Chen Qiang changed all the employees into uniform sportswear, and the gym was instantly upgraded to a higher level.

The sportswear of the thirties was actually quite ugly, with a single color and a bad version, even if the person was handsome, he was quite ugly to wear. Therefore, the early tennis players were trousers with shirts, and even ties, while bowling and golf were also wearing formal clothes, and billiards had more stringent requirements for clothing, and this requirement for clothing even continued to later generations.

After all, it's an aristocratic sport, it doesn't matter if it's practical or not, what you want is to look good, if the athlete wears it so ugly, how can it be considered an aristocratic sport?

Chen Qiang is not a fashion designer, and he can't design the kind of professional fitness clothes that show his figure in later generations, but at least in the style of sportswear, Chen Qiang still hopes to be as novel as possible and not look too earthy.

Taking advantage of lunch, Chen Qiang bought a copy of DC's "Detective Comics" at the roadside bookstore, and by the way, he also bought a complete set of all the previous "Action Comics". "Detective Comics" is the comic that serialized Batman, while "Action Comics" is a comic that serialized Superman, and Superman appeared in the inaugural issue of "Action Comics".

Superman debuted in 1938, less than a year ago, so it's not hard to find all the previous Action Comics.

Chen Qiang also inquired about the situation of Marvel Comics by the way. As a result, the bookstore owner didn't know about Marvel Comics.

Marvel is the name determined in 1961, and before that, Marvel reality was called Times Comics, and then it was called Atlas Comics, so in 1939, Marvel was still called Times Comics.

In April 1939, Times Comics released the inaugural issue of "Movie Comic Book Weekly", and created the first Marvel superhero Namor Mackenzie, that is, Marvel's "Aquaman", this superhero has not been put on the big screen by Marvel in the future, so the Chinese audience is not familiar with it, and Chen Qiang does not know this Marvel's Aquaman.

If it is replaced by well-known heroes such as Team America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Fork Man, perhaps Chen Qiang can find Marvel, which was still called "Times Comics" at that time, through the names of heroes.

In the afternoon, Chen Qiang read comics in his office.

The comics of the thirties, the picture quality is still relatively rough, and the painting style seems to be very sloppy, probably at the level of Popeye. In fact, Popeye also appeared for the first time in 1933, and it was considered the highest level of animated short film at that time.

And the printing technology at that time was far inferior to later generations, and the printed comic characters were even more simple, but Chen Qiang still watched it with relish, for Chen Qiang, what he read was not comics, but a kind of feeling.

It wasn't until there was a knock on the door that Chen Qiang put down the comic book.

"Boss, there's a man and a woman out there who want to see you."

"New guests?" Chen Qiang stood up and walked out of his office, and then he saw a familiar face that he hadn't seen for a long time.

"Louis, why are you here!" Chen Qiang exclaimed.

It was Louis Williams.

During the Los Angeles Olympics, Chen Qiang performed in the circus, and a down-and-out painter became Chen Qiang's agent and helped him contact the school. That down-and-out painter was Louis Williams.

At that time, the Williams family regarded Chen Qiang as family, and in the past few years, although Chen Qiang did not come to the United States again, he has always maintained correspondence with Louis Williams, he came to the United States, and after settling down, he also wrote letters to Louis Williams, and Louis Williams also replied to the letter.

Chen Qiang planned to visit the Williams family again when he had the opportunity to go to Los Angeles, but he didn't expect Louis Williams to come to New York from Los Angeles.

It was also at this time that a figure pounced on him and gave Chen Qiang a big hug directly, and at the same time, a smell of perfume poured into Chen Qiang's nose.

"Esther?" Chen Qiang said with some uncertainty.

The person who hugged Chen Qiang was Louis Williams's daughter, Esther Williams, and the drowning little girl that Chen Qiang rescued at the Los Angeles Sports Club back then.

"Okay, Esther, you're already a big girl, don't hug Chen Sajiao like you did when you were a child." Louis Williams spoke, but Esther still hugged Chen Qiang's neck and didn't want to let go.

Chen Qiang took the two to the office, and then Chen Qiang asked, "Luis, why did you come to Los Angeles?" ”

"It's not because of her!" Louis Williams pointed to his daughter and continued: "I mentioned to you earlier that Esther won the national championship in the breaststroke and freestyle, and she also practiced diving, and recently we received an invitation letter from Billy Rose, hoping that Esther could replace Eleanor Holm and participate in Billy Rose's water show, so I took Esther to New York to give it a try." Louis Williams spoke.

"Billy Rose's water show was the best show at the New York World Expo. I've heard of this show, but I've never had the chance to see it. Chen Qiang said.

"Then when I'm selected, I'll ask you to see it!" Esther said from the side.

Louis Williams went on to say, "I remember you wrote to you that you owned a gym in New York, so we came to you just off the train. ”

"So you haven't found a place to live yet, have you? That's right, just live in my house! Chen Qiang said and stood up: "I'll take you over first, you take a rest, and then we'll go out for dinner!" ”

……

In 2010, China held a huge World Expo, which also made many Chinese know about the World Expo. As early as 1939, the World's Fair was already the world's largest expo event.

On the opening day of the 1939 New York World's Fair, 200,000 people attended the opening ceremony, and the content of the Expo was broadcast live on radio throughout the United States, and even on television that had just appeared. It is estimated that about 1,000 people watched the opening ceremony of the Expo on television at the time.

Although the TV at that time was only a 5-inch black and white TV, but for the general public, live television was also a new thing, and in 1939, 1,000 families in the United States could watch TV, which was enough to prove the prosperity of the United States.

It was precisely because of this live television broadcast that people had a full understanding of television, and General Electric took the opportunity to start showing its own television set, and since then television has gradually been recognized by Americans and appeared in various stores in the New York metropolitan area.

Chen Qiang was also invited to the opening ceremony of the New York World Expo, and he also saw Einstein at the opening ceremony, because it was Einstein who gave the opening speech at the New York World Expo. However, after the opening ceremony, Chen Qiang did not visit the New York World Expo, firstly because there was still work in the gym that had not been completed, and secondly, because there were too many people, and Chen Qiang did not want people to look at people.

Later, when Chen Qiang watched the Shanghai World Expo, he had the experience of crowding people and watching people, and he had to wait in line for a long time when he entered a venue, so Chen Qiang did not plan to join in the fun. Anyway, the New York World Expo is not only open for a day or two, and it is not too late to see it when there are fewer people.

The New York World Expo is also divided into different exhibition areas, such as the government area, transportation area, food area, business area, etc., and the New York World Expo also has the British Pavilion, the Greek Pavilion, the Japanese Pavilion, the Jewish Pavilion, the Polish Pavilion and the Soviet Union Pavilion. It is said that the British shipped many valuable exhibits to New York for exhibition, and a few months later the outbreak of World War II and the subsequent German bombing of Britain were preserved because they remained in the United States.

The New York World Expo also built a special playground, and the roller coasters, small trains, etc. in the playground are still preserved and even still in operation.

There are also plenty of shows at the playground, such as animal collector Frank Buck bringing his collection of rare birds, reptiles, wildlife, and trained orangutans and elephants. Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dalí brought his sculptures to the table. In order to attract the audience, there are even some very revealing young lady performances in the playground, which everyone understands.

One of the highlights was Billy Rose's water show.

Billy Ross was a heavyweight in American entertainment during World War II, an actor and lyric poet who was also a Broadway producer with several theaters and nightclubs. If it is placed now, it is probably equivalent to a film and television boss-level character.

Billy Rose's water show, which first began in 1937 with the Great Lakes Exhibition, was also regarded as the most successful product of the entire World Expo at the 1939 World Expo, which used more than 500 performers, and was definitely the largest water show at the time, and even now, it is difficult to find more than 500 people.

Throughout the forties and early fifties, there were many water music and dance movies in the United States, and even for a certain time, water music and dance movies became the mainstream of Hollywood, because of the influence of Billy Rose's water performances. This phenomenal situation is also unique in the history of Hollywood.

This kind of top-level performance naturally requires the best performers, and it is said that more than 5,000 people applied at first, and in the end only more than 500 remained, including dancers, actors and swimmers. Among the swimmers, there is no shortage of world champion-level masters.

For example, Eleanor Holm, the 1932 Olympic champion in Los Angeles in the 100m women's backstroke, was one of the performers. However, at this time, Eleanor Holm was watched by a certain director and was going to make a movie, and Eleanor Holm's role in the water show was very important, and ordinary people could not replace it, so Billy Rose could only find someone to replace him among the swimming champions in the United States.

Esther, a three-time U.S. swimming champion, is one of the candidates to replace Eleanor Home. So Louis Williams took Esther to New York to participate in the sight glasses of the water show.

……

Williams' father and daughter temporarily lived in Chen Qiang's home.

At this time, Chen Qiang also planned to start his class sales plan.

New York Yixing Company, Chen Qiang met Mr. Situ, the Hongmen boss, again.

"Xiao Chen, are you going to open a Guoshu class in your gym? It's a good thing to be able to carry forward our national arts in the United States! Mr. Szeto said.

"So I hope Mr. Situ can help me introduce a master who teaches Chinese arts." Chen Qiang said as he picked up the teapot and filled Mr. Situ with a cup of tea.

Mr. Situ was not polite, he regarded Chen Qiang as a junior, so he happily picked up the teacup, took a sip, and then asked, "Do you have any requirements for the master of national arts?" ”

"I don't need that kind of top-level national martial arts master, I want that kind of punching that is beautiful, and I can perform some beautiful movements, such as volleys, spinning kicks, etc., so that I can fool the Yankees." Chen Qiang said.

"That is, you want some fist embroidered legs?" Mr. Situ shook his head with a wry smile, and then said: "Among my Hongmen disciples, if you want to have real kung fu, I can find dozens of them for you, but if you find that kind of fist embroidered legs, it is really not easy." You must know that this national art is a killing technique, and our Hongmen disciples who crossed the ocean from China to the United States to break through also pin their heads to the waistband of their trousers, so what they learn are also killing skills. ”

"Sir, I'm just pit Americans who don't understand national arts, so I deliberately found some good-looking tricks to fool them." Chen Qiang paused, and then said: "Besides, we can't teach the real killing techniques to the Americans, what if the Americans learn it back and go back to fight us!" ”

Mr. Situ nodded: "That's what I said, the martial arts in this country teach kung fu, unless it is a true disciple, it will not be taught really." But the kind of person you want is really hard to find. ”

"Sir, did you ever use to be a showman?" Chen Qiang asked.

"Well, when you say that, it seems that there really is! A few years ago, there was a shortage of war in the country, and there were those who came to the United States to make a living by selling their arts, so let's find it for you, and if I find a suitable candidate, I will bring someone to you. Mr. Situ nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, Mr. Situ." Chen Qiang hurriedly thanked him.

……

Later, Chen Qiang bought another bottle of expensive red wine and went to the Pilates studio on Eighth Avenue in New York.

"Chen, you're coming to see me again!" An old man approaching him in his sixties.

"Mr. Pilates, I brought you a bottle of French wine!" Chen Qiang handed the red wine to the old man.

This old man was the founder of Pilates, Joseph Pilates.

Joseph Pilates is a German, he immigrated to the United States in 1926, and opened a Pilates studio on Eighth Avenue in New York, but Pilates training at that time was not a popular fitness method, but for dancers, actors, athletes to provide targeted exercise therapy training, equivalent to professional rehabilitation training, because the effect is very significant, so Pilates is still famous in the United States.

As early as the end of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, Chen Qiang came to New York, and at that time he specially visited Joseph Pilates, and the two already knew each other. In 1938, Chen Qiang came to the United States again, and often discussed some sports rehabilitation topics with Joseph Pilates.

Chen Qiang, as a professor at the University of Physical Education, naturally mastered the advanced sports rehabilitation technology of later generations, he revealed a little, so that Pilates was shocked, and the two quickly became acquainted, although the age difference between the two was more than 30 years old, so that Chen Qiang was more than enough to be the son of Pilates, but there was a common topic, and the two still became friends who forgot about the year.

Pilates took the red wine, looked down at the vintage on it, and suddenly looked surprised: "Oh my God, it's 1921, I'm going to treasure this bottle of red wine!" ”

In the twentieth century, the best vintages of French red wine were 1900, 1921, 1947, 1961, 1982, 1986, 1990 and 1995. After World War II, French red wine in 1921 also became a precious and rare product.

Chen Qiang exchanged a few words with Pilates before he spoke: "Mr. Pilates, I plan to take your Pilates sports therapy as a course in my studio, I don't know if you allow it?" ”

"Oh? Are you also planning to start a business in sports therapy training? That's great, you're an athlete and this business is a good fit for you. Pilates said with a smile.

"No, I'm not going to do exercise therapy training, I want to promote your Pilates exercise therapy as a way to fitness, so that ordinary people can also practice Pilates." Chen Qiang said.

As soon as he heard this, Pilates suddenly came to his senses.

In the future, Pilates is a very popular exercise and skill for Westerners, and its popularity is also very high all over the world, but in the thirties, Pilates was not systematically promoted.

Joseph Pilates certainly hopes that the Pilates exercise therapy he has created can be carried forward and promoted to the world. But before that, Pilates had always been a professional rehabilitation exercise, and even Joseph Pilates himself did not think of using Pilates training as a fitness method for ordinary people.

And Chen Qiang's plan to open a Pilates training class in the gym seems to open a new door for Joseph Pilates in an instant.

I saw Joseph Pilates said excitedly: "Chen, your idea is amazing, you are willing to promote my Pilates therapy, I can't ask for it, how can I oppose it!" If you need to, I can personally go to your gym and teach students! ”

……

With Joseph Pilates' personal authorization, Chen Qiang opened Pilates classes in the gym, which was unimpeded.

Chen Qiang is still very confident in the Pilates course, history has long proved that Pilates will become a global fitness method, so the success of the Pilates course is inevitable.

As for the national arts course, Chen Qiang is only testing the water, and he doesn't know if the Americans can accept the Chinese national arts. After all, Bruce Lee has not yet been born in this era, if it is after the Bruce Lee era, the United States has set off a kung fu craze, and then it will be much easier to open a Chinese kung fu course.

At the same time, Chen Qiang also plans to open a yoga course, which does not require any authorization, just use it directly. It's just that Chen Qiang hasn't found a suitable yoga instructor for the time being, and the fitness coaches he hired are all a group of strong muscular men, which don't look like materials for yoga instructors.

Moreover, there are many types of yoga, and they can fool people when they are taken out casually, and the instructors in this area have to be cultivated slowly.

A few days later, Mr. Situ really found a suitable national martial arts master for Chen Qiang, this person's surname is Sun, there is no sect, all family martial arts, at the age of five, he followed his father to perform on the streets, in addition to kung fu, he also learned some tricks, and the family came to the United States twenty years ago. This Master Sun is already very proficient in English, but due to the low status of Chinese in the United States, he can only rely on some odd jobs to support his family.

Chen Qiang interviewed Master Sun and felt that he was a suitable candidate, but if he wanted to fool the Americans, he had to pack it again.

At this point, Chen Qiang's preparations for selling classes have been completed, and then he just waits for the class to start, and then he can count the money!

——————

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