.gif "IP Gear")
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2002
- Messages
- 8,897
I HAVE SAD NEWS ABOUT A BODYBUILDING GREAT. ron teufel has passed away. he was 45 years old. the circumstances of his death have not been released yet. i hope to find out more this weekend. ron was a great guy and a true hardcore freak. he was size when size was not popular. i got to meet ron in his heyday when i was just at star struck teenager trying to dethrone arnold. in the early 80's ron gave a seminar in st louis. i conned one of the local guys at the club to go and attend the seminar since i was too young to drive. we arrived at the gym just when ron walked in. he was shorter than i had initially thought but, much bigger in person then i could have imagined. he started his seminar and touched one everything from training nutrition and even drug use. after the seminar i overheard him say that he needed to get chest and back in today and would start as soon as the gym cleared out. needless to say, i paid for a day pass and stuck around. now you have to remember that this was wheb arnold was in his heyday still and franco was the shit. platz was the unsung hero and mentzer was just exposing the darkside of bodybuilding after he was royally screwed in the olympia. in other words...GOOD STUFF.
he started with bench press. now, being a studious kind of guy (geek) i took notes during the seminar. i also took notes during his training session. (in other words, my stalking days) he warmed up with 135 lbs and added a plate a side every set until he got to 405. he was able to crank out a few good reps withy this (about 6 to 8 reps) thenm th epartner stepped in to help with a few. he did that twice and then went back downa plate and did two sets for a much higher rep count. he actually got in 6 work sets. that seemed to be the theme of his workouts. 6 sets a exercise on the average and rest times were short. he then went over to the incline bench and sets it at a higher angle that is popular today. i would guess at about 45 to 50 degrees. he started at 90 pounds and went up to 120's. he averaged about 8 reps a sets on these and the tempo between sets was fairly fast. his reps were also done in a very fast mlotion but, very controlled. he then went over to the cable crossover and supersetted them with dips. the dips were weighted and at about 8 reps per set. the cable crossovers were done for about 12 to 15 reps a set. the amount of time in between th etwo exercises was about 1 minute, so not a typical superset. but, that is what he considered them. these were also done for about six sets a piece.
he then stopped his workout and told the front desk guy that he would be back at about 5 to finish up back. my stalking must continue. i convince the guy i went with to stay and watch his back workout. after making references and questioning whether i was gay and that i was in love...he stayed. we went to get something to eat and came back in the evening. he showed up right at 5 oclock and started back. he did front chins. he did again, six sets and was able to get quite a few reps with each set. his partner would assist when needed. he then went to chins behind head. again, six sets and alot of reps. he then supersetted dumbell pullovers with t bar rows. the pullovers started at 80 pounds and he did at least 10 to 15 reps and the t bars were heavy for around 8 reps. reps were very fast and powerful. his last exercise was cable rows. now, for you youngsters who did not live in this time, the old cable row units used to have a very long cable. literally the seat was 15 feets or more from the stack and the cable would just lay on the ground. he did the stack for six sets of 6 reps.
after he started to leave a decided to ask him for a autograph. he stopped and gave me one and was very nice. i askeed all sorts of stupid questions and he answered all of them. i asked why he did his reps so fast when mentzer and nautilus said that they had scientific eveidence that slower reps were better for muscle growth. he stated " when you put 405 on the bench you cant do it slow, man" simple logic lol. i then asked him why he did so many sets and mentzer was...he stopped me there and said." i like high sets. i grow from high sets. so did mentzer at one time". again, not going to argue. it was a great time in bodybuilding. everyone had a different build. he physique had a certain quality and personality, if you will. everyone looked different and each had there own strong and weak points. something that my very well be lost today. dont get me wrong. i like the freaks of today. its just that the early days were so basic and simple. you had nubret, sergio, arnold , tuefel, belknap, dreher, franco ect and each one could be indentified by an individual bodypart. oh, the good ole' days. i miss 'em.
he started with bench press. now, being a studious kind of guy (geek) i took notes during the seminar. i also took notes during his training session. (in other words, my stalking days) he warmed up with 135 lbs and added a plate a side every set until he got to 405. he was able to crank out a few good reps withy this (about 6 to 8 reps) thenm th epartner stepped in to help with a few. he did that twice and then went back downa plate and did two sets for a much higher rep count. he actually got in 6 work sets. that seemed to be the theme of his workouts. 6 sets a exercise on the average and rest times were short. he then went over to the incline bench and sets it at a higher angle that is popular today. i would guess at about 45 to 50 degrees. he started at 90 pounds and went up to 120's. he averaged about 8 reps a sets on these and the tempo between sets was fairly fast. his reps were also done in a very fast mlotion but, very controlled. he then went over to the cable crossover and supersetted them with dips. the dips were weighted and at about 8 reps per set. the cable crossovers were done for about 12 to 15 reps a set. the amount of time in between th etwo exercises was about 1 minute, so not a typical superset. but, that is what he considered them. these were also done for about six sets a piece.
he then stopped his workout and told the front desk guy that he would be back at about 5 to finish up back. my stalking must continue. i convince the guy i went with to stay and watch his back workout. after making references and questioning whether i was gay and that i was in love...he stayed. we went to get something to eat and came back in the evening. he showed up right at 5 oclock and started back. he did front chins. he did again, six sets and was able to get quite a few reps with each set. his partner would assist when needed. he then went to chins behind head. again, six sets and alot of reps. he then supersetted dumbell pullovers with t bar rows. the pullovers started at 80 pounds and he did at least 10 to 15 reps and the t bars were heavy for around 8 reps. reps were very fast and powerful. his last exercise was cable rows. now, for you youngsters who did not live in this time, the old cable row units used to have a very long cable. literally the seat was 15 feets or more from the stack and the cable would just lay on the ground. he did the stack for six sets of 6 reps.
after he started to leave a decided to ask him for a autograph. he stopped and gave me one and was very nice. i askeed all sorts of stupid questions and he answered all of them. i asked why he did his reps so fast when mentzer and nautilus said that they had scientific eveidence that slower reps were better for muscle growth. he stated " when you put 405 on the bench you cant do it slow, man" simple logic lol. i then asked him why he did so many sets and mentzer was...he stopped me there and said." i like high sets. i grow from high sets. so did mentzer at one time". again, not going to argue. it was a great time in bodybuilding. everyone had a different build. he physique had a certain quality and personality, if you will. everyone looked different and each had there own strong and weak points. something that my very well be lost today. dont get me wrong. i like the freaks of today. its just that the early days were so basic and simple. you had nubret, sergio, arnold , tuefel, belknap, dreher, franco ect and each one could be indentified by an individual bodypart. oh, the good ole' days. i miss 'em.
