Joe Weider's contribution to popularizing bodybuilding is unparalleled, but according to Rich Gaspari, it wasn't just about show; he genuinely cared about the athletes.

On April 22, Muscle and Fitness recently shared a small clip on their Instagram page of veteran bodybuilder Rich Gaspari remembering Joe Weider in the fondest way possible. He revealed a heartwarming side of Weider, where he would show genuine care for his athletes.

"It's kind of like my stories with Joe Weider and him calling me, you know, when I was training, I was in New Jersey, and he'd call me, how's your prep doing for the Olympia? So it's like he really had a care for every single individual."

The inaugural Arnold Classic winner added that he thought he was the only one Weider was calling, but soon realized it wasn't just him; Weider would also call other bodybuilders like Shawn Ray and eight-time Mr. Olympia champion, Lee Haney, to check up on them and know their progress.

Born in 1919 in Canada, Joe Weider was one of the most influential figures of modern bodybuilding. He, along with his brother, Ben, founded the biggest bodybuilding competition in the world, the Mr. Olympia contest.

He also founded well-known fitness magazines, such as Your Physique, Muscle and Fitness, and Flex. But his contribution doesn't just stop at promoting bodybuilding; he is also known for promoting fitness approaches like progressive overload and split training, which are followed even today. Due to all these contributions, he has earned himself the nickname 'Father of modern bodybuilding.'

Despite all these bodybuilding contributions, his biggest contribution remains Arnold Schwarzenegger.

When Weider met Schwarzenegger

Joe Weider is credited with launching the careers of many acclaimed bodybuilders like Frank Zane, Dave Draper, Sergio Olivia, Lee Haney, and even Ronnie Coleman.

But this best find will always remain the Austrian Oak, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Weider met a young Schwarzenegger in Europe and invited him to compete in the United States. After being impressed by the seven-time Mr. Olympia's physique, Weider said,

“You want to work, you want to build yourself, you are German, you are a machine, you are unbelievable. You are not like these lazy b*******!"

The Hollywood star said that Joe didn’t just inspire him but also made his bodybuilding dream come true by inviting him to America. He paid attention to him and advised him constantly, becoming a father figure for him.

Arnold Schwarzenegger also had a high regard for Weider and wrote a heartwarming thanks for his mentor.

“Right from the beginning, I felt that he looked at me as the son he never had. I felt that this was a unique opportunity to learn. My own father gave me advice about being disciplined, tough, and brave, but not advice on how to succeed in business.”

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Written by

Ruwa Javed

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil