Author Topic: Sig Klein´s gym- Does anyone know somebody who trained there? (Read 118211 times)

tom67 · « **Reply #125 on:** December 13, 2014, 04:15:41 PM »

Quote from: Montague on December 13, 2014, 01:05:05 PM

Beautiful!!!

And yes Montague it is beautiful.

Tom

funk51 · « **Reply #126 on:** December 17, 2014, 10:08:07 AM »

sig w a lopez and vic boff..

tom67 · « **Reply #127 on:** December 17, 2014, 04:12:45 PM »

That is a great picture. Sig looks like he was in his eightys. Do you know on what occasion this was taken?

Tom

tom67 · « **Reply #128 on:** December 18, 2014, 08:33:59 AM »

On the above picture of Sig and friends. This was Sigs 80th surprise birthday party held on March 27 1982 in Queens NY Many notables attended including Grimek and Marvin Eder. I learned of this occassion many years later on the internet. I was shocked to see it was about a mile from where I was living at the time. If I had known then I would have gone there and see if I could have said hello to Sig. I still regret not knowing today.

Tom

funk51 · « **Reply #129 on:** December 18, 2014, 08:42:27 AM »

Quote from: tom67 on December 18, 2014, 08:33:59 AM

On the above picture of Sig and friends. This was Sigs 80th surprise birthday party held on March 27 1982 in Queens NY Many notables attended including Grimek and Marvin Eder. I learned of this occassion many years later on the internet. I was shocked to see it was about a mile from where I was living at the time. If I had known then I would have gone there and see if I could have said hello to Sig. I still regret not knowing today.

Tom

correct i asked anibal lopez he said that was the first of the aobs dinner meetings. they still go on today, last one was a few weeks ago.... i think it was in newark nj

Montague · « **Reply #130 on:** December 18, 2014, 04:13:48 PM »

Respectfully, what year did Sig leave us, and how old was he?

tom67 · « **Reply #131 on:** December 19, 2014, 06:39:39 AM »

Sig Klein was born Aug 10, 1902 and died May 24 1987. He was 85 years old.

Tom

Montague · « **Reply #132 on:** December 20, 2014, 05:56:43 AM »

Quote from: tom67 on December 19, 2014, 06:39:39 AM

Sig Klein was born Aug 10, 1902 and died May 24 1987. He was 85 years old.

Tom

Tank you.

Are you aware of what happened to much of his equipment and memorabilia?

tom67 · « **Reply #133 on:** December 20, 2014, 07:19:39 AM »

When the gym closed Sig took some light weight dumbells and a bench to his home. He said he was going to keep in shape for as long as possible.

His Beer stein collection was also take to his home.

Other equipment was sold to members and probably other gyms. I saw about a dozen of his globe barbells at a health studio on57th street the west side of Mahattan when I was looking for another place to workout. These barbells were scattered about on the floor in one room. I wondered why the studio bought them if only left on the floor in what appeared to be a unused room.

Tom

Montague · « **Reply #134 on:** December 20, 2014, 07:53:22 AM »

Quote from: tom67 on December 20, 2014, 07:19:39 AM

When the gym closed Sig took some light weight dumbells and a bench to his home. He said he was going to keep in shape for as long as possible.

His Beer stein collection was also take to his home.

Other equipment was sold to members and probably other gyms. I saw about a dozen of his globe barbells at a health studio on57th street the west side of Mahattan when I was looking for another place to workout. These barbells were scattered about on the floor in one room. I wondered why the studio bought them if only left on the floor in what appeared to be a unused room.

Tom

Interesting.
Thanks!!

tom67 · « **Reply #135 on:** December 20, 2014, 11:45:29 AM »

Two other items owned by Sig were the painting of Professor Attila ( Sigs father in law) and a painting of Sig posing as Mercury. The Attila painting was in the gym and taken to Sig's home. The Sig posing as Mercury was not in the gym but kept in Sig's home.
For more info. on these I refer you to IRON GAME HISTORY article " Siegmund Rejoins the Professor." I found it very interesting.

Tom

Montague · « **Reply #136 on:** December 20, 2014, 03:17:31 PM »

Tom,
Did you remain in contact at all with Sig after his "retirement?"

tom67 · « **Reply #137 on:** December 20, 2014, 04:20:13 PM »

Quote from: Montague on December 20, 2014, 03:17:31 PM

Tom,
Did you remain in contact at all with Sig after his "retirement?"

No. I was 29yrs. at the time Sig was 71. I had a family wife and son, was looking to buy a house, and working one job and part time on another. I even stoped training . Didn't start to train again until I was 47 yrs. and been at it ever since.

Tom

funk51 · « **Reply #138 on:** January 08, 2015, 06:54:29 AM »

sig klein getting the leg press machine started. this was borrowed from the original tomb of hercules vaudeville stunt.

tom67 · « **Reply #139 on:** January 08, 2015, 03:57:48 PM »

Never knew that about Sig and the Leg Press Machine!

Sig had a leg press device that attached to a squat rack. It was about 40 lbs in weight and had a large board attached to the squat bar with metal clamps. It was a pain in the neck to attach and needed two people to attach it properly. Once attached you would lower the the apparatus to your leg position and start pressing. I used it only once and found it hard to use and to long to set up. I had only seen it used one other time in my ten years at Sig's Gym.

Tom

funk51 · « **Reply #140 on:** February 04, 2015, 12:32:23 PM »

this piece was recently rescued from the junk heap..... did you ever see this piece tom?

? it weighed 90 lbs.....

tom67 · « **Reply #141 on:** February 05, 2015, 07:20:00 AM »

What a great find, however it was not one from Sig's gym. Sig had a rack of barbells that weighed from 90 to 150 lbs. Two of each weight. I am 5'8" and the barbells tops were up to my eyes. Also there were no knobs on the ends. Having said that it could have belonged or used by Sig for the photo. I wish I could say it was the type in use at Sig's Gym but I cannot.

Who found this barbell and where is it now, hopefully in a good home or a museum.

Tom

funk51 · « **Reply #142 on:** February 05, 2015, 08:28:05 AM »

Quote from: tom67 on February 05, 2015, 07:20:00 AM

What a great find, however it was not one from Sig's gym. Sig had a rack of barbells that weighed from 90 to 150 lbs. Two of each weight. I am 5'8" and the barbells tops were up to my eyes. Also there were no knobs on the ends. Having said that it could have belonged or used by Sig for the photo. I wish I could say it was the type in use at Sig's Gym but I cannot.

Who found this barbell and where is it now, hopefully in a good home or a museum.

Tom

found by a member of ironhistory.com. it's suprising what these guys come up with.... i'm glad when i find a lurie plate

Powerlift66 · « **Reply #143 on:** February 10, 2015, 11:36:39 AM »

Quote from: tom67 on February 05, 2015, 07:20:00 AM

What a great find, however it was not one from Sig's gym. Sig had a rack of barbells that weighed from 90 to 150 lbs. Two of each weight. I am 5'8" and the barbells tops were up to my eyes. Also there were no knobs on the ends. Having said that it could have belonged or used by Sig for the photo. I wish I could say it was the type in use at Sig's Gym but I cannot.

Who found this barbell and where is it now, hopefully in a good home or a museum.

Tom

The owner put it up on eBay for 5K just to see what happens... He is a collector, but only of certain things...

http://tinyurl.com/lznj2y2

funk51 · « **Reply #144 on:** February 13, 2015, 09:15:37 AM »

Erik C · « **Reply #145 on:** February 13, 2015, 09:22:00 AM »

Quote from: funk51 on February 13, 2015, 09:15:37 AM

Never saw that before. Sure would love to have that hanging on the wall in my home gym.

tom67 · « **Reply #146 on:** February 14, 2015, 06:45:25 AM »

Quote from: Erik C on February 13, 2015, 09:22:00 AM

Never saw that before. Sure would love to have that hanging on the wall in my home gym.

I have a original brochure in my collection. It is a fold out with Sig on cover, two pages of how to set up various combinations of barbell, dumbells and plates . Also some advise on diet The last page has a photo of Sig's Gym. It also has business card with the brochure prnited in black, green and red. Sig also told me that he tried to have his invention patented. He also said that at the patent office he was told they have thousands of ideas for different kinds of barbell, dumbell sets. Don't know if he ever got a patent. Tom

funk51 · « **Reply #147 on:** February 14, 2015, 11:21:19 AM »

Quote from: tom67 on February 14, 2015, 06:45:25 AM

I have a original brochure in my collection. It is a fold out with Sig on cover, two pages of how to set up various combinations of barbell, dumbells and plates . Also some advise on diet The last page has a photo of Sig's Gym. It also has business card with the brochure prnited in black, green and red. Sig also told me that he tried to have his invention patented. He also said that at the patent office he was told they have thousands of ideas for different kinds of barbell, dumbell sets. Don't know if he ever got a patent. Tom

IN YOUR time at sig's did abe goldberg ever make an appearance?

his pics in a billard training manual got me started lifting when i was 8 or 9 years old...

tom67 · « **Reply #148 on:** February 15, 2015, 08:19:42 AM »

Quote from: funk51 on February 14, 2015, 11:21:19 AM

IN YOUR time at sig's did abe goldberg ever make an appearance? his pics in a billard training manual got me started lifting when i was 8 or 9 years old...

I don't recall Sig ever speaking of Abe Goldberg, but many famous people at one time or other visited Sig's Gym. I became interested in strength at about 9 or 10 years of age by watching the big boys in the park do tricks on the high bar and parallel bars. They even used me as a weight to do their chins and dips. They also taught me to do some tricks on the bars. I learned many different tricks over the years thru high school. At 14 years of age I wanted more strength so I sent for a 23 page bodybuilding ad by George F, Jowett. It showed many of his pupils of the day and exercises using a chair and free hand. I then decided I needed some weights which I purchased from my friends who had lost interest. I also worked out in a high school gym evenings. I started to gain enough strength to lift my friends over head both with one hand and two hands. I asked the girls first to try the tricks but they did not like the grip I would used, so I picked the smallest boy to use. to be cont.............

tom67 · « **Reply #149 on:** February 15, 2015, 08:52:29 AM »

..........After high school I went to work fulltime in Manhattan and after work I would go home to workout. By the time I got home I was tired and many times skiped the workout. I decided to look for a gym in Manhattan an saw a ad in Strength & Health Mag. Yes you guessed it . It was Sig's Gym and only 4 blocks from my job. I went there the next day. When I walked in I looked around and was inpressed with what a nice place, but a bit small. Sig came out of his office and said hello and shook my hand.He had quite a grip. I told him I was interested in working out. He said come in to my office. We talked and I signed up. and the rest is history for the next ten years.

Tom