Joe Weider - Founder of the Mr. Olympia Contest and Fitness Icon
Joe Weider is the icon of Bodybuilding and Fitness. Not only that, he was the creator of first Mr. Olympia contest and co-founder of IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilders).
Today it is universally accepted that to be healthy one must exercise and eat a nutritionally balanced diet. But it wasn't always that way. The world owes this understanding, in large part, to the lifelong efforts of legendary Joe Weider.
Joe Weider is recognized as the man who changed the way the world understands the connection between exercise, nutrition, and good health.
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| Arnold Schwarzenegger with Joe Weider |
Joe Weider can be referred as "Father of Bodybuilding" because he really deserved it. Not only that guys like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronnie Coleman, and other famous bodybuilders became legends because of the contest that Joe Weider invented, but he also created and popularized weights and machinery that are seen in the gyms today. Fitness and Bodybuilding fans should be thankful for his inventions because Joe Weider is the synonym for Exercise and Healthy Nutrition.
A legend, Joe Weider, was born in 1920 and grew up in a Montreal, Canada. He wasn't born rich. After he left school when he was 12 he worked in a market, delivering fruit and groceries and he had to work hard every day for him and his family who were on the edge of survival.
Since he was often bullied when he was a child as very skinny and weak boy, soon as he discovered first strength magazines he started to lift with an old axle and two flywheels as they were barbell and weights. By the age of 15, nobody bullied him anymore. On his first contest in Montreal, Joe Weider lifted 70 pounds more than other competitors. Joe continued following his path and he made up to become a most famous legend of Bodybuilding.
It wasn't very easy for Joe to make it up, but he showed everyone what you can earn with hard effort and dedication. Joe Weider once poor and scrawny boy, became a Fitness Icon and creator of one of the most popular competitions today.
Check out Joe Weider's publications and exercise equipment that he popularized:
First 5 Mr. Olympia Winners
Mr. Olympia contest was invented by Joe Weider who created the contest to enable the Mr. Universe winners to continue competing and earn money. Even since the first Mr. Olympia win in 1965, this competition is still famous worldwide and every year bodybuilding fans across the globe are guessing who will be the next Mr. Olympia title holder.
1. Larry Scott
First Mr. Olympia winner ever was Larry Scott who won two Mr. Olympia titles in the 1960s, one in 1965 and second in 1966. Larry Scott retired after his second victory. He is still known as the first Mr. Olympia title holder.
2. Sergio Oliva
Sergio Oliva, known as "The Myth" was the winner of Mr. Olympia contest after Larry Scott. He made three consecutive winnings, 1967, 1968, and in 1969 when one of the most famous bodybuilders Arnold Schwarzenegger also competed.
3. Arnold Schwarzenegger
First Mr. Olympia that Arnold won was in 1970 when he defeated Sergio Oliva and other competitors. In the 1970s there was much competition between Schwarzenegger and Oliva. Arnold Schwarzenegger was the only man then that was able to match Sergio Oliva's muscularity and size. Judges chose Arnold because of his amazing definition and he won Mr. Olympia title six times in a row. After his win in 1975, Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a retirement.
4. Franco Columbu
In 1976, when contest moved to Columbus, Ohio the Mr. Olympia title was won by Franco Columbu. Columbu was competing five times before his win and he retired after that victory.
5. Frank Zane
While not as physically massive as other Mr. Olympia competitors, Frank Zane's body was very symmetric and defined. Many competitors that were bigger than Frank Zane lacked his level of muscular definition. Zane won three titles in a row in 1977, 1978 and 1979. Unluckily for him, Arnold Schwarzenegger showed again in 1980 Mr. Olympia contest and won the title.
Check out the workout routine that Frank Zane followed to gain more muscle mass before his first competition:
After Frank Zane's three consecutive Mr. Olympia wins many people wondered is it possible to break Arnold's record but nobody knew that Arnold Schwarzenegger is going to show in a contest in 1980. That was Arnold's seventh title win.
Reg Park - Bodybuilding Legend
Hercules of Modern Times
Did you hear about Reg Park, a Legend of Bodybuilding and famous actor? First time when he was seen in a movie Hercules (1965) a lot of people saw his strong and muscular body and became his fans. It is very interesting that one of Reg Park's fans was also one of the most popular men in Bodybuilding - Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Arnold first saw Reg Park's picture in some magazine when he was young and he wanted to become famous like him, to become Bodybuilding Legend and famous actor in Hollywood. There is a story that Arnold following his dreams escaped from military, where his strict father put him and went to Germany on Bodybuilding competition and he won Junior Mr. Europe title. That was in 1966 one year after Reg Park acted in Hercules and became very famous for his size and muscles.
After some time Arnold and Reg Park became good friends and Arnold had a good teacher.
How Reg Park, the man with a lot of Bodybuilding titles (9 times Mr. Universe), became so big and strong? He was not using steroids, he was totally natural and comparing to today's bodybuilders even without steroids he looked very good and aesthetic.
Reg Park is famous and also his Workout Program, 5x5 Workout Routine that he invented and many bodybuilders tried that routine to gain more size and strength. Exercises that Reg Park used in his routine were Compound Exercises, Squats, Bench Presses, Pull Ups, Dips, Military Presses and Dead Lifts. He used 5 reps for 5 sets and that number is great for Strength and Muscle Growth.
I wrote about Reg Park's Workout Routine for size and strength in another post, check it out:
Try out this program for some time and believe me you will gain strength and muscle size fast, I tried it myself and had good results.
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