History’s Most Questionable Inventions PROOF THAT NOT EVERY IDEA WAS A GOOD ONE
The Fear-Inducing Anti-Snacking Face Lock Not all strange inventions were meant for fun. One particularly intense idea by inventor Lucy Barmby was designed to keep chefs and servers from sneaking bites while on the job. The solution? A metal guard strapped over the mouth, complete with a lock. While it indeed sent a strong message about self-control, it also looked like something straight out of a horror movie. A Portable Garden for Your Head In the 1980s, when Waldemar Anguita decided that fresh air and greenery should be worn, not visited. His creation: a clear helmet outfitted with tiny plants inside.
Innovation has always pushed humanity forward, but every once in a while, it takes a sharp left turn into what-were- they-thinking territory. History is full of patented ideas that make us grateful for modern common sense. Let’s take a stroll through four inventions that technically worked, but probably shouldn’t have existed. An Alarm Clock More Torturous Than Most Long before gentle chimes and smartphone alarms, one inventor, Samuel S. Applegate, decided mornings required a more aggressive approach. His solution was a wake-up device that didn’t just alert you, it attacked you. When the alarm sounded, gravity did the rest, sending small wooden blocks tumbling down onto the sleeper’s face. Was it effective? Probably. Was it terrifying? Absolutely.
The idea was to breathe in oxygen from your personal mini-garden while going about your day. Practical? Not exactly. But points for creativity and commitment to houseplants. These oddball inventions remind us that creativity has no “off” switch. While some ideas change the world, others simply make us laugh and appreciate the inventions that didn’t involve pain, padlocks, or head- mounted greenery.
The Swimsuit That Floated and Failed In the late 1800s, Paschal Plant looked at
swimming and thought, “This needs more cork.” Enter a bathing outfit made entirely of small cork pieces tied together with a string. The goal was to help wearers stay afloat while paddling. While it may have offered some buoyancy, it sacrificed comfort, flexibility, and dignity in the process.
MORE MUSCLE, LESS STRESS New Bodybuilding Trend Holds Promise for Faster Healing
Many people dream of building a buff, chiseled physique without the sweat and suffering of rigorous gym workouts. Dream on, right? However, if you covet a tighter, more toned body but lack the time and discipline for long workouts with heavy weights, the hottest new bodybuilding trend may be for you. A method called occlusion training, or blood- flow restriction training (BFRT), builds muscle strength and promotes healing by using shorter workouts with lighter weights and fewer repetitions. BFRT entails tightening a tourniquet- like band around your arm or leg to restrict blood flow to the targeted muscles. The band is left in place for only a few minutes, not long enough for your muscles to fall asleep, but long enough to cause what trainers
call a “big pump,” or swelling of the affected muscles. How this happens isn’t completely clear. But based on numerous peer-reviewed studies, BFRT is increasingly accepted as an alternative strategy to improve muscle mass, strength, and cardiovascular function without the wear and tear on tissues or potential joint damage posed by conventional workouts. BFRT may also be helpful for specific kinds of physical therapy patients. For older adults, it can improve muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness. It can also help people with neurological disorders, such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, remain active. But more research is needed to eliminate all safety concerns. Animal
BFRT originated in Japan in the 1960s, where it’s known as KAATSU. It was first used in the U.S. about 15 years ago to aid healing in military veterans. Users should train only one area of the body at a time, such as either the arms or the legs, and work only 20%–30% of the maximum weight they could lift in one attempt. BFRT works best with basic exercises, such as the bicep curl, squat, bench press, leg extension, or leg curl. Anyone who experiences pain or numbness during BFRT should stop immediately, and people with cardiovascular disease or other vascular ailments shouldn’t try it. For now, however, it’s safe to say that BFRT is a promising new route to better health and fitness for a growing population of bodybuilders, physical therapy patients, and others.
studies may be required to fully understand how BFRT works.
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