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Bodybuilding Legends Show

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This website is devoted to the Legends of Bodybuilding from the 1960's to the 1990's.

by John Hansen

Website ↗patreon.com
Bodybuilding Legends Show

About Bodybuilding Legends Show

This website is devoted to the Legends of Bodybuilding from the 1960's to the 1990's. Featuring extensive interviews with the Bodybuilding Stars from the Golden Age of the sport, the Bodybuilding Legends Show reveals the history of the sport of Bodybuilding through the careers of it's most legendary stars. Learn about the competitions, the emotions and the motivations of the best bodybuilders in the world.

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Episodes

100 episodes
  1. Aug 30, 2026 · 1 hr 5 min

    1975 Year In Review, Part Two with Jerry Brainum

    Jerry Brainum, former writer for Muscle & Fitness and IronMan Magazine, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to review the year 1975. In Part Two of their interview, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the 1975 AABA Mr. America won by Robby Robinson, the AABA Mr. USA won by newcomer Danny Padilla and the IFBB Mr. World won by Robby Robinson. Finally Jerry and John talk about the 1975…

  2. Aug 19, 2026 · 58 min

    Tim Belknap, Part Two

    Tim Belknap, 1981 Mr. America, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. In Part Two of his interview, Tim talks about winning the 1981 Mr. America title over his rival Lance Dreher. Tim also talks about losing the IFBB Mr. Universe after the Mr. America and his quest to obtain his pro card over the next two years. Tim then talks about going over to Europe to compete in the NABBA and WABBA…

  3. Aug 10, 2026 · 1 hr 9 min

    Tim Belknap, Part One

    Tim Belknap, 1981 Mr. America, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. In Part One of his interview, Tim talks about why he started weight training to be a bodybuilder, the challenges he faced with being a diabetic, his rise to the top of the amateur level and winning the Mr. America title in 1981 over his rival, Lance Dreher. At the end of the interview, host John Hansen reads the article…

  4. Jul 14, 2026 · 2 hr 0 min

    Jerry Brainum Talks About the Arnold Interview

    Jerry Brainum is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to talk about the recent Arnold Schwarzenegger Interview featured on this podcast. Jerry and host John Hansen go over all five parts of the Arnold Interview in detail where Jerry offers his thoughts on the topics that Arnold covered. After the interview with Jerry, John reads the article "Arnold Schwarzenegger Interview: Part One"…

  5. Jun 15, 2026 · 1 hr 9 min

    Arnold Schwarzenegger, Part Five

    In his fifth and final part of his interview with the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, Arnold Schwarzenegger talks about the publicity surrounding the book and movie "Pumping Iron" and how bodybuilding began to be accepted into the general public and into Hollywood in the late 1970's. Arnold also talks about the controversy involved in the 1980 Mr. Olympia which he won after a 5 year layoff. Arnold also explains how…

The archive: 95 older episodes
  1. Jun 8, 2026 Arnold Schwarzenegger, Part Four
    Arnold Schwarzenegger is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. In Part Four of his interview, Arnold talks about not being allowed to compete in the 1971 NABBA Pro Mr. Universe against Bill Pearl and Sergio, winning the 1971 Mr. Olympia unopposed, winning a close battle with Sergio at the 1972 Mr. Olympia, having knee surgery after injuring his knee during a guest posing exhibition, the…
  2. May 23, 2026 Arnold Schwarzenegger, Part Three
    Arnold Schwarzenegger, 7x Mr. Olympia and 5x Mr. Universe, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. In Part Three of his interview, Arnold talks about meeting Sergio Oliva in 1968 and then training with him at the Duncan YMCA in 1969. Arnold also talks about competing against Sergio at the 1969 Mr. Olympia on the same night he won the 1969 IFBB Mr. Universe contest. Arnold continues talking…
  3. May 18, 2026 Arnold Schwarzenegger, Part Two
    Arnold Schwarzenegger, 7x Mr. Olympia and 5x Mr. Universe, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. In Part Two of his interview, Arnold talks about winning his first Mr. Universe title in 1967 at 20 years old. Arnold also talks about the training he did to bulk up his physique, winning his second NABBA Mr. Universe title in 1968 and then competing in his first contest in America, the 1968…
  4. May 10, 2026 Arnold Schwarzenegger, Part One
    Arnold Schwarzenegger, 7x Mr. Olympia and the undisputed King of Bodybuilding, is the guest on this special episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. In Part One of his interview, Arnold talks about his first competitions in Austria as a teenager, winning the Best Built Man in Europe - Junior Division at 18 years old, moving to Munich, Germany in 1966, competing in his first NABBA Mr. Universe contest at 19…
  5. Apr 29, 2026 1975 In Review, Part One with Jerry Brainum
    Former Muscle & Fitness and IronMan Magazine writer Jerry Brainum joins John Hansen to review the year 1975 in Bodybuilding for the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. In Part One of their interview, Jerry and John talk about the 1975 AAU Mr. America won by Dale Adrian and featuring the national debut of Robby Robinson. Jerry and John also talk about the 1975 NABBA Mr. Universe won by Boyer Coe (Professional) and Ian…
  6. Feb 8, 2026 Jon Jon Park, Part Two
    Jon Jon Park, son of 3x Mr. Universe Reg Park, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Jon Jon talks about meeting Arnold for the first time in 1967 when he was a guest of his father's in South Africa, the many business interests owned by Reg Park and his memories of his dad competing in the NABBA Mr. Universe contest. Links: Become a Patreon Member Bodybuilding Legends website John Hansen…
  7. Jan 26, 2026 Jon Jon Park, Part One
    Jon Jon Park, the son of Reg Park, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Jon Jon talks about growing up in England and South Africa with his father Reg Park and his mother Mareon. He also talks about when Arnold came to South Africa to train with his father after winning the 1967 NABBA Mr. Universe, how Reg met his wife Mareon and the many businesses that his father ran. Jon Jon also…
  8. Dec 22, 2025 Bodybuilding Year in Review - 1965 with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to review the year 1965. Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the major competitions from this year including the AAU Mr. America, the NABBA Mr. Universe and the IFBB Mr. America, Mr. Universe and the first Mr. Olympia. At the end of the podcast, John reads an article from the February, 1966 issue of IronMan Magazine about the 1965 Mr.…
  9. Nov 5, 2025 Rick Valente - My Life's Ride
    Rick Valente is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Rick is the author of his new book, My Life's Ride, and he talks about his life journey from growing up in Conneticut, moving to Florida and then finally relocating to Southern California. Rick also talks about training at Gold's Gym during the Golden Age of Bodybuilding and all the famous and influential people he met during this period…
  10. Sep 18, 2025 Bob Birdsong
    Bob Birdsong, 1974 IFBB Mr. America winner, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Bob was one of the best bodybuilders during the Golden Age and he trained at the original Gold's Gym in the early 1970's alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu and Kent Kuehn. Bob made a comeback to competition in the early 1980's and placed very high in the IFBB professional competitions. Bob…
  11. Sep 10, 2025 John Little, author of Mike Mentzer: American Odysseus, Part Two
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, author John Little talks about his new book Mike Mentzer: American Odysseus. In Part Two of his interview, John talks about Mike Mentzer's physique progress in regards to his genetics vs his Heavy Duty training style. John also talks about Mike's challenge of competing in the Frank Zane era, his weight for the 1980 Olympia Time Stamps: 2:23 - Emails to the…
  12. Aug 21, 2025 John Little, author of Mike Mentzer: American Odysseus, Part One
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, author John Little talks about his new book Mike Mentzer: American Odysseus . In Part One of his interview, John talks about the reason he wanted to write a biography about his friend Mike Mentzer to fully explain his life and tragic ending. John also talks about Mike's early years in Bodybuilding including training as a teenager, his shoulder injury that almost…
  13. Jun 23, 2025 Mike Sapp, Arnold's Training Partner in 1980
    Mike Sapp, who trained with Arnold Schwarzenegger during the summer of 1980 right before the Mr. Olympia contest, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Mike talks about when he started training, his time working out at Gold's Gym in the late 1970's and, of course, his time training with Arnold during the summer of 1980. At the end of the podcast, host John Hansen reads the article "My…
  14. May 27, 2025 Carlos from Golden Era Bookworm, Part Two
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, Carlos Cassana from the YouTube channel Golden Era Bookworm, is the guest. In Part Two of his interview, Carlos talks with John about a variety of topics including how the general public looks at Bodybuilding, how healthy is natural bodybuildiing, Carlos's opinion of bodybuilding, the longevity of bodybuilders from the different eras and when did steroid use…
  15. May 7, 2025 Carlos from Golden Era BookWorm, Part One
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, Carlos Cassana, from the popular YouTube page Golden Era Bookworm, is the guest to talk about his passion for Bodybuilding. In Part One of his interview, Carlos talks about how he became interested in Bodybuilding as a young man, his fascination with the early bodybuilders from the Bronze and Silver Eras and why the Golden Era was the greatest period in…
  16. Apr 23, 2025 1994 Mr. Olympia Review, Part Two with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum, former writer for Muscle & Fitness, Flex and IronMan Magazine, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to discuss the 1994 Mr. Olympia contest. In Part Two of his interview, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the results from the 1994 Mr. Olympia and the Grand Prix contests that took place in the weeks following the Olympia. At the end of the interview, John reads the…
  17. Apr 14, 2025 1994 Mr. Olympia Review - Part One with Jerry Brainum
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, Jerry Brainum is the guest to review the 1994 Mr. Olympia contest. In Part One of their interview, Jerry and host John Hansen first talk about the recent passings of bodybuilders Lloyd "Red" Lerille and Pat Neve. Jerry and John also begin their discussion of the 1994 Mr. Olympia contest in which Dorian Yates won his third title over Shawn Ray and Kevin Levrone.…
  18. Apr 9, 2025 Jack Neary Interview, Part Two
    Jack Neary, one of bodybuilding's greatest writers to cover the sport, joins the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast for Part Two of his interview. In this interview, Jack talks about when he was suspended from the IFBB for a contest article he wrote. He also talks more about Robby Robinson and Kal Szkalak and he gives his thoughts on why Arnold Schwarzenegger entered the 1980 Mr. Olympia contest. At the end of the…
  19. Apr 1, 2025 Jack Neary Interview, Part One
    Jack Neary, one of the best writers to ever write for Joe Weider's Muscle Builder magazine, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. In Part One of his interview, Jack talks about his friendship with Mike Mentzer as well as his thoughts about the 1980 Mr. Olympia contest including the backstage argument with Mentzer and Arnold. Jack also talks about his relationship with Robby Robinson in…
  20. Mar 20, 2025 Red Lerille RIP, Jack Neary articles
    On. this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen talks about the passing of Lloyd "Red" Lerille, 1960 AAU Mr. America, who passed away on March 14, 2025. John reads an article about Red when he won the 1960 Mr. America contest from IronMan Magazine. John also reads a series of articles written by Jack Neary, one of the best writers to work for Muscle Builder Magazine in the late 1970's. Time…
  21. Feb 24, 2025 Kevin Levrone and Shawn Ray review the 1994 Mr. Olympia
    Bodybuilding legends Kevin Levrone and Shawn Ray are the guests on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to review the 1994 Mr. Olympia contest. Shawn was in second place at the Mr. Olympia in 1994 while Kevin took third place that year. Both Kevin and Shawn talk about their condition at the contest, the controversial win by Dorian Yates who was competing with a torn bicep and how the contest was judged…
  22. Feb 17, 2025 1994 In Review, Part Two with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum, former writer for Muscle & Fitness, Flex and IronMan Magazine, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to continue the end of the year reviews for the year 1994 in Bodybuilding. In Part Two of their interview, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the professional bodybuilding contests from 1994 including the Arnold Classic, Night of the Champions, IronMan Pro Invitational,…
  23. Feb 11, 2025 1994 In Review, Part One with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum, former writer for Muscle & Fitness, Flex and IronMan Magazine, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to continue their end of the year Reviews for the year 1994 in Bodybuilding. In Part One of their interview, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the top amateur competitions from 1994 including the NPC USA which was won by Dennis Newman, the 1994 North American…
  24. Feb 3, 2025 1984 In Review, Part Three with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum, former writer for Muscle & Fitness and IronMan Magazine, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to continue the Review of the year 1984 in Bodybuilding. In Part Three of his interview, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the 1984 Mr. Olympia contest in which Lee Haney won his first Mr. Olympia title and Sergio Oliva made a comeback to the IFBB after 12 years. John and…
  25. Jan 28, 2025 1984 In Review, Part Two with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum, former writer for Muscle & Fitness, Flex and IronMan Magazine , is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast for the annual Year in Review show. On this episode, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the year 1984 in Bodybuilding. In Part Two of their interview, Jerry and John discuss the 1984 NPC Nationals won by Mike Christian and the 1984 IFBB Mr. Universe which was held in Las…
  26. Jan 20, 2025 1984 In Review, Part One with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum, former writer for Muscle & Fitness, Flex and IronMan Magazine , is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast for the annual Year in Review show. On this episode, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the year 1984 in Bodybuilding. In Part One of their interview, Jerry and John talk about the 1984 AAU Mr. America contest won by Joe Meeko and the 1984 NABBA Mr. Universe contest won…
  27. Jan 6, 2025 1974 Year In Review, Part Two with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum, former writer for Muscle & Fitness and IronMan Magazine , is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast for the annual Year in Review show. On this episode, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the year 1974 in Bodybuilding. In Part Two of their interview, Jerry and John discuss the 1974 Mr. Olympia contest in which Arnold Schwarzenegger won his fifth Mr. Olympia title over Lou…
  28. Jan 1, 2025 1974 Year In Review, Part One with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum, former writer for Muscle & Fitness magazine and IronMan Magazine , is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Jerry joins host John Hansen to review the Year 1974 in Bodybuilding. In Part One of their discussion, Jerry and John talk about the 1974 AAU Mr. America contest won by Ron Thompson, the 1974 NABBA Mr. Universe contest which was won by Roy Duval (Amateur) and Chris…
  29. Dec 23, 2024 1964 Year in Review with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum, former writer for Muscle & Fitness magazine, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. On this episode, Jerry and John talk about the year 1964 in Bodybuilding for their annual End of the Year Review. Jerry and John review the major competitons of 1964 including the 1964 AAU Mr. America contest won by Val Vasilieff, the 1964 NABBA Mr Universe won by John Hewlett and Earl…
  30. Dec 16, 2024 Bodybuilding Articles - Muscle Training Illustrated
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads a series of articles from Dan Lurie's Muscle Training Illustrated magazine. Included in the articles read is an article about a young Lou Ferrigno, Lance Dreher after he won the 1981 IFBB Mr. Universe, an interview with Rachel McLish after she won her second Ms. Olympia title in 1982, a profile on Phil Williams after his dominating win at…
  31. Dec 3, 2024 Mike Torchia
    Mike Torchia, 1976 Teenage Mr. America and 1977 Collegiate Mr. America, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Mike talks about how he started bodybuilding as a teenager and transformed his body from a fat kid to a bodybuilding champion, eventually winning the Teenage Mr. America and the Collegiate Mr. America. Mike also shares his story of traveling to California as a young man to train…
  32. Nov 24, 2024 Sean Paul Jenkins - Part Two
    Sean Paul Jenkins, 1985 NPC USA and IFBB World Games Middleweight winner, is the guest this week on the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. In Part Two of his interview, Sean talks about the art of posing, returning to competition in 2010, competing in his first Mr. Olympia, competing in Mixed Pairs competitions and starting a career as a chiropractor. At the end of the Podcast, host John Hansen reads the article "Sean…
  33. Nov 18, 2024 Sean Paul Jenkins - Part One
    Sean Paul Jenkins, Middleweight Champion of the 1985 NPC USA and IFBB World Games, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. On Part One of his interview, Sean Paul talks about how he started bodybuilding after incurring an injury playing football and his early experiences competing in the sport. Sean also talks about competing in the 1985 NPC USA Championships and then traveling to London…
  34. Nov 12, 2024 Bodybuilding Articles - Muscle & Fitness Magazine circa 1987
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads four articles from Muscle & Fitness magazine circa 1987. Included in the articles read on this episode are "The First Great Strongman" about the life of Eugene Sandow written by David Chapman, "Eyewitness to History" about the 1987 Night of the Champions contest report written by Ben Pesta, "The Psychology of a Competitor" written by Mike…
  35. Nov 5, 2024 2024 Mr. Olympia Review, Part Two with Jerry Brainum
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, former Muscle and Fitness writer Jerry Brainum is the guest to talk about the 2024 Mr. Olympia contest. In Part Two of his interview, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the top competitors in the contest. They also talk about the Classic Physique Olympia and the retirement of Chris Bumstead. At the end of the interview, John reads the 1985 Mr. Olympia contest…
  36. Oct 29, 2024 Mr. Olympia Review with Jerry Brainum, Part One
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, former Muscle and Fitness writer Jerry Brainum, is the guest to talk about the recent 2024 Mr. Olympia contest. In Part One of the interview, Jerry and host John Hansen review the biggest competition of the year. They analyze all the top contestants and talk about their strengths and weaknesses and what they should do to improve for next year. Time Stamps: 1:53 -…
  37. Oct 18, 2024 Victor Terra - Part Two
    Victor Terra, 1983 AAU Teenage Mr. America and NPC Teenage USA, NABBA Amateur and Pro Mr. Universe and the Short Class winner of the 1985 AAU Mr. America, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. In Part Two of his interview, Victor talks about competing and winning the 1985 AAU Jr. Mr. America and Mr. America competitions and his experience competing at the NABBA Mr. Universe contest.…
  38. Oct 6, 2024 Victor Terra - Part One
    Victor Terra, 1983 Teenage Mr. America and Teenage Mr. USA, NABBA Mr. Universe and Pro Mr. Universe and Short Class Winner at the 1985 AAU Mr. America, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. In Part One of his interview, Victor explains how he started bodybuilding and meeting his mentor Bob Gruskin. Victor also talks about his succes competing in the Teenage Bodybuilding contests by…
  39. Sep 24, 2024 Bob Cicherillo
    Bob Cicherillo, 2000 NPC USA Champion and the "Voice of Bodybuilding", is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to talk about his long career in bodybuilding. Bob began competing at only 13 years old in his hometown of Rochester, New York. He won the 1987 NPC Junior Nationals and battled his way to the top through the competitive ranks of the NPC until he finally got his pro card by winning…
  40. Sep 17, 2024 Dan Solomon on the 60th Mr. Olympia
    Dan Solomon, the President of the Mr. Olympia competition, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Dan talks about the events that will take place for the 60th Mr. Olympia competition which will take place in Las Vegas on October 10-13, 2024. Dan gives the details on the new venue for the Mr. Olympia and what goes into putting on the biggest bodybuilding competition in the world. At the…
  41. Sep 9, 2024 Nicolas Chemla, author of Mister America, Part Two
    Nicolas Chemla, author of the new book Mister America , is the guest on the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast for Part Two of his interview. Mister America is a novel about the life of bodybuilder Mike Mentzer. Originally published in France in 2019, Mister America has now been translated to English and is available in the United States. In Part Two of his interview, Nicolas talks about Mike's trip to see the first Mr.…
  42. Sep 2, 2024 Nicolas Chemla, author of Mister America, Part One
    Nicolas Chemla, author of the book Mister America , is the guest of this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Mister America is a novel about the life of bodybuilder Mike Mentzer. Originally published in France in 2019, Mister America is now available in the United States and translated to English. In Part One of his interview, Nicolas talks about why he decided to write the book about Mike Mentzer and the…
  43. Aug 28, 2024 Old School Bodybuilding Articles
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads four selected articles from the bodybuilding magazines during the 1970's-1980's era. These articles include a report of the 1977 NABBA Mr. Universe, Lee Haney's article after winning his first Mr. Olympia title, Frank Zane's thoughts about retiring from bodybuilding competition and an interview with Rick Wayne from 1987. Time Stamps: 2:20 -…
  44. Aug 19, 2024 Mr. Olympia History, Part Three with Jerry Brainum
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, guest Jerry Brainum joins John Hansen for Part Three of their interview about the history of the Mr. Olympia contest. On this episode, Jerry and John talk about the Lee Haney Era (1984-1991) in which Lee Haney set the record for most Mr. Olympia wins. They also discuss the Mass Monster Era which started when Dorian Yates was winning the Mr. Olympia contest from…
  45. Aug 11, 2024 Mr. Olympia History, Part Two with Jerry Brainum
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, guest Jerry Brainum joins John Hansen for Part Two of his discussion about the History of the Mr. Olympia contest. On this episode, Jerry and John talk about the Columbus Years (1976-1979) when Arnold and Jim Lorimer promoted the Mr. Olympia in Columbus, Ohio. They also discuss the Controversial Years (1980-1981), the two most controversial Mr. Olympia's in the…
  46. Aug 6, 2024 Mr. Olympia History, Part One with Jerry Brainum
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, guest Jerry Brainum joins John Hansen for a discussion about the History of the Mr. Olympia contest. This year will mark the 60th Mr. Olympia so Jerry and John go all the way back to the first Mr. Olympia contest and talk about the different eras of the biggest bodybuilding contest in the world. In Part One of their discussion, Jerry and John talk about the Bud…
  47. Jun 26, 2024 1984 NPC Nationals contest report
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads three contest reports about the 1984 NPC Nationals. This great competition was won by Mike Christian in the heavyweight class and overall with Rich Gaspari taking first place in the light heavyweight class. John reads the contest reports from Flex Magazine, Muscle & Fitness and IronMan Magazine. Also included in this episode is the contest…
  48. Jun 4, 2024 1984 Mr. Olympia contest report
    The 1984 Mr. Olympia contest was one of the best Olympia's in the 60 year history of that competition. Featuring 20 of the best bodybuilders of that time, the 1984 Mr. Olympia featured bodybuilders from the 1970's (Chris Dickerson, Boyer Coe, Robby Robinson, Albert Beckles, Roy Callender, Bob Birdsong) matching up with the current group of bodybuilding champs (Lee Haney, Mohamed Makkawy, Samir Bannout, Jusup…
  49. May 16, 2024 Muscle Mag International Articles with Chris Lund
    Famous photographer Chris Lund took some of the best photos in Bodybuilding during his time working for the magazines. But Chris also wrote some articles for MuscleMag International during his time working for the magazine in the 1980's. On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads four articles written by Chris Lund from 1981-1982 for MuscleMag International. The bodybuilders covered…
  50. May 2, 2024 1974 Mr. Olympia and Serge Nubret
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the 1974 Mr. Olympia contest by reading two articles from Sports Illustrated Magazine about bodybuilding and the Mr. Olympia contest that year. John reads the article "The Men and the Myth" by Richard W. Johnston from the October 14, 1974 issue of Sports Illustrated and then he reads the follow-up article…
  51. Apr 13, 2024 The Days of Reeves, Scott and Oliva
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads some articles from the Golden Age of Bodybuilding when Steve Reeves, John Grimek, Larry Scott and Sergio Oliva were winning the top championships. Included in the articles shared on this episode are "Steve Reeves Wins 1947 Mr. America" written by Mark Wolfe from the January, 1978 issue of Muscle Builder magazine, "Mr. America Contest 1947"…
  52. Apr 2, 2024 Remembering Roger Schwab
    Roger Schwab, head judge for the IFBB Professional League during the late 1970's and early 1980's, passed away on March 25, 2024 at the age of 79. Roger was a guest on the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast several times since the podcast began in 2017, sharing his stories of watching some of the most historical bodybuilding competitions from the Golden Era, training with Mike Mentzer and judging top competitions like…
  53. Mar 26, 2024 1978 Night of the Champions and World Cup
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads the contest reports of the first Night of the Champions contest in 1978 as well as the 1978 World Cup promoted by Golds Gym owner Ken Sprague. Included in the articles read are "The Night of the Champions Turns Into the Night of Controversy" from the October 1978 issue of Muscle Digest magazine, "The Night of the Champions Was Robby…
  54. Mar 19, 2024 Bodybuilding in the Movies
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen goes back to the years 1976-1977 when the movies discovered the sport of bodybuilding with the release of "Stay Hungry" (1976) and "Pumping Iron" (1977). John reads a series of articles from both Muscle Builder magazine and Muscle Mag International about these two ground breaking movies when they were being made and then finally released. The…
  55. Mar 4, 2024 Arnold Classic Tribute
    In this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, as a tribute to the Arnold Classic, host John Hansen reads three articles about some old Arnold Classic competitions from the 1990's. John also reads an interview with Arnold from 1993 about his views on the future of the Bodybuilding and Fitness industry. At the beginning of the podcast, John talks about the 2024 Arnold Classic which took place this past weekend…
  56. Feb 26, 2024 Bodybuilding Magazines - 1983 Pro World and John Balik's Bodybuilding News
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads three articles about the 1983 Pro World Bodybuiliding Championships from three different magazines - Muscle & Fitness, Flex Magazine and Muscle Mag International. John also talks about John Balik's Bodybuilding News magazines which ran during the year 1983 and he reads two articles from that magazine about the 1983 NPC Nationals and the…
  57. Feb 20, 2024 1993 In Review, Part Three - 1993 Mr. Olympia Review with Shawn Ray and Jerry Brainum
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, guests Shawn Ray and Jerry Brainum discuss the 1993 Mr. Olympia contest where Dorian Yates won his second Mr. Olympia title and Shawn Ray placed a very close third place behind runner-up Flex Wheeler. Shawn talks about training with Flex Wheeler earlier in the year to prep him for his Arnold Classic win, his own preparation for the Mr. Olympia that year and his…
  58. Feb 15, 2024 1993 In Review, Part Two with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum, former writer for Flex, Muscle & Fitness and IronMan Magazine, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to review the year 1993 in Bodybuilding. In Part Two of their interview, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about some of the major professional bodybuilding competitions in 1993 including the IronMan Pro Invitational, the Arnold Classic won by Flex Wheeler, the Night of the…
  59. Feb 5, 2024 1993 In Review, Part One with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum, former writer for Muscle & Fitness, Flex and IronMan Magazine, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to review the year 1993 in Bodybuilding. In Part One of his interview, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the top amateur competitions from the year 1993. Included in their discusssion is the 1993 NPC USA Championships won by Chris Cormier, the 1993 NPC Nationals won by…
  60. Jan 29, 2024 1983 In Review, Part Two with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum, former writer for Muscle & Fitness and IronMan Magazine, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to review the year 1983 in Bodybuilding. In Part Two of his interview, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the professional bodybuilding competitions from that year including the 1983 Professional World Championships won by Mohamed Makkawy, the 1983 Night of the Champions won by…
  61. Jan 22, 2024 1983 In Review, Part One with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum, former writer for Muscle & Fitness and IronMan Magazine, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to review the year 1983 in Bodybuilding. In Part One of this episode, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the major amateur competitions in 1983 including the 1983 AAU Mr. America won by Jeff King, the 1983 NABBA Mr. Universe won by Jeff King (amateur) and Edwardo Kawak…
  62. Jan 8, 2024 1973 In Review with Jerry Brainum
    Jerry Brainum, former writer at Muscle & Fitness and IronMan Magazine, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to review the year 1973 in Bodybuilding. Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the major bodybuilding competitions in 1973 including the 1973 AAU Mr. America won by Jim Morris, the 1973 NABBA Mr. Universe won by Chris Dickerson and Boyer Coe, the 1973 IFBB Mr. America won by Lou…
  63. Jan 1, 2024 1963 In Review with Jerry Brainum
    Happy New Year! In this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, guest Jerry Brainum again joins John Hansen for their annual End of the Year review in which they look back 30, 40 and 50 years in Bodybuilding History. For this episode, Jerry and John actually go back 60 years to 1963 to discuss the AAU Mr. America in which Harold Poole lost to Vern Weaver and the IFBB Mr. America and Mr. Universe featuring such…
  64. Dec 25, 2023 Bodybuilding Magazines - 1980 and 1981 Mr. Olympia reports
    In this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads the contest reports of the controversial 1980 and 1981 Mr. Olympia contests from Muscle Mag International and Muscle Digest magazines. The articles included in this episode include "Arnold's 7th Olympia Win Tarnished by Controversy" written by Jon Meade from the December, 1980 issue of Muscle Digest magazine, "The Olympia Fiasco" written by…
  65. Dec 4, 2023 Bodybuilding Magazine - 1980 Grand Prix Contests
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads a series of articles about the 1980 IFBB Grand Prix circuit as reported in Muscle & Fitness magazine. This was the first year in which the IFBB held a series of professional contests from February to May, 1980 featuring some of the best professional bodybuilders in the world. Included in these competitions were bodybuilders such as Chris…
  66. Nov 21, 2023 Bodybuilding Magazines - Mr. Olympia articles
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads a series of articles about the Mr. Olympia winners from 1977-1983. The articles that are included in this episode include "How the Kid with the Football Exploded Robby's Dream" about Frank Zane's first Mr. Olympia win in 1977, "A Bodybuilders Notebook: How I won the Mr. Olympia" by Franco Columbu in 1981, "Chris Dickerson: Iron in the…
  67. Nov 16, 2023 Paul Becker - Mike Mentzer and Me
    Author Paul Becker joins the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast for this episode to talk about his new book Mike Mentzer and Me . Paul explains what it was like to train with Mike Mentzer about a year before he passed away and what he learned about Mike's training philosophy. Paul also talks about how he was able to apply these training principles to his own workouts in order to compete in natural bodybuilding…
  68. Oct 25, 2023 Arnold - A Portrait by George Butler
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads excerpts from the book Arnold Schwarzenegger - A Portrait by George Butler. In his 1990 book, the director of the movie "Pumping Iron" displays his many rare photographs of Arnold Schwarzenegger from their relationship between 1972-1980 as well as sharing his thoughts and reflections on the impact Arnold made in bodybuilding and Arnold's…
  69. Oct 10, 2023 Bodybuilding Magazines - MuscleMag Articles
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads a series of articles from some old MuscleMag International magazines from the late 1970's and early 1980's. MuscleMag International magazine was published by Robert Kennedy. The magazine started in 1974 and it became one of the most popular magazines in the bodybuilding industry thanks in part to its unbiased coverage of all the…
  70. Sep 25, 2023 Pumping Iron - Quotes from the Book
    In this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen revisits the classic book Pumping Iron. John reads all the quotes included in the book as well as reading some of the relevant excerpts from the original book published in 1974 and written by Charles Gaines. At the beginning of the podcast, John talks about the career of bodybuilder Franklyn Greene who recently passed away this past week. Links:…
  71. Sep 11, 2023 Bodybuilding Magazine Articles Part 6
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads a series of articles from the bodybuilding magazines in 1977. The articles that are included in this episode include "AFAB Star Wars" written by Denie for the MuscleMag Annual 3, "Tom Minichiello Stages Successful Mr. Western Hemisphere/Mr. USA Contests" by Rick Wayne for the February, 1978 issue of Muscle Builder, "The Good, the Bad, The…
  72. Sep 4, 2023 6 Year Anniversary Special, Part Three
    For the final installment of the 6th Anniversary of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen selects some clips of his favorite interviews of the last six years. Included in Part Three of the 6th Anniversary show are interviews with Jerry Brainum about the 1971 NABBA Mr. Universe and the 1971 Mr. Olympia, Australian photographer Robert Nailon talks about meeting Arnold for the first time and his thoughts…
  73. Aug 21, 2023 6th Anniversary Show, Part Two
    The Bodybuilding Legends Podcast continues the celebration of our 6th Anniversary with some excerpts from some of our favorite interviews over the last six years. Included in Part Two of teh 6th Anniversary Special are interviews with Rich Gaspari, Rick Wayne, Jerry Brainum, Roger Schwab, John Little and Jack Neary. (Time Stamps below) Time Stamps: 5:00 - Andrew Jacked wins the Texas Pro 7:30 - 1977 Mr. America…
  74. Aug 15, 2023 6th Anniversary Show, Part One
    The Bodybuilding Legends Podcast is celebrating the 6th Anniversary of the podcast by featuring clips of some of our favorite episodes. Included in Part One of the 6th Anniversary special are interviews with Rick Wayne, Charles Gaines, Lee Labrada, Tony Pearson, Tom Terwilliger, Phil Williams, Danny Padilla, Boyer Coe and Roy Callender. (Time Stamps below) Time Stamps: 9:45 - Rick Wayne talks about Joe and Ben…
  75. Aug 8, 2023 Steve Weinberger
    Steve Weinberger, head judge for the IFBB Pro League and co-owner of Bev's Gym in New York, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Steve talks about being involved with the film "Pumping Iron II: The Women" in 1983, meeting Bev Francis and some of the memorable competitions he saw in the 1980's. Steve also gives his thoughts on judging a physique, how much posing matters in bodybuilding…
  76. Jul 10, 2023 Brian Moss - Part Two
    Brian Moss, the founder of Better Bodies Gym in New York City, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. In Part Two of his interview, Brian talks about his career as a photographer in the bodybuilding world, his thoughts on the current state of women's bodybuilding and his break-up with Gladys Portugues. At the end of the interview, host John Hansen reads two articles from Flex Magazine .…
  77. Jul 3, 2023 Brian Moss - Part One
    Brian Moss, the founder of the original Better Bodies Gym in New York, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. In Part One of his interview, Brian talks about why he opened up Better Bodies Gym in the 1980's, his decision to market his gym to women and his idea for developing an advertising agency to represent bodybuilders. At the end of the Podcast, host John Hansen reads the article…
  78. Jun 26, 2023 Arnold Netflix Documentary - Part Two with Jerry Brainum
    This week on the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, writer Jerry Brainum returns for Part Two of his interview about the documentary on Arnold Schwarzenegger currently playing on Netflix. In the second part of their interview, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about Part One of the documentary "Arnold" which centers around Arnold Schwarzenegger's bodybuilding career. Included in the discussion is Arnold's introduction to…
  79. Jun 19, 2023 Arnold Netfllix Documentary - Part One with Jerry Brainum
    This week on the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, writer Jerry Brainum is the guest to discuss the new documentary on Netflix called "Arnold". This 3 part documentary series covers the life of Arnold Schwarzenegger in three episodes that talk about his life as an Athlete, Actor and Politician. In Part One of the interview, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about Arnold's movie career from his auspicious debut in…
  80. Jun 12, 2023 Mike Quinn Tribute with Rick Valente and Neal Spruce
    This episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast is a tribute to bodybuilder Mike Quinn who recently passed away on May 31st, 2023 at the age of 61. Guests Rick Valente and Neal Spruce were close friends and training partners of Mike back in the 1980's and '90's during Mike's competitive career. Neal talks about when Mike lived with him and his wife for a year and what it was like to train with him for the 1990 Mr.…
  81. Jun 5, 2023 Gabe Boudreaux
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, Gabe Boudreaux joins the show to talk about his career in Bodybuilding. Gabe started training as a skinny teen in Louisiana and he took to weight training like a fish takes to water. After winning some local shows, Gabe decided to move to California, the Mecca of Bodybuilding. While in California, Gabe trained at Vince's Gym and became training partners with…
  82. May 23, 2023 Bodybuilding Magazine Articles Part 5
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads some old bodybuilding articles from both Muscle & Fitness and Muscle Mag International Annual 77 magazines. Included in this episode are the 1986 Pro World Championships and Mr. Olympia contest reports, an article about the "Pumping Iron" premiere from January, 1977, "How Arnold Handles Stupid Questions about Bodybuilding", "The Real Story…
  83. May 2, 2023 Bodybuilding Magazine Articles Part 4
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads some old articles from Muscle Builder Magazine from the 1970's and '80's era. Included in this episode are the articles "How I Use My Head to Build Muscle" and "I Envisioned the World's Greatest Back", both written by Arnold Schwarzenegger, "The 1976 IFBB World Bodybuilding Championships report" and "Dickerson Knocks 'Em Dead - The 1979…
  84. Apr 24, 2023 David Kinder
    David Kinder is an 86 year old bodybuilder who trained at the original Muscle Beach and was one of the early members of Vic Tanny's Gym, the original Gold's Gym and the legendary Dungeon Gym in California. David joins the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast on this episode to share his stories of watching Steve Reeves compete in 1947 and training alongside bodybuilding legends like Dave Draper, Chet Yorton, Don Howorth…
  85. Apr 10, 2023 Bodybuilding Magazine Articles Part 3
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads some old articles from some classic bodybuilding magazines from the 1970's and '80's. Included in this episode are John Hansen's article about Tony Pearson winning the controversial 1978 Mr. America contest, Robert Nailon's article "Arnold Came to Dinner" from the Muscle Mag Annual 77, Armand Tanny's article "Zane: Reframing the Nightmare"…
  86. Mar 27, 2023 Tony Pearson - "Driven: The Tony Pearson Story"
    1978 AAU Mr. America and 1980 NABBA Pro Mr. Universe Tony Pearson is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Tony is joined by Andrew Menjivar, the director of the new documentary "Driven: The Tony Pearson Story". The film was recently screened at a film festival in California and won the prize for Best Documentary Film. In the interview, Tony and Andrew talk about the making of the…
  87. Mar 21, 2023 Bill Grant
    1974 IFBB Mr. World Bill Grant is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Bill talks about the workouts he is following now to look so good at 76 years old. Bill also talks about his role in the recent documentary "Dream Big", meeting Joe Weider for the first time and his memories of training at the original Gold's Gym in Venice, California. At the end of the Podcast, host John Hansen reads…
  88. Mar 9, 2023 Bodybuilding Magazine Articles Part 2
    On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, host John Hansen reads some old bodybuilding magazine articles from the 1970's and '80's. Included in this episode is the article "Behind the Stars" written by Bill Reynolds from the Muscle Mag Annual 3, "The First Battle of the Season" written by Bill Dobbins from the August, 1983 issue of Flex Magazine, "Training Strategies of Frank Zane" written by Rick Wayne…
  89. Feb 27, 2023 Arnold Classic Winners Interviews
    To celebrate the upcoming 35th annual Arnold Classic on March 3rd-5th, 2023, the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast looks back at previous interviews done with former Arnold Classic winners including Rich Gaspari (1989), Mike Ashley (1990), Shawn Ray (1991), Vince Taylor (1992) and Mike Francois (1995). All these legendary bodybuilders talk about winning their Arnold Classic titles, the competitors they faced and what…
  90. Feb 20, 2023 1992 In Review, Part Three - 1992 Mr. Olympia
    Writer Jerry Brainum is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to review the year 1992. On Part Three of his interview, Jerry joins host John Hansen to talk about the 1992 Mr. Olympia contest won by Dorian Yates in Helsinki, Finland. Jerry and John discuss the top competitors from this historic event as well as the return of Lou Ferrigno to the bodybuilding stage. At the end of the podcast,…
  91. Feb 15, 2023 1992 In Review, Part Two with Jerry Brainum
    The Bodybuilding Legends Podcast welcomes guest Jerry Brainum to review the year 1992 in Bodybuilding. In Part Two of his interview, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about some of the biggest professional competitions from 1992 including the 1992 Arnold Classic won by Vince Taylor and the 1992 Night of the Champions won by Kevin Levrone. At the end of the podcast, John Hansen reads the article "Haney on the Hot…
  92. Feb 7, 2023 Roy Callender - RC3
    Bodybuilding legend Roy Callender is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Roy is joined by his friend Carlos Benfaito to talk about Roy's new training app called RC3, a brand new technology the employs AI to help Roy train his clients remotely. Roy also talks to John about his early bodybuilding career including when he first moved to Canada, working with the legendary trainer/photographer…
  93. Jan 30, 2023 1992 In Review, Part One with Jerry Brainum
    Guest Jerry Brainum joins the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast to talk about the year in Bodybuilding in 1992. In Part One of his interview, Jerry and host John Hansen talk about the top amateur competitions from 1992 including the 1992 NPC USA won by Flex Wheeler and the 1992 IFBB North America Championships won by Paul Dillett. At the end of the Podcast, John reads the article "Beef...Beef...Beef, the 1982 Olympia…
  94. Jan 25, 2023 Old Bodybuilding Magazine Articles
    Host John Hansen reads five articles from some old bodybuilding magazines on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Included in the articles read for this podcast are - "The 1977 IFBB World Bodybuilding Championships" written by Jack Neary from the March, 1978 issue of Muscle Builder Magazine "Requiem for a Superstar?" written by Garry Bartlett from the November, 1987 issue of Body Power Magazine "Mr.…
  95. Jan 14, 2023 1982 In Review, Part Two with Jerry Brainum
    The Bodybuilding Legends Podcast celebrates the end of each year by looking back 30, 40 and 50 years at the events in the world of Bodybuilding. On this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, we go back 40 years to the year 1982 to talk about the major professional bodybuilding competitions from that year. Guest Jerry Brainum joins host John Hansen for Part Two of his interview to talk about the top three…

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