Gold's Gym Venice - A little bit of history

[tommywishbone]

It is really cool to hear these various stories on Gold's Venice - even 10 years ago, many pros trained there, and it was the place to be.  Now, the pros are fragmented in various gyms. However, it is stll nice to go to the Firehouse, and eat, as many people still come to eat there, and now, you can get the famous 'Bob' bowl.

You want food stories? I'll give you some Van Gough's Ear (  )  menu items that you'll love. 

T-

[tommywishbone]

September 27-30th, Las Vegas. I'll be there. I hope everybody who posted on this thread, is there as well.

[War-Horse]

Before the Firehouse was around a lot of the bodybuilders used to go to the Omlette Parlor down main Street Santa Monica a little ways. That had an Omlette called "Arnold's Favorite". I haven't been there in years but I ate there one time with Peter Grymko and Dennis Tinnerino. It was right after the 1981 Olympia. Dennis was raving about how good a cutting drug Wydase was.

Max, did dennis ever give in to the steroids??  he claimed to be natural??

[willie mosconi]

Before the Firehouse was around a lot of the bodybuilders used to go to the Omlette Parlor down main Street Santa Monica a little ways. That had an Omlette called "Arnold's Favorite". I haven't been there in years but I ate there one time with Peter Grymko and Dennis Tinnerino. It was right after the 1981 Olympia. Dennis was raving about how good a cutting drug Wydase was.

the omlette parlor is still around. it is a good place to eat breakfast/lunch, but it is always very crowded on the weekends

[Max_Rep]

Max, did dennis ever give in to the steroids??  he claimed to be natural??

Well he didn't mention steroids in the conversation just Wydase. Natural... right! I have some swamp land in East L. A. it will be a great investment for you.

[Figo]

Well he didn't mention steroids in the conversation just Wydase. Natural... right! I have some swamp land in East L. A. it will be a great investment for you.

 

[cswol]

van goghs ear closed years ago, the best breakfast in venice is at thommy's on lincoln and rose, the firehouse has jacked up their prices so high now.............

[War-Horse]

Well he didn't mention steroids in the conversation just Wydase. Natural... right! I have some swamp land in East L. A. it will be a great investment for you.

Thats good to hear theres a swamp now in east L.A........I was afraid theyd have a drought..



















 

[Max_Rep]

With a few of the stories...

1
2
3 This girl was a gym groupie. Went out with Waller and a few others.
4 Ken Waller
5
6 Andreas Cahling
7 Rita Brown (Who later married Don Ross)
8 Lisa Lyons
9 Lou Ferrigno
10
11 Mike Mentzer
12 Ray Mentzer
13 Bob Jakowitz
14
15 David Paul
16 Eric Stienlick
17 
18 She was Tom’s fiancé but was having a fling with Eric S. (everyone was afraid to tell Tom) and I think they ended up getting married. Eric was a writer for Ironman and Weider and Tom’s training partner.
19 Tom Platz
20 Stacey Bentley
21 Chris Dickerson
22 Dave Mastorakis, personal; who was personal training Jane Fonda at the time of this pic. 
23 Ron Tuefel
24 Mike Torcia 
25
26 Dave (worked at the front desk)
27 Mike Clancy
28 Peter Paul
29
30 Manual Perry
31 Bill Reynolds (deceased)
32 Denny Malloy (Mike and Ray’s training partner now deceased)
33 Kent Kuhen
34 Jon Loyd (an excellent BB and owner of Gold's Northridge)
35
36
37 Bob Greeney
39
40
41 Ed Connors
42 Blonde girl with the headband was of fling of Peter G’s and was a freak. A friend of  mine and I were with Pete and her when she tried to get a German Shepard in the park to perform oral on her!!!
43 Pete Grymkowski
44 Tim Kimber
   

Wow... I just got a moderators e-mail from the the person claining to be the girl in the picture.... #42. She had this to say... 

"actually, the girl with the headband was the only one in the photo to make the cover of The London Daily telegragh. You people are so sick. She never had sex with animals, but she did have a lot of sex with pathetic limp dicks like you. I know, because I'm Renee Hax"

Now we know her name... Renee Hax. 

[tommywishbone]

  #42 is a mystery no more.

 I don't remember starting this thread, it must have been during my OxycontinVicodinwine days

[LurkyLurker]

Cool thread nonetheless.

[arce1988]

TTT

[jwb]

#42 is a mystery no more. I don't remember starting this thread, it must have been during my OxycontonVicodinwine days

tommy what's the 1998-2009 assessment of golds?

[webcake]

Really cool stories.

Bodybuilding was cool back then........

[Devon97]

Tommy,

How old are you?

When was the last time you were at Golds Venice?

I might PM you to see if you know someone.

[chainsaw]

The 1977 Teenage Mr. Tarhill was my introduction to bodybuilding. All things considered, I should track down the guy who invited me to that show, and kill him.

In the summer of 1982 we made our pilgrimage to Gold’s Gym Venice. Upon walking into the front parking lot, we immediately noticed a black 4x4 upside down, partially blocking the entrance. A strange sight, but no one seemed overly concerned, so we kept walking. As we entered, I saw both Barbarian Brothers arguing with each other about something… turns out, the upside down truck was theirs. I went to the pro shop area and they were selling the current Barbarian Brothers poster. I bought the poster and went outside to get a signature. The boys were still arguing over who was at fault for the roll-over, but I stepped in and asked for an autograph. David looked at Peter… Peter looked back at David and then they both looked at me and said “Sure big man, you got a pen?” There we were, David, Peter, me and the upside down truck… I still remember the signature on the poster; "To Tom, The higher climb, the farther you can see."  You should’ve been there.

I made it back to The Mecca a few times during the next few years. Always a great workout. Always a little memory of bodybuilding. The last workout we had, before I went to the Joint for five years, was at Gold’s Gym Venice. Don’t remember what I trained, but  I do remember looking at the old style peg board, above the water fountain in the front room. On the board, was a 4 x 6 picture of Peter Paul with the most absurd neck pump I had ever seen... 21” minimum, vascular, awesome. I looked around… the coast was clear… I stole the picture. You should’ve been there.

They had to let me go in 1989, and one of the first things I did, was drive to Venice and train at The Mecca. Soon after that we moved to Santa Monica. My girlfriend was a competitive bodybuilder, and I was racing bicycles, so we were @ Gold’s Venice 25-30 hrs per week…

Don Ross has been my friend since 1981. He had a little office above the posing room, at Gold’s Venice. Great office. One day in 1989, Don, my girlfriend & me, were sitting in the office discussing bodybuilding and its absurdities. There was a knock on the door… in walks Samir Bannout, 1984 Mr. Olympia (edit 1983 Mr. O). We proceeded to smoke some of Don’s finest northern California sensimilla (seedless & purple). An hour later we came pouring out of Don’s office, smoke billowing, stoned to the tilt .--- A few weeks later, Don and I were out front of Gold's one sunny day and a sand colored Hummer came rolling down Hampton Dr. A big man behind the wheel, smoking a cigar calls out, "Ripper Savage!" Don yells back, "Arnold!!" We keep talking... Don says "Pretty cool huh?" I just smiled. You should’ve been there.

In 1992 my bodybuilding girlfriend was long gone. Too many injuries and lack of talent had ended my racing career. The couch tour was close and my car's back seat was a poor bed... then one day, Gold’s Gym Manager Darin Lannighan walked by me in the gym and asked, “Hey dude, do you still want a job here?” “Absolutely”, I said.  Darin says, “Cool, be here tomorrow morning at 4am, I’ll get you a key and you’ll be our opener.” I laughed the rest of my workout. You should've been there.

1992 – 1997. Wow. Sleeping in the back room. Sleeping in the posing room. Having a gang bang in the posing room . Finding an IFBB pro sleeping in the posing room, because he was homeless (that's OK, been there, done that). Watching Brian Regan (A real hellraier) put a .45 in Joe Cosmo’s face at the front desk and watching Joe pee his pants (that happens). Slinging gear over the front counter. Telling Ed Connors that Don Ross was gone . Telling Nessler that Kurt Colbain was dead.  Working the front desk at 4:20am during the Northridge earthquake, and thinking it was funny that everyone was running out of the gym, and then running right back into the gym. Getting drunk with James Caan. Cigar night at Shatzi's (Arnold's rest. on Main St) Hookers for free. Strippers for free. Getting arrested in the 2nd room at Gold’s Venice by LAPD. Comped at every bar in Hollywood (the doorman & bartenders all trained at Gold's Venice).

Teaching movie stars about Clenbuterol (real Stars, not bodybuilding movie stars). Teaching convicts how to pass their drug test. Making $50,000 a year legit, and having a fucking blast doing it. Every year, after the “O”  talking and training with Dorian & Leroy.  Listening to Flex, Dillet , and Cormier,  talking about Dorian and hearing them say, “Fuck, we’re at least a year, maybe two years behind him.” Changing out the floor in the front room and having LAPD show up at 3am to shut down the loud music and party. Sparing with World Champion Dennis Alexio in the kickboxing class.Trying to convince my friend Danny, that the "homeless dude" who just came in was Keeanu Reeves.  Taking a break in the front parking lot and watching two Border Brothers steal Tom MaGee's (1984 World Strongest Man) Chevy Z28. Tom asked me. "Tom, why didn't you stop them?" I said, "Tommy, I didn't realize it was your Z28 until they were driving away. Sorry."

Doing 15 minutes worth of tire smoking full-power burnouts, in the front lot @2:30am, while LAPD stood by w/15 cars, and watched, and finally an LAPD Sgt. walked over and said, "Look dude, we're trying to plan a raid on the crackhouse down the street, we're staging in your parking lot across the street, would you please stop doing burnouts!!"  Taking smack from a biker for membership because he didn’t have any cash, and giving it to strung out hooker (no payback required). Breaking up a fight between Titus and some other idiot in the front room. Finding David Dearth (Who is a very cool dude, and just had a little too much that night) OD’ed on Nubain, sound asleep on the treadmill . Getting called at 3am by numerous bodybuilders, because their girlfriend was OD’ing on GHB and they wanted to know what to do. Having "Candy night" and watching Melissa Coates laugh so hard it made me pee in my pants. Watching a dude (a regular late night lunatic) who left his gym pants at home, try and train in a shirt only, because, "I pulled my shirt down real low and you really couldn't see my sack."  You should’ve been there.


1997- 2007 pending…
 

People in bumbfuck Kansas can't imagine, but I've seen it.  Charles Glass sleepin in his Expidition till opening to train these guys.
True dedication.

Just like us Rock and Rollers, or Heavy Metals in the late 80's...
There are no shortcuts.

[Smokincrazy]

great thread

[tommywishbone]

tommy what's the 1998-2009 assessment of golds?

My man, I'm really out of the "in crowd" loop these days. It's still an excellent gym, but the vibe is long gone. Maybe some current and frequent Gold's Venice guys will speak on this.

[tommywishbone]

Tommy,

How old are you?

When was the last time you were at Golds Venice?

I might PM you to see if you know someone.

D97, I'm 46 years old. Please remember to use large font if you pm me. 

[wild willie]

I'll go with that Vince.

Asking for help!!  When did Gold's at 360 Hampton open? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller.

1979? Maybe?

[onlyme]

This thread is cool.  Back then it really was fun and most everyone got along in the gym.  Regular people could workout with a big name bodybuilder with no problem or intimidation. The younger guys on here who rag me about talking about the past so much will realize when they get older that most of the time the past is just a better place and sometimes the best thing to talk about.  I can still remember watching Arnold while I was waiting my turn to bench press looking out the window at World's him walking across the street and watching people stop and point and stare and some taking pictures.  Or the first time seeing Bertil Fox or Sergio Oliva and Lou Ferrigno.  No matter how fat or out of shape I am now, my brain is just fine.  Go to the History Board and you guys will really read alot of great stories.  And remember without these past stories I don't think bodybuilding or this industry would be as colorful as it is today.  It definitely isn't as fun today as yesterday though.

[wes]

I re-read this whole thread early this morning...........good shit!

[wild willie]

Tommy Wishbone,


 Any good stories regarding Andreas Cahling?? He always seemed like a character (in a good way)!

[chainsaw]

How bout the bodybuilder crossing sign?

[tommywishbone]

How bout the bodybuilder crossing sign?

  I don't know who came up with that sign. I always thought about stealing it, but never did.