[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
benefits of anabolics but toward the end of his life, was regretful that he didn't anticipate the
potential for their abuse.
Have we missed anyone? It's very possible. Everyone has their favorite icon from the past and many
of them are worthy of attention. In fact, if there's someone you think we missed, drop a line and
tell us why you believe he or she deserves mention.
These are some of the greats from years gone by. We owe our respect to these people because they
engaged in weight training at a time when it was scorned by the populace. They broke new ground
and gave their all toward the pursuit of a better body. We owe them a debt of gratitude in that
their efforts made it possible for the sport of bodybuilding to improve and to flourish. I think I
speak for many of today's bodybuilders when I address these legends of the past and say; Thank you
all for what you've done for us. We'll take it from here.
WISDOM OF THE AGES
Throughout history, there have been men who stood above the rest, be it by nature of their
ability, their bravery, or their unique vision. They knew more. They dared more. They did more.
And with each ensuing generation, the deeds of those past are examined and emulated. Those who
follow and who wish to taste greatness, strive to equal the accomplishments of their ancestors
while a select few whom are truly talented exceed them. Some may go as far as to say this quest to
excel is the very purpose of life itself. Learn from the past, and do it better. We see it all the
time, from the sports arena where records are broken to the humble household where the son
achieves more success than his father. That's the way it's supposed to be.
Progress of this nature is possible due to the simple fact that the youth of any given era have a
"head start." All that's needed is to tap into the well of existing knowledge. Yet at times, we
lose sight of what history may teach us. We're constantly bombarded with new ideas and innovations
making it easy to overlook the lessons from years past. We view our elders as less knowledgeable --
less "in touch." So is too often the case with bodybuilding. Nevertheless, it's important not to
forget that the bodybuilders from long ago were the ones who taught the teachers of today and you
can never be sure if everything they knew made it down through the generations. There's always a
chance that something's been forgotten or prematurely discarded. By taking a closer look at the
perceptions of some of the games old timers, one comes to realize that they not only knew as much
as today's so called experts, they had some pretty controversial opinions as well.
Many of the following statements have become truisms of our sport. Others are an interesting
variation of a current belief system, while others are a lost gem of insight. Take a look at some
of these quotable quotes from the sages of strength who were living and loving bodybuilding long
before most of us were born and see just how well good advice holds up over the years.
(Note: In some cases the quotes may be paraphrased.)
"Exercise is King. Nutrition is the Queen. Put them together and you have a kingdom."
- Jack LaLanne, 1953
"If you want to be a success in bodybuilding or anything else in life, you can't have lukewarm
ambition or an indifferent attitude. You must acquire an intensity and a strong desire. That's the
only way you will succeed."
- Dr. Frederick Tilney, 1947
"The biggest mistake a bodybuilder can make is losing sight of what is aesthetically pleasing.
Symmetry should always have precedence over sheer bulk."
- Clarence Ross, 1949
"Mothers milk is the perfect food for human growth --designed by nature. The food closest to it
isn't cows milk, but the egg."
- Rheo H. Blair, 1962
"I've never understood why a bodybuilder would want to build huge bulbous chest muscles. The pecs
should be slab-like in appearance, not bulging or hanging. This is the result of too much bench
pressing. For a manly chest that looks like a gladiator's shield, dips can't be beat."
- Vince Gironda, 1969
"Train for shape and strength will follow."
- Sig Klein, 1937
"Unless you're willing to really sweat, you're unlikely to achieve any major success in barbell
work. Great lifters and physique men are made, not born. They are self made, via their own
diligent, grueling efforts."
- Bradley Steiner, 1973
"Squats aren't so much a leg exercise as they are a gluteus maximus movement. It's best to
substitute hack squats for standard squats or you'll wind up with wide hips and a big ass!"
- Vince Gironda, 1972
"The most effective routine I've found to expand the rib-cage is the old standard squat-pullover
combo. Five sets of heavy deep-breathing full squats supersetted with bent arm pullovers will
enlarge the ribcage greatly."
- Dave Draper, 1966
"Talk all you want about arcane bodybuilding theories. I'll be in the gym. It's leg day"
- Dave Draper, 1999
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]