Old School Bodybuilding

[joed]

hahahahahahaha. Well look at you all spiffed up with a brand new username and shiny thread. Starting from scratch with 0 reps too, that'll change fast. DK if you've seen it yet but jag posted in his journal yesterday. Kimsquit came back a couple of weeks ago, & justryn decided to keep on. Maybe I'll ping feather's journal for an update. Who knows what might happen.

While you were gone this had some airplay, maybe you can autograph a copy:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=6839561

Good to see ya back snake.

[Baldiewonkanobi]

(Hi friends...glad you are all still in the game)

Back at Pearl's Pasadena I met with Harry and told him I wanted to compete. That Mr. Muscle Beach show had stoked the fires within me to a frenzy but I had no clue how to prcoceed. I learned that Harry never competed yet he knew the drill. He gave me a year out for a goal, the Mr. L.A. Masters. I found last years Mr. L.A. flier and posted it on the fridge door. Momma Snake was not thrilled. I had already taken over an entire kitchen cabinet with all of my powders, potions and elixors. Harry said that bodybuilding is 80% nutrition and 20% bodybuilding. What Harry ment about bodybuilding was far beyond the common conception. He assumed that if you indeed were a "bodybuilder" you finished every set to failure...paused and grinded out one more impossible rep. With my butt to the floor in the squat rack that ultimate final rep came at the thin thread of being either lucid and passing out. He also hydrated me with luke warm water during the workouts until the veins were popping out of my forehead. One hour, drink some strong coffee, eat an apple, back to another hour. After workout I would down a dozen HB eggs sans yolks (which Harry ate) and a few handfulls of brewers yeast and liver tabs. 5 days a week. Two days a week we would bike around the Rose Bowl for an hour or two. Once did a Santa Barbara (100+ miles north) and back with Momma Snake. 4am depart/7pm return. Coffee and attitude was our stimulant. None of the ephedrine or NOS or foo foo drinks in those days. Arginine/Ornathine capsuls were just hitting the scene. I kept up this frenzy for about 10 months until I weighed about 195 slightly smooth. In addition to the huge volume of food, I was eating a can of tuna a day when Harry said it was time to drop the carbs way down and up the tuna to 3 cans. Gag me.This was in addition to a dozen egg whites, two protein shakes now made with water, always grilled fish for dinner, and my liver tabs. About 300 grams. I mixed loads of stationary bike and car pushing for cardio. Every evening I practised my mandantory poses and put together a modest routine. Momma Snake shaved me down. I looked for the perfect sized sweat sock to stick in the front of my Speedo....just kidding...OK? SHOW TIME. Dry as a soda cracker I arrived scared to death. Would I ever pee again? I did not like failure. For some reason every entrant fell into the same Masters class, all 13 of us. I felt scrawny compared to the other men. (where is that sweat sock when I need it?) I sported a sun tan, no coloring (mistake under the lights). After the morning prelims I was told that all the votes were in and I could now eat that banana and cup of dates I had brought. Oh thrill. I placed 5th and was proud as hell to take home a trophy my first time out. Harry was not a fan of competition and not expected to and did not show up. He was however proud of me when I called him after the show. Others in the gym treated me like a conquering hero. I proudly displayed my puny trophy at the front desk. Thus began a 15 year saga that took me to all four corners of this land, 8 years of writing for the muscle mags, and even to the judging table. The Mr. Muscle Beach contest was now calling me like the Sirens to Homer.

[oldsuperman]

Bill! Funny how so much of what you wrote is the same today! I almost started crying from the emotion of reading it! My first win was a fifth place too. I have 6 bbing trophies, yet, the first one, a fifth is my favorite and most cherished, for it was the one that hooked! HOOKED me BAD! Your brother in Iron. ed

[IronAbrams]

This is inspiring, only word for it.

[NotTooLate]

LOVE LOVE LOVE the last part of the story too This is great stuff. I didn't know there is such a thing as liver tablets. I must look for those. I thought that car pushing for cardio was innovative LOL No doubt you were pleased with that 5th place! Who wouldn't be. You must have been so proud. It took a lot of work to get there. It's interesting that Harry wasn't a fan of competition. I wonder why?

Looking forward to more stories!

[oldsuperman]

LOVE LOVE LOVE the last part of the story too This is great stuff. It's interesting that Harry wasn't a fan of competition. I wonder why?
Looking forward to more stories!

I know of other trainers with unbelievable physiques that don't compete. They love training and have others succeed and are good at it, yet some say the "diet" is too much for them, or they did it once and it just wasn't for them.

(Hi friends...glad you are all still in the game)

Back at Pearl's Pasadena I met with Harry and told him I wanted to compete. OK? SHOW TIME. Dry as a soda cracker I arrived scared to death. Would I ever pee again? I did not like failure. I felt scrawny compared to the other men. I placed 5th and was proud as hell to take home a trophy my first time out.

Scared to death!

Would I ever pee again!

Fear of failure would drive you!

Everyone else looks huge!

Place 5th!

Hooked for life!

Yep friend! All too familiar!

[greyhair]

When the book comes out, I'm on the list for a signed copy. --no fooling.

Brother, your about 1/2 a generation older than me, but I remember such times in a Golds Gym in central NJ. No chrome on the equipment, some rust but always functional stuff. There was no air conditioning and to keep the place from heating up too much, the lights were left off in the early am. The only light was from the large late 19th century "factory" windows. But I enjoyed the training there most of all.

The morning crowd was a little quiet, but everybody focused. Sigh..

Glad to hear from you again Baldy.
God bless

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Ol Supe, my soul brother, has a lot going on in his world rather similar to mine. His joining us on this thread has caused me to pause and write about the Bodybuilding world of the early/mid 80s in which I trained, lived and loved. Bodybuilding was then, as it is now, a minor endeavor engaged in seriously by the few. Competitors were even a rarer phenom. Aside from Arnold and the Hulk, few Americans ever cared about or thought about the Bodybuilding physique. Pro wrestling and the NFL athletes were for the most part huge dudes but smooth as a babys butt. Male models never had a 6 pack. Women with any sort of musculature were considered odd. Only devotees ever gave a jolly damn. Since I had to resurect a family that I had damaged with my now past chemical and alcohol abuse. I kept my Bodybuilding out of the puzzle the best I could. Momma Snake went back into the workforce full time in order that I could do physical jobs such as construction and unloading trucks at night (my self flagilation for my sins of abuse and addiction). Like most of us I had to learn to keep in check my thoughts on dietary habits. I kept it secret that I was working on my Masters in Nutrition. My best social friends still smoked, drank in moderation, toked a bit on weed and consumed Big Macs on a good day. I was the designated driver and the scolding gang mom when out on Harley runs.

My children were in their early and mid 20s and had a life of their own. Momma Snake had risen to a high level in her profession after re entering it from a 10 year hiatis. She no longer had time to train. She was making the big bucks and even bought me a new Wide Glide Harley with her Xmas bonus. Now 4 years into work she began to show signs of a breakdown...she was exausted while I was playing with managing the RCA building in Hollywood...a kush job. Time for Baldie grow up and to go back to selling Mack big rigs and give her a break. Trucking has no appreciation for either sobriety or good physiques. In fact, I covered up as best as possible. Training early AM became a necessity and now a habit. I quickly discovered that my new work ethic had made me a better salesman. Our family income never took a dip with my wife now safely at home. Old drinking buddies were being replaced by young training partners, some younger than our children. There were at time lonely periods where I could not find those to relate with at my age and athletic/intellectual level. (more so even today now that I think about it).

How do I keep such a self centered life style from hurting my loved ones? I still don't know the answer other than training very early and keeping my mouth shut.....leading a life of example, if they wish to tag along. My new found health and not dying that Febuary night in 1980 has me helping to pay my grand kids college tuition and taking care of Momma Snake with her stroke and breast cancer. I can not do enough for her.

OK, lets get on to the Mr. Muscle Beach. Dayum...I want that title.

[dcerullo]

Thanks Baldie!!! I LOVE your story, I keep reading it over and over again. Welcome back, I know I've missed you and I can bet everyone else has too!!!
Yay, Baldie's back
DJ

[oldsuperman]

Ol Supe, my soul brother, has a lot going on in his world rather similar to mine.

How do I keep such a self centered life style from hurting my loved ones? I still don't know the answer other than training very early and keeping my mouth shut.....leading a life of example, if they wish to tag along. My new found health and not dying that Febuary night in 1980 has me helping to pay my grand kids college tuition and taking care of Momma Snake with her stroke and breast cancer. I can not do enough for her.

OK, lets get on to the Mr. Muscle Beach. Dayum...I want that title.

My dear friend, How much we are alike! To this day, I question, "do I do enough for her? Can we ever?"

Muscle Beach! Oh ya! ed

[NotTooLate]

Really sorry to hear about Momma Snake having a stroke and breast cancer. I know that's very hard to cope with, I looked after my mom until she passed on when she had lymphoma.

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Good grief it's already 1985 and I'm 3 years into this endeavor to win the Mr. Muscle Beach and I'm stuck at 210 lbs. off season and competing in a few local Open and Masters shows with lots of lucky 2nds and 3rds. at 190 lbs. on stage. With my 6' height and long torso this is way to light to make a meaningful statement. Harry Pearl has left his mark on me forever but has retired now and out of reach. I'm considered the "Guru" at my gym but in reality, just a rank novice at this mass business. Then along comes Brian Knapp, a neighborhood lad and friend of my youngest daughter from high school. (Brians best friend is my workout partner Wonder Boy, today 2008). Brian and I fed off each other. I was focused, consistant and dedicated. He was a wild man, a la Barbarian Brothers. ( I must say here least I forget....Brian was killed in a car crash in 2001. It is so painful to lose a son, as he truly was, so early in a promising life).

I learned quickly what training heavy ment. Leg day. Warm up with 135 squats for 20 reps. 225 for 15 reps. 315 for 10. 405 for 6. Then final set of 225 for 20 reps. Each set was supersetted with heavy ass pull overs. First set with a 60 dumbell then the 100 from then on. At first we did these cross over style on the bench but one morning Brian yelped...his navel popped out...his inny became an outie. After he simply pushed it back in we continued to squat and did pull overs the flat long ways on the bench. Wow, that was somewhere between "what a man" and "youre F'ing crazy". Brian also set the dress code. If the shirt, tank, pants were stained or torn....all the better. If you cut yourself...smeer it all over the shirt...I guess we were father and son Neanderthal. I created our nutritional support and Brian piled on the calories. Did he ever. Protein drinks were made with half and half cream. Once we did in a $100.00 sushi dinner (about $250.00 in todays dollars). My goal was 260 off season. I needed two shopping carts, one for groceries and one for Charmin. Remember there was no music, Ipods, or cell phones to interupt. It was all chalk, sweat, explitives and primordial grunting. Legs were finished off with stiff legged dead lifts, barbell lunges with 135 on board, and donkey (sitting on each others back) calf raises. Hey, I know it looks weird but it's legal in California. OK?

We loved chin/dip days. We worked up to two 45s tied to our lifting belts. Done properly...that was a complete workout. Zero cardio was done during bulking.

Fast forward and a tractor trailer load of groceries later....It's now spring 1986 and I have reached my 260 bulking goal. We decided to keep him bulked and full of piss and vinegar to push me as I became weak from dropping carbs. At that time the Mr. Muscle Beach allowed no tanning creams and makeup. So I purchased a tanning bed. (Can we say two bouts of Melanoma cancer in the late 90s?) In 90 days I was cardio king and I had dropped to 238, however I was not going to make my weight in time. It was July 1st and the show was in 3 days. Should I drop out? I was a wreck. Several years in the preparation for this day and I was huge, but not ripped like I liked to be. Brian convinced me that it was size and mass that would display best out in the sun on that outdoor stage. Ahh, what the F....lets give it a try.

[oldsuperman]

Pack on the pounds baby!

[bbgonnabe]

God, I had such a f* up childhood! You had everything I dreamed about!

[NotTooLate]

Another great installment!

Sorry to hear of the passing of your friend/son Brian

You did train hard! I had to laugh at the Charmin and the blood smearing all over your shirts LOL I don't HOW you ate that much sushi. If I ate sushi every day it would take 2 months to eat $250 worth

I've heard of people getting cancer from tanning beds but your the first person I've met that did. Sorry to hear of that.

Now on the edge of my seat waiting for the next part of the story hehehe

[Baldiewonkanobi]

It was July 3rd with one day to go. For the first time in my life I felt confidant. While going thru my routine (for the 1,000th time) in the afternoon sun on the front lawn of my house, Brian determined that I still was way too light for the overhead sun. He made up a mixture of Dyoderm and lanolin and covered me....keeping the palms of my hands and ankles natural.(areas of tell tell breaking the rules with instant tan usage) "Wow, you are almost ready. We need to do one more chore", he said. I was not allowed to ask any questions as Brian drove me down to Muscle Beach. He gave me a diet Coke to drink...."drink it all now". I again asked to no avail what we were up to. It was about 7pm and the sun was setting and the beach had emptied. There it was...the piece of **** stage with all it's grafitti. We walked to the beach side of the stage and looked around and saw no one. "OK", said Brian...."pee on it like a dog marking his spot". I loved the idea and passed the recycled diet coke. With a high 5 we returned home.

Momma Snake, Brian and I drove to the beach. We were in high spirits. It was a foggy morning with a promise to burn off by noon. My color was perfect. When I entered the "pit" to warm up I felt full for the first time....the naked, skinny, empty feeling I had experienced in my previuos shows was gone. Sergio's workout partner Simmons was in the Masters class and attracted groups from Golds Venice and Worlds Venice out to the show. There was also a 6'5" giant at 280lbs. in the class. A former Oakland Raider. One fellow with white hair came up to me and told me that the show was his and he thought I might make it into the top 3. He wished me luck. "What a weenie", Brian said outloud while he pushed me thru my warm up routine. The L.A. Times photog was there as well as NBC television doing a 4th of July bit for the nightly news. We drew our line up numbers from a hat and I got placed on the far right under the flag. Chit!! Oh well, just need to nail it on my individual routine.

What is cool about this show is that it attracts a thousand or so regular folks off the beach. They think everyone looks like Arnold and they go crazy.
I felt that I nailed the compulseries in the morning as did all of my little group. The white haired weenie came up to me and said..."I told you that you would do well, you got at least 3rd."

It seemed like hours passed before the afternoon finals. The 2nd show is just the posing part to music for the audience and a phoney pose down so they felt part of the decision with their applause and shouts. With cameras rolling and bulbs flashing I showed them my mass, no cute stuff, just muscles baby.

Weenie 3rd. Simmons 2nd. Bill Mortimer Mr. Muscle Beach. L.A. Times pic attached.

I competed and won in the Open and the Over 50 in later years. The national titles were never to be had. I received a 3rd Masters Mr. America, 4th Masters Universe, 4th Mr. USA, 2nd. Mr. California and a Mr. San Francisco Over 50 on my 50th birthday. I was born in San Francisco 50 years earlier to the day.

I hung up my posing suit at 58. Where has the time gone?

[Baldiewonkanobi]

link

[ArchAngel'73]

More, please!
Thanks for the pic Baldie!

[oldsuperman]

THX Bill! A perfect read to start a perfect day!

ed

[bodyhard]

Wow, now this is BB at its best Baldie you da man! Thanks for the stories man, very inspirational!

[Tifflex]

Thanks for the wonderful stories Baldie!

[dcerullo]

Thanks Baldie, totally awesome and inspirational
DJ

[jaguarr]

Baldie, you and OldSupes have been an inspiration for a young punk like me to train old school; blood, sweat and crying is for pussies. Thanks for sharing this little piece of yourselves, guys. It's being heard.

jag

[oldsuperman]

Thanks for the wonderful stories Baldie!

My wife thinks this forum is dumb, yet she LOVES Baldie's stories and posts! I told her bout this one and she's all excited to read bout it! BTW, over three years in remission Brother Baldie! So far, so. so, so, good!

Baldie, you and OldSupes have been an inspiration for a young punk like me to train old school; blood, sweat and crying is for pussies. Thanks for sharing this little piece of yourselves, guys. It's being heard.

jag

THX for the encouragement! ed

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Off topic. Last summer when my bride was preparing for her mastectomy, her older sister from New England surprised us, sprouted angel wings and moved into our So Cal home for a month and did EVERYTHING. About 5 weeks ago she thought she had better have a mamogram with breast cancer now showing up for the first time in the family. This saved her life. Stage 1 was discovered and about 10 days ago I accompanied Momma Snake (airport stress and stroke don't mix) to be with her sister thru her mastectomy. I leave this weekend to go bring her home.

Thanx to sobriety and competetive bodybuilding I have the strength and stamina to be there when needed most.

Ladies...pap smears and mamograms
Gentlemen...PSA and the wandering finger
All my peeps....colonoscopy and skin cancer check

[NotTooLate]

What a great story! I loved every minute of that story I liked the pic too

More stories!

[backer]

I forgot about Bob Hoffman's soy powder and dessicated liver tablets. I ate the liver tablets by the handfulls.

A fun read walking with you down memory lane.

*
aA.FreeRadical a

Still do universal still sells em

[IR45N]

Keep this OP bumped!

[Baldiewonkanobi]

I owe so much to the early pioneers of Bodybuilding that I may never be able to repay my debt. Those pictures of Eugene Sandow and the ad in the back of my 1950 comic books of the guy getting sand kicked in his face, buying Charles Atlas' program, then comming back and beating up the bully, is cemented in my memory today as I type this.

http://www.sandowmuseum.com/atlas.html

I bought the Atlas program and shared it with an older kid next door who's dad had made him barbells using cement in coffee cans and a pipe in between. His dad was an olympic lifter. He wore a cave man like suit with only one shoulder strap. He had a huge lifting belt made out of a car tire cinched around his huge belly. We could watch him train in his garage if we promised not to talk.

Older men like Steeve Reeves, Bill Smith, Bill Pearl and Harry Pearl treated me as an equal and showed me by example not only the fruits of heavy lifting but also an uncompromising love of iron. With this emblazened in my head and soul I had a safe place to to run to on my first day of sobriety in 1980.

What worked then works now. Clean food, loads of protein and heavy ass lifting. Other than quick a Muscle Milk when I am too hurried to cook breakfast, a protein bar in my briefcase when on the road, and L-Glutamine in my hydration drink, I take nothing except loads of vit/min, Omegas, and various herbs. I met Bill Phillips when he was living in his mothers garage. He came up with Vanadyl from an obscure scientific article he had read. He purchased a tiny ad in a muscle mag...citing selected sentences from the research and thus started todays mega billion dollar Bodybuilding suppliment industry.

When I had the opportunity of publishing in several bodybuilding mags I always pinpointed Masters training, However, 100% of my letters came from kids and young men begging for a mentor. I did my best to assist them via letters back (E mailing was not available then) with nutrition, routine and motivational hints. It got too much for me and I stopped writing altogether after about 8 years. What a void there is in the truth. Just look at the teen section here in BB.Com. Everyone is looking for shortcuts and the magic pill. I don't know if it is the time we live in or just a malady of mankind.

Remember to always take the stairs. Hold small weights at hip level or higher when taking walks at home or on treadmill. If you can not do full range of motion on an exercise/lift then drop the weight down. Limit rest/recovery to 1 min. or less. Weight lifting can be cardio if done with higher reps and limited rest time. Hydrate. You are what you eat...protein, greens and good oils will make you sexy.

[Baldiewonkanobi]

This is really old school. I did this in wrestling class back in 1956 and did it for most of my contest preps....enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS1S0pPs4qo