Who Is John Grimek?
The unbeaten winner who switched from Olympic weightlifting to bodybuilding became well-known for his size, strength, and stage performances.
In the eyes of millions around the world, John Grimek was a real hero.
He is still regarded as one of the best natural bodybuilders of all time, having real strength.
John Grimek excelled at Olympic lifting swiftly and was contacted by Team USA to compete for his nation in the 1936 Games.
Grimek swiftly earned the title of “the best bodybuilder that ever lived” during a modeling career that lasted through the Great Depression and culminated in him crushing all of the opposition in the sport of bodybuilding.
Body Measurements Of John Grimek
| Full Name: | John Grimek |
| HEIGHT: | 5’8″ (172.5cm) 19.5″ |
| WEIGHT: | 215 – 225lbs (93.0 – 102.1kg) |
| NATIONALITY: | American |
| PROFESSION: | Olympic Weightlifter, Bodybuilder, Writer |
| ERA: | 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950 |
Accomplishments
Olympian
- 9th place in weightlifting at the 1936 Olympics
- Bodybuilding
- York Perfect Man, 1939
- Mr. America in 1940
- Mr. America in 1941
- 1946 American male with the most muscle
- 1948 Mr. Universe (Short and Overall Categories)
- 1949 Mr. USA
Top Lifts
- 600 pounds deadlift
- squat: 700 lbs.
- Pressing Bent: 300 lbs.
- Pressing overhead: 364 pounds
- Bench Press: 480 pounds
Biography
Early Life of John Grimek 
On June 17, 1910, John Grimek was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and was raised by his Slovakian parents. Grimek developed a yearning to be as powerful and chiseled as his idols of the day.
His older brother George, who lived nearby and had a big influence, kept a set of weights and went to the gym with pals.
At the young age of 12, Grimek would slip away and work out with weights when no one was looking out of fear of embarrassment, trying to become a stronger and bigger version of himself.
He was a resounding success, as history has shown, and by a wide margin.
As he steadily dominated the bodybuilding industry in the 1930s and ’40s, he soon established himself as one of the greatest natural bodybuilders of his time. In his professional career, Grimek never lost a match, and no one else at the time had a body like his.
Grimek quickly became interested in Olympic weightlifting as he took to the sport naturally after realizing his strength in the gym.
He quickly became accustomed to the game and started to concentrate on building as much strength as he could.
Olympic Games
Grimek was well-known for more than only his bodybuilding accomplishments; John was also a previous Olympic champion in weightlifting.
He gained proficiency in a wide range of moves, including the split and the backflip.
He was selected to represent Team USA in the 1936 Olympic Weightlifting Team after being swiftly identified by Olympic pros.
John finished ninth overall, although the consensus among experts at the time was that if he had lowered his weight to the Light Heavyweight division, he would have destroyed the opposition.
Grimek continued on and eventually broke the American World Record for the Military Press, for which he was most known.
Grimek’s physical transformation happened so swiftly that he was identified on the streets of New York in no time at all.
He had no trouble getting attention or a job because there were so many skilled photographers who wanted to take his picture.
Universities and magazine firms asked him about modeling and posing for numerous hours each week.
He was making $80 a week at the time, which was a sizable lot of money, especially during the Great Depression, and was enough to feed a family.
Bodybuilding To The Olympics
Grimek began bodybuilding after developing a powerful physique through years of weightlifting and his time as a Team USA athlete. In both the 1040 and the 1941 AAU Mr. America competitions, he easily defeated his rivals.
Grimek’s lead in the tournament was so significant that the event’s planners included a “one victory only” rule, preventing him from competing and winning the competition repeatedly, which he undoubtedly would have done.
Grimek once more astounded the world in 1948 when, at the age of 38, he defeated the tough Steve Reeves to win the NABBA Mr. Universe title in London.
“John Grimek is the best bodybuilder that ever lived,” Reeves declared to the world when he was contacted by the media.
The audiences loved him for more than just his amazing physique; they loved him for his personality, his nature, and the way he could accomplish routines like backflips, handstands, and a wide range of gymnastic maneuvers that modern bodybuilders would find difficult to duplicate.
John Grimek was a multifaceted athlete, showman, and champion.
Renouncing Bodybuilding
Grimek was previously described as “a young man with a huge body and an extraordinary aptitude for showing it off” by a journalist.
The AAU Mr. USA contest would be Grimek’s final competition before he decided to leave up the sport that had given him so much when 1949 rolled around.
He ultimately defeated Steve Reeves, George Eiferman, and Clarence Ross to win the entire competition. His record of retiring undefeated has not been surpassed since.
“Being a lifter was my first career goal. Being a physique guy or doing bodybuilding was nonexistent at the time. That person was acting in what is known as a “beautiful boy” situation—strutting and flaunting his physique.
I didn’t find that appealing. Also, I just wanted the answers without having to parade around shouting, “Here I am!” I just wanted to receive the answers. Observe me! I possess this and that.
Beating Steve Reeves By John
Grimek was well known for his ability to perform routines resembling gymnastics; this was made even more clear in the 1948 Mr. Universe competition, where he easily defeated Steve Reeves.
Here is Grimek explaining how he outperformed his rivals:
They staged a face-off between Reeves, me, and a Frenchman. We drew straws to choose who would go first. This Frenchman advanced because he was first. He only performed a few poses and that was it.
I entered the stage second and performed a lengthy routine of roughly 30 poses.
I followed that up with muscle control, then as a finisher, I leaped from the pedestal into a full split, performed a handstand, a few handstand pushups, and then flipped back up to my feet.
They had never seen anything like that before, and it tore the house apart. That put an end to it. Reeves, who was watching me at the moment, appears to have been a little anxious.
Additionally, he had some foot wobbling when he stepped outside. And in one instance, he stumbled and fell off the platform. I believe that simply eliminated him from consideration.
The York men later yelled at me and asked, “Why didn’t you do something earlier?” About the pose-down, I remarked, “Look, I was waiting for the ultimate event.” (John Grimek)
Death And Legacy Of John
Grimek transitioned into writing for a range of bodybuilding journals for health magazines not long after his successful retirement from bodybuilding.
But even when he was idle, Grimek continued to train. He was able to work out as hard as ever and prove to his followers and the rest of the world that he was still capable of squatting 400 pounds.
John Grimek, a beloved hero, passed away on November 20, 1998, at the age of 88. He was recognized in the IFBB Hall Of Fame very shortly after his passing.
Early on, John gained recognition for his significant contributions to the bodybuilding industry. He went on to become well-known and a genuine icon for millions of people worldwide.
He inspired a whole generation of aspirants who wanted to build their greatness-worthy bodies, much like other greats of the era like Steve Reeves.
Training
Full-Body Exercises
In contrast to conventional bodybuilding regimens that mostly concentrated on splits and set body parts each day of the week, Grimek used whole-body workouts to train aggressively, often six days a week.
He used Olympic lifting techniques and compound workouts like push presses, deadlifts, and squats to shape his body.
“I worked out every part of my body. I did not perform what is known as a split workout, where I trained my arms and legs one day and my back and other muscles the following.
Isolating a group of muscles was something I only ever did after I was done with my daily routine but felt I still needed more for my back, chest, legs, or whatever.
Grimek’s advice for anyone looking to get in shape was straightforward: be consistent, get enough rest, eat well, and drink a lot of water.
“Train consistently two to three times a week, increase the weight on the bar whenever you can, get enough rest, eat well, and drink lots of water.”
The Full Body Workout By John Grimek
When Grimek stopped competing in bodybuilding competitions, he released his Full Body Workout. Its primary emphasis is on core exercises including compound lifts and a few isolation ones.
Monday
- 3 sets of 10 reps on the bench press.
- Pull-ups or chin-ups: 3 sets, 10 repetitions
- 3 sets of 10 repetitions on the military press
- Also, 3 sets of 10 repetitions for barbell curls
- 3 sets of 10 repetitions for squats
- 3 sets of 10 reps for standing calf raises
Wednesday
- Dips or Incline Press: 3 sets, 10 reps
- 3 sets of 10 repetitions with a barbell or dumbbell row.
- 3 sets of 10 repetitions, shrugs
- The preacher curl with one arm: 3 sets, 10 repetitions
- Leg curls: 3 sets, 10 repetitions
- 50 repetitions in one set for the abs
Friday
- Pull-ups or chin-ups: 3 sets, 10 repetitions
- 3 sets of 10 repetitions on the military press
- Also, 3 sets of 10 repetitions for incline dumbbell curls
- 3 sets of 10 repetitions on the front squat
- Deadlift with Stiff Legs: 3 sets, 10 reps
Nutrition (Diet Plan)
Grimek needed to make sure that John was providing his body with the right nutrients and enough calories to maintain his strenuous workouts because John had a voracious appetite when his training regimen was in full flow and might last for hours.
There wasn’t one set guideline for Grimek; he would eat practically anything he saw, but when he wanted to focus on nutrition, he would eat a lot of veggies and lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates.
John consumes food at a tremendous rate. John has yet to discover a dining establishment that can satisfy his appetite.
He occasionally follows a strict diet, and it’s amazing how little he can survive. The ‘hog,’ as we like to call John, just eats and eats and still manages to stay trim and muscular, even when he goes all out.
- John-Grimek-and-Steve-Reeves
- Steve Reeves and John
Influences And Idols
In the beginning, John Grimek looked up to and was influenced by his brother and a group of friends who frequently used weights in their free time.
Grimek secretly adored them and the way they used weights to train and develop their strength.
Ultimately, in search of motivation to develop into the fitness powerhouse he would later be known as, his focus switched to the greats of the era, such as Charles Atlas and Eugine Sandow.
What John Grimek Can Teach Us?
John’s desire to be physically strong and healthy persisted throughout his entire life. He always had a fascination for strength and size.
He first began utilizing his brother’s weights before developing into a professional Olympian.
Being noticed by photographers and universities allowed Grimek to support himself during a financial crisis by meticulously shaping his figure.
Grimek gained notoriety as the best bodybuilder ever by using a range of training methods and a showman’s mentality.
His fame swiftly expanded throughout the nation and the entire world.
Grimek’s drive for strength and size outweighed whatever unpleasant events taking place in his environment, and this inner determination is what makes champions different.
As a result, John will always be remembered as having the strongest and most well-developed physique of his day.