William Bankier (Apollo) was born in Scotland in 1870. As a child, he enjoyed circus performances and at the age of fourteen he decided to join a road show and become a performer. His career as a strongman performer in a circus started by a pure coincidence, as he had to replace a strongman from Porgie O'Brien's road show, who was a heavy drinker and couldn't always do his performance.

During next couple of years, William continued with his shows, but it wasn't until he joined the Bostock Circus that everything really clicked and he became an amazing performer. During this time he used to lift a fully grown elephant without any help or tricks whatsoever.

Ideal Physical Culture by William Bankier provides almost everything that one needs in a journey to healthy life, longevity and muscle building. Apollo went to great length to explain his views on muscle development, nutrition, how to become beautiful and even touched the electricity of the muscles topic. There are also a couple of chapters focused exclusively on physical culture, including drinking and bathing, importance of moderation, negative impact of alcohol & tobacco, and much more. This is an ebook!

Table of contents:

Great Athletes and Their Feats
Great Strength and Its Source
Modes of Performing Feats
Weight-Lifters and Their Methods
Measurements
My Own Career
How to Develop Muscle
The Chest, and Other Muscles
The Waist Muscles
The Leg Muscles
The Proper Method of Breathing
Rules for Muscular Exercise
What to Eat
Drinking and Bathing
Alcoholic Liquors
Tobacco
Indolence
Sensuality
Athletes Beware
On Electricity for the Muscles
The Duty of Preserving Our Health
To Become Beautiful - A Chapter of Interest to Ladies
Moderation the True Principle