Dynamic Muscle Building - Steve Reeves' Other Book on Classic Physique Building!

(Photo Above: The Cover of Steve Reeve's Other Book "Dynamic Muscle Building.")

Most people who are interested in classic physique building know Steve Reeves and might know about his book "Building the Classic Physique: The Natural Way." But perhaps fewer people know that Steve authored another book called "Dynamic Muscle Building."

This is a really good book that collects together many of the articles that Steve wrote in the Golden Age for some of Joe Weider's magazines. The first few chapters start off by providing routines for beginners, intermediates, and advanced trainers. These chapters are followed by chapters on specialized training (for different parts of the body). The remaining chapters reprint articles and interviews that Steve did. One of these articles is "How I Gained 19 Pounds in Two Weeks" - which is a true story that illustrates the power of muscle memory when it comes to regaining lost muscle.

The book is available through the Steve Reeves International Society (see our links) and probably through the regular channels (Amazon.com, etc). The book was actually published after Steve passed away and so John Little and George Helmer are listed as co-authors. So there may be some slight additions here and there that come from John or George and not from Steve. But when I compare the book to the original writings that Steve did in the Golden Age (from which this book is assembled), I can say that any such additions are very minor.

So, if you have the change, pick up the book! It is a must for any CPB'er!

- CPB

P.S. If you would like a free, 1 year subscription to Classic Physique Builder zine (CPBzine) - a pdf "zine (do-it-yourself magazine) that is patterned after the mags of the Golden Age of Bodybuilding (the 1940s and 50s) - just email your name, the name of your city, state, and country (not your actual street address) to cpbzine@gmail.com. That's it! Any info you send us is strictly confidential. You won't get on any lists or receive any spam (even from us)!

The Classic Physique of Steve Reeves: Healthy, Real, Balanced, and Inspirational!

(Photo above: Steve Reeves - Mr. Pacific Coast, Mr. America 1947, Mr. World 1948, Mr. Universe 1950)

The mainstream world of roid-based bodybuilding continues to disappoint and there are no signs that anything is changing soon!

It is sad that today when a person becomes interested in weight training and goes to the magazine rack to look at the modern muscle mags, all they see are unreal, unhealthy, unbalanced, and uninspirational physiques that don't even look naturally human! If you were simply to go to these modern muscle mags to learn about building your body, you wouldn't even know what a naturally, well-built, muscular body should look like!

Well, take a look at the picture of Steve Reeves above - there is your answer! He built his body with weights, good food, and rest (with no modern supplements). His physique is classic, healthy, real, balanced, and inspirational!

Yes...all it takes is appropriate weight training (Steve followed the best of the pre-roid, Golden Age methods), good wholesome & nutritious food (you can see what his diet was in our previous posts), and proper rest (he worked out with full body routines 3 times per week in order to give his body 4 days of complete rest for muscle growth).

- He didn't need to be in gym everyday with split routines.

- He didn't need roids or modern supplements.

- He didn't value the unhealthy, "shredded/ripped," cadaver-like look.

- He didn't need to sacrifice his health for the sake of a physique.

- He didn't have to look terrible in regular clothes.

Yet, he could just walk down the street and inspire admiring crowds to follow him!

Just look at him - healthy, happy, balanced, real, strong, and inspirational! Isn't this why most of us get into weight training? Wouldn't you want to have a physique that looks like that and radiates with health? Steve wanted to be the "healthiest man alive" - yes, he actually said that that was his goal! This is what it is all about!

So, stay true to the course and take your inspiration from the pre-roid Golden Age champs like Steve!

[Note: the next issue of CPBzine is in the works - thanks for being patient].

- CPB

P.S. For a free, 1 year subscription to Classic Physique Builder Zine (CPBzine) - a pdf "zine" (do it yourself magazine) patterned after the muscle mags of the pre-roid Golden Age of Bodybuilding (the 1940s and 50s) - just email your name, the name of your city (not your actual address), state/province, and country to cpbzine@gmail.com. That's it! Any info you send us is strictly confidential. We don't share info with anyone, so you won't get on any lists or receive any automated spam (even from us)!

Classic Physique Building: Symmetry Over Size!

(Photo Above: Bruce Lee from the Film "Way [or Return] of the Dragon")

OK...We all know that Bruce Lee wasn't a Classic Physique Building Champ from the pre-roid Golden Age of Bodybuilding (the 1940s and 50s). So why did I post his picture above? To illustrate a point - especially to young, aspiring classic physique builders of today. This point is that SIZE ISN"T EVERYTHING - THINK SYMMETRY!

Now, of course, as modern CPBers, most of us favor the Steve Reeves look in both symmetry and size! And those CPB champs like Monty Wolford (with 16" neck, arms, and calves at a height of 5'8") have the Reeves look of symmetry and classic size. But, Bruce Lee's physique shows us that symmetry is even more important than size!

Bruce was certainly quite a bit smaller than CPB standards and the CPB champs. Here are his best measurements (based on 1965 measurements at a bodyweight of 140lbs, height 5'7"):

Neck: 15.25"
Arms: 14"
Calves: 12.75?
Chest: 43"
Waist: 28"
Forearm: 12"
Thigh: 22"
Wrist: 6.5"

His neck, arm, and calf measurements don't quite reach the CPB ideal of being exactly the same, but they aren't that bad - the neck and calves are within about one inch of the arm measurement. And look at those lats! How's that for a classic V-taper? Quite impressive!

What these measurements demonstrate, that we can learn from, is that you don't have to have great size to have an impressive physique! That should be great news for those of us who are smaller in height and have a lighter bone structure. It is not even necessary (although it is our ideal) to aspire to the same level of mass that the CPB champs had! So instead of just thinking and being overly concerned with size, THINK SYMMETRY! Which of us would not be proud to have a physique like Bruce's in the above photo?

Now, I know that there have been allegations by some that Bruce used steroids. There seems to be evidence that he did use steroids which were prescribed for a back injury that he had. But, if he did use steroids after that (as some say), it certainly was not for the purpose of gaining extreme muscle mass! In fact, as a martial artist, he did not want large mass. Anyone can get his size without steroids! Steroid use might have contributed to his "shredded look" in his last film "Enter the Dragon." But, as CPBer's, we are not interested in the "shredded look" in any case. Our point here is simply that if you focus on symmetry, you can have a nice physique - even at a smaller size than CPB standards!

So, even though most of us might aspire to the classic Steve Reeves standard, there is nothing wrong with going smaller! And there's certainly no need to follow in the footsteps of the mass monsters of today's roid-based bodybuilding world!

- CPB

P.S. For a free, 1 year subscription to Classic Physique Builder Zine (CPBzine) - a pdf "zine" (do-it-yourself magazine) patterned after the muscle mags of the pre-roid Golden Age of Bodybuilding (the 1940s and 50s) - just email us your name (first and last), the name of your city (not your actual address), state/province, and country to cpbzine@gmail.com. That's it! Any info you send us is strictly confidential. We don't share info or data with anyone. So you won't get on any unwanted list or receive any automated email/spam (even from us)!

Happy Holiday Season to all Classic Physique Builders!

(Photo Above: Steve Reeves at 17 years of age - after about 1-2 years of training - a great inspiration to us all!)

Hi Everyone! Happy Holiday Season!

Just a short holiday message on Christmas Day 2009 - thanks to everyone who subscribed to CPBzine in 2009, participated in CPB Blog, CPBzine contributers, and to all CPB Blog Readers everywhere! Our numbers are growing and hopefully our message of natural, classic physique building will continue to reach a wider audience around the world!

Our next issue of Classic Physique Builder Zine (CPBzine) is scheduled to be released around Jan 15 2010 - so it will be the Winter 2010 issue (Vol 2, no 1). Everyone who subscribed to CPBzine in 2009 got all the 2009 issues. Although we said it was a 1 year, free subscription, we are extending it into 2010 (so there is no need for 2009 subscribers to renew your subscription). Those new subscribers who subscribe in 2010 will also get a free, 1 year subscription, but their subscription will begin with the Winter 2010 issue. We will make back issues available - but we will post an update about that when we get that worked out.

I will be taking a week break, beginning today and extending until Jan 2nd. I will be away from my computer, so feel free to continue to comment on any post, but the comments will probably not appear until Jan 2nd - when I return.

If you wish to subscribe to CPBzine before the New Year, please do so. If you subscribe in 2009, you will receive all the 2009 issues as well as the 2010 issues. I will process the subscriptions when I return on Jan 2, but your subscription will be entered based on the date of your email.

Again, thanks to everyone! It has been and continues to be a real pleasure to share a common interest in classic physique building with you all. It is my hope that more and more people turn away from roid-based bodybuilding and find natural, classic physique building as a healthy lifestyle. I think we've got a shot of making that come true - with your help!

All the best,

- CPB (Anthony)

P.S. If you would like a free, 1 year subscription to Classic Physique Builder Zine (CPBzine) - a pdf "zine" (do-it-yourself magazine) that is patterned after the muscle mags of the pre-roid Golden Age of Bodybuilding (the 1940s and 50s), just email your name, the name of your city (not your actual address), state/province, and country to cpbzine@gmail.com. That's it! Any info you send us is strictly confidential. We do not share info with anyone. So you will not get on any unwanted lists or receive any automated emails (even from us)!

Classic Physique Building Champ Melvin Wells - the "Buffalo Hercules"!

(Photo Above: CPB Champ Melvin Wells - Mr. New York State 1949)

Another pre-roid, Golden Age champ who is not well known is Melvin Wells. He was born 1919 and died 1994. He was from Buffalo, New York and was known as the “Buffalo Hercules” in honour of his hometown.

Melvin was Mr. New York State 1949 and won the “Most Muscular” title in the Mr. America competition of that year. He also placed 2nd (behind Jack Delinger) in the Mr. America 1950 contest and was Mr. Strength and Health 1951.

Perhaps the most inspirational thing about Melvin Wells is that he did not begin training in the most modern or optimal facilities. He built his classic physique through pure determination and made the best out of his situation. When he began, he actually trained with large rocks in an unheated garage!

This should motivate people who, for example, cannot afford a gym membership or are training at home. You don’t have to use the best equipment etc. The best or optimal gift you have is not your “good” genes for building a muscular body. You don’t have to have any forefathers who were strongman, wrestlers etc. The most irreplaceable gift you have is your health and determination.

That may sound odd, but does it not all start with health and determination? Because with these, you can make the best out of your situation – even if you must start training at home with large rocks!

- Ibrahim, CPB Contributor

P.S. If you would like a free, 1 year subscription to Classic Physique Builder (CPBzine) - a pdf zine patterned on the muscle mags of the pre-roid Golden Age (of the 1940s and 50s), just email your name, the name of your city (not your address), state/province, and country to cpbzine@gmail.com. That's it! Any info you send us is strictly confidential. We do not share our info with anyone. You will not get on any unwanted lists or receive automated junk email (even from us!).

Maurice Jones - Inspiration for Classic Physique Builders!

(Photo Above: Maurice Jones)

Perhaps one of the most unknown, old-time, classic physique builders is Maurice Jones. Although he was not a physique contest competitor, he was regularly featured as an example of a well-rounded weight trainer in John McCallum’s writings. (John was a well-known gym owner, trainer, journalist who wrote for Strength and Health magazine in the 1960s and is known for his “Keys to Progress” column and book. John was an advocate of the lifting big, eating big, and getting big approach).

Maurice stood 5´9 and weighed 200 pounds in his prime (all natural, no drugs). He started weight training in the 1930´s at the age of 17. In an interview in 1997, he stated “As a kid I was sickly. I can remember the awful colds I used to have. I wasn’t that healthy, so that’s what made me embark on some kind of training regimen, and one thing led to another.”

He was an advanced trainer, who used more abbreviated routines and strict exercise style. The following is one of his typical training routines:

Warmup: Calisthenics, bending, arm waving, and pushups on the steep board.

Workout: Military Press - 3 sets, superset with
Curls 3 sets (rest a minute between supersets)
Rowing - 3 sets, alternate with
Bench Press – 3 sets
Squat 1 set 12 reps (he would use 400 pounds).

In between Sets : He would rest a minute. He would not sit down.

He also did hiking on the weekends and would have an additional 30 or 40 pounds in his Rucksack. So he got plenty of leg work. Sometimes he reduced the weight on the squat and increased the reps. Maurice always used a strict style while training.

Maurice used to do presses behind the neck with 200 pounds for 12 reps and dumbell curls 70 lbs. x 12 well before World War II – a figure what that’s worth in today’s terms, and it would just take your breath away. He also was able to squat with over 500 pounds.

Asked about his diet, Maurice said it “was just very plain. I’m afraid that I just qualify as a meat and potatoes man.”

He included running a couple of times a week. Maurice attributes his high level of muscular and cardiovascular endurance to a combination of his weight training, running and his mountain hiking.

When the interview was done in1997, Maury was 85 years old. He still did some weight training with 50 pound dumbbells (curls, presses) and still did hiking at that time.

Asked what he’d say if a young kid came up to him and said, “Mr. Jones, do you think I should take drugs to get bigger muscles or to get stronger?”: “I would say, don’t become a fanatic, although I must have appeared that way to a lot of people. If you get fanatical about something, it spoils it. You have to recognize the line – that’s the trouble.”

Ibrahim,

CPB Blog Contributor

Steve Reeves: Classic Physique Mass!

(Photo above: Steve Reeves - Mr America 1947, Mr World 1948, Mr Universe 1950)

We are posting the photo above of Steve Reeves to show that classic symmetry does not exclude classic mass! Steve's weight varied throughout the years - from 215 lbs during his competitive days to between 190 - 225 lbs during his film days. His lowest bodyweight was about 190 lbs during the filming of the "Giant of Marathon". His highest bodyweight was probably about 225 lbs during the filming of "Hercules."

The shot above shows that a classic physique (of which Steve is the epitome) can carry a good deal of mass. We see broad shoulders, large arms, big forearms, wide lats, narrow waist, great classic V-taper. This is truly a "Herculean" physique in that it has mass, but like the mythical Hercules, that mass is truly functional! Steve did not have trouble with flexibility or impairment of his athletic ability.

Steve's arms were 18.25 inches, his forearms were 14.75 and he had a 24 inch difference between his shoulders and waist (waist was 29 inches) that produced that classic V-taper. Steve was inspired to intentionally develop that V-taper by seeing Jack LaLanne who had a 25 inch differential between his shoulders and waist!

So our take home message here is that a classic physique is balanced and symmetrical. But it can also have "Herculean" mass! The good news is that natural, classic mass looks "Herculean" not "Hulk-like" (it takes drugs and hormones to look "Hulk-like"). So, classic physique builders should be inspired to pursue classic mass as well as classic symmetry!

In our next post, we will present a one-month mass gaining routine for intermediate classic physique builders from the pages of Junior Mr. America - a Golden Age mag (circa 1956).

- CPB

2009 New Year's Message from CPB!

(Photo Above: Informal shot of Golden Age champ and film star Reg Park in a swimming pool).

Happy New Year to all you classic physique builders (CPB'ers) around the world! We hope 2009 will be a great year for you and one that brings you closer to your classic physique building goals.

We will do our best, at CPB Blog, to continue to promote the ideal of building a classic physique and living a healthy lifestyle by bringing you information and inspiration from the Golden Age of Classic Physique Building (the 1940s and 50s).

This year, in addition to bringing you our CPB Blog, we plan to put out our first issue of CPB Zine very soon - a do-it-yourself (maga) zine devoted entirely to building a classic physique. It will be patterned after the magazines of the Golden Age of Classic Physique Building. CPB Zine may, of course, cover some of the same topics as those that appear on the CPB Blog. However, those topics will be able to be developed more in depth in the Zine. Our first issue is nearing completion. Compared to today's mainstream bodybuilding mags, our zine will be small. But, over time, it will grow. It won't contain page after page of supplement ads, steroid-enhanced physiques, cars, tech gadgets, and other irrelevant items - just a lot of straight talk about building a classic physique and classic health. When our first issue is complete, we will announce it here on CPB Blog and let everyone know how they can get their free copy.

We also plan, this year, to make available our CPB Golden Age Muscle Building Courses - which will be patterned after and based on the courses that were available during the Golden Age. The beginners course will probably be offered first, followed by the intermediate and then advanced courses.

Thanks to everyone who participated in our polls. We will still keep them open. So if you haven't participated, please feel free to do so. Your response in these polls are very helpfult to us.

We encourage everyone to contribute constructive comments to CPB Blog about our post topics. You can post using your name, initials, alias, or "Anonymous" - whichever of these you choose is fine. But it would be great if you could let everyone know what country you are from. We hope that through our collective effort, and with your help, we can ignite classic physique building interest around the world!

We end our 2009 New Year's message with a photo of Reg Park's classic physique (see above). It is powerful, symmetrical, natural, radiating with health, inspiring and looks great! Who wouldn't want a physique like that? Let's let Reg and the other CPB champs of the Golden Age be our inspiration in 2009 as we follow their example in building a classic physique. If they could do it, so can we! Let's make this a really great year and get ever closer to our classic physique goals!

Happy New Year!

- CPB

Classic Physique Building Inspiration: The Films of Reg Park!

(Photo above: Reg Park; Mr. Britain 1949; Mr. Europe 1950; Mr. Universe 1951; Mr. Universe - Pro 1958, 1965)

Need some more classic physique building inspiration? Check out the films of classic physique building champion Reg Park! After Steve Reeves opened the way with his "Hercules" and "Hercules Unchained" films in the late 1950s, others took over the role of Hercules in a variety of classic muscle movies in the early 1960s. Reg starred in 5 films:

1) Hercules and the Captive Women (1961)
2) Hercules in the Haunted World (1961)
3) Hercules, the Prisoner of Evil (1964)
4) Maciste in King Solomon's Mines (1964)
5) Hercules the Avenger (1965)

The films are all available today in DVD format and there are many places, such as http://www.amazon.com/, where you can purchase them.

Reg had a more "rugged look" than Steve Reeves, but like Steve, he was "all natural." Check out our new clips from his film "Hercules in the Haunted World" (on the sidebar). He was and still is a great inspiration to any aspiring classic physique builder! - CPB

Leroy Colbert - Classic Physique Mass

Not convinced that you can attain a massive, powerful, yet still classic physique? Take a look at Leroy Colbert (above). He was Mr. New York City, 1952 and Mr. Eastern America, 1953 and was well on his way to other titles until a motorcycle accident cut his competitive carreer short. He is credited as being the first bodybuilder with 20 inch arms. His physique is classic, yet massive. But, no "roid gut" here. No "hulk-like" cartoonish body. He was all natural, drug-free, and developed his physique well-before steroids reared their ugly head in the bodybuilding world. Leroy remains a great inspiration to all those who value and seek to build classic physiques! - CPB

Reg Park - Classic Physique Mass

Do you think that you cannot build mass naturally, without steroids? Take a look at Reg Park above. Reg built his mass naturally, before the use of steroids, and before the use of all the modern nutritional supplements we have today. Reg was 6'2" at 225lbs. He won the following titles: Mr Britain 1949, Mr Europe 1950, Mr Universe 1958, 1965. He went on to star as Hercules in 5 movies in the early 1960s. He competed up until the early 1970s and placed well against steroid-using bodybuilders half his age (e.g., placed 2nd in the Tall Class of the Mr. Universe NABBA 1973 Contest). He had plenty of mass, and yet still retained a classic physique! He should serve as an inspiration to us all! - Classic Physique Builder

The Classical Look

The tradegy of modern, mainstream bodybuilding is that it lost the ideal of the classic physique in favor of the gargantuan, "hulk-like" physique.

Before steroids, bodybuilders were inspired by the great classical sculptures of the ancient greeks which were muscular, proportionate, and yet attractive. Read the following excerpt from an article written by the great Reg Park (Mr Britain 1949, Mr Europe 1950, Mr Universe 1951, 1958, 1965) for Your Physique Magazine (Nov '50):

"The Classical Look for Physical Perfection

by Reg Park, Mr. Europe

When I first became interested in bodybuilding I took a new interest in not alone my own body, but in any statue or photograph which portrayed a well developed physique. I spent many hours studying the statues of the great masters at the Tate Gallery at Millbank in London, as well as at the National Gallery at Trafalgar Square. There, enchanted by the sculptural grandeur of Apollo, Discobulous, Hercules and others representative of the great Grecian art which has endured the years and remains even today the accepted peak of physical perfection, I received my first education in physical proportions and impressiveness.

I was quick to notice how each body part blended perfectly with the rest of the anatomy in these masterpieces. How Hercules, thick, powerful and heavily muscled retained this massive proportionate development throughout his entire body..." (end of quote).

Can you imagine that article having been written by today's Mr. Olympia? So the classic ideal has been lost by mainstream bodybuilding. But we don't have to follow their lead. Bodybuilding can be natural, healthy, and lead to classic, muscular, and attractive physiques. We would do well to follow the example of Reg Park! (photo above is Reg Park on the cover of Your Physique Magazine, Jan 1951). - Classic Physique Builder

Classic Physique Supplements of the Golden Age of Natural Bodybuilding

Just what supplements were available during the Golden Age of Natural Bodybuilding? Well...we won't give a comprehensive list in this post. However, flipping through the May 1953 issue of Joe Weider's Muscle Power magazine we find ads for the following supplements:

1) Weider Hi-Protein Supplement (which included vitamins & minerals)

2) Weider Weight Gaining Supplement (which included vitamins & minerals)

3) Weider Reduce Aid Supplement (which also included vitamins & minerals)

4) Dr. Tilney's Goat Milk Capsules & Peppermint Tea

That's it! Just 4 ads for supplements in the entire 82 page issue! Quite a difference from today's bodybuilding magazines where it's hard to find the real articles among all the supplement ads and/or hard to tell the ads apart from the articles.

Take a look at Reg Park (Mr. Universe) on the cover (above photo) of the May 1953 issue of Muscle Power and just think - it was possible to build that physique without the high-tech supplements of today! For the average guy that goes to the gym who can't afford to spend an entire paycheck on supplements, this should give you some much-needed perspective and hope! With some basic protein supplements, vitamins & minerals, a good diet, proper training and rest, you can build an impressive, classic physique!

Classic Physique Building Inspiration: The Films of Steve Reeves

Need some classic physique building inspiration? Check out the films of Steve Reeves. After winning the Mr. America 1947, Mr. World 1948, and Mr. Universe 1950 titles, Steve went on to star in 17 films! He was the first to make the transition from bodybuilding into films (well before Arnold!). His film Hercules (made in 1957) started the "Sword and Sandal" movie craze of the late 1950s and early 1960s. In the early 1960s, Steve and Sophia Loren were the highest paid actors of their time.

Here is a list of Steve Reeves' 17 films:

1. Jail Bait (1954)

2. Athena (1954)
3. Hercules (1957)

4. Hercules Unchained (1959)

5. The White Warrior (1959)

6. Goliath and the Barbarians (1959)

7. The Last Days of Pompeii (1959)

8. The Giant of Marathon (1959)

9. Morgan the Pirate (1960)

10. Thief of Baghdad (1961)

11. The Trojan Horse (1961)

12. Duel of the Titans (1961)

13. The Slave (1962)

14. The Avenger (1962)

15. Sandokan the Great (1963)

16. Pirates of Malaysia (1964)

17. A long Ride From Hell (1969)

Most of these films can be bought (as DVD or videos) online at the Steve Reeves International Society (http://www.stevereeves.com/), http://www.ebay.com/, http://www.ioffer.com/, and other sites! (The photo above shows Steve in Hercules - notice his tremendous "V-shape"!).

Classic Physiques in Magazines from the Golden Age of Natural Bodybuilding

If you are looking for inspirational classic physiques in today's mainstream bodybuilding magazines, then good luck! They and few and far between. You might see an occasional article about a Golden Age bodybuilder. You might find a regular "natural bodybuilding" column (maybe) in some of the mainstream mags. You might even stumble across one of the modern day natural bodybuilding magazines like Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness or Fitness & Physique - which are geared toward contest competitors and which most stores and bookshops don't carry. In any of these cases, what you won't find are magazines filled with classic physiques from the Golden Age of Drug-Free, Natural Bodybuilding.

So aside from coming here to Classic Physique Builder, where can you go to find that inspiration? Well, you can go to some of our recommended sites. You can also still find back issues of the major bodybuilding magazines of the Golden Age of Natural Bodybuilding (1940-1959) at such places as ebay.com. At Ebay, all you do is search on the magazine name, and whatever is available will pop up.

What were the major bodybuilding magazines of the Golden Age (as we define it)? There were actually quite a few. Joe Weider published most of them: Your Physique, Muscle Power, Muscle Builder, and Mr. America. Other publishers put out IronMan, Strength and Health, Health and Strength, and The Reg Park Journal.

Between the years 1940 and 1959, these magazines portrayed the best of natural bodybuilding. All bodybuilding was natural then because this was the time before the introduction of steroids. It was also a time when a proportionate, classic physique was highly valued rather than "freaky size." So not only do these magazines, during this time, provide a source of inspiration, but the training info is not bad either - since it worked well enough to produce classic physiques like those of Steve Reeves, Reg Park, John Grimek, Clancy Ross, Armand Tanny, Marvin Eder, George Eiferman, Jack LaLanne, Vince Gironda, Leo Robert, Leroy Colbert, Harold Poole - just to name a few!

Joe Weider on Building a Fantastic Body Naturally!

"People who don't believe you can build a fantastic body without spending a fortune or - I have to say it - taking dangerous drugs, should pick up my magazines from the 1940s and '50s. You see some mighty, mighty men on the covers and inside pages. The drugs those men took were great big, heavy iron pills. They didn't swallow them; they loaded them up on Olympic bars and dumbbells and lifted them using tricks that Joe Weider taught them. They bulked up eating steak and hard-boiled eggs and drinking enough milk to suck whole dairy farms dry. They didn't have any of the scientific foods and supplements and specialized knowledge and equipment available today - mostly because I made it all available - but look at what they did. Look. And be inspired. Those iron men inspired me when I worked with them. Looking at the old pictures, I'm inspired all over again" - Quote from Brothers of Iron by Joe Weider & Ben Weider with Mike Steere.

Joe's right! Just take a look at 5' 7", 195lb George Eiferman (Mr California 1948, Mr America 1948, Mr Universe 1962) on the cover of Joe's Your Physique magazine (vol. 11, no. 2 - May, 1949).