Getting It Off My Chest

Joseph E Weider

Every real man relishes a good, clean fight. Win or lose, there is always enjoyment from a stiff battle. But no gentleman hits below the belt. A Perosn who does so, admits that he cannot win by fair means.

CREAM-PUFF and MIRROR ATHLETES.

RECENTLY there has been a particularly vicious attack made against bodybuilders as a group. Two "Strength" magazines, one in the United States and the other in England have published articles in which they stated that the bodybuilder possessed rather useless muscles, suitable only for "Mirror" display and they likened his physical strength to a ""Cream-Puff".

In the past, such criticism came only from those who really didn't know any better, or who because of their physical inferiority made this effort to justify their weakness. However, even these skeptics readily admitted that they were wrong once they practiced bodybuilding. They became our greatest enthusiasts once they tasted the new joys of a muscular body, which bodybuilding gave them. They were honest enough to admit that their previous contentions had been wrong!

However, when such an attack comes from competitive sources, it not alone indicates rank ignorance on the part of the writers and Editors -- proving that they are grossly ill informed about weight training, and therefore totally unsuited to guide others, but it also smatters of intentional MISREPRESENTATION. These same magazines feature photos on their covers and inside their magazines, of these same bodybuilders, whom they now knock, holding them up as mighty examples of the glories of weight training. They also claim the more important bodybuilders as being their pupils, and point to them as being representative of the ultimate goal in physical perfection.

Just how ridiculous is it possible to become? One moment the bodybuilders is indicated as being the ideal physical specimen and you are told that if you train with certain courses and apparatus that you can hope to become just like him. Then, a few pages later on you are told that the bodybuilder possesses useless muscles and you shouldn't try to follow his example at all.

Obviously, such contradictory statements show confusion on the part of the staff and Editors of these publications. Logic will indicate that if they cannot make up their minds among themselves whether muscles are valuable or not, that they certainly cannot hope to advise others correctly.

Just what motivated this recent blast I do not know. However, it is significant to recall that in the past, since the inception of the Your Physique and Muscle Power Magazines, which I pride as being dedicated to the bodybuilder, that certain personal attacks have been directed at me in an attempt to discredit me and force me out of business. These all failed miserably to do either.

Whether there is a deeper implication, or if the articles are merely a display of rank ignorance is unimportant, for as always, I am ready and eager to champion the interests of the bodybuilder and I am glad for this opportunity to do so once again.

According to the articles, while the bodybuilder presumably grows muscles which are of little value, on the other hand the weightlifter is said to be a superior muscle machine. The mere fact that weightlifting is an advanced and specialized form of bodybuilding is not discussed, and apparently the bodybuilder alone suffers from muscles devoid of power as a result of his weight training.

This is a very curious contention. It is a well known fact that both the bodybuilder and the weightlifter use the identical theory in their training, Each perform repetitions of various moves and exercises to strengthen the muscles in the body. The weightlifter practices repetitions in the press, snatch and clean and jerk, as well as usually practicing the squats, deadlifts and several other basic bodybuilding moves. In this way he trains his muscles to lift heavier weights in single attempts and his success as a weightlifter depends on this method of training.

On the other hand, the bodybuilder also practices repetitions in a larger variety of moves, covering the body more completely than the weightlifter. He too does this to train his muscles to lift heavier weights and his success in single attempts in bodybuilding lifts, such as the bench press and the curl, depend upon this method of training.

It therefore is hardly consistent to suggest that only the weightlifter obtains powerful muscles when each train in the exact same way. In fact, it is obvious that since the bodybuilder exercises his muscles in exactly the same way that the weightlifter does, and that in addition, he more thoroughly reaches all the muscles in the body, and not just those needed for a few specialized lifts, that as an entire muscular unit his body is actually stronger than the weightlifter.

But even more important, due to the fact that the bodybuilder and the weightlifter do train under the same principles, any reference made to the uselessness of the muscles obtained through this system must also refer to the weightlifter. So in one single declaration, the magazines which supported the articles against bodybuilding also admit lack of faith in the weightlifter and weight training as a whole.

Now they have finally shown their true feelings. THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONFIDENCE IN WEIGHT TRAINING AT ALL!

In view of the above circumstances, I now find myself in an unique position. In the past, I had thought that only the bodybuilder was in need of drastic help and I was eager to give it to him. Now, I find that the weightlifter is also desperately in need of understanding and assistance. Therefore, in the future, my magazines will carry more articles and instruction about weightlifters and weightlifting.

In this way I will be able to bring these two splendid branches of weight training more closely together, and forge a chain of understanding and good feeling among all men interested in physical health, muscular development and tremendous bodily power.

All petty issues must be swept aside. With one concerted effort both the bodybuilder and the weightlifter will be able to climb to physical heights previously unknown.

In closing I want to urge all bodybuilders and all weightlifters to ban closely together and to refuse to support those who ridicule them and use them as a means of causing dissention among all weight trainees, for solely personal reasons. Do not buy their magazines! Do not buy their equipment. Do not stand for your idols being abused by statements which are obviously false. YOU - the body builder - can you have any use for those who trample your ambitions into the ground through vicious attacks of this sort. YOU - the weightlifters - now you know the truth!! How do you feel now that you realize that their statements refer to YOUR MUSCLES too! Let's all ban together and smash those who do not believe in us and knock us. It can be done if you refuse to keep them in business!

PHOTO CAPTIONS

- Popular Ed Yarick, well known instructor on the West Coast, has been responsible for starting many - famous body builders on the road of physical glory. Shown here with Alyce Stagg, Ed advocates modern training methods in his famous gym, which conform with those taught by the Weider System.

- Here are two of Ed Yarick's famous pupils shown at the time they were training at his gym, and posed with Alyce Stagg. They are both Mr. America's -- Steve Reeves and Jack Dellinger. One look at their developments at that time, about five years ago, proves that it is ridiculous for anyone to claim them as pupils now -- except Ed Yarick -- to whom full credit for their success belongs.

- Sig Klein and Steve Reeves having some fun at Toots Shors famous eating place, during Steve's recent visit to New York. While in the City, Steve trained with Weider Weights and System. When he left he gave Joe Weider a personal endorsement stating that the Weider Way was the fastest for a Mr. America physique.

- One of the latest photos of George Eiferman, as posed by Joseph Weider, which minimizes his huge bulk and accentuates symmetrical lines and muscularity. George, readers will remember got his start and becamed "Mr. AMerica" while training under the supervisio of Johnny Fritshe of Philadelphia, Pa. It's a crime to label him by following the heavy and light system. George stricktly follows the methods of all greats, heavy weight-training with the help of Incline Benches, Lats pulleys, etc., just as outlined in our MASTER Championship course. George stands as a sterling example of MODERN bodybuilding, and every member of our beloved sport is proud of him. Photo by Bruce