[So, if Grimek, Farbotnik, Eiferman, etc, were users before this then they were ahead of the American Weightlifting team physicians - and the sports physicians of most of the rest of the world. In addition, if they were users before 1950 (which is when all of these men won major physique titles) then they were somehow getting access to the small amounts of laboratory testosterone that was then being used on an experimental basis. All that is highly unlikely.
Several statistical analyses of Weightlifting world records have concluded that testosterone use did not become practice among weightlifters until the early-to-mid 1950s. Steroid use did not become widespread among other Olympic athletes until the 1960s.
None of the men in the table listed in my article admitted publicly to steroid use at any time except Bill Pearl, and he claims to have begun experimenting with Nilevar in 1958. I have a collection of most of the Strength and Health magazines from 1941 up through to 1958 along with many Iron Man magazines. The first mention of "tissue building drugs" in these magazines (specifically Iron Man) occurs around 1961.
The measurements of many of the men used to derive those formulas were taken by David P. Willoughby - a noted anthropometrist of the 1940s. They are accurate. And based on the FFMI there is no reason to suspect that they were drug influenced.
All of the history I have presented here is easily verified with some searching of the internet and a search of back issues of sports journals. If anybody can present some tangible research or references conflicting what I have presented then I would very much be interested in seeing it. [/B]
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Well, I do have a book entitled Weight Training 3rd Edition by Philip J. Rasch.
First, let me say that I have no problem with your article or the formula you use. I regard it as being like any good formula, mostly correct with exceptions. There are no specific formulas to describe human anatomy and physiology which are 100% accurate.
I also agree that steroid use by weightlifters of any type was most likely not in existence until somewhere in the 50s, and not prevalent until sometime in the 60s.
As to the men listed using, or not using steroids, I do disagree a bit.
Chest Biceps Forearms Neck Quads Calfs
Name actual/pred actual/pred actual/pred actual/pred actual/pred actual/pred
Jack Delinger 47.5 / 47.5 17.2 / 17.0 13.8 / 13.6 16.8 / 16.8 25.0 / 24.5 16.6 / 16.6
John Farbotnik 47.5 / 47.8 17.0 / 17.2 13.5 / 13.8 16.8 / 17.0 24.5 / 24.7 15.7 / 16.7
George Eiferman 47.5 / 47.4 16.7 / 16.7 13.4 / 13.3 16.5 / 16.5 25.0 / 25.1 16.0 / 16.9
Bill Pearl 48.0 / 48.9 17.5 / 17.7 14.0 / 14.1 17.5 / 17.5 25.0 / 25.1 16.2 / 17.0
Reg Park 52.0 / 52.0 ~18.8 / 18.7 ~15.5 / 15.0 ~18.6 / 18.5 ~27.0 / 26.8 ~18.2 / 18.1
John Grimek 49.9 / 49.8 ~18.0 / 17.9 14.5 / 14.3 18.0 / 17.7 27.0 / 25.7 17.7 / 17.4
I would guarantee that Reg Park used anabolics at some point in his career (later in his career). If you look at later pictures of him, he is considerably larger than in earlier pictures. There is a picture of he and Arnold in his pool in South Africa, and he is carrying as much mass as Arnold. Much more so than he did in his younger days.
I also have a question about your measurements. How exactly do you know the dates of these measurements? The book that I referenced includes an anthropometric table with estimated measurements by Willoughby. This table includes measurements of the AAU Mr. America winners from 1940-1977. The implication is that the measurements are from when they won the respective shows. The disclaimer is that the measurements are provided by the athletes themselves and that Mr. Willoughby provides estimates when the subjects failed to supply them. That is the problem with the measurements that you provide, they are those claimed by the subjects, not actually measured by an unbiased source under controlled conditions. The measurements in this table, while close, also conflict with the measurements you have provided. For example:
John Grimek:
height-5'8.50"
weight-195
chest normal-49.70
arm-18.70
neck-18.00
forearm-14.50
thigh-27.00
calf-17.70
or
Bill Pearl:
height-5'11.25"
weight-193
chest normal-48.25
arm-18.00
neck-17.62
forearm-15.00
thigh-24.50
calf-16.75
So, as you can see, these measurements (in a table Mr. Willoughby contributed to) do not agree with yours. They are close, but different. Which are we to believe?
Again, remember, these are claimed measurements made by the bodybuilders themselves. That is a big problem. It is a known fact that bodybuilders exaggerate their measurements, especially their arms. While these measurements may not be exaggerated, we have no definitive way of knowing. Actually, as food for thought, Arthur Jones measured Bill Pearl's arm in peak condition at 18 5/8". Mr. Jones is known for hating exaggerated claims and making accurate measurements. I will assume this measurement was taken later in Pearl's career when he was at his most massive (and taking steroids), circa 1970 or 71 (I think he last Universe was 71 if I am remembering correctly). He claimed to be 241 lbs at that time. If so, it shows that the 18" arm at 193 lbs must be an exaggeration. Again, who knows? Since we were not their to do the measurements it is all pure conjecture. However, if we take him at his word on bodyweight claims, and then use the measurement of an outside source, the figures don't add up.
