| In this article I give you the scoop on when and who | | | | (pun intended) of Reeves' look. The films took in $12 |
| made bodybuilding famous - When it started, the most | | | | Million dollars at the box office. |
| famous bodybuilders, and yes, Arnold | | | | Who Made It Really Famous? |
| Schwarzenegger is one of them. | | | | The bodybuilding world eventually found its true |
| When Did It Start? | | | | superstar when a man who barely spoke English |
| There is a great deal of credibility that would pinpoint | | | | headed to Weider's gym to train for the Mr. Olympia. |
| the late 1960s into the late 1970s as the start of | | | | That person, of course, was Arnold Schwarzenegger |
| bodybuilding. However, bodybuilding actually started | | | | ("The Terminator" for those who never knew his real |
| many, many years before. All one has to do is take a | | | | name). Arnie had a physique like no one had ever |
| look at the old circus and carnival circuit and see how | | | | seen before (not surprising since he had been |
| prominently the strongman was presented. From | | | | bodybuilding before he was even a teenager). He had |
| strongmen of yesteryear to the prominent personalities | | | | off-the-charts charisma that launched the craze of |
| of today, bodybuilding is certainly an important facet of | | | | bodybuilding in an era that saw the rise of some of the |
| pop culture. | | | | biggest legendary names in the business. The |
| Who Created it? | | | | documentary "Pumping Iron" captures the era |
| If one had to state who created the sensation of | | | | perfectly. |
| bodybuilding it would have to be Bob Hoffman, who | | | | The Legacy |
| started to promote bodybuilding in the 1930s. Later, the | | | | Not surprisingly, initially the general public felt that |
| legendary Joe Weider started promoting bodybuilder | | | | bodybuilding was a weird world, but there was a |
| types and the sport in general with the launch of his | | | | strange curiosity that motivated people to take a |
| own publications, which would bring attention to the | | | | curious look at it. Some of those people, particularly |
| sport. Weider then went on to become the promoter | | | | young boys, would go on to aspire to become |
| of the Mr. Olympia contest that became top | | | | bodybuilders themselves. They wanted large muscles |
| bodybuilding contest in the world. | | | | like Arnold's. This interest in bodybuilding, spawned out |
| The First True Star | | | | of the glory years, has allowed the business to thrive |
| Another person who helped draw attention to the | | | | and turn into a multi-million dollar business that is still |
| bodybuilding world was Steve Reeves. Reeves had a | | | | going strong. This is the true legacy of the era, and it is |
| physique like no one ever had before. He was tapped | | | | a legacy that will endure for many years to come. |
| to play Hercules in two silly Italian films on the strength | | | | |