Milo: A Journal for Serious Strength Athletes

A closer look at the leading journal for Iron Game fans

At the top of Charles Poliquin’s list for Iron Game magazines was Milo: A Journal for Serious Strength Athletes. A quarterly publication from IronMind Enterprises, its first issue appeared in April 1993. On the cover was legendary strongman and Olympic Games weightlifting champion Paul Anderson.

One of the strongest men in history, wrestler Milo of Croton inspired the magazine’s name.Milo represented the concept of progressive resistance exercise by lifting a newborn calf when he was a boy, and continually lifting it every day until it became a grown cow.

The sole editor and chief and publisher of Milois Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D., a photojournalist who traveled the world to cover the Iron Game. His journal covered the training and history of weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman, arm wrestling, and many other Iron Game events.

Contributors to Milowere many of the most popular writers and coaches in their respective fields. Here, for example, are the contributions of Bill Starr, an elite weightlifter and strength coach who was one of the most influential writers in strength sports:

  • “The Drill,” Vol. 4, No. 1 (full clean & full squat snatch routine) 
  • “Improving the Power Clean and Power Snatch,” Vol. 4, No. 3
  • “Don’t Forget the Middle,” Vol. 5, No. 3
  • “Knowing When to Make Changes,” Vol. 6, No. 2 
  • “Exercises to Help the Top Pull,” Vol. 7, No. 2 
  • “Get the Right Start,” Vol. 8, No. 3 
  • “The Case for the Power Shrug,” Vol. 8, No. 4
  • “Salvaging a Crummy Workout,” Vol. 11, No. 3 
  • “Taboo Exercises for Strength Athletes,” Vol. 11, No. 4 
  • “The Deadlift and the Strength Athlete, or Deadlifts Aren’t Just for Powerlifters,” Vol. 12, No. 2 
  • “Dedication,” Vol. 12, No. 3
  • “In-Season Training for Athletes,” Vol. 13, No. 2 
  • “Baby Cows,” Vol. 13, No. 3
  • “Olympic Lifting is Still a Sport of Strength,” Vol. 13, No. 4 
  • “Be Aware of Sequence,” Vol. 14, No. 2 
  • “Go With the Flow,” Vol. 14, No. 3 
  • “Stabilizing the Bottom,” Vol. 15, No. 3
  • “Battling the Weak Links,” Vol. 16, No. 3
  • “Using Singles Wisely,” Vol. 16, No. 4
  • “Making Weight: The Forgotten Discipline,” Vol. 17, No. 1
  • “Utilizing the Heavy, Light, and Medium Concept,” Vol. 17, No. 2
  • “Unorthodox Exercises,” Vol. 17, No. 3
  • “Customize Your Program to Fit Your Individual Needs,” Vol. 17, No. 4
  • “The Value of a Strong Upper Back,” Vol. 18, No. 1
  • “Baby Steps,” Vol. 18.3
  • “Bill Starr Knows the Deadlift” by Dr. Ken E. Leistner, Vol. 19, No. 1

Whatever was of importance to Iron Game athletes, Milocovered it. For example, here are some of the articles in Milothat discussed the squat:

  • “Deep Breathing-Style Good Mornings for Squatting Power” by Steve Simon, Vol. 1, No. 2 
  • “Squat!” By John McCallum, Vol. 2, No. 3
  • “For Size and Strength” by John McCallum, Vol. 3, No. 2
  • “Box Squats” by Louie Simmons, Vol. 3, No. 4
  • “Analysis of the Box or Bench Squat” by John V. Askem, Vol. 4, No. 1
  • “Life in the Loft-Part XII: The Out-Cast Squat Routine” by Dr. Ken E. Leistner, Vol. 4, No. 4
  • “The Front Squat” by Bill Starr, Vol. 5, No. 2
  • “The Zercher Lift and the Zercher Squat” by J. V. Askem, Vol. 5, No. 3
  • “Pause Squats: Excruciatingly Effective” by Marty Gallagher, Vol. 6, No. 1
  • “Analysis of Olympic-style Squatting” by J. V. Askem, Vol. 7, No. 1
  • “Life in the Loft: Doing Time with Squats” by Dr. Ken E. Leistner, Vol. 7, No. 4
  • “Chain Yourself to the Squat Rack and Call Me in a Year” by Pavel Tsatsouline, Vol. 7, No. 4
  • “Life in the Loft: Squatting on the Run” by Dr. Ken E. Leistner, Vol. 8, No. 1
  • “The Front Squat” by Jim Schmitz, Vol. 8, No. 2
  • “Build Variety in Your Squat Program” by Bill Starr, Vol. 9, No. 1
  • “Life in the Loft: Squat Break” by Dr. Ken E. Leistner, Vol. 9, No. 3
  • “Weight Training and Sore Knees-Part I: To Squat or Not to Squat?” by J.V. Askem, Vol. 10, No. 3
  • “Weight Training and Sore Knees-Part II: There’s a Wrong Way and a Right Way to Squat” by J.V. Askem, Vol. 10, No. 4
  • “An Alternate King: Overhead Squats” by Rob Haan, Vol. 12, No. 3
  • “Six Tons in One Set: An Extreme High-Rep Squat Workout” by Timothy Piper, Vol. 13, No. 2
  • “Foundations: Legs First” by Jon Bruney, Vol. 14, No. 1
  • “The Art of the Squat: Primer for Success” by Steven Helmicki, Vol. 14, No. 4
  • “Do You Zercher?” by Thom Van Vleck, Vol. 17, No. 2
  • “Foundations: Spending Time with the King” by Jon Bruney, Vol. 18, No. 1
  • “How I Joined the Hundred Club” by Gerard Matthews, Vol. 18, No. 3
  • “Don’t Get a Headache Over Squats” by William L. Crawford, M.D., Vol. 18, No. 4
  • “How Much Do You Squat?” by Jim Schmitz, Vol. 19, No. 1
  • “How to Back Squat ‘Enough,’ Part I” by Jim Schmitz, Vol. 19, No. 2 
  • “How to Back Squat ‘Enough,’ Part II: The Schmitz Squat System” by Jim Schmitz, Vol. 19, No. 3
  • “Knees In, Knees Out: How Not to Squat” by Karsten Jensen, Vol. 20, No. 2
  • “20-Rep Squats for Athletics” by Paul Mouser, C.P.T., Vol. 20, No. 3
  • “An Experiment with Paul Anderson’s PMT Concept” by Tim Piper, M.S., Vol. 21, No. 1
  • “How Much Can You Squat?” by Ollie Whaley, M.A., C.S.C.S., Vol. 21, No. 4
  • “Against the Wind, Still Advocationg the Barbell Squat” by Ken E. Leistner, D.C., Vol. 21, No. 4
  • “Think Deep, Squat Deeper” by William Crawford, M.D., Vol. 23, No. 4
  • “Home Training: Belt Squats, a Different Approach” by Ernest Roy, P.T., D.P.T., Vol. 23, No. 4
  • “Glute Power for Strength Athletes” by Ernest Roy, P.T., D.P.T., Vol. 24, No. 3
The first issue of the Milo journal featuring legendary strongman Paul Anderson (left) on the cover.

Each issue of Milohad something for everyone, being divided into five sections: Departments, People,Contests, Training, and History. The writing and editing were excellent, and the photos and illustrations were always of the highest quality. The covers were exceptional and often featured the superstars of the Iron Game. For example, the lead photo in this review used for a Milocover is of Lasha Talakhadze, the Georgian giant (6-foot-6, 389 pounds!) who is only a few pounds away from being the first man to snatch 500 pounds (with a current official best of 489). The cover story was written by Strossen, a wonderful storyteller.

Although it is no longer being published, back issues of Miloare available. Buy as many as you can — you will treasure all of them!

[You can purchase back issues of Milo through https://ironmind.com.]

Scroll to Top

Join The All-New Dojo

All new programs for women’s training, combat sports, and performance.