Classic Physique Building and Character Development!

(Photo above: Clancy Ross on the cover of the Jun 48 issue of Your Physique magazine, George Eiferman on the cover the Feb 48 issue of Strength and Health magazine)

In a previous post on "Classic Physique Building and the Classic Ideal," we mentioned that the classic ideal valued "the development of the mind and character as well as the body." In the Weider magazines such as Mr. America, articles can frequently be found with titles such as "How to strengthen your character, will-power, and personality" or "Brawn and Brains go together."

In the Sept 58 issue of Mr. America magazine, Clancy Ross (Mr. America 1945, Mr. Pro America 1946, Mr. USA 1948) wrote an article called "Six cardinal rules for a dynamic personality." He states:

"Muscles are my business - all of you know that. It may seem a bit odd, therefore, that I set aside some of the space usually reserved for strict bodybuilding instruction to talk about personality development. Actually, it's not strange at all, because the development of your personality is just as important to you as the development of your muscles. I would be failing my duty to all of you if I confined my instruction to just one side of what should be the complete man."

Clancy goes on to discuss each of his six rules:

1. Posture (how you hold yourself)

2. Learning how to greet the world (being interested and paying attention to others)

3. Giving credit to where credit is due (as a form of generosity)

4. Talk positively

5. Be of good cheer

6. A pleasant voice

The concern for character development can also be seen in the writings of George Eiferman (Mr. America 1948, Mr. Universe 1962). After his Mr. America win, he drove around the U.S.A. delivering talks on the benefits of fitness to High School assemblies. He was known for handing out small printed cards that had his picture on one side and the philosophy of his "Ten Daily Exercises" on the other. We will quote only the first six below:

"1. A good eye exercise - See also the perfection in others. See the everlasting beauty in human kindness.

2. A good tongue exercise - Speak from the heart instead of the mouth.

3. A good facial exercise - A smile often repeated.

4. Hearing exercise - When we speak, we learn nothing. Listening is the teacher. Then speak.

5. Brain exercise - Think only constructive thoughts. Good reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.

6. Leg exercise - Walk toward knowledge, wisdom, health, and brotherhood of all men."

This concern for the development of the whole person (not just the muscular system) is what classic physique building was in the Golden Age! And today, it is another treasure that sets classic physique building apart from mainstream, roid-based bodybuilding!

So strive for the truly heroic ideal of building a classic physique, sound mind, and noble character!

- CPB

Introducing Classic Physique Champion - George Eiferman Mr America 1948

Check out our new video clip of George Eiferman. George was Mr. Philadelphia 1947. That year, he also competed in the Mr. America contest against Steve Reeves and came in fifth (Steve won). In 1948, he captured the Mr. America title. The following year, he appeared in a movie called "The Devil's Sleep" and played the part of a gym instructor (see our clip). In 1954, George toured with Mae West as part of a group of musclemen in her nightclub act. In 1962 (the twilight of the Golden Age of Natural Bodybuilding), he won the IFBB Mr. Universe title. He appeared on the cover of many issues of the muscle magazines during the Golden Age of Natural Bodybuilding.

George had a reputation of being a true gentlemen and a great proponent of natural bodybuilding. He once toured the country by car stopping at high schools to promote healthy living and exercise. George passed away at the age of 76 on Feb. 12, 2002. Although he is not posing in our videoclip, you can still tell what a tremendous, classic physique he had. He is still an inspiration to us all!

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).