Jon Jon Park, Part Two
Bodybuilding Legends Show
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:
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Jon Jon Park, Part One
Bodybuilding Legends Show
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 talks about losing his house in the California fires last year. Links:
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Bodybuilding Year in Review - 1965 with Jerry Brainum
Bodybuilding Legends Show
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. Olympia, Universe and America. Links -
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Rick Valente - My Life's Ride
Bodybuilding Legends Show
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 of his life. At the end of the interview, host John Hansen reads the article "Rick Valente: Between Myth and Reality" written by Rick Wayne for the October, 1984 issue of Flex...
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Bob Birdsong
Bodybuilding Legends Show
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 talks about how he started bodybuilding, competing in the AAU Mr. America in the early 1970's, switching over to the IFBB in the mid-1970's and competing against Lou Ferrigno, Sergio...
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John Little, author of Mike Mentzer: American Odysseus, Part Two
Bodybuilding Legends Show
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 Podcast 7:20 - Start of interview with John Little 12:00 - Mike Mentzer's Challenge of competing in the Zane Era 16:50 - Mike's weight for the 1980 Olympia 22:00 - 1980 Olympia...
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John Little, author of Mike Mentzer: American Odysseus, Part One
Bodybuilding Legends Show
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 ended his career and his many variations of the Heavy Duty system that he created from Arthur Jone's initial teachings. At the end of the podcast, host John Hansen reads the article...
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Mike Sapp, Arnold's Training Partner in 1980
Bodybuilding Legends Show
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 Olympia Comeback" written by Arnold Schwarzenegger for the February, 1981 issue of Muscle & Fitness Magazine. Time Stamps: 1:40 - John's Contest Prep 5:20 - Upcoming interviews for...
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Carlos from Golden Era Bookworm, Part Two
Bodybuilding Legends Show
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 begin. At the end of the podcast, host John Hansen reads two articles from Muscle Builder magazine including "Where Were You When Larry Scott Was King?" written by Jack Neary from the...
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Carlos from Golden Era BookWorm, Part One
Bodybuilding Legends Show
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 Bodybuilding history. Carlos also talks about the effects of anabolic steroids on the body and how the drugs changed the sport of of bodybuilding from each era. At the end of the podcast,...
info_outlineBodybuilding legend Mike Mentzer passed away 20 years ago on June 10th, 2001 at the age of 49. In Part Two of his interview with the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast, author John Little continues his discussion about the life and legacy of this bodybuilding legend. John talks about the pro bodybuilding career of Mentzer, including his two Mr. Olympia appearances in 1979 and 1980. John also talks about Mike's addiction to speed, how he lost everything at one point in his life and his resurrection from his addiction. At the end of the podcast, host John Hansen reads "The Thinking Man's Bodybuilder", an article about Mike Mentzer written by Jack Neary for the October, 1979 issue of Muscle Builder Magazine.
Time Stamps:
0:00 - Beginning of Podcast
3:45 - Audio book version of the Bodybuilding Heroes and Legends, Vol One book is now available (link below).
4:20 - The Orlando Europa July 2-3, 2021
8:17 - Bodybuilding Legends birthdays from last week
9:41 - Emails from last week's episode
20:43 - Start of John Little interview, part two
22:22 - The phases of high intensity training
25:53 - Comparing Arnold's 1975 training for the Mr. Olympia to the Colorado Experiment with Casey Viator
33:44 - Steroids and high volume training
34:49 - Mike Mentzer's honesty
36:43 - Mike's first pro show
38:10 - The Pittsburgh Pro
38:59 - 1979 Night of the Champions
47:54 - Frank Zane's reaction to beating Mike Mentzer at the 1979 Mr. Olympia
51:35 - Mike's intense contest prep for the 1980 Mr. Olympia
53:15 - The 1980 Mr. Olympia
54:55 - The infamous backstage meeting at the 1980 Mr. Olympia
1:00:15 - Why CBS television didn't broadcast the 1980 Mr. Olympia contest
1:03:32 - How Mike became addicted to amphetamines
1:08:00 - The way Mike was able to will himself to get better
1:19:23 - What was the cause of Mike's death?
1:36:00 - John Hansen reads the article "The Thinking Man's Bodybuilder" written by Jack Neary for the October, 1979 issue of Muscle Builder magazine.
Audio Book for Bodybuilding Heroes and Legends book