Whose Pupil Am I ?

by Alan Stephan
Mr. America and Professional Mr. America

In this forceful denunciation of the unethical use of his name in endorsing another system of weight training, popular Al Stephan tells why he boosts only the Weider System and none other. This is an article of urgent importance to all sincere bodybuilders.

THERE is one human virtue I hold above all else. That is . . . "Honesty to myself and others." I have absolutely no use for those who falsify facts and make claims which are untrue, particularly if such claims are used for their material benefit. It is with some concern therefore, that I have noticed that the York Barbell Company lists me in their advertising as being a "York Pupil." Try to appreciate my feelings as every day I get dozens of letters from bodybuilders, all asking, "How Come? We thought that you were a Weider Booster. If York built your physique, why do you recommend Weider?"

I have remained quiet for some time on this subject. Those who know me well all agree that I am the last person in the world to become excited or upset. I try to get along with everyone and never look for trouble, or to cause it. BUT -- the situation has now grown so acute, with a definite reflection upon myself as an honest and sincere individual, that I am left no other recourse than to state the absolute facts, so that everyone will know the TRUTH.

To begin with, I AM NOBODY'S PUPIL. I began my bodybuilding career in 1939, forming a small club with a group of young fellows. Each of us knew an exercise or two and we put all our knowledge together, learning from one another. From the very first I NEVER followed anyone else's course. I followed those exercises I felt would do me the most good and frequently changed my routine to suit my requirements. Every routine I ever practiced was of my own design, based upon my individual studies in bodybuilding, anatomy and physiology. Over a period of years, in training my own body and more recently in training others, I have seen definite PROOF that certain exercises and exercise principles are better than others. It is these principles I teach to others and practice myself.

In studying the various courses on bodybuilding offered to the public, I immediately recognized the fact that only the Weider System incorporated all the exercise principles that I personally used to develop my own body, and which I teach to my pupils. Only the Weider System explains all those modern and scientific bodybuilding practices such as the Flushing Methods, Forced Reps, Mental Contraction Moves and so on.

Therefore when people ask me what system of training I consider to be the best, my answer is, The Weider System. I am a BOOSTER of the Weider System because I truthfully believe that it is the best and the one which will give everyone the fastest and most complete results. I AM NOT a Weider Pupil, and no claim has ever been made by Weider that I am. As explained above, NO BODY can claim me as being a pupil, and those who do, do so falsely. They have no legal or moral right to use either my name or photograph as a pupil in their ads or articles.

I know that this short summary of a confusing situation will completely clarify the issue. I want to thank the Weider Publications for giving me this space to state the true facts. And I trust that the party involved will in the future restrict themselves to FACTS too, for the benefit of all.