As I now have seem to become a collector of chest expanders, I bought an entirely new (never used) Spenby version! It cost me $7,25 from an internet auction! I call that a bargain!
I know little about Spenby. Appearantly a british brand who made chest expanders in the years 1960-1990, probably even before that. From pics on the net they made expanders with 2 to 5 strands. Does anyone know more or have any personal experience of Spenby?
It looks like a decent workout because it aligns with the direction of the chest muscle fibers. With low resistance this might require far too many reps before fatigue sets in. But with adequate resistance it probably is similar to a pec deck, which is something.
As an added bonus, you might be prepared if someone kicks sand in your face.
Good thread!
The true gem of these is the work of doing the opposite motion and resistance of traditional weight lifting with bars and similar objects.
Working the body in opposite ways like this aids in hypertrophy and all around strength building, recovery etc.
I had some pieces of tough rubber and I would try to stretch them as far as I could, very very hard at first to even stretch them 6 inches. This is a similar activity that can be done.
This thread kind of died. How is the collection going nowadays?
Hi @awcy,
Thanks for asking! Yes, the thread may have died but the spirit (collecting and use) still lives on!
My collection of vintage chest expanders has grown. Now consisting of seven expanders in total (three of these of the same unknown brand of great quality). I actually continued to make internet auction bargains - Not for the expanders themselves - But, to have spare strands! They all have great build quality in common, so I’m yet replace any strands. I’ve mounted carabiner hooks on the expanders I most often use, for quick change of strands during sessions.
The 4-strand versions are superior in terms of versatility, as the 3-strand versions may seem a bit light in terms of resistance. Still looking for a 5-strand version (holy graal) though.
Rumor has spread among my friends and relatives: I have been promised further additions to my collection (“I believe my granddad used one of those, and I will go have a look if it’s left somewhere…”). Much to my surprise, a friend from far away brought one with him on a recent visit.
As for training, I still use the chest expander about once weekly. Often while doing other stuff (like laundry) due to a ridiculously hectic schedule (main reason why I’m more of a lurker here lately). But rest assured, this thread is not forgotten! Thanks for resurrecting it! It’s time for the second coming!
I found this discussion by accident. My dad got me a Spenby expander when I was 8 years old. 60 odd years later I still use them. I’ve got a few Spenbys and a couple of Terry’s. I would have more sets but I’m constantly giving them away as gifts.
Terry’s Steelstrand are far and away the best expanders ever made. Terry’s was a small English spring manufacturer that was bought out by a larger concern in the early 1970’s. It made a variety of products that used springs including the original Anglepoise lamp. I think they stopped making expanders when the company was acquired. The cream colored handle set in your picture with the 3 tapered springs looks like a Terry’s. One sure way to tell is to look at the end of each spring where it attaches to the clamp. If it’s a Terry’s there will be a small triangular steel piece there with the spring resistance stamped on it. Terry’s springs came in a variety of resistances between 10 and 50 pounds.
The blue handles are probably Spenby handles but the attached springs are not Spenby springs. They look similar to the Terry’s springs but thinner. Spenby was a brand name for an expander made by another English-mid twentieth century spring manufacturer named Spencer & Beattie Ltd., located in a village named Oswaldtwistle. I think the company went out of business in the 1980s. Spenby also made high quality expanders, far better than anything else made before or since with the exception of the Terry’s. Unlike Terry’s, Spenby used only one spring size (20 lbs). However a Terry’s 20 lb spring is harder to pull than a 20 lb Spenby spring.
I’ve no idea what brand the bottom two expanders are.
Anyway I hope I didn’t bore you. I like quality metalwork and the springs made by those two companies will last several lifetimes if taken care of.
Many thanks for your appreciated and valuable input here @littleguy1 (and welcome to Tnation)! I suppose you are based in the UK?
The fun thing with collecting these vintage chest expanders, is that each one comes with a unique story - Much like what you offered here re Terry’s and Spenby! I’ve tried to trace their origin and use, from the buyer - But unf no one seems to realize what it actually is, as they may have changed many hands along their way to me.
I’ve just acquired a 5 strand chest expander, similar to the top three in my pic above. It seems this particular version is common here in Sweden, but I fail to find ANY info on where this model comes from.
Re the bottom two expanders: The upper one is from a czech brand called Artis, and the lower one is just called Tarzan Expander (according to the original box).
I continue to use my expanders on a weekly basis as accessory training alongside powerlifting/powerbuilding and flywheel training. It seems I like quirky training!
If not too much to ask, I would much appreciate any pics on your Spenby’s or Terry’s - For reference. Thanks again!
I’m suprised and delighted to see that there is someone who apparantly has been collecting and using these vintage chest expanders. This is the first time that i see this website in general. Myself i am not a body builder or something, i am enthousiastic about old time strongman stuff from 1900s. Over the past 2 years i have also collected these vintage spenby expanders , i also have them from vendex brand (made by a dutch warehouse company back in the day. I have also these flat handles for doing bicep curls with it. The expander i like the most which has rotating handles and a 1 pound dumbell build in is the one made by Eugene Sandow’s company. Maybe i’ll also post some pics someday. I only made this account to share my enthousiasm for the chest expander. for now on youtube the channes Nattylife has a lot of great video’s on chest expanders and bronz era bodybuilding in general. also what would the best way be to maintain your springs? i also have bought many expanders just for the springs. have enough to outlast me i think ha ha. Anyways ya’'ll have a great life!
@ Mr. Petterson & Mr. Ranay
I live in the US but spent my youth in England. You can still buy these things online, mostly on eBay. The shipping to the US is usually more than the cost of the expander.
I’ve attached a photo of a couple of a Terry’s (3 and 5 spring) and a 5 spring Spenby side-by-side to show the spring size differences. The Spenby is the longer springs on the left.
I’ll go through periods where I don’t use these things, then I’ll get bored with going to the gym and use them every day. I usually use a 4 spring Spenby. 3 springs on a Terry’s is as much as I can pull, and that’s just with the 20 or 25 lb springs. Maybe there are strongmen out there today or in the past who’ve pulled 5 springs on a Terry’s but I haven’t met one.
Most gym folk regard these old expanders as oddities, but the old time strongmen used them regularly. They don’t bulk you up but they make you strong. Also, you can’t use momentum with springs, so they keep you honest. There’s no cheating with springs like there is with free weights.
