Back in the day in the 40's, 50's and even though it was dying in the early 60's bodybuilders always trained for strength. Even the AAU Mr. America that was the most popular armature contest then, had Olympic lifting for the needed athletic points. It was held the same time as a big Olympic lifting meet. Here was all the bodybuilders depleted by diet doing their snatches, Presses, clean and jerks to get the needed athletic points.
More than a few seriously competed in both. They would train doing something like Olympic lifts for six months and bodybuilding for six. Others like Chuck Sipes in the late 50's would concentrate on big bodybuilding lifts. It was reported Chuck did a 570lbs gym bench press wearing a tee shirt in his garage gym that he trained in to win the IFBB Mr. America in 1959. The IFBB never required athletic points. Imagine the current Mr. Olympia contestants the day of the contest attempting to clean and jerk 300lbs? I would be a lot of money none could do it.
I know it's frowned upon on this site but I embrace the natural garage/ basement bodybuilding life style. You will never look like you could go on stage but you will be healthy, athletic and look good year round. I was happy with how I looked in general in my teens, 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's even though I had some ups and downs. I would never compare myself to a user. In my 60's due to age and health I started to be pissed off with how I looked. Still trying though. Today is leg day. As I age I'm trying to prioritize training the heart muscle too. Joining the growing movement of guys that lift and run that call it hybrid training. Getting skinny from it but I feel it's better for my health than just lifting. I know many will point out the heart attacks of famous runners but as a whole cardio guys have prevented more heart attacks than it has caused. First thing they have most people do after major heart surgery is walking on a treadmill in rehab.
I watch Nick Bare videos. He was an Army Ranger. In the Army he started selling supplements and the business exploded. Coming out of the Army he started putting up videos of himself training and his training philosophy. He lifts, swims, runs and bikes. He's a really good runner for a big guy. To run a sub 4 hour marathon being a hybrid athlete is incredible. He could be a user.
