Golds Gym - "The Mecca", when it really was "The Mecca"

[Max_Rep]

Max, those two interviews with bodybuilder X and the interview by someone named David I believe about Danny Padilla  were some of the best things that I have read in Ironman.  This is from a Ironman reader for over 30 years.

Someone named David and bodybuilder X would probably thank you if he read your post.  

I think BB-X is a great writer and needs to pen more stuff for IM !!  

I’m sure he’d thank you as well Tim.  

He actually has written about 2 dozen cover interviews with Pro’s and up and coming amateurs, probably about another two dozen articles on nutrition and dozens of supplement advertisements.

Rumor has it he has been afflicted with a flavor for Latin women and thus his near brush with death. Still the affliction has a grip on him.

  

[stuntmovie]

YES, MAX! I'm very serious, And I'm also honest and loyal and help old ladies get to the other side ..... all those other Boy Scout attributes.

But if you ever decided to challenge me with dates after Columbus landed, I'd have a problem answering honestly.

If I had  known about this unknown Bodybuilding X person a short while back, I would have inquired about him because I was in the IronMan studio most of the day and made it a point to meet everyone in the office while waiting for a friend's all day photo session to conclude.  

The IronMan staff is a GREAT bunch of people though and may want to keep X's ID secret for some unknown reason.

And I have yet to read that article, but plan to do so this evening.

[wes]

I have yet to meet Jonsey, but I have met Bill Smith.

This was back when he was not well known and before he played the part of some bad guy in a TV series (Rich Man, Poor Man ) and then in a major motion picture which I cannot recall.

Not positive but I think I met Bill Smith while he was working at Universal as a stuntman or else he had a part in a TV western. I forget those details but we had mutual friends who also worked at Universal on a regular basis.

Not sure about this either but I seem to recall that he was a friend of Woody Strode's.

I believe he trained at Vince's but I never ran into him there.

OK, here is a "Platz Trains Legs" episode that ocurred sometime in the 70's or early 80's.

I've never been a GURU but I've worked with a good number of amateurs and a few professionals who are still among the living and one time I was helping Ernie Santiago prepare for an NPC national contest that was being held in Santa Monica and needless to say we spent a lot of time the week before at Gold's when Gold's was located in Santa Monica (2nd Street??).

It was leg day for Ernie and it so happened to be leg day for Platz so they decided to train together on and near the squat rack.

I don't recall how many sets and how much weight but it was a grueling workout for the both of them .... and Ernie was the kind of guy who would do whatever it took to train as hard and heavy as Platz ... and to the best of my memory ... he was successful in keeping up with Platz on each and every set.

When it was over, Tom shook Ernie's hand and said thanks for the great workout and Ernie walked over to the nearest wall, placed his back against it, and slid down to the seated position with somewhat of a glassed over gaze in his eyes.

That's when Pete came out of his office and asked him if he was OK, and Ernie's reply was, "Yea, Pete! I'm just waiting for Platz to show up so we can train legs."

And that's when Pete came looking for me to tell me that Ernie was slightly delirious and ready to pass out after a very strainuous leg workout  with Tom and it would be best for the both of us to walk or carry Ernie out to the waiting car so that he wouldn't get hit by a passing vehicle ... which was somewhat common back then after a hard training session at Gold's.

So Pete and I got Ernie to his feet and Ernie kept on insisting that he had to train legs with Tom if he ever showed up ... not realizing that he has already trained legs with Tom
so strainuously that it was causing him a temporary bit of 'insanity'.

The next day we had a good talk with Pete and he told Ernie that Ernie's 'temporary bit of insanity' after a very hard workout  was not too uncommon and more than a couple of members had walked out of the gym  ....  and directly into oncoming traffic.

Aesome shit Stunt!!  LOL 

[wes]

Someone named David and bodybuilder X would probably thank you if he read your post. 

I’m sure he’d thank you as well Tim. 

He actually has written about 2 dozen cover interviews with Pro’s and up and coming amateurs, probably about another two dozen articles on nutrition and dozens of supplement advertisements.

Rumor has it he has been afflicted with a flavor for Latin women and thus his near brush with death. Still the affliction has a grip on him.

   

I think I might know the guy David!!!!!!!!!!!!  LOL 

[wes]

Some shots of Ernie Santiago for Stunt!  

[wes]

I still have this mag if I`m not mistaken.

[oldtimer1]

Someone named David and bodybuilder X would probably thank you if he read your post.  

I’m sure he’d thank you as well Tim.  

He actually has written about 2 dozen cover interviews with Pro’s and up and coming amateurs, probably about another two dozen articles on nutrition and dozens of supplement advertisements.

Rumor has it he has been afflicted with a flavor for Latin women and thus his near brush with death. Still the affliction has a grip on him.

  

I heard David is pretty young for all his knowledge.

[wes]

I heard David is pretty young for all his knowledge.

Very very YOUNG........in an old kinda` way !!!!!  

[Max_Rep]

YES, MAX! I'm very serious, And I'm also honest and loyal and help old ladies get to the other side ..... all those other Boy Scout attributes.

But if you ever decided to challenge me with dates after Columbus landed, I'd have a problem answering honestly.

If I had  known about this unknown Bodybuilding X person a short while back, I would have inquired about him because I was in the IronMan studio most of the day and made it a point to meet everyone in the office while waiting for a friend's all day photo session to conclude.  

The IronMan staff is a GREAT bunch of people though and may want to keep X's ID secret for some unknown reason.

And I have yet to read that article, but plan to do so this evening.

Well he works out of his house (rumor has it) but he does make it down to the studio for a few hours once a week. He's probably sorry he missed you.  

When I first moved to LA and Gold's was on 2nd street. Ernie Santiago was in town for the AAU Mr. America in his last week of prep. Guy looked great.  

[wes]

I hope Stunt`s paying attention here! 

[Rudee]

I don't know about your gym, but my gym is full of hoodie-wearing punks who feel the need to walk to the water fountain after each set, staring at themselves in the mirror the entire way there and back.   And in the summer time, we have what I call tank top penguins.  Skinny guys who wear tank-tops and strut around holdingtheir arms out the sides as if they are just too awesomely massive to hold them any closer to their body.   Just foolish looking.  Makes me laugh every time.  

[wes]

Shit,I am forced to train on a college campus,tons of kids and blue haired old ladies,and me training my ass off while they stare at me like I`m the one doing all the stupid exercises. 

Only 2 gyms in town,both on college campus`.

[Vince B]

Benfatto was another guy who had a head that was too big for his body.

[Max_Rep]

Shit,I am forced to train on a college campus,tons of kids and blue haired old ladies,and me training my ass off while they stare at me like I`m the one doing all the stupid exercises. 

Only 2 gyms in town,both on college campus`.

They just look at me like I'm crazy. I guess they figured it out.

[wes]

They just look at me like I'm crazy. I guess they figured it out.

Yeah,those fuckers got me pegged dead to rights!!  

[Stavios]

Benfatto was another guy who had a head that was too big for his body.

WTF

he looks perfect, in your photoshop you made his head way too small it looks horrible

[stuntmovie]

WES! What means this ------> I hope Stunt`s paying attention here!

Did I miss something?

Hey, MAX! I was with Ernie that year but can't recall how he placed and who won the wt classes and the overall. Let me know if you can recall.

Ernie did manage to win the Jr USA and the Jr Nationals within the same year if I recall correctly .... and the only other person to do that was Tony Peirson. (Spelling??)

One of those years when the contestants had to sit before the judges to see if they could talk correctly (or something like that), Pete G. arrived at the official hotel (Santa Monica Holiday Inn by the 15 freeway) only to discover that he had to show his membership card (AAU? or NPC?) before he could proceed.

He saw me and asked if I'd run back to the gym and look through his desk and try to find it. Took a while but I did find it and got it back to him just as he was scheduled to show the judges that he in fact could speak good English and eloquently enough to pass the 'test'.

The next year they didn't do that no more.

 

[Max_Rep]

WES! What means this ------> I hope Stunt`s paying attention here!

Did I miss something?

Hey, MAX! I was with Ernie that year but can't recall how he placed and who won the wt classes and the overall. Let me know if you can recall.

Ernie did manage to win the Jr USA and the Jr Nationals within the same year if I recall correctly .... and the only other person to do that was Tony Peirson. (Spelling??)

One of those years when the contestants had to sit before the judges to see if they could talk correctly (or something like that), Pete G. arrived at the official hotel (Santa Monica Holiday Inn by the 15 freeway) only to discover that he had to show his membership card (AAU? or NPC?) before he could proceed.

He saw me and asked if I'd run back to the gym and look through his desk and try to find it. Took a while but I did find it and got it back to him just as he was scheduled to show the judges that he in fact could speak good English and eloquently enough to pass the 'test'.

The next year they didn't do that no more.

 

1980 Mr. America was held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

verall Winner Gary Leonard

HeavyWeight
1     Gary Leonard
2     Greg DeFerro
3     Lance Dreher
4     John Kemper
5     Billy Arlen
6     John Brown
7     Ray Wilson
8     Rufus Howard
9     Marlon Darton
10     Stephen Sepaniak
11     Robert Reis
12     Dave Rogers

Light-HeavyWeight
1     Bronston Austin
2     Ron Teufel
3     Ernie Santiago
4     Charles Glass
5     James Seitzer
6     Robert Jodkiewicz
7     Paul Love
8     Larry Jackson (1)
9     Raymond Gingo
10     Patrick Hayes
11     Jesse Gautreaux
12     George Palmiero

MiddleWeight
1     Richard Baldwin
2     Bill Register
3     Casey Schneider
4     Mike Torchia
5     Derek Prescod
6     Charles Colson
7     Anthony Pandolfo
8     Ed Holmes
9     Earl Herndon
10     Philip Cianciolo
11     James Gaubert
12     David Campbell (1)

LightWeight
1     Ken Passariello
2     John Burkholder
3     Joe Distinti
4     Larry Manuel
5     Paul Daniels
6     Joe Adams
7     John Manoogian
8     Lionel Gaubert
9     Robert DePalma
10     Cornell Maye
11     Dean Tornabene

 

[njflex]

I always thought that Benfatto was overrated. Shoulders too big for his physique.

yeah but he still looked great,,what threw him off esp then due to the puffy hair and small neck gave his shoulders the too big look as well..great poser a bit slow paced but smooth transitions.

[stuntmovie]

Since our minds are back in them good old days, let me tell you a secret which really never was a secret because most of you BB fans most likely know this secret shit already.

ANd some of you competitors may still be doing this before stepping on the prejudging stage.

Back in the 70's and early 80's  every worthwhile competitor would diet well but only in accordance with their own desires.

Ernie happened to be one guy who had access to raw fish in abundance and would smell like a tuna during the last six weeks prior to the contest.

Others would adnere to a 'diet' that was called "the Shit Day" diet in which carbs would be avoided except on shit days when you could eat anything your heart desired within reason. It was something like 4 continuous days of limited carbs followed by one day of pigging out a bit ... and that 5th was the 'shit day'.

ANd there were others who went with 'no fats/low fats' and other abnormal ways of daily food intake.

BUT .... on the morning of the prejudging, just about every contestant would eat the exact same meal three to four hours before the event.

ANd that meal would be stacks of pancakes and as many as you could eat without making your stomach portrude. (Spelling?)

 So the SM House of Pancakes had a line going around the block full of starving bodybuilders waiting for their first 'good meal' in weeks. And if you were at the end of that long line you'd have to give up and go looking for another place that served pancakes and hope that you got back to the auditorium in time for no one would stand on that stage without a gut full of pancakes unless you wanted to lose a trophy.

True story and maybe some of you guy follow it today




  

[Vince B]

Head size is crucial. How is this?

[stuntmovie]

Thanks for the memory jolt, MAX.

Lots more to this story but I was backstage helping Gary Leonard and Ernie that year and for a few months before Gary won that Mr America title (the last time it was used BTW) he lived with us in Hawaii and myself and a good friend by the name of Steve Dussia worked with Gary to get him  prepared for that competition.

Prior to that contest Gary was told by some of the judges that his posing lacked a lot so Steve worked with Gary after every workout and got it right.

During an interview after Gary's win, he thanked everyone who made it possible but forgot to mention Steve's part in his victory, but he did manage to make an apologetic phone call which wasn't even really necessary as we were just glad he won it even though Ernie only placed 3rd  in his class that year.

WES, thanks for the Ernie photos. I was there on the beach when some of them were taken and that's when I first met Bob Jodkiewicz and a few years later we became good friends.. Bob was standing by waiting to be shot when the phtotographer finished shooting Ernie. Bob finished a few places below Ernie that year.

[PJim]

Benfatto was another guy who had a head that was too big for his body.

You've made him look like a fuckwit simpleton.

[njflex]

You've made him look like a fuckwit simpleton.

hahaha,,,

[hazbin]

WES and others, Thanks!

I'm still in the process of reading all this but regarding the question of training bare-foot, I sort of recall a lot of the guys parking outside of Gold's when it was in Santa Monica, (I don't recall any parking meters back then and that area of SM was never really crowded), going into Gold's to get a quick pump, and then walking the couple of blocks down to the beach.

(Shoeless due to the fact that everything would be locked up in the car except for a beach towel and tanning lotion.)

I have met the vast majority of the people whose photos are posted here. And on many occasions .... an interesting and often humerous story was involved.

In fact I still stay in contact with a few of the guys .... particularly Peter Grymko.

A few little stories may be of interest such as:

Watching Joe weld some new equipment while talking business in the original location.
The day Pete installed a bench so the street gawkers could come inside and watch the action.
The initial 'shock' to most when they first saw the ladies train with the guys.
Leg day with Platz.
IFBB party in the gym.
Harassing Teufel.
Mike and his bike. (Mentzer)
The Gold's Gym parade.

SOme good old memories here, Wes! Thanks.

you couldn't imagine how i envy you.  i met Grymko a few years back (when he was with Keith).  he was very nice and told me things about drug use that i would never repeat on this board.