Was this possible?

[Oliverlogan263]

Jacked in 1925! Photo of bodybuilder Billy Ralph, c. 1925.

These photos were originally taken by Percy William Luton, at Carlton Studios (Formerly located at 34 New Cross Road, London). Luton was an experienced physique photographer, with his most well known work being several photos of strongman and wrestler John Lemm. The briefs seen in the second photo were actually added on top of the original shot at a later date, as the photos were later distributed as postcards, and thus modest measures were taken.

Although information on Billy Ralph is sparse, it's known that he trained under the Maxalding training system, developed by renowned strongman and bodybuilder Max Sick. Throughout the 1930s, 40s and 50s, his likeness was often used in Maxalding training ads, which appeared on the back of prominent fitness publications like Health and Strength. In these ads he's listed to have 16 inch arms, and it's implied that he had a fairly short/small build.

Yes

No

[Drewtate]

Absolutely. Eat right and exercise 2-4 hours per day. What you notice about the body builders of the era is how small their chests are. What is a 6 pack except core muscles worked until the pop up and a lack of any belly fat. Some of these bodybuilders were vegan/vegetarian while others were all about egg & steak.

[paledreams]

Look I'm just an ordinary simpleton - I'll say no - the same way that protein shakes exist today, the same way other things or whatever exist lol - and I'm not saying he wasn't legit or anyone else wasn't legit.
I'm just saying - I am 30 and I remember hearing many times in my 20s guys taking protein shakes - I don't go gym - and I only drink typical fast food milkshakes - I'm not a gym guy drinking down protein ; those folks are nuts

[paledreams]

See to me in a perfect ideal world, a man should, should, in my daydreams, be able to do things "the old fashioned way" by - chores. Like Mr Miyagi. He didn't give the guy not one dumbbell 😆

[paledreams]

Without anything assisting - not even coffee. Note how Mr Miyagi, fiction or not, he doesn't give Danielson anything, not even maybe a cup of ordinary tea, no milk. Lol.
Ah well. Unless Miyagi was a fictional weirdo, lol I just don't grasp how many guys in society past present future rely on "something like protein or steroids or whatever" and can't build muscle naturally. 99 percent naturally. 1 percent, luck. Lol 😆

[Mwolf]

Does it say anything about him using steroids? Some medical conditions do this to you.

[paledreams]

To me it's like the legs give it all away - it's like how you know - it's just - uhhhhh

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Yeah, and no, hard to say.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

@Oliverlogan263 Maybe he used his mind to get muscles, anything is possible nowadays?

[Oliverlogan263]

Maybe so back in those days

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

@Oliverlogan263 Yeah so true

[NathanDavis]

"100% natural"