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Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: MCWAY on December 06, 2012, 09:14:00 AM

Title: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: MCWAY on December 06, 2012, 09:14:00 AM
This guy was put together. Even in his teens, you can see how he ended up with such a great physique.

Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: njflex on December 06, 2012, 09:28:17 AM
respect,,old school .
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: ob205 on December 06, 2012, 09:35:42 AM
Arthur Jones taped his arms at 17.25"  :P   Just kidding, good arms but no way close to 21, you really think they are as big as coleman's at almost 300lbs.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: tommywishbone on December 06, 2012, 09:45:05 AM
Good physique. Great dude. Owed a real good supplement store in Marina Del Rey for years. 
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: Rudee on December 06, 2012, 09:52:27 AM
Arthur Jones taped his arms at 17.25"  :P   Just kidding, good arms but no way close to 21, you really think they are as big as coleman's at almost 300lbs.

Yup, the "First Man with 21" arms" claim is a self-proposed claim by Leroy himself.   Looking at his photos back then, no way he had 21" arms.   21" arms are close to the circumference of the average mans head.   I've seen bodybuilders with legit 21" arms, and they are night and day bigger than what Leroy Colbert had.    Leroy Colbert was however, the first bodybuilder to lie about having 21" arms.  I will give him that.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: MCWAY on December 06, 2012, 09:54:26 AM
Arthur Jones taped his arms at 17.25"  :P   Just kidding, good arms but no way close to 21, you really think they are as big as coleman's at almost 300lbs.


Coleman's arms were bigger than 21" at nearly 300. Plus, he was ripped to the bone. Had Colbert been as ripped as Coleman, his arm would be smaller.


Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: MCWAY on December 06, 2012, 09:58:37 AM
Yup, the "First Man with 21" arms" claim is a self-proposed claim by Leroy himself.   Looking at his photos back then, noway he had 21" arms.   21" arms are close the circumference of the average mans head.   I've seen bodybuilders with legit 21" arms, and they are night and day bigger than what Leroy Colbert had.    Leroy Colbert was however, the first bodybuilder to lie about having 21" arms.  I will give him that.

In one of his videos, Colbert mentions who taped his arms (and it was with a steel tape). I'll have to find it and post it here.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: funk51 on December 06, 2012, 10:00:48 AM
 ;D hey leroy. started his health food business in nyc.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: dr.chimps on December 06, 2012, 10:01:46 AM
Yup, the "First Man with 21" arms" claim is a self-proposed claim by Leroy himself.   Looking at his photos back then, noway he had 21" arms.   21" arms are close the circumference of the average mans head.   I've seen bodybuilders with legit 21" arms, and they are night and day bigger than what Leroy Colbert had.    Leroy Colbert was however, the first bodybuilder to lie about having 21" arms.  I will give him that.
I remember his ads, and the measurement got bigger and bigger over time to equate with contemporary BBers arm measurements.     ;D
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: funk51 on December 06, 2012, 10:02:18 AM
and first guy to claim 22 inches ;D bill pettis from h-burg pa.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: Palpatine Q on December 06, 2012, 10:03:52 AM
Those of us old enough to remember, know that his ad used to be "first man with 20 inch arms"  then they added an inch years later.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: anabolichalo on December 06, 2012, 10:06:19 AM
roleman had 22" i guess

(http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp83/wolf757_photo/Ronniearm.jpg?t=1223216327)

(http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=239164.0;attach=279313;image)
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: hazbin on December 06, 2012, 11:46:46 AM
to say someone's arms are a certain size is rediculous..   Coleman had 22'' arms. he also had 20'' arms, 18'' arms and probably 24'' arms at one point.   somebody measures them once and that is the only size they have and will have ever been??   pretty dumb thinking.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: Rudee on December 06, 2012, 11:49:19 AM
I remember his ads, and the measurement got bigger and bigger over time to equate with contemporary BBers arm measurements.     ;D

Yup.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: local hero on December 06, 2012, 11:54:36 AM
alot of old timers make some bs claims... thankfully we are all educated to laugh at these blatant lies
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: anabolichalo on December 06, 2012, 11:58:06 AM
alot of old timers make some bs claims... thankfully we are all educated to laugh at these blatant lies
old bastards dont know when to stop lying
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: ob205 on December 06, 2012, 12:19:22 PM
Sure they are 21" in his dreams. 

In "The Nautilus Book, Volume II," Jones recounts that the most muscular arm he ever measured was that of Sergio Oliva. At 20-1/8 inches

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WvLXy1KEycw/TvkQ5aCFhOI/AAAAAAAAD14/z3e5la9Yge8/s1600/1.jpg)
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: MCWAY on December 06, 2012, 03:17:25 PM
Sure they are 21" in his dreams.  

In "The Nautilus Book, Volume II," Jones recounts that the most muscular arm he ever measured was that of Sergio Oliva. At 20-1/8 inches

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WvLXy1KEycw/TvkQ5aCFhOI/AAAAAAAAD14/z3e5la9Yge8/s1600/1.jpg)

By the time Jones did that measurement, Colbert had been retired about 15 years or so. Besides, Jones is merely recounting the largest arm HE ever measured.

Those of us old enough to remember, know that his ad used to be "first man with 20 inch arms"  then they added an inch years later.

So who had 20" arms before he did?

Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: Parker on December 06, 2012, 03:31:14 PM
to say someone's arms are a certain size is rediculous..   Coleman had 22'' arms. he also had 20'' arms, 18'' arms and probably 24'' arms at one point.   somebody measures them once and that is the only size they have and will have ever been??   pretty dumb thinking.
exactly...

As far as Colbert, I think in a 90s Flex magazine, they had mentioned that measurements of his arms were 19s, each arm, slightly different. And there wasn't any info on his weight, or if it was when he was bulked up or lean. Every pic I've seen of Colbert, I could see his arms being 18.5s or 19s, but no way 21s, and they didn't look as big as Sergio's or Arnold's.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: Figo on December 06, 2012, 06:28:21 PM
Those of us old enough to remember, know that his ad used to be "first man with 20 inch arms"  then they added an inch years later.

Correct
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: dynamike on December 06, 2012, 08:18:48 PM
His arms were 21" ....from the tip of his shoulder to his middle finger.

(This man also claims he's natural.)
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: hazbin on December 06, 2012, 08:35:53 PM
people also forget that bone structure plays a huge role in how big someones arms look.    i knew two guys that trained together; same height, nearly same weight. nick had narrow shoulders while randy's shoulders were crazy wide.  everybody raved about how big nick's arms were, ignoring randy's. nicks looked two inches bigger. one day they ended up measuring and randy's were about 20'' while nick's were just under 19''. nobody  could believe randy's were even close, never mind bigger.  (pain killer induced rant!!)
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: Parker on December 06, 2012, 08:39:32 PM
people also forget that bone structure plays a huge role in how big someones arms look.    i knew two guys that trained together; same height, nearly same weight. nick had narrow shoulders while randy's shoulders were crazy wide.  everybody raved about how big nick's arms were, ignoring randy's. nicks looked two inches bigger. one day they ended up measuring and randy's were about 20'' while nick's were just under 19''. nobody  could believe randy's were even close, never mind bigger.  (pain killer induced rant!!)
Phil Heath vs Jay Cutler or Kai Green comes to mind---both of them (when Jay was competing against Phil) have bigger arms than Phil.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: hazbin on December 06, 2012, 08:48:34 PM
Phil Heath vs Jay Cutler or Kai Green comes to mind---both of them (when Jay was competing against Phil) have bigger arms than Phil.

i would believe that,  but 99 percent of the people who see them together will never believe that.

when my arms are 19'' they look small and shitty.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: MCWAY on December 06, 2012, 09:10:07 PM
exactly...

As far as Colbert, I think in a 90s Flex magazine, they had mentioned that measurements of his arms were 19s, each arm, slightly different. And there wasn't any info on his weight, or if it was when he was bulked up or lean. Every pic I've seen of Colbert, I could see his arms being 18.5s or 19s, but no way 21s, and they didn't look as big as Sergio's or Arnold's.

Was the article talking about his arms in competition? Colbert said his arms were 18", when he was competing. It was after his motorcycle accident that he got them over 20". He concentrated on them more, since he couldn't compete and train his legs the way he used to train them.



This is the video I referenced earlier. Colbert mentions that a man, named David Willowby (sp), measured his arms with a steel tape at 21".

Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: Parker on December 06, 2012, 10:34:50 PM
Was the article talking about his arms in competition? Colbert said his arms were 18", when he was competing. It was after his motorcycle accident that he got them over 20". He concentrated on them more, since he couldn't compete and train his legs the way he used to train them.



This is the video I referenced earlier. Colbert mentions that a man, named David Willowby (sp), measured his arms with a steel tape at 21".


Don't know, maybe ND can find it...one arm was 19.something, and the other arm was slightly larger.

Colbert could have had 21s  if he was buled up, but none of the pics that I have ever seen of him suggest anything beyond 18s-19s
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: hazbin on December 06, 2012, 10:44:08 PM
ok, when i'm not really training very often my arms go down to 19'' and look horrible. i never thought i'd show this pic, but just to show you how small a 19 inch arm can look.   
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: Parker on December 06, 2012, 11:03:20 PM
ok, when i'm not really training very often my arms go down to 19'' and look horrible. i never thought i'd show this pic, but just to show you how small a 19 inch arm can look.   
All in perspective...Shawn Ray said that his tailor measured his arms at 18.5.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: MCWAY on December 06, 2012, 11:31:30 PM
Don't know, maybe ND can find it...one arm was 19.something, and the other arm was slightly larger.

Colbert could have had 21s  if he was buled up, but none of the pics that I have ever seen of him suggest anything beyond 18s-19s

His arms look similar to those of Bill Pearl, whose arms were measured (before his last Mr. Universe win) at 203/4", according to Gene Mozee. Others report his arms at 21" even.

Pearl weighed 241 for that show. But again, he wasn't nearly as defined as guys were from the 80s and beyond. If he were ripped by modern standards, his bodyweight would probably be 220 or so and his arms just over 19".

I'd say the same applies for Colbert.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: BB on December 06, 2012, 11:48:04 PM
The biggest David P. Willoughby publicly recorded Colbert was in 1954 -

right arm 18.7
wrist 7.5
left arm 18.8
5'9.25" 200 lbs .

Willoughby is generally to be trusted with measurements, he was an actual real academic scholar who took an interest in the strength sports from an human development perspective.

Charles Smith, a contemporary and early Weider editor put him in the 18 - 19" also.



Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: BB on December 07, 2012, 12:21:16 AM
References to the Willoughby measurement -

http://www.ironhistory.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11653 .

Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: GoneAway on December 07, 2012, 01:26:52 AM
A natural with decent genetics dedicated to the sport could resemble Leroy after years of dedication.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: oldtimer1 on December 07, 2012, 03:28:40 AM
My friend measured his grand ma's arm at 22 inches. We are talking muscular arms not a 240lb fat guy with a tape measure.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: funk51 on December 07, 2012, 09:58:37 AM
The biggest David P. Willoughby publicly recorded Colbert was in 1954 -

right arm 18.7
wrist 7.5
left arm 18.8
5'9.25" 200 lbs .

Willoughby is generally to be trusted with measurements, he was an actual real academic scholar who took an interest in the strength sports from an human development perspective.

Charles Smith, a contemporary and early Weider editor put him in the 18 - 19" also.




that's a large arm for the height and bodyweight. what did ronnie c usually weigh off season exaxtly. mike m always had very large appearing arms but the in shape measurement was said to be 18 and five eighth inches.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: Palpatine Q on December 07, 2012, 10:10:27 AM
that's a large arm for the height and bodyweight. what did ronnie c usually weigh off season exaxtly. mike m always had very large appearing arms but the in shape measurement was said to be 18 and five eighth inches.

was never impressed with Mentzer's arms
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: ob205 on December 07, 2012, 10:12:11 AM
The biggest David P. Willoughby publicly recorded Colbert was in 1954 -

right arm 18.7
wrist 7.5
left arm 18.8
5'9.25" 200 lbs .

Willoughby is generally to be trusted with measurements, he was an actual real academic scholar who took an interest in the strength sports from an human development perspective.

Charles Smith, a contemporary and early Weider editor put him in the 18 - 19" also.


Truth, btw, this is not denigrating Mr. Colbert, just reality. 
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: MCWAY on December 07, 2012, 10:17:25 AM
The biggest David P. Willoughby publicly recorded Colbert was in 1954 -

right arm 18.7
wrist 7.5
left arm 18.8
5'9.25" 200 lbs .

Willoughby is generally to be trusted with measurements, he was an actual real academic scholar who took an interest in the strength sports from an human development perspective.

Charles Smith, a contemporary and early Weider editor put him in the 18 - 19" also.





Colbert was 21 years old, when that measurement was done. He claims that his arms got over 20" when he was 25, after his motorcycle accident.

Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: BB on December 07, 2012, 10:36:17 AM
Lots of claim, no actual fact aside from the 1954 measurement. Largest post accident self reported measurement for him is 20 .5" , here in this article -

http://books.google.com/books?id=oDe4dSJt_6YC&pg=PA73&lpg=PA73&dq=ebony+leroy+colbert&source=bl&ots=PpADa3iyPO&sig=b8Q-x-bkn-dJ_2Q9PJftRZ7hFu0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=FTTCUI5iiJbRAaCegMAJ&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=ebony%20leroy%20colbert&f=false .

That was 6 years after his motorcycle accident, but here is the kicker he claims only a 7 pound gain in those years - #200 - 207 lbs . Anyone actually believe he gained nearly 2" from only #7 pounds of gained weight?

Also look at every bodybuilder that competed at a similar weight and was independently measured at some point, the numbers are always high 17's - high 18's ".

Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: Donny on December 07, 2012, 10:39:46 AM
Fuck sake just seen this thread...the man is a legend. Great thread.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: B_B_C on December 07, 2012, 10:43:12 AM
oh lordy lordy all the size queen historians are out in force tonight
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: MCWAY on December 07, 2012, 10:44:25 AM
Lots of claim, no actual fact aside from the 1954 measurement. Largest post accident self reported measurement for him is 20 .5" , here in this article -

http://books.google.com/books?id=oDe4dSJt_6YC&pg=PA73&lpg=PA73&dq=ebony+leroy+colbert&source=bl&ots=PpADa3iyPO&sig=b8Q-x-bkn-dJ_2Q9PJftRZ7hFu0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=FTTCUI5iiJbRAaCegMAJ&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=ebony%20leroy%20colbert&f=false .

That was 6 years after his motorcycle accident, but here is the kicker he claims only a 7 pound gain in those years - #200 - 207 lbs . Anyone actually believe he gained nearly 2" from only #7 pounds of gained weight?

Also look at every bodybuilder that competed at a similar weight and was independently measured at some point, the numbers are always high 17's - high 18's ".



I saw the 20.5" claim on another site, "Body-buildingPRO.com". But, every time I kept trying to post the link, it kept turning into "spam.com".
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: pulling weight on December 07, 2012, 10:44:46 AM
Great African American bodybuilder
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: #1 Klaus fan on December 07, 2012, 02:26:15 PM
I think he gets a little turned on by watching pictures of himself.  ;D

The videos are a nice watch.
Title: Re: Leroy Colbert - Pioneer: First Man with 21" arms
Post by: MCWAY on December 28, 2012, 09:27:50 AM