John
Grimek is the only man ever to win the AAU Mr. America title
more than once. His wins in 1940 and 1941 were so overwhelming
that contest organizers from then on implemented the
single-victory rule. Grimek exhibited a Herculean visage and
was as strong as he looked - evidenced when he represented the
United States as a weightlifter at the 1936 Olympic Games in
Berlin. In 1948, at 38 years of age, Grimek beat the young
sensation Steve Reeves at the NABBA Mr. Universe in London.
A
year later, in his last contest, the AAU Mr. USA, he beat
Reeves again - as well as Clarence Ross, George Eiferman and
Armand Tanny - and retired from bodybuilding competition
undefeated. Expert at controlling his muscles and agile in
acrobatic posing moves, he possessed extreme power; he was
still able to squat with over 400 pounds for reps well after
retirement age.
With
his combination of proportionate bodylines and raw power, John
Grimek served as the perfect hybrid between the pre-war "bodybuilder
as strongman" genre and the modern "one sport only"
bodybuilder. John passed away on November 20, 1998, and will
forever be remembered for his philosophy of life - always keep
your focus on good health as the primary motivation for your
toil, and build muscle the old fashioned way - earn it by hard
work and dedication.
