Ed Yarick's Gym Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Hilligenn’s Calf Raises

Posted on Monday, August 13th, 2018 by John Wood

How does Mr. America train his calves? Here’s how Roy Hilligenn did it on his way to winning the 1951 AAU Mr. America title. Crude… but certainly effective. This picture was taken at Ed Yarick’s Gym.

John Davis’ Bench Press

Posted on Sunday, April 22nd, 2018 by John Wood

Non-Functional? Please… When performed correctly, the bench press certainly can be an excellent upper body strength builder. John Davis certainly wasn’t any worse for the wear for bench pressing in his routine, and he was one of the finest Olympic weightlifters and all-around strength athletes in history.

The bar looks to be loaded to around 400 pounds and Davis seems to be handling it pretty easily. Note the fact that there are no uprights. This shot was taken at Yarick’s Gym in Oakland, California.

Roy Hilligenn – 1951 Mr. America

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

South African Roy Hilligenn, seen above on the cover of the September/October 1951 issue of Iron Man magazine was the AAU Mr. America that same year. Hilligen was a tremendous all-around “iron athlete” — As a bodybuilder, he won the Mr. South Africa title in 1943, 1944, 1946 and 1976 as well as Mr. Northern California (1949), Mr. Pacific Coast (1949), and The World’s Most Muscular Man (1952). Hilligenn was the shortest man to ever win the AAU Mr. America title (at 5’6″).

As an Olympic lifter, Hilligenn was the first South African to Clean and Jerk double body weight.

His lifts in 1946 were Press: 245 pounds, Snatch: 255 Pounds and Clean & Jerk: 321 pounds. In the early 1950’s, and weighing just 173 pounds, Hilligen unofficially equaled the world record in the Clean & Jerk with a lift of 375 pounds. He actually finished second in the 1951 National championships to Norbert Schemansky.

Hilligen eventually Clean & Jerked 405 at a slightly heavier body weight, which was an unofficial world record at the time. It was voted as one of the greatest “lifts” of all time. Hilligenn also “cleaned” a pair of 142-pound dumbbells (but did not press them) at Ed Yarick’s Gym in Oakland, California in the 50’s.

Interestingly, Roy Hilligenn was also a life-long vegetarian and claimed to have never eaten meat ever.

Alyce Yarick’s Squatting Feat

Posted on Wednesday, July 27th, 2016 by John Wood

Here’s a strength feat you probably didn’t know about: Alyce Yarick, wife of Ed Yarick (of Yarick’s Gym fame) once performed 105 consecutive squats with 115 pounds — not many people can do that! This feat occurred at one of her husband’s variety shows.

Ed Yarick

Posted on Monday, April 18th, 2016 by John Wood

In addition to running one of the most popular gyms in the land, the 6’4″ Yarick won the tall class in the “Mr. Pacific Coast” bodybuilding contest and was also the coach of the 1952 National Jr. Weightlifting Team.

Yarick’s Gym was located at 3355 Foothill Blvd. in Oakland, California and was one of the centers of the strength world on the West coast. It was also where Steve reeves got his start and the training headquarters at various times of Roy Hilligenn, John Davis, Clancy Ross, Jack Delinger, Tommy Kono and Doug Hepburn (among others).

John Davis Squatting at Yarick’s Gym

Posted on Monday, January 19th, 2015 by John Wood

Here’s a look at the great John Davis squatting at Ed Yarick’s Gym in Oakland, California in the 50’s. That’s 400 lbs. and he makes it look easy. No monkey business there, just pure power development. You sure don’t see squatting like this much these days.

Doug Hepburn’s Dumbbell Press

Posted on Wednesday, November 27th, 2013 by John Wood

You know a guy is really strong when he can lift heavy dumbbells in the basic lifts. Here’s the great Doug Hepburn pressing a pair of 160(!) pound dumbbells (which were handed to him at the shoulders) at Ed Yarick’s Big Show.

Having to clean the dumbbells first is an altogether different lift although while training at Yarick’s Gym, Doug had previously strictly cleaned and pressed a pair of 142 pound dumbbells.

Unsurprisingly, Doug also set a new world record in the press that year with a 366-1/4 pound lift.