A cool site for old strongman stuff. I know kettlebells are back in vogue. John Grimek was a incredible dude.
http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/index.html
in Grimek's pics he's always pulling in his stomach.Good point, Boyer didnt have any maybe Grimek had the same genetic flaw. Back then you didnt need abs though just all raw strength and mass.
What did his midsection actually look like, did he have Boyer Coe abs?
Good point, Boyer didnt have any maybe Grimek had the same genetic flaw. Back then you didnt need abs though just all raw strength and mass.
As far as Reg's "secret" programs, the fact of the matter is this: Reg built his strength with nothing more than a handful of basic exercises done well. He focused on getting stronger and eating well - that's really all there is to it.
::) ::) ::)
As far as Reg's "secret" programs, the fact of the matter is this: Reg built his strength with nothing more than a handful of basic exercises done well. He focused on getting stronger and eating well - that's really all there is to it.Yep he did the 5x5 basics ate well and was a massive mofo, Arnold's idle.
::) ::) ::)
2 honest dudes that never did roidsNice pic Sev never seen that one.
(http://www.bodyfreaks.com/photoplog/images/1/1_533446963_e315ff59fa.jpg)
are you saying arnold was gay for reg?Good question, no clue all I know is Arnold patterned his training like Reg. He was an inspiration to him when he started much like alot of people get started training by seeing a pic or video of someone that inspires them.
A cool site for old strongman stuff. I know kettlebells are back in vogue. John Grimek was a incredible dude.
http://www.oldtimestrongman.com/index.html
Agreed, great site.Coach I'm sure you use some of of this stuff in you PT.
Reg worked his way to barbell rows up to 500 lbs. Said it was the number one upper body exercise and I agree.Agreed on barbell rows, damn 500 lbs that is insane.
Had the privilege of meeting him 1 year before his passing, looked frail, but he was unfortunately fighting an illness, and almost 80.I bet that was cool to meet him even at his old age.
He was guest of honor at a bbing comp in cape town.
(http://www.arthurshall.com/images/2009_images/bodybuilders_04_reg_park_1.jpg)
Grimek had abs that weren't Coe like, but they weren't pretty. It's rare to find the older 1920-40's heavy weight lifters showing good abs/overall leaness, both because of pharmaceutical and aesthetic reasons. Muscular bulk trumped leaness.Yea I think they both had genetic flaws for abs, that pic is Best I have seen Grimek with abs.
Here's a lean shot of Grimek-
(http://www.musclememory.com/images/vintage/GrimekJohn_1935.jpg) .
From Musclememory.com.
;)Bill could tear phone books in half I understand.
I was always impressed with people who could do that until Gus Rethwisch showed me the technique. It is very easy. I was a spokesperson for the American Lung Association. They would send places for exhibition and stuff. I used to do this all the time for things. And I used the extra thick oneImpressive Keith.
Reg worked his way to barbell rows up to 500 lbs. Said it was the number one upper body exercise and I agree.
Reg was strong, like really fucking strong. First muscular guy to bench 500lbs at 220 bodyweight. 500lb rows, 600lb squats, 405lb front squats, 315lb shoulder presses, 225lb barbell curls, 1000lb calf raises, 120lb standing dumbell presses. Not to mention all of his other old school strength feats like doing bench presses with two, 155lbs barbells (fucking crazy!!). He was pure class and definitely my fav old school strongmen/bodybuilder, and unlike alot of BBers, he was as powerful as he looked. I would rather look like and be as strong as Reg than be like ANY of the walking chemical bag midgets in the IFBB today. Also, Steeve Reeves was a poor mans Reg Park.X2 .
Yes Mr. Nobody, we do strongman trainingSo what are some the exercises you are incorporating? And I agree with your gym philosophy Barbells and Dumbells with limited machines most all the greats used the basics they have never changed.
Keith, how do you know Gus? We trained together during his filming of "Running Man". We trained at then Astro Gym in San Gabriel along with another Japanese powerlifter named "Hiro" (can't remember his last name.
I also recall hearing Reg doing inclines with 185lb dumbells if im not mistaken.yes sure ... and curling 225, and I'm sure he was also deadlifting 970 without straps
I used to MC his World Record Breakers Powerlifting Meet in Hawaii the last few years he did it. He was also married to a good friend of mine in Hawaii auntieDamn bro you have met alot of cool people in the game I'm sure Goodrum will disagree.
Damn bro you have met alot of cool people in the game I'm sure Goodrum will disagree.He even met Jonsey from Police Academy
it funny how people act like steroids are a 90s -2000s phenomenon, but dont realize that many steroids were first synthesized in the 20s and 30s.Interesting so when do you Dbol hit the seen?
they talk about sports in the 70s "when the playing field was even".......laugh,,,,steroids had already been around for decades by then
have your ever seen the dbol bloat on some of those linemen and linebackers in the 70s??
(http://a.espncdn.com/media/nfl/2005/0121/photo/w_websteraction_i.jpg)
yes sure ... and curling 225, and I'm sure he was also deadlifting 970 without straps
Interesting so when do you Dbol hit the seen?
So what are some the exercises you are incorporating? And I agree with your gym philosophy Barbells and Dumbells with limited machines most all the greats used the basics they have never changed.
it funny how people act like steroids are a 90s -2000s phenomenon, but dont realize that many steroids were first synthesized in the 20s and 30s.
they talk about sports in the 70s "when the playing field was even".......laugh,,,,steroids had already been around for decades by then
have your ever seen the dbol bloat on some of those linemen and linebackers in the 70s??
(http://a.espncdn.com/media/nfl/2005/0121/photo/w_websteraction_i.jpg)
like is said it was synthesized and used during the late 30's early 40's but he late 40's ealy 50's bodybuilders were already using it.....not just dbol, testosterone and others as well
the due in this photo was on dianabol...
(http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=326358.0;attach=365640;image)
That is not true. Dianabol wasn't available until about 1956. So Grimek never took that to win his contests. There is no evidence he took testosterone so this is just conjecture. The truth is those guys took their secrets to their graves and we will probably never know if any of the guys in the 1940s tried any testosterone. If muscleheads were like the guys today then it is likely that some might have experimented.
Don't underestimate the strength feats of the old school guys. They were some fucking strong dudes around, drug free - 600+ deadlifts and 300+ clean and press. Some odd lifts still stand today, done back in the 1920's and older.
Good point, Boyer didnt have any maybe Grimek had the same genetic flaw. Back then you didnt need abs though just all raw strength and mass.And lots of Dball :D
Reg was strong, like really fucking strong. First muscular guy to bench 500lbs at 220 bodyweight. 500lb rows, 600lb squats, 405lb front squats, 315lb shoulder presses, 225lb barbell curls, 1000lb calf raises, 120lb standing dumbell presses. Not to mention all of his other old school strength feats like doing bench presses with two, 155lbs barbells (fucking crazy!!). He was pure class and definitely my fav old school strongmen/bodybuilder, and unlike alot of BBers, he was as powerful as he looked. I would rather look like and be as strong as Reg than be like ANY of the walking chemical bag midgets in the IFBB today. Also, Steeve Reeves was a poor mans Reg Park.
Truck pull and push, farmers walks, tire flips, keg toss, keg press and keg carries, sled drags, one arm press, log press, etc,etc. Having yokes made now.Cool stuff Coach, when do you open your gym again? I have been a judge at The Highland Games a couple of years which are events like camber toss, hammer throw etc. the training these type things is interesting.
Grimek apparently was involved with Zeigler and testosterone in fifties. According to an article by Fair, Grimek didn't get any benefit so discontinued using them. He did recruit some weightlifters for Zeigler to experiment with. After 1959 they used Dianabol but the trials weren't particularly well controlled and Zeigler used hypnosis and suggestion in an attempt to get the subject to lift more weight.Interesting stuff Basile I guess we will never really know most these guys are gone. Did you ever meet or speak with Vince Gironda? He had some off the wall ideas some worked.
I have to laugh at how Zeigler eventually washed his hands of the weightlifters and bodybuilders at York because they were taking way too much. They were eating the pills like candy! Yep, sounds like muscleheads for sure. Zeigler insisted he was the doctor and they more or less ignored him and figured their own doses by trial and error. What a crazy history followed after he retired.
There is no real evidence that any of the muscle guys used any drugs before about 1956 or so. That still allows that it was possible.
Burn2live, where did you hear or read that?
I talked to Gironda a couple of times. The first time he made fun of me because I fetched some photos I had taken of Arnold and he told the lads that I was a guy who kept photos of guys in his car! Funny now that I look back on it but hardly amusing at the time. I always considered him an asshole after that. Especially when I saw his gym walls full of photos of himself or with important people. That really affected me because I never put up my photos in my gym. My family did but I never did. I guess it was hard to be modest and a bodybuilding champion at the same time. Of course, my success wasn't much in the scheme of things. However, even the top guys are hardly remembered now and that says a lot about so-called Mr Universe titles. It is mostly vanity.Good stuff, he sounds like a stubborn ass that refused to go along with the "Bodybuilding Establishment" at the time which hurt him in the long run alot of the champions trained there at once I understand then left. I have a couple of his books he was a big proponent of the high fat low carb diet. He had some good ideas for sure.
Gironda knew a lot about training but he missed out on getting wealthy even though at one time in the sixties he was selling courses and singlets to all and sundry. I think his stubbornness contributed to his not having a better gym. When he was flooded one year it just about wiped him out and after that his business sort of evaporated. In the meantime, Golds Gym had become a worldwide phenomenon and that wouldn't have pleased Gironda because he had a successful gym before Joe Gold did. Still, he left a legacy and is still remembered which is about as good as it gets in the Iron Game.
Last semester I had to give a presentation on drugs in sport. The coordinator gave me a really nice paper on the history etc of performance enhancers in sport. Unfortunately I had to return it to him, but the information is documented in academic literature. I have the presentation here somewhere, will go find it. It may have the reference at the end actually...Damn interesting I guess people will stick anything into their bodies for extra muscle even back in the 1800's.
Charles Édouard Brown-Sequard, 1889, injected himself with dog and guinea pig testicles extract
“Increased his physical strength and intellectual energy, relieved his constipation and even lengthened the arc of his urine”
Also, before this apparently there were animal experiments done. Here's the reference to the paper:
Foster, Z.J. & Housner, J.A. 2004, "Anabolic-androgenic steroids and testosterone precursors: ergogenic aids and sport", Current Sports Medicine Reports, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 234-241
Melvin Goodrum said he got some vet steroids and mixed them in his bathtub. I think he got some side effects so he discontinued with that shit. I mean, there must have been other desperate dudes out there in the good old days who dreamed of being Mr America. If the drugs were available some musclehead would have been using them. Then he would tell close mates and soon enough everyone would be using that stuff. It is clear that testosterone was heralded as a wonder drug in the 1940s so we have to assume that some bodybuilders tried it. What we don't have is actual evidence. In those days bodybuilding was thought to make you musclebound, slow and stupid so those guys hardly wanted the tag of being unnatural and cheaters. If any used they kept it a guarded secret. The big pecs started showing up about 1945. I think the bench press was popular about that time so that could be the explanation. Eiferman and Ross had big pecs in those days. I don't think it is fair to label those guys as steroid users because there is no evidence that they did use testosterone.Grimek and those guys in the 1940's and 50's may have dabbled a bit in drugs but most of there strength and physiques were built on hard training I believe, with old shool barbells and dumbells. These old stories are cool. The vet steriods didnt help Goodrum much.
John Grimek tried testosterone with Dr Zeigler in mid fifies according to Fair, but reported it did nothing at all for him. That suggests he never tried such things before. Later he tried Dianabol and still no effect. Grimek must have had plenty of male hormone and using more did nothing at all for him.Grimek had raw genetics I think if he were around today with all the shit they are taking you probably talking a Mr O. So who impressed you the most in the old days talking physique and personality?
The vet stuff gave Melvin gynocomastia. Of course, Melvin swears he has had that condition since adolescence.
You must be quite the physical specimen, with a name like "genetic marvel" ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)
muscleheads without drugs don't exist
hope this helps :D
John Grimek tried testosterone with Dr Zeigler in mid fifies according to Fair, but reported it did nothing at all for him. That suggests he never tried such things before. Later he tried Dianabol and still no effect. Grimek must have had plenty of male hormone and using more did nothing at all for him.
The vet stuff gave Melvin gynocomastia. Of course, Melvin swears he has had that condition since adolescence.
Reg was strong, like really fucking strong. First muscular guy to bench 500lbs at 220 bodyweight. 500lb rows, 600lb squats, 405lb front squats, 315lb shoulder presses, 225lb barbell curls, 1000lb calf raises, 120lb standing dumbell presses. Not to mention all of his other old school strength feats like doing bench presses with two, 155lbs barbells (fucking crazy!!). He was pure class and definitely my fav old school strongmen/bodybuilder, and unlike alot of BBers, he was as powerful as he looked. I would rather look like and be as strong as Reg than be like ANY of the walking chemical bag midgets in the IFBB today. Also, Steeve Reeves was a poor mans Reg Park.
I talked to Gironda a couple of times. The first time he made fun of me because I fetched some photos I had taken of Arnold and he told the lads that I was a guy who kept photos of guys in his car! Funny now that I look back on it but hardly amusing at the time. I always considered him an asshole after that. Especially when I saw his gym walls full of photos of himself or with important people. That really affected me because I never put up my photos in my gym. My family did but I never did. I guess it was hard to be modest and a bodybuilding champion at the same time. Of course, my success wasn't much in the scheme of things. However, even the top guys are hardly remembered now and that says a lot about so-called Mr Universe titles. It is mostly vanity.Funny enough, I was paging through Unleashing the wild physique today! :)
Gironda knew a lot about training but he missed out on getting wealthy even though at one time in the sixties he was selling courses and singlets to all and sundry. I think his stubbornness contributed to his not having a better gym. When he was flooded one year it just about wiped him out and after that his business sort of evaporated. In the meantime, Golds Gym had become a worldwide phenomenon and that wouldn't have pleased Gironda because he had a successful gym before Joe Gold did. Still, he left a legacy and is still remembered which is about as good as it gets in the Iron Game.
over at ironage 3 guys just dropped of heart attacks and one shat his pants, at that comment!
Well sorry i gave them a reality check. Somebody had to.
Grimek, Reeves and the other york boys all did test and dbol in the 30's.
Funny enough, I was paging through Unleashing the wild physique today! :)Yea the dude was an asshole but knew some good stuff.
Gironda wasnt loved by many, but was a living legend, and still talked about years after his passing.
He loved what he did, and in his own way, was probably content.
Definitely knew his bodybuilding.
doesnt work. They refuse to wake up. Each to their own.
Never understood the hype behind Reeves. To me he was just a well toned and tanned pretty boy. The kind of physique that would attract alot of gays. Park was much bigger, stronger, rugged looking and had way more muscle density and size than Reeves. He had more of an impressive 'herculean' power looking physique, which really stood out to me. Not to mention one of the best chests/ribcages ever especially for that time.X2 Reeves was a "pretty boy" not taking away from him but his looks got him a long way.
Yea the dude was an asshole but knew some good stuff.
Somebody please explain to me what Gironda actually knew. He was good at promoting himself as a guru. But if a guru were to forbid his clients from ever squatting and told them to eat massive amounts of dessicated liver, lecithin and raw eggs today he'd be Getbig fodder. Especially if he's also alcoholic, covers the walls of his gym with his own photos and wears leopard print posing trunks.Good question, I guess he trained many champions like Larry Scott and Arnold and he himself was in great shape into his mid forties. Was he an alcoholic I never heard that?
I know we all say by default that Vince was a genius, but what specifically did he pioneer that resulted in a quantum leap in physiques?
Gironda was one of the few genuine authorities on hypertrophy. He was a keen observer and trained himself so he knew muscles and which exercises were effective. He also helped develop various training protocols that became accepted by the champions. 10 X 10 and 8 X 8 for example. He wrote for muscle magazines and that helped establish his reputation as a guru. Even when he was old he would be asked questions about training wherever he went. He said that bodybuilders always wanted information. Gironda also knew a lot about nutrition and how to get guys into contest shape.Good stuff Basile this old stuff is interesting.
He had a rather basic gym in North Hollywood but it was effective. He owed a lot of his success to having various champions and stars train at his gym. He did know how to get quick results for various actors who needed to put on some size for various parts in movies.
Today you would describe his gym as poorly equipped and rather spartan. However, he had lots of unusual but effective apparatus that he used to good effect. I don't think he installed enough new machines to keep his place current and eventually he had to shut his gym which was a real shame.
Never understood the hype behind Reeves. To me he was just a well toned and tanned pretty boy. The kind of physique that would attract alot of gays. Park was much bigger, stronger, rugged looking and had way more muscle density and size than Reeves. He had more of an impressive 'herculean' power looking physique, which really stood out to me. Not to mention one of the best chests/ribcages ever especially for that time.
When I visited LA for the first time in October 1968 I was amazed at all the gyms I saw everywhere. Well, most were health clubs but there were a lot of them compared to what I was used to in Vancouver. I drove down a well known street and saw quite a few gyms close together. I wondered how all of them could be making a profit. Joe Gold and Vince Gironda had gyms that catered to bodybuilders and that wasn't at all common. I think those with money thought the opposite and had clubs that musclemen didn't or wouldn't frequent. There was a basement pit kind of gym in Santa Monica that some muscle guys and powerlifters used. I think I saw Peanuts West and George Frenn there. I had to laugh at one well known bodybuilder who told me he wouldn't train in any gym that allowed blacks in! His first name was George and he hung around the old Muscle Beach at Santa Monica. Arnold was there in those days, too.Damn I love this old stuff its like history lesson. What about Armand Tanny ?
The Loprinzi brothers had a great gym in Portland, Oregon and it was featured in a book about how to be a success in the gym business. Bill Pearl had a gym in LA as well at that time as did one or two other bodybuilders. Vince's Gym was the first that I remember that actually sold T-shirts and singlets with their logo on them via the magazines. Gironda wrote courses so had a good mail order business in those days. His personality probably prevented him from being more successful. He did speak his mind and never kissed anyone's butt. He was definitely what we would call a real expert in most things to do with gyms and training.
Never understood the hype behind Reeves. To me he was just a well toned and tanned pretty boy. The kind of physique that would attract alot of gays. Park was much bigger, stronger, rugged looking and had way more muscle density and size than Reeves. He had more of an impressive 'herculean' power looking physique, which really stood out to me. Not to mention one of the best chests/ribcages ever especially for that time.Very proportionate flowing physique, everything was in proportion. His good looks didnt hurt. Great shape, everything, the squared off chest with upper and lower development, the flaring lats and small waist, sweep in the thighs, good calves, wide clavicles...
The developments of synthetic test was still in its infancy.
Very proportionate flowing physique, everything was in proportion. His good looks didnt hurt. Great shape, everything, the squared off chest with upper and lower development, the flaring lats and small waist, sweep in the thighs, good calves, wide clavicles...Bob Gajda another great one got any pics of him?
great genetics, and he claimed intellegent training. Maybe was just lucky to train and look like that, who knows..?
The forerunner to Zane, Paris, Benfatto and er, umm, whoever is proportionate, symmetrical and flowing today...
And let me re-open this one... Reeves DID at some time in his career, do aas. Probably throughout career. Same old thing, just because it "seems" an attainable physique, everyone assumes its natural.
Grimek, and especially Pearl too. Only genetic marvel those days, I believe nattie and hard worker was Bob Gajda.
I met Armand at Santa Monica Beach. Smart guy. A philosopher. I am sure I would have made friends with him had I stayed in LA. He told me that guys like him earned the right to look idle on that scene because they had jobs and knew the place. Joe W looked after the guys from back east and Armand was a writer for the Weider mags. If Joe didn't then Joe Gold did. Everyone knew everyone and it wasn't easy to get accepted. You had to be around for a while. I recall that in 1969 I wanted to play volleyball on Joe's team at the beach but that wasn't possible because the teams were already made up. Heck, I was good at sport and loved playing them. Venice was great in those days because you could park in the lot right at the beach. No damn parking fees. There was a huge lot there and even a small cafe where you could get a good meal real cheap. There was a basketball court there, some gymnastic equipment and some other courts for handball, I think. You would find Arnold and the gang hanging out there. This was October 1968. Arnold fancied the bigger gals, too, but didn't take them to the beach. So he had some for show and some for good times. Heck that guy had heaps of chicks. In Hawaii in Feb 1969 I saw him with an Asian gal in the morning and some other bird later on. He used to have no trouble picking up gals. When he was new to a place he would get guys to set him up. So he was always on the go and never ashamed to be ready for action.I wished I had lived back then to see some of this stuff. Great stuff before everything got out of control. I trained with Mentzer once in 2000 in Venice he was a smart dude that went crazy from all the bullshit and drugs of course after the workout we sat outside while he smoked and talked about some of his experiences he died a year later sad story.
Bob Gajda another great one got any pics of him?
Very proportionate flowing physique, everything was in proportion. His good looks didnt hurt. Great shape, everything, the squared off chest with upper and lower development, the flaring lats and small waist, sweep in the thighs, good calves, wide clavicles...
great genetics, and he claimed intellegent training. Maybe was just lucky to train and look like that, who knows..?
The forerunner to Zane, Paris, Benfatto and er, umm, whoever is proportionate, symmetrical and flowing today...
And let me re-open this one... Reeves DID at some time in his career, do aas. Probably throughout career. Same old thing, just because it "seems" an attainable physique, everyone assumes its natural.
Grimek, and especially Pearl too. Only genetic marvel those days, I believe nattie and hard worker was Bob Gajda.
What I don't get is those who look at Reeves' physique and don't see how it's one in a billion. 6'1", 215 lbs, 18" arms, 18" calves, 18" neck- wide-ass shoulders and a tiny waist. And this was 60 years ago- long before the parents of most getbiggers were born. For all the talk about how drugs are solely responsible for today's physiques, imagine transporting all of today's pros back to 1950, with the knowledge and supps they had then and comparing them to Reeves. Or imagine bringing Reeves into 2010 and putting him through the paces of the current crop. The guy would dominate.
Anyone who doesn't think Steve Reeves looks absolutely awesome and perfect in every way is just jealous and trying to find faults to make themselves feel better. I am about as far away from being gay as you can get and I gotta tell you that guy has the perfect body and perfect features. I regularly am in contact with his god daughter who also is beautiful and this guy was the man.
I never talked to Gironda before. Stopped by his gym one day back in the 80's just to see it as me a few friends were driving around and he was there but never said anything. Saw Steve Reeves while in Hawaii but never talked to him either. Brad Harris was an actor/BB that I talked to alot back at the original World Gym. Of course Bill Pearl is someone who I like alot. he is the nicest guy there is. And man did he look good or what and still does. Training back in the 70's and 80's was the best time ever. Being young and energetic helps too. It is hard to keep that fire going into your 40's and 50's. I give huge credit to the guys that can do it. It is almost like I wore myself out. It's alot harder to get the fire going these days. You young guys missed a great time in the industry. It's to bad it can't be simple like it was.Good stuff Keith I have never heard a bad word about Pearl a class guy for sure. The game today has turned into a pile of shit all chemical. I know some of the old guys took some stuff but nothing as of today.
synthetic testosterone was in its infancy in late 1800's. Thats when they first started experimenting human trials as a youth elixir , before bbers discovered its unique "properties".
.Nice pic that mofo was amazing lived to be like 90 as well. I think I read where he worked out with a broomstick and cider blocks at one time incredible genetics..
Reeves was at the ripe old age of 14 in 1940. Methandrostenolone wasn'tdevelopedreleased to the US market until decades later.
;) A thick dude.
does anybody look better in b&w?
For the older guys, remember trying to find a straight bar to squat with. You would lay them on the ground and roll them to see which bar was the straightest. Almost like the pool halls trying to find a straight pool cueI guess the bars were not as strong back then. Nice pic damn I wished I had of been around to see some old stuff you have seen.
(http://www.arthurjonesexercise.com/Photos/NEW/JonesGrimek.jpg)Good stuff dude.
your boy grimeck with the oak and aj