Ben Weider, certainly one of the biggest early promoters of BB if not the biggest, died today at age 85.
As of now, there are no details on how he died, but the man was said to be in excellent shape, espacially for a man his age.
I know the “Weider principles” & M&F deserve a ton of flak, but let’s not forget the good stuff that he and his brother Joe did. Wihout them, we probably wouldnt be on this forum!
Here’s one link I found
R.I.P.
Thats a shame, him and his brother sparked bodybuilding as a sport in the world. He truly will be missed. RIP
I think BB as a sport is a tad weird and has gone way beyond sane today, but because of that weight training and all its subgenre (from pure fitness to crossfit to strongman etc.) have become popular, there are gyms everywhere, etc.
A GIGANTIC contribution to society for sure!
A scholar on the Napoleonic wars and a philanthropist to boot. Man will be missed.
Regardless of your opinions on professional bodybuilding or mainstream bodybuilding magazines, Ben, and his brother Joe, helped to lay the foundation for everything from sports supplements and commercial gyms to fitness magazines.
For better or worse, the Weider brothers will stand alongside Jack LaLanne, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Eugene Sandow as some of the most influential and wide-reaching figures in the fitness industry.
Unfortunate side note, there’s another less-respectful thread about this in the Off-Topic forum. How this is considered Off-Topic and not Bodybuilding-related is beyond me.
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
Regardless of your opinions on professional bodybuilding or mainstream bodybuilding magazines, Ben, and his brother Joe, helped to lay the foundation for everything from sports supplements and commercial gyms to fitness magazines.
For better or worse, the Weider brothers will stand alongside Jack LaLanne, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Eugene Sandow as some of the most influential and wide-reaching figures in the fitness industry.
Unfortunate side note, there’s another less-respectful thread about this in the Off-Topic forum. How this is considered Off-Topic and not Bodybuilding-related is beyond me.[/quote]
Most of the people on this forum probably don’t even lift weights regularly. That would be why no one seems to even have any care at all for this topic. Some of these people actually HATE the guys who are serious about this.
Rest in Peace, Ben.
A life well lived.
bravo.
RIP
Great man.
RIP
Epic loss. 8 fucking posts in this thread in the fucking bodybuilding section.
A great man, who used his time on Earth to the best of his ability and made a difference. Along with money in the process a true man and a good hero figure to look up too. I’d hope to meet the weider brothers in my life but our lives are at different time spectrums.
But it is good to live off the past generations example of hardwork, and not the current laziness that covers us. In your honor in the months before my contest I will train twice as hard in your memory. Hopefully the youth can live up to your standards and continue the art of bodybuilding.
RIP Ben.
An epic rise, and a dignified end.
You have my respect Ben.
How old is Joe W?
[quote]Boffin wrote:
How old is Joe W?[/quote]
86 or 88, depending on which source you read.