Bodybuilding Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Vince Gironda ~ The Iron Guru

Posted on Friday, August 17th, 2018 by John Wood

Known as “The Iron Guru,” Vince Gironda left an indelible mark on the bodybuilding world. For over fifty years “Vince’s Gym” was one of the most popular bodybuilding gyms in the country and a number of famous bodybuilders AND movie stars often trained there. Vince was one of the first muscle experts to place a great deal of emphasis on nutrition and was also well known for his “unorthodox” training methods and unusual exercise ideas.

Sergio Oliva: The Myth

Posted on Friday, June 22nd, 2018 by John Wood

Is there any question as to why Sergio Oliva was known as “The Myth?” Here’s a simple, casual shot playing pool with friends. Even though there may be bodybuilders these days with bigger arms there has never been nor will there ever be anyone more physically impressive that Sergio Oliva. He was simply blessed with the greatest genetics of all time. In addition to several other titles Sergio won the Mr. Olympia crown three times:(1967, 1968, 1969)

Elwood Holbrook – Master of the Bent Press

Posted on Sunday, April 8th, 2018 by John Wood

Elwood Holbrook took 4th at the 1941 AAU Mr. America Contest AND took home the “Best Arms” award (He had also competed in the afternoon’s weightlifting contest where he finished 6th with a 715-pound total in the 165-pound class.)

While Holbrook was a very talented strength athlete and equally good at bodybuilding as well as weightlifting, his real gift was the bent press — he won the national Bent-Press Championship in a contest held by Sig Klein.

Holbrook was also one of the few men to bent press the famous Rolandow Dumbbell – a feat which he did on his first try and without a warmup. Here’s a shot of a 48-year old Elwood Holbrook bent-pressing 240 pounds — 75 pounds above his bodyweight. That unique dumbbell belonged to Paul Anderson.

Ellington Darden

Posted on Tuesday, February 20th, 2018 by John Wood

Ellington Darden was a champion bodybuilder who graced the cover of several different magazines in the 1970’s. He made the cover of Strength and Health Magazine and Muscular Development Magazine several times but he never did make the cover of Iron Man Magazine…

He did, however, make the back cover a few times, one of which of which is shown here from the November, 1970 issue.

Darden went on to write countless training articles and a few books (about fifty).

You can get your hands on one of his best books here: The New Bodybuilding for Oldschool Results.

Bert Goodrich – The First Mr. America (1938)

Posted on Saturday, February 17th, 2018 by John Wood

The first ever AAU Mr. America was Bert Goodrich, shown here on an early cover of Iron Man Magazine. Bert got his start by training with Earle E. Liederman’s courses and was a tremendous athlete in high school, excelling in hand balancing, swimming, and track and field events. He went on to became a stuntman in several Hollywood Movies and later opened up his own gym.

Body Moderne – January, 1947

Posted on Sunday, December 10th, 2017 by John Wood

At look at the cover of the January, 1947 issue of Body Moderne Magazine featuring Jack LaLanne while Bernice Buchanan looks on. Body Moderne was a pretty unique magazine put out by excellent bodybuilder and muscle control star Walt Baptiste and his wife Magana. Body Moderne only ran for eight issues but was ahead of its time and quite different than the usual muscle mag fare of the day.

Ellington Darden

Posted on Monday, November 13th, 2017 by John Wood

Before authoring over 50 books on strength training and meeting Arthur Jones, Ellington Darden was a very successful bodybuilder in the 60’s and 70’s. Interestingly enough, Ellington Darden won the 1969 Mr. Texas Bodybuilding contest, the same contest where a 17 year old Casey Viator finished 4th. This shot was taken a few days after Ellington Darden won the 1972 AAU Collegiate Mr. America Contest.

The Complete Keys to Progress by John McCallum

Posted on Tuesday, November 29th, 2016 by John Wood

SOLD OUT!

We recommend >>> Gray Hair and Black Iron

1953 NABBA Mr. Universe Contest

Posted on Sunday, November 27th, 2016 by John Wood

It’s common knowledge that Bill Pearl handily won the 1953 NABBA (National Amateur Body-Builders’ Association) Mr. Universe contest but what most people don’t realize is that also competing in the contest was a young fellow from Scotland by the name of Sean Connery — yes THAT Sean Connery! James Bond himself is fourth from the left in the above picture in the white trunks. FYI, he did not place in the top five in the tall class.

The New Bodybuilding for Old-School Results by Ellington Darden

Posted on Wednesday, September 28th, 2016 by John Wood

GONE.

The New Bodybuilding for Old-School results is sold out, but we can point you toward this classic Ell Darden title which is available on Amazon Kindle:

Strength and Conditioning for Football by Ellington Darden