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Bodybuilding Pioneers of the 20th Century

Musclemen and musclewomen who made bodybuilding what it is today

Many key players have shaped today’s bodybuilding culture, including writers, contest promoters and magazine editors – and, of course, bodybuilders. I’d like to tell you about a few of the most influential individuals to ever step foot upon – and hit a double biceps on – a bodybuilding stage.

Would the male and female bodybuilders of the past do well in posedowns against today’s greats? Well…no, although you should never count out Arnold. That’s not my point. For now, I’d like to briefly discuss a few of the bodybuilding champions of the 20th Century who created a paradigm shift in how we look at muscle. Let’s get started.

Arnold Schwarzenegger
When he first came to America, he was called the “Austrian Oak,” but now his accomplishments in so many fields is such that he is known simply as “Arnold.” He won the Mr. Olympia competition seven times but could easily have won several more, as his 1980 comeback win was preceded by a four-year break from the sport to focus on his acting career. Arnold’s charisma brought bodybuilding into the mainstream media, and his achievements as an actor, businessman, and politician epitomize the American dream.

Bev Francis
When competitive bodybuilding for women first came out, competitors were only one step ahead of the bikini model competitions that were held during men’s bodybuilding events. Bev Francis helped changed that perspective. Francis was a competitive track athlete who held powerlifting world records, and she electrified the bodybuilding world with her extreme brand of muscle development. Her efforts sparked the move to more divisions in the sport with bodybuilding, figure and fitness competitions. In regards to her workouts, Francis made tremendous gains on high-volume workouts, such as German Volume Training.

Bill Pearl
For two decades Bill Pearl was considered by many the best of the best. He won the 1953 NABBA Mr. Universe title, in a lineup that featured Sean Connery of future James Bond fame, and in 1967 at age 37 he won the Pro Mr. Universe. In 1971, at age 41, he won his final competition, the Pro Mr. Universe, and defeated former Mr. Olympia Sergio Oliva and future Mr. Olympias Chris Dickerson and Frank Zane. Pearl was also as strong as he looked: He could do a seated press behind-the-neck with 310 pounds, military press 320, bench press 450, front squat 500 and back squat 605 at 218 pounds bodyweight.

Boyer Coe
Coe knew exactly what it took to get in top shape and stay that way. Coe began lifting in 1960 at age 14, and by age 17 he could bench press 420 pounds – quite an accomplishment when you consider that he did it without the benefit of any of the special supportive gear used by today’s powerlifters. He went on to win the Teen Mr. America, Mr. America and Mr. Universe, and on three occasions he placed fourth in the Mr. Olympia. In 1994, in his mid 40s, Coe returned to the stage after a 10-year hiatus – in amazing shape – and took third at the Masters Mr. Olympia, defeating former Mr. Olympia Chris Dickerson. Coe was known for his amazing biceps, which seemed to be composed of several mounds of small biceps stacked upon each other. One of the reasons he was so successful is that he always had an open mind and would experiment with new training methods to bring his conditioning to higher levels. Without question, Coe is the smartest bodybuilder I have met in regards to understanding training methodology.

Bruce Randall
If there is one individual who popularized the bulk up/cut up approach, it’s Bruce Randall. On January 3, 1953, he weighed 203 pounds at a height of 6'2". In six weeks he added 22 pounds, and he just didn’t stop, getting up to 401 pounds by August 2, 1955. Much of the weight Randall gained was muscle, as evidenced by personal bests that include a 770-pound deadlift, a 228-pound biceps curl, and a dumbbell bench press with 220 pounds for two reps. When he decided to lose weight, Randall followed a strict low-calorie diet that enabled him to drop 218 pounds in 32 weeks! Later that year he competed in the Mr. America, weighing 219 pounds. To top off his career, in 1959 Randall won the NABBA Mr. Universe at a bodyweight of 222 pounds.

Casey Viator
Under the guidance of Arthur Jones, Casey Viator became the youngest winner – at age 19 in 1971 – of the AAU Mr. America; in 1982 he placed third at the Mr. Olympia. Viator was instrumental in promoting Jones’ high-intensity training principles and Nautilus equipment, using which he made his most notable accomplishment, the “Colorado Experiment” in May of 1973: He “regained” 63.21 pounds of muscle in 28 days. Viator was known for his ability to perform pre-exhaustion workouts, and in one training session he performed 20 reps in the leg press with 750 pounds, followed immediately by 20 reps in the leg extension with 225 pounds, followed immediately by 13 full squats with 502 pounds!

Charles Atlas
Angelo Siciliano was born in 1892 in southern Italy, and in 1905 his parents immigrated to the United States. Although he developed his muscles with weights, he developed a bodybuilding course based upon isometric exercises called Dynamic Tension under the name Charles Atlas. Advertisements for his course appeared in comic books, telling the story of how the young Angelo was motivated to develop his muscles after a bully kicked sand in his face at the beach. These advertisements and courses inspired millions of young men to take up bodybuilding.

Cory Everson
Corinna (“Cory”) Kneuer was a multi-sport athlete when she attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It was there she met Jeff Everson (they were married for 14 years, from 1982 to 1996), who would eventually become the editor of Planet Muscle magazine. Cory Everson won six Ms. Olympia titles, from 1984 to 1989, and attained a high level of muscle while still retaining her feminine shape. Her model looks, tremendous physique and athleticism helped her earn many television and movies roles, including being the host of two television fitness shows. Her long and successful career has helped popularize bodybuilding for women to the lay public.

Dorian Yates
Dorian Yates was an English bodybuilder who was impressive in any lineup of physique contenders; but when he turned around, he set himself apart from all others with his tremendous back development. This distinction played a big part in his six consecutive wins in Mr. Olympia competitions. Yates found ways to continually improve his physique, and he was known for his extremely hard but brief training sessions.

Franco Columbu
An exceptional athlete from Sardinia, Franco Columbu started his athletic career as an amateur boxer, and became, pound-for-pound, one of the strongest bodybuilders in history. Columbu won the Mr. Olympia twice, in 1976 and 1981. At a bodyweight of just 185 pounds, Columbu reportedly had hoisted 780 pounds in the deadlift, which unofficially exceeded the amateur world record at the time. He even earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records when he blew up a hot water bottle until it burst in only 55 seconds. Franco went on to become a chiropractor, appear in numerous US and foreign movies (a few starring his former training partner Arnold Schwarzenegger) and start his own production company.

John Grimek
Grimek was a champion weightlifter and bodybuilder. He competed in the 1936 Olympic Games in weightlifting; and due to an eventual rule change that only allowed a man to win the title once, he is the only man to win the Mr. America twice (1940 and 1941). One of his most notable victories was in 1948, when at age 38 he defeated Steve Reeves in the NABBA Mr. Universe (a tie that was oddly broken by a gymnastics contest); as a result he retired undefeated. Grimek worked for York Barbell Club as an editor of Muscle Development magazine, and always maintained exceptional strength: He could squat more than 400 pounds for reps in his late 60s.

Lou Ferrigno
One of the most recognizable bodybuilders in the modern era is Louis Jude “Lou” Ferrigno, who at nearly 60 years of age is still in tremendous shape. One of the largest bodybuilders of his era (6'5" and competing at 316 pounds), his best result in the Mr. Olympia was second in the heavyweight class in 1974 and third overall in 1975, a competition that was the subject of the documentary film Pumping Iron. Equally impressive was a 10th place appearance in the 1993 Mr. Olympia in his early 40s. Ferrigno appeared in numerous movies and television shows but was best known as the Incredible Hulk in the television series starring Bill Bixby.

Rachel McLish
Rachel McLish was the first winner of the IFBB Ms. Olympia title in 1980, and she repeated as champion in 1982. She was one of the primary subjects in the 1985 documentary on women’s bodybuilding called Pumping Iron II: The Women. McLish’s fashion-model looks made her a favorite of countless fitness and bodybuilding magazines, and helped dispel many myths about weight training for women.

Reg Park
British bodybuilder Reg Park won the Mr. Britain title in 1949, the overall title in the amateur NABBA Mr. Universe in 1951 and the pro divisions in 1958 and 1965. In 1973 Park was still in tremendous shape, placing second in the tall class in the pro division of that year’s Mr. Universe – talk about longevity! Park was probably best known for playing Hercules in five movies and was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bodybuilding idol. At 6' 1", Park had legitimate 20-inch arms, and he is credited for being the first bodybuilder to bench press 500 pounds. Park helped popularize the 5 x 5 method for developing both strength and hypertrophy.

Ronnie Coleman
At his peak Coleman competed at 305 pounds at a height of 5'11", and his massive physique has made him a frequent cover man of hardcore bodybuilding magazines. He is also as strong as he looks and can deadlift 800 pounds for reps. Both he and Lee Haney have won eight Sandow trophies, although Coleman has the record for most IFBB victories with 26. Coleman has said he would compete in the 2010 Mr. Olympia.

Sergio Oliva
A three-time Mr. Olympia who was considered Arnold’s toughest challenger, Oliva was considered one of the most genetically gifted bodybuilders of his time. A former member of the Cuban weightlifting team, Oliva earned the title “The Myth” with a massively muscled physique that tapered to a wasp-like waist. After losing to Arnold in 1972, Oliva did not compete again until 1984, when, at age 43, he placed 8th in the Mr. Olympia; he repeated that placing the following year. Although he was not able to capitalize financially on his bodybuilding success as others had with theirs, his physique set the standard for future muscle builders.

Steve Reeves
Before there was Arnold, the bodybuilder most associated with big-screen muscle was Steve Reeves. Reeves appeared in nearly two dozen movies; his most famous role was as the Greek hero Hercules in Hercules (1958) and the sequel Hercules Unchained (1959). As a competitive bodybuilder, Reeves won the Mr. America title in 1947 and the Mr. Universe title in 1950, and was known for his symmetry.

These are just a few of the amazing men and women who have made significant contributions to the history of modern bodybuilding. Many more names belong on this list – who would you add?