Available Heavyhands Publications, Comments and Notations
Back in the 1980s, Heavyhands was a huge force in the exercise movement. Below are images of some of the Heavyhands books that were published by major publishers. Over two million sets of Heavyhands weights were sold. And from my research, over 500,000 of the first book titles Heavyhands published were from Little Brown and Company. I have noted my comments from what I have learned from reviewing each of the books.
1982 Little Brown & Company First Edition.
Read all the fantastic benefits of
Heavyhands on all the back covers.
The first book was published in 1982 by Little Brown & Company. Notice the first book’s cover. You don’t see the patented Heavyhands handles at this time. There are many photos in this book and you can see Leonard working with regular weights, not the Heavyhands weight system. Some of the weight sets show a strap supporting the hand. I can only assume that Leonard was working on a better weight system to offer new handlers compared to buying many different individual weights. I have lots of customers who order two to three sets of Weighted Hands so they don’t have to keep changing out the weights.
1982 4th Printing Note, The New Cover Featuring The AMF
Here we go. Leonard teams up with AMF Sports to be the exclusive distributor of the now patented Heavyhands weight system. Look at the updated cover for the book which now features new cover models mirroring the old cover. And of course they are holding the AMF Branded Heavyhands weights. AMF was a large player in the sports and fitness equipment industry back in the day, and could provide the distribution needed. Today, AMF is no longer in business. Millions of Heavyhands weights sets and handles were sold throughout the 1980s.
Warner Books markets the big bestseller in paperback the same year, furthering the marketing arm for the sale of Heavyhands weights.
1982 Warner Books Paperback
In 1982, Heavyhands begins marketing internationally with the publication of Heavyhands published by Pelham Books Limited out of London, England.
Warner Books markets the big bestseller in paperback the same year, furthering the marketing arm for the sale of Heavyhands weights.
In 1982, Heavyhands begins marketing internationally with the publication of Heavyhands published by Pelham Books Limited out of London, England.
With five years of marketing, and millions of weights and Heavyhands handles sold, a new focus for Heavyhands was aimed at walkers. I am certain this marketing angle was the brainchild of Rodale press. Rodale is still one of the finest group of book publishers. They know what they are doing when it comes to positioning books. Thus, Heavyhands Walking was published. This new text is essentially the same book as Heavyhands, but with some updates and more recent research. The first book focused on many callisthenic movements as opposed to walking.
And for many people, these movements were difficult to master. But everyone can walk. I personally feel that walking with the Heavyhands weights is the best way to go.
I am certain Dr. Schwartz wanted in on some of the action. He probably saw these publishers selling millions of books and he was making only a small percentage in royalties – likely anywhere from 4% to 15%. And that’s when Schwartz must have started Panaerobics Press Inc. This is pure speculation on my part however, and I could be totally wrong about how Panaerobics Press started.
Dr. Leonard Schwartz in his 80s. He’s still ripped!
