Backround

As a child I was your typical 98lb weakling. Between illness and genes from the wrong side I was tall but you could almost play a tune on my ribs I was so skinny. For Christmas when I was around twelve my parents bought me my first piece of exercise equipment. It was the Weider Pocket Gym which was a long piece of rubber with thick rubber ends. It was used similar to cables but could fit in your pocket. I stayed up for hours that night doing every concievable exercise with it as well doing numerous pushups. It was the first time I achieved a pump which any bodybuilder will tell you is a great feeling. Recently I was able to obtain this same piece of equipment(box and instructions) to add to my collection of old time training equipment.

When I was around 16 I started working out in a gym my brother had set up in our basement. Between working out and taking some horrible tasting supplements I began making some good gains. After seeing the movie Hercules and buying my first muscle magazine I went all out on my training developed a great lifetime interest in fitness.

Unfortunatly at around 18 or 19 my interest shiffted to fast cars and motorcycles as well as constant partying. The weights were put on a back burner. I lost some of gains I had made but because of my high metabolism I didn't gain weight. When I got married I was 6'2 and 175 lbs. Being married and settled down I went back to training and in the enclosed picture I was around 215lbs. Not a 98lb weakling anymore. Anytime I have taken a layoff I simply drop bodyweight(which has always been easy for me). Once I start training again I slowly build up my bodyweight so as not to put weight around the midsection.

At 64 I still love training and am never ashamed to take my shirt off. I plan on training as long as I can lift any weight no matter how light for the rest of my life.

Correction

The picture I posted of Sig Klien was actually one of him pressing one of the original kettlebells

Sig Klien

I have been lucky over the years as a bodybuilder and collector of memorabilia to have met many of the top champs and visited a lot of gyms. One time when I was in New York I entered a gym that seemed to be filled with old equipment and met the owner whom I did not regonize. Years later I realized that the man I met was Sig Klien. Sig was a Strongman,Bodybuilder,Hand Balancer and Gymnast. He specialized in Kettlebell training years before modern day Kettlebells. His gym was filled was antique round ended barbells and other unique training equipment. Today as a collector I wish I could go back in time and spend the afternoon looking at the equipment and getting insights from Sig. One picture I posted showed Sig pressing a heavy dumbell at 57 years of age. Other pictures show him with Steve Reeves.

Sept.6th 1988? Larry Scott

On September 6th, I believe the year was 1988 I returned to the Universe Health Club in Toronto where I had dropped in for a workout a few weeks before. I came back to attend a seminar by the great Larry Scott (the first Mr. Olympia). Larry arrived by car as I was standing outside by the front door. He looked remarkably youthful considering he had just turned 50. Age is a funny thing when I turned 30 I thought everything was down hill from there but my enthusiasm for training has stayed strong through my 30's, 40's, 50's and now 60's. Larry was much lighter than in his competition days but well groomed and tanned. His striped polo shirt displayed his still impressive arms built with the help of the preacher bench which is usually called the Scott bench.

I had come with my trusty camera and tape recorder. Larry had brought a flip chart, diagrams, and projector and other aids. When I spent day-long seminar with Arnold where he guest such as John Balik, Robby Robinson and Danny Paddilla I thought nothing could match it but this seminar with Larry was on a par. He was articulate,humerous and knowledgeable.Whether our questions were on training,diet or any other subject he had clear easy to understand answers. He demonstrated several exercises but when he bent down and picked up a bar with six 35lb plates and two 10lb plates and cranked out a set of reverse preacher bench curls he blew everybody away. He ended the seminar by stating if anyone wished to leave they could but if anyone chose to stay he was going to touch on what he thought was good way to live your life. Being a devout Mormon he compared life to a triangle mental,physical and spiritual. Whether a person was religous or not his comments made sense. Before he left I shook his hand and told him what a pleasure it had been to meet him.

An Update to my last post. This photo was taken at the seminar along with many others. I also taped the whole seminar. When I mentioned to Arnold that my city did not have a proper bodybuilding gym at that time his suggestion to me was Move!!

I was lucky we had fully equipped hardcore gym at my brother's house.

We travelled to Toronto in the past where we visited several gyms and after obtaining measurments of their equipment we returned to Kingston where my brother and other guys at our gym built our own benches and machine knockoffs. I believe we had one of the first power racks in the city.

November 7,1976

On November 5th 1976 my wife and I boarded a train for Montreal about 3 hours from our home town. On November 6th we were to attend the Mr. Universe Contest and November 7th I had tickets to a day long seminar with Arnold. Although I had travelled to Montreal many times by car or motorcycle we decided to take the the train as my wife had to return by herself to Kingston on the 7th. Also on one my past trips I totalled a police car and did not feel comfortable returning by car.
Usually I would hit a different gym each time on my visits but this time we decided to enjoy the beautiful city. As usual my diet consisted mainly of steak which I could eat every meal if possible.
The Mr. Universe was won by Mohamed Makaway (probably spelled wrong)who a few years later gave a seminar in my home town at the gym trained at. Arnold showed up as a guest at the contest wearing blue jeans and a sports jacket.Even his clothing style was unique.
On the 7th I attended the seminar which was held at the hotel I was staying at. I was armed with my camera and tape recorder and got a seat right in front of where Arnold was speaking and demonstrating exercises.There was only a small group attending which surprised me but allowed me to ask more question.He was very honest an imformative even to the point of debunking some of Weider supplement claims. Although his arms were big they were nowhere the size o f when he won the 1981 Mr.Olympia . John Balik (now the editor of Iron Man magazine) also spoke. Danny Padilla a high ranking bodybuilder stopped by.
All and all it was an excellant seminar and a enjoyable weekend.

SEPTEMBER 1973

MY WIFE AND I ARRIVED IN NEW YORK TO ATTEND THE 1973 MR.UNIVERSE/MR.OLYMPIA CONTESTS THAT WERE TO BE HELD ON SEPT.8TH .WE HAD DONE MOST OF THE TOURIST STUFF TWO MONTHS PRIOR ON OUR FIRST VISIT THEREFORE THIS WAS MAINLY A BODYBUILDING WEEKEND FOR ME. I GOT TO WORKOUT AT BOTH THE MIDCITY GYM AND DAN LURIES GYM. I MET MANY WELL KNOWN BODYBUILDERS TRAINING AT THESE GYMS FOR THE WEIDER CONTEST AS WELL ONE DAN LURIE WAS HAVING ON THE SAME NIGHT FEATURING GUEST SPEAKER STEVE REEVES. AFTER A NICE MEAL AT TAD'S STEAKHOUSE WE STROLLED TOWARDS BROADWAY WHEN I SPOTTED TWO COUPLES WALKING IN FRONT OF ME. STEVE REEVES WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO MISS. HE AND HIS WIFE WERE ACCOMPANIED BY DAN LURIE AND HIS WIFE. WE APPROCHED THEM AND HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE A BRIEF CONVERSATION AS WELL AS GETTING AN AUTOGHRAPH FROM STEVE.
THAT NIGHT I GOT TO SEE LOU FERRIGNO AND ARNOLD FOR THE FIRST TIME. WHEN LOU CAME OUT FOR THE MR. UNIVERSE I THOUGHT THERE WAS NO ONE BIGGER .THEN CAME THE MR.OLYMPIA! ARNOLD THOUGH SHORTER THAN LOU(BUT STILL TALL) DWARFED EVERYBODY. THE CROWD WENT WILD.(LATER WHEN THESE CONTEST WERE PUBLISHED IN MUCLE BUILDER I WAS PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO PICK OUT MY WIFE AND MYSELF IN THE CROWD).
THE NEXT DAY AS MY WIFE WAS RESTING AT THE HOTEL I WANDERED OVER TOWN WHERE I FOUND A STORE THAT WAS SELLING BACK ISSUES OF MUSCLE MAGAZINE CHEAPLY AND WAS ABLE TO PICK UP SEVERAL FOR MY COLLECTION.
ATTENDING THE CONTEST,WORKING OUT THE GYMS,PICKING UP MAGAZINES ,MEETING STEVE REEVES AND NUMEROUS STEAK DINNERS WHO COULD ASK FOR A BETTER WEEKEND

Interesting People

One of the benefits I have experienced over my years as a bodybuilder and collector of memorabilia is the interesting people I have had contact with from around the world. I just received an email from a young lady in Finland who has started her own blog detailing her training etc.. I have had contact with people from England,France, Sweden and many other countries. I have found them all very friendly and informative. Many have helped with my collection or with training ideas. We are truly a global community.

Catching On

I think that I am finally catching on to blogging. I was able to post a comment on Classic Physique Builder.This is a great site that I am sure other oldtime weight trainers like myself are anxious to see succeed . I made a few spelling errors as I was in hurry.
I have just obtained some more early day bodybuilding courses. I missed out on the Reg Park big arm and big chest courses. But I am sure I will eventually add them to my collection.
I had another great workout today although I am still making the mistake of over training as I have done for years.It just feels so good after after a hard workout.

Name change

My former blog MARATHONDOG3 is being change to Classic Bodybuilding Memories to better reflect the purpose of the blog.I intend to post some of my experiences of over 50 years in bodybuilding and the collection of memorabilia.
My computer skills have declined so if someone can explain how I can post comments on other blogs such as Classic Physique Builder I would be very greatful. Who knows,with a little luck I may even be able to twitter

Classic Physique Builder

Another excellant issue.With many of the great bodybuilders from the past such as Steve Reeves and Reg Park passing on it is nice to have a source to remind younger bodybuilder what can be achieved with proper training, rest and nutrition. There is no need to take steroids or HGH to obtain a more muscular and symetrical body. These can be left for those wishing to enter major Bodybuiling contest which have no relationship to the original ideal of bodybuilding to create a healthy,strong muscular and functional body that one could be proud of and others (especially the opposite sex) could admire