Yes the true stories about the founding father of Bodybuilding, the Master Blaster, the Trainer of Champions - Joe Weider are many - here are a few:
"Frrrred," Franco rolled in his Italian accent, "let me tell you a great story. Arnold, Rickey Wayne, Joe and I were working out at the Hudson Hotel. Rickey was doing curls with the forties, and Arnold and I were using sixties. I said, 'Guys! Look at that!' There was Joe, over in the corner doing incline curls with the seventies!
"So I hollered over to Joe, 'Hey Joe! What are you doing! That's a lot of weight there! ' Joe threw down the dumbbells and picked up the seventy fives. 'Don't bother me! I'm busy! Gotta finish my sets!'
"Can you imagine that?"
Franco continued on, regaling me with stories about Joe's lifting prowess. Betty was standing there listening in to our conversation. She couldn't contain herself any more. Said she, "Yes! Just before Joe and I were married, Joe used to lift like a madman! I remember once... in Florida, I think... Joe was lifting this huge barbell. His face was red, and he looked like he would explode! Joe, how much were you lifting?"
I don't remember! Ask Franco."
"Franco was listening to the conversation. "Six hundred," he said. "I was there! He was doing deadlifts with six hundred pounds for reps!"
"How many reps, Franco?"
"Threes."
"Sets of three with six hundred pounds?" I asked incredulously. "That would put him into an elite class of powerlifting!"
"More like five!" Betty chimed in.
Franco continued, "Joe was a monster, Fred! For people to say he wasn't a lifter, well, they just don't know the guy! Joe was very, very strong!"