-Necessity of walking properly; When, where and how to walk; How to dress for a long walk; Energizing effect upon the body of a long walk Chapter VI Vast importance of water-Three-fourths of body composed of water; Important internal cleansing agent; Renders minerals soluble within the body; Carries away effete matter; Some advice based on my own experience Chapter VII Increasing digestive and assimilative power-The question of diet; General regime for increasing digestive and assimilative power; Variety of food to be desired; Normal appetite a proper guide; Consideration of raw food and vegetarian diet; Raw foods possess abudnance of living cells; Cooked food renders cells dead; Value of natural diet; Meat discussed Chapter VIII How a powerful stomach may be acquired-Stomach of vast importance in building of vital power; Digestion a muscular process; Perfect digestion dependent upon powerful stomach muscles; Importance of exercises that strengthen the stomach and small intestine; Percussion for the abdominal region illustrated Chapter IX The heart made powerful-Heart one mass of muscular tissue; Defined as a great muscle; Heart needs exercise same as other organs of body; Disease of heart; How caused; Strengthening the heart; The absolute necessity of this as an aid to vitality; The power of a very weak heart may be built up; Right breathing the best tonic of all Chapter X Developing great lung power-The great need of strong lungs; Poor lung capacity of average person; What is correct normal expansion?; Deep breathing develops a fine chest Chapter XI Pure air of the utmost importance-Pure air preventive of consumption; Healing power of air; Pure air considered as a food; Erroneous impressions regarding night air; Fools fear draughts; Impure air poisonous Chapter XII Perfect ventilation-Average home stagnant with foul air; Difficulty of finding open windows in homes; Conveyances foul with poisonous air; Aerated rooms; Illlustrated suggestons for perfect ventilation Chapter XIII Erroneous methods of breathing-'Quiet' breathing used by weaklings; An abomination; Does not purify all of blood sent to lungs; Other common errors in regard to breathing Chapter XIV Deep breathing exercises-Air starvation; Consumption in a great many instances caused by lack of pure air; Fresh air treatment for consumption; Invalids deprived of fresh air; Absolute necessity of deep breathing; Proper methods of breathing plainly illustrated Chapter XV The use of lung testers-Various devices that have been invented; All possess some merit; How an inexpensive spirometer can be made at hme; Two home-made spirometers illustrated Chapter XVI Breathing and muscular exercises combined-Deep regular breathing necessary in muscular exercise; Less fatigue in muscular exertion; Exercises tear down old tissue and dead cells; Demand for oxygen to rebuild and repair; Some combined breating and muscular exercises illustrated Chapter XVII Sun and air baths vitalize the body-The air bath and its value; Skin a breathing organ; Demands air same as lungs; Also important eliminating organ; Breathes out impurities; Exhilarating effect of bath; A guarantee against colds and coughs Chapter XVIII The depurating and blood purifying organs-Importance of the skin, kidneys, lower bowel and lungs; The part they play in carrying off waste products; Pure blood dependes upon perfect working of the functional processes Chapter XIX Clothing-Perverted idesas in regard to clothing; dress for comfort; Minimum of clothing diesirable at all times; Cold beneficial; Air must reach skin; My own experience Chapter XX Restful sleep powerful means of building vital vigor-Perfect nourishment of body takes place during sleeping hours; Assimilation greatest before midnight; Suggestions on how to sleep restfully; Cause of insomnia; How treated and cured Chapter XXI Mental attitude an important factor-The mental attitude that makes for health; Rest, relaxation and recuperation; Happiness as contagioius as disease; Don't be a chronic grumbler Chapter XXII Dry friction bath-Wonderfully exhilarating skin tonic; Vast importance of possessing an active skin; Appearance of a constantly groomed horse; Vibrates with nervous vitality; Skin of average person leaden and dead; How friction bath is taken Chapter XXIII Importance of frequent bathing-Vital power increased by proper bathing; The true object of bathing; Acceleraes the actin of the skin and functional and muscular systems; Warm baths needed only for keeping the body perfectly clean and wholesome; Cold bath a rare tonic; Value of plunge and shower baths; Proper time to take Chapter XXIV Strenthening the kidneys-vast importance of the kidneys; Diseases of kidneys; How caused; Tobacco, alcohol and stimulating diet principal factors in destroying the power of kidneys; General treatment; Exercises for strengthening these important organs Chapter XXV Constipation destroys vitality-Constipation one of the greatest foes to abundant vitality; Symptoms of the trouble; Causes that lead up to it; Inactive habit of life primary cause; Diet, cathartics and use of corset frequent factors Chapter XXVI How to remedy constipation-Natural methods only methods that can relieve; Combination of diet, exercise and physical upbuilding unfailing method of cure; Pills and cathartics interfere with recovery; Aggravate trouble; Colon flukshing a substitute Chapter XXVII Exercises for remedying constipation-Exercises that increase general functional vigor; Exercises for local treatment; general directions that will help in remedying trouble Chapter XXVIII Summing up of results-What results have been gained?; Room for improvement; Testing incresed lung pwoer; Testing heart, ower of stomch; Wel-regulated bowels, sound kidneys, stesdy nerves, powerfuls muscles Chapter XXIX General regime for daily practice… (more)
 
Flagged
AikiBib | May 29, 2022 |
Bernarr Macfadden is virtually unknown today, but he was considered the 'Father' of physical culture, a combination of bodybuilding with nutritional and health theories. He was quite advanced in his notions for the time, including the idea that sexual intercourse was a healthy activity, not just for procreation. Vitality Supreme is a reflection of his theories at the time of writing, and there are still many people who utilise this book for their daily living habits.
 
Flagged
MsMixte | Dec 15, 2012 |

Statistics

Works
72
Members
187
Popularity
#116,277
Rating
3.9
Reviews
2
ISBNs
29
Favorited
1

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