Undoubtedly one of the most successful and aesthetic bodybuilders of the past century, Steve Reeves holds a special place in the hearts of iron lifters. Known for his remarkably genetics and interesting exercise variations, Reeves was the poster boy for mid-century bodybuilding. Training for Mr. America Though he used a series of workout approaches, techniques… Continue reading Steve Reeves’ Mr. America Workout
An exercise designed to enact as much pain as possible. That at least is the thought that almost inevitably runs through my mind during a set of Bulgarian split squats. Heavy squatting? Fine by me. Heck throw in breathing squats for fun. I can grind through that. But high volume split squats? That's an altogether different… Continue reading The History of the Bulgarian Split Squat
Few bodybuilders are remembered solely for their individual body parts. The collective entity? Certainly. But the individual sections of the body? This is a far rarer phenomenon. While Dorian Yates may be remembered for his towering Lat spread and Tom Platz for his Quad sweep, Frank Zane holds the distinction of being remembered for his… Continue reading Frank Zane’s Ab routine
An ideal for Arnie and countless others, Reg Park was one of the biggest bodybuilding names of the mid-century. Known for his powerful physique and raw strength, it's no surprise that even though the great man has passed away, many still follow his old workout routines to a tee. Today's post was generously given by… Continue reading Reg Park – How I Trained for the 1958 Mr. Universe
How do I train my back? A common concern for weightlifters, bodybuilders and the average Joe or Jane seeking to get the most from their training. We all know the basics: chin ups, rowing movements, pulldowns and of course the deadlift. But what else can be done to throw some variation into our training systems.… Continue reading Forgotten Bodybuilding Exercises: The Gironda Motorcycle Row
Written by Jerry Brainum in 1991, the following article details then Bodybuilding prospect Gary Strydom's impressive training routine. As readers of the blog will remember, Strydom dominated the briefly run World Bodybuilding Federation run by WWE's Vince McMahon. Owing it would seem more to internal politics than meritocracy, many feel that Strydom was never given his… Continue reading Every Which Way But Loose: Gary Strydom’s Chest Training Turns his Pecs Inside Out for Awesome Mass
Published in Muscle and Fitness in 1997 the following article relays Lee Labrada, Lee Haney and a host of other bodybuilder's opinions on training and bodybuilding in general. A nice insight into the training mindsets of the time, the article goes well with our previous post on the Workouts and Diets of Bodybuilding Champions. A reminder that… Continue reading Get the Answers From the Champs – 1997 Muscle and Fitness Article
Q) I've been bodybuilding and jogging regularly for about six years. I run three to five miles every morning and I lift heavy weights for an intense one-hour session three days a week. After reading your articles and columns, I suspect that you might think my regimen amounts to overstraining. I admit I'm no Mr.… Continue reading Exercise: Religion or Science? Mike Mentzer’s 1995 Q & A
Famous as one of the one champion vegetarian bodybuilders of his time, Bill Pearl was a force to be reckoned with during the 1960s bodybuilding scene. Well built, symmetrical and possessing a force last seen in the days of yore, Pearl's physique inspired thousands of muscle fanatics to hit the weights room. Still training well into… Continue reading Bill Pearl’s 1967 Mr. Universe Workout
Known for inspiring countless gym goers during the twentieth-century, Reg Park was truly one of bodybuilding's first stars. Alongside Grimek and others, he helped popularise the sport in both the United States and Europe more generally. Although many photos exist of the man at his peak, few depict him in the middle of working out,… Continue reading Reg Park Working Out c. 1960s
