Reg Park passed away on the 22nd November. Here's the official statement...
"It is with great sadness that we have to inform Reg Park’s friends,
fans and supporters around the world that Reg passed away this morning,
22 November 2007.
Reg’s remaining time with us was spent with great dignity surrounded by
a sea of love and good wishes from around the globe. He expressed his
most sincere thanks and love to all who supported and loved him
throughout his life. Reg and his family also wished to thank everybody
who sent so many beautiful messages of support throughout his illness.
The Legend will continue to live in our hearts and our souls.
The memorial will take place at 8 Gail road Morningside, Sandton, South Africa, on Sunday afternoon at 16:30, 25 November 2007.
With Love and gratitude from the Park Family,
Mareon, Jeunesse, Jon Jon, Frik, Michelle, Kaya, Tamarac, Travis, Trent"
Reg was indeed one of the greats. A man who inspired millions including Arnold himself. Reg and Arnold became friends and Reg taught Arnold a great deal.
Here's an article/interview courtesy of Osmo Kiiha.
Reg Park - A Hercules for Our Time
By Osmo Kiiha
Reprinted with permission of The Iron Master
Reg Park was one of the greatest bodybuilders Britain ever produced.
Until
Reg appeared on the scene, as far as international standards were
concerned,
the British were "also rans." Reg was the first British bodybuilder to
compare with, compete with, and finally surpass the long time American
champions.
Reg Park won the NABBA Mr. Universe title three times in 1951, 1958 and
1965
- an outstanding achievement for anyone. No one could rival Park in
the
early 60's. He developed muscle size not seen before him, with sharp
definition and muscularity. With the Park physique, we entered a new
era,
moving from bulk alone to a realization of what refined development
could
really look like.
He established training instructional courses and became a leading
figure in
British and world bodybuilding long before he moved onto the silver
screen.
A shrewd businessman, Reg used his earnings to firmly establish himself
in
South Africa with a chain of gyms that have had a profound effect in
producing some of the most superlative physiques in that part of the
world.
It is not saying too much to acknowledge that Reg brought physical
development to a new high by his work.
Today, Reg is retired from the gym business, having sold all of his
health
clubs. Reg still does one on one training in South Africa. I caught
up
with Reg in Santa Monica when he was visiting with his son Jon-Jon and
his
family for Christmas. What follows is an interview with one of the
true
gentlemen of the sport, Reg Park. I hope you enjoy it...
IM: Tell us about your personal background.
Reg: I was born June 17, 1928 in Leeds, England and currently reside
in
South Africa. I have a wife, two children and five grandchildren.
IM: I read that you were quite a sprinter in your younger days and
also
played soccer.
Reg: I competed in various amateur track events around Leeds and
achieved a
fair amount of success as a sprinter. When I was sixteen, I turned a
10.3
second time on the 100 yard dash. I also had a long jump of 21' 10"
and
competed in the discus throw. I loved soccer. BY the time I was
fifteen, I
was playing soccer for my school each Saturday morning and also played
Leeds
United Reserve Team in the evening.
IM: How did you get interested in weight training?
Reg: During one of our soccer games, I really wrenched my knee, which
required a trip to the hospital. It also ended my aspirations of
becoming a
professional soccer start. At the hospital they rehabilitated my knee
with
weights. In those days, England had not discovered the leg extension
machine, so they strapped an iron boot to my foot and I did extensions
with
my leg in an ever increasing number of repetitions. The whole thing
was
strictly therapy. Shortly after my release from the hospital, I
started
reading "Health & Strength." I never missed an issue of H & S, but it
never
occurred to me to try my hand at bodybuilding. At the time, I was much
more
interested in gymnastics. I was able to do one hundred pushups easily
in
those days. One day, I was thumbing through a new issue of H & S, when
suddenly I had to stop. It was a picture of an American bodybuilder; a
fellow named Vic Nicolette, who had just won the title of Mr. New York
City.
Vic was standing in a sort of semi-lat spread pose. The picture took
me by
surprise. All at once I knew this was how I wanted to look. In those
days,
American bodybuilders were light
years ahead of anything Britain had to offer. I decided I would
emulate Vic
Nicolette.
IM: Who else inspired you?
Reg: Grimek and Reeves both served to inspire me. Grimek for his
mass,
athletic ability and integrity; and Reeves for obvious handsome
physical
shape.
IM: Did any one person in particular start you out in weight training?
Reg: In 1946, while visiting a swimming pool in Leeds, I was struck by
the
impressive physique of Dave Cohen. He was a bodybuilder of
considerable
reputation and one of the world's best developed men. In those days,
Dave
had 17 inch arms, a 17 inch neck and 17 inch calves to boot. I walked
over
and spoke to him. We immediately became fast friends and it is Dave
that I
give full credit for my start in weight training.
IM: Where did your first training session take place?
Reg: Dave Cohen's training partner's mother had allowed the guys to
set up
a
small gym in her front room. It comprised a bare room with a wooden
floor
on
which stood a standard barbell and a pair of dumbells - no other
equipment.
The first workout consisted of standing barbell presses, barbell curls,
squats and pullovers and presses on the floor. We did three sets of
each
exercise with a rep scheme of 10-8-6. I remember pressing and curling
with
40 pounds. It was not a great start, but at least it was a beginning.
IM: How long did you workout with Dave Cohen?
Reg: I was only able to train three months with Dave. I was called to
serve
my country in the Army National service for two years, most of it in
Singapore. I had no weights, but I compensated with freestanding
exercises.
I was a physical training instructor, which meant I was doing exercises
with
different classes from nine o' clock in the morning to five in the
evening.
IM: What events brought you back to the bodybuilding scene?
Reg: During my national service, I kept up with the weight game by
reading
Weider mags "Your Physique" and "Muscle Power", thanks to the
generosity of
my friends back in Leeds, but it was the news that the 1948 Mr.
Universe
contest was to be staged in London at the time of the Olympic Games
that got
the old juices flowing.
IM: Did you make it to the Mr. Universe contest?
Reg: Not only did I make the contest, but it was there that I decided
to
make my fortune in bodybuilding and even told my friend that some day I
would
myself win the Mr. Universe contest even though I had only three months
training behind me.
IM: Speaking of the '48 Mr. Universe, did you agree with the decision?
Reg: I was not totally satisfied with the way the contest turned out.
John
Grimek won the 1948 Mr. Universe, but in my book, Steve Reeves should
have
beaten him. When it came down to sheer physical beauty - which was
what I
thought the Mr. Universe contest was about - Reeves was way ahead of
Grimek.
Grimek's posing routine won it for him. John started off with
acrobatics
and
presses from the floor into handstands, that and his muscle control,
well,
the roof almost caved in from applause he received. But there you are,
that
is what mass hysteria can do at a muscle contest. Of course, I thought
I
was
the better man in 1950, when Reeves beat me at the 1950 Mr. Universe in
London, but that is another story...
IM: Reg, everyone I speak to is impressed with your culture and
evident
higher education. Just what formal schooling have you had?
Reg: I completed the usual grad school courses and then took two years
of
specialized study at the Leeds College of Commerce in Business
Administration.
IM: How did you juggle going to school full time and training?
Reg: It was difficult at times. I went to school during the day and
trained
at night. My early training was done in my parent's back yard. I set
up
two
poles in the ground with a bar across the top for chinning exercises.
I had
acquired a barbell and a pair of dumbbells and a flat wooden bench that
I
built according to the specs obtained from a muscle mag. Also, I set
up a
pulley machine that extended from my bedroom to the yard. Talk about
cold,
the temperatures dipped below zero in the winter. I took to training
in
three thick sweatshirts. Later, we were able to move to a more
prestigious
location - a three walled garage that had a tin roof and concrete
floor, but
no electricity. It was just as cold.
IM: When did you enter your first contest?
Reg: My first contest was the Mr. Northeast Britain, in March of 1949,
which
I easily won securing an invitation to the Mr. Britain contest. In the
process, I defeated the 1948 Mr. Britain, Charlie Jarrett.
IM: When did you receive your invitation to the Mr. Britain contest?
Reg: The invitation came one month prior to the contest, in September
1949.
The contest was to be held October 28, 1949. Actually, it came at a
bad
time; I was in the process of completing my final business
administration
exams. After I successfully completed all my exams, less than a month
was
remaining to the Mr. Britain contest.
IM: Were you still training in the garage at that time?
Reg: No, I had joined Henry Atkin's Viking Gym for the express purpose
of
training for the Mr. Britain contest. With Henry's help, I was able to
increase my bodyweight from 196 lbs. to 226 lbs. in a month. For the
first
time in my life, I trained twice a day, six times a week. In the
morning, I
trained the lower body with high repetition squats, hack lifts, calf
exercises and sometimes heavy bench presses. In the evening, I worked
the
upper body. All the squat sets were done in 20 reps with very deep
breathing. The upper body work consisted of heavy standing presses,
curls,
bench presses, both barbell and dumbbell rows at anywhere from 6 to 10
reps
per set. At this time, I did no other activity and rested whenever I
was
away from the weights.
IM: How well was Henry Atkin's Gym stocked with equipment?
Reg: Henry had all the latest equipment of the day: pulley machines,
incline
benches, round yoga benches and tons of weight. The Viking Gym was
equipped
just like an American gym from the later 1940's. By the way, the
Viking
Olympic Barbell was used at the 1948 Olympic Games for Olympic lifting.
It
was designed personally by Henry Atkin.
IM: Did all of this extensive training pay off?
Reg: Yes, I became Mr. Britain for 1949. Paul Newington came in 2nd
and
John
Lees, who in 1957 won the Mr. Universe contest, took third. Another
interesting thing happened at the contest. John Grimek, who was flown
from
the USA to judge the contest, was asked to compare me with John Lees
who
weighed 200 pounds at 6' 2, Grimek noted, "Lee is a very big boy." And
Park?
"He's a very big man!" This statement pleased me a great deal. * [*
Ed
Note: Grimek thought Park had the most "Americanized" physique of all
the
contestants.]
IM: How about your parents? Did they encourage you in your training?
Reg: Had I been given the opportunity of selecting my parents, under
no
circumstances could I have done a better job than destiny. I am an
only
child and my mother and father have always, at all times, encouraged me
to
participate in athletic pastimes, undoubtedly a contribution in no
small way
to the winning of many trophies. My pal, the late Rueben Martin said
that
my
mother spent all her time around Leeds scrounging food for her son and
that
my father chased around the country making sufficient money to pay for
it.
In all seriousness, my mother is a marvelous cook and has always fed me
with
the best food obtainable. My father was a very capable fixer and had
the
type of personality that makes friends. Whenever I wanted anything
done I
only had to say, and my father fixed it. A good example of that was
when I
said that I would like to live at the Viking Club for a month prior to
the
Mr. Britain contest. The next day he was in London arranging it with
Henry
Atkin.
IM: Did you receive any publicity for winning the Mr. Britain in any
of the
mainstream mags?
Reg: In those days, it was hard to get good publicity for weight
training
or
for bodybuilders. I broke new ground by having a life size double
spread of
my arms flexed in the "respectable" Picture Port magazine.
IM: What kind of strength feats were you capable of in 1949?
Reg: I regularly benched around 325 and was capable of a correct curl
with
175 pounds. In 1949, I met Reub Martin (for the first time) who was
touring
England in those days with Folies Bergere. It was Reub's dressing room
that
I first cleaned and pressed a pair of 100 pound dumbbells - a feat of
which
I
was very proud.
IM: After winning the Mr. Britain contest, did you travel to the
United
States?
Reg: Yes, it was a gift from my parents for wining the Mr. Britain
title.
I
had a great time in New York and trained at the old John Terlazzo gym
with
some of the greatest American bodybuilders as my training partners. My
first
American appearance was at the John Terlazzo show, Jan 27, 1950, at the
St.
Nicholas Arena, New York. I traveled extensively and although I lost a
little weight on the trip, I did learn from the Americans, which was
the
main
reason for my visit. I trained exceptionally hard while in America. I
lived
for bodybuilding in those days.
IM: On June 24, 1959, the NABBA Mr. Universe takes place in London at
the
Scala Theater. How did you fare?
Reg: I came in second to Steve Reeves and Juan Ferraro from France
placed
third. I felt I should've won the contest, not matter, I didn't win.
Reeves
won by a vote of four to two over me. I did win the Mr. Europe
contest,
which was held in conjunction with the Mr. Universe contest. I weighed
only
215 as opposed to 225 for Reeves. I was much more muscular than Reeves
and
had good overall size. Apparently, the ten extra pounds Steve had over
me
made him look much heavier and larger to the judges.
IM: Did you return to the USA afterwards?
Reg: Yes, after the Mr. Universe contest, I traveled back to the
states and
entered the widely publicized "America's Best Developed Athlete" event,
September 8, 1950, at the New York St. Nicholas Arena. I won the
contest
with Floyd Page placing second and Alan Stephan taking third. Also
competing
were Ed Thereault and Alan Paivio. Suddenly, I was making headlines
all
over
the bodybuilding world press.
IM: How did you train during this time?
Reg: I devised a training system that would not tax my endurance too
heavily. I began training on a system of five sets of reps for each
exercise. I remember that I concentrated on presses behind the neck,
bench
presses, barbell presses and two arm dumbbell presses. My workouts
lasted
about an hour and thirty minutes, afterwhich I felt completely
depleted. I
tried increasing the poundages whenever possible. My clean and
dumbbell
press had increased to 110. I found I enjoyed this system and it paid
off.
I trained five days was week, working the same bodyparts each session.
IM: Who were some of the stronger bodybuilders you trained with?
Reg: Marvin Eder would have to be at the top of the list, at Abe
Goldberg's
gym in New York. We would sometimes work up to 450 lb. Bent over rows
and
seated dumbbell curls with a pair of 100 pounders. Clancy Ross was
another
man of immense power, who did inclines with 160 lb. Dumbbells. Floyd
Page
was no slouch in the strength department, either.
IM: Did you enter the Mr. World contest in Paris, France (October 15,
1950)?
Reg: I was barred from competing in the Mr. World because I had won
the
IFBB
"America's Best Developed Athlete" in New York City. The IWF said the
contest was a professional event because of the $500.00 offered in
prize
money. Anyway, I never received any of the money. John Farbotnik won
the
Mr. World contest.
IM: How did you prepare for the 1951 Mr. Universe contest?
Reg: Prior to the Mr. Universe contest in 1951, I worked out three
hours
every day. Legs one day and upper body the next day. I worked out
fast and
furiously - they were murderous workouts. I ate anything I fancied
including
one dozen eggs and eight pints of milk daily. Most of the contest
preparations were done in South Africa and I returned home to England
just
one month prior to the contest to put on the finishing touches.
IM: You easily won the 1951 Mr. Universe contest (Sept. 1, 1951) in
London.
You were the first Englishman to do so. Any comments?
Reg: I was clearly more massive and muscular in 1951 [than the year
before]
and won with no trouble whatsoever. With less than two years training,
I
had
achieved the top of the bodybuilder ladder. By the way, Joe Weider
placed
5th in class I out of twelve competitors. Since I had no more physique
titles to strive for, I turned my attention to brute strength.
IM: When did you meet Ben Weider?
Reg: Ben Weider showed up at my parent's house in 1951 with a Weider
contract.
IM: Did you go into business with the Weiders?
Reg: We established the Reg Park Equipment Co. and the Mr. Universe
publishing company in England. My father was the business director of
the
company. [Ed. Note - The Mr. Universe magazine was published by Joe
Weider
with Reg Park as managing editor in Leeds, England. The first issue
was
published in March 1952 and the last issue in December 1952. There
were
eight issues in the collection.] My father and Joe Weider didn't see
eye to
eye in business matters, so the partnership was dissolved. I
personally
always liked Joe; he was a true bodybuilding enthusiast.
IM: How did the business fare?
Reg: We started a new magazine called "The Reg Park Journal of
Physical
Culture" in January of 1953; then in January 1954, "The Reg Park
Journal."
The last issue was December 1959. Also, during this time, we published
a
magazine called "Muscleman." [Ed Note - "Muscleman" was published from
Sept.
1952 to Dec. 1953. Three were 16 issues in all.] "The Reg Park
Journal"
had
over 60,000 readers in the 1950's. During the next decade, I spent
most of
my time working extremely hard running the business. We sold
everything
from
barbell to food supplements and everything in between. I also flew all
over
the world at the invitation of many countries giving posing exhibitions
in
all corners of the globe. Almost weekly, I traveled all over England
giving
strength and posing exhibitions.
IM: When did you get married?
Reg: I fell in love with a beautiful South African girl, Mareon, and
we
were
married 10/22/52 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mareon is the sister
of
bodybuilder and film technician Johnny Isaacs, who almost took the Mr.
Universe title in 1953.
IM: What about children?
Reg: My daughter, Jeunesse, was born in 1954 and today lives in South
Africa
with her three children. My son, Jon-Jon, was born in 1957. He lives
in
Santa Monica with his wife and two children. By the way, Jon-Jon owns
the
World Private exercise gym in Los Angeles. He can be contacted at
(310)
478-1233.
IM: Earlier, you stated that you turned toward power type training
after
the
1951 Mr. Universe...
Reg: I always trained for power and size during my early competitive
career.
About the only time I did a pure bodybuilding program was for the May
11,
1957 Mr. USA contest where I guest posed. I believe that I was in my
finest
condition ever for that contest. I also bench pressed 445 during the
show.
I hadn't done any benches for months prior to the USA.
IM: What type of diet did you follow?
Reg: I liked to eat like a king, but only food that was good for me.
I ate
prodigious amounts of food during the day, but adhered to a very
balanced
diet with everything in proper proportions. My favorite food is steak,
which
I sometimes eat twice a day. I also like salads, orange juice and
wine. I
have a wine cellar in my home. I also have used protein supplements
and
take
vitamin and mineral tablets. [3. Earle Liederman once wrote in "Iron
Man"
about the gastronomical indulgences of bodybuilding starts, "Reg Park
of
England wins a good second to Mac Batchelor with his speed. Once, when
dining with Reg, he gargled three large plates of vegetable soup, then
gulped
chucks from his extra large and thick steak without his teeth sinking
into
the meat once, apparently, next stuffed many side dishes of vegetables
into
his ever open mouth and these include an extra large pair of baked
potatoes,
a huge bowl of salad, three glasses of milk and the last, the piece de
resistance, a big dish of ice cream with cake. And all this, mind you,
in
about ten minutes. Gee! I've seen hungry bloodhounds gobble down
food, but
Reg Park wins a can of fried grasshoppers as second place for amount,
and
first place for speed."]
IM: When did you make most of your records and what were they?
Reg: All of my top lifts were made in the 1950's as follows:
- Behind the Neck Press - 300 Lbs. For one rep.
- Behind the Neck Press - 260 Lbs. For four reps.
- Behind the Neck Press - 240 Lbs. For eight reps.
- One Arm Dumbbell Press - 165 Lbs. For two reps.
- Front Squat - 405 for a single.
- Lying Triceps Extension - 300 Lbs. For three reps. This was done at
Muscle Beach in 1957.
- Standing Dumbbell Press - Two 120 Lb. Dumbbells for five reps.
- Standing Dumbbell Press - Two 140 Lb. Dumbbells for one rep.
- Dumbbell Bench Press - Two 185 Lb. Dumbbells for five reps.
- Squat - 605 for two reps at Buster McShane and Ivan Dunbar's Gym in
Belfast.
- Strict Barbell Curl - 200 Lbs. For one rep.
- Incline Dumbbell Press - Two 185 Lb. Dumbbells for five reps.
I also bench pressed 500 Lbs., April 23, 1954, at around 225 bodyweight
at a
Health and Strength show in Bristol. I was the first in the UK and
second
in
the world to bench over five hundred. [6. Ed Note - Doug Hepburn was
the
first person in the world to bench 500 pounds on May 28, 1953 at around
285
bodyweight.] I never cleaned my heavy barbell presses; they were taken
off
a
squat stand. My only regret is that I never attempted a pair of 200
pound
dumbbells in the incline or flat bench press. I believe I could have
easily
done both feats, since I was doing reps with 185. Also, when I made
the 258
dumbbell press - A British Professional Heavyweight Record - I had to
keep a
strict military position, not the looser Olympic style, and I was
forced to
hold the dumbbells at my shoulders for almost half a minute before I
pressed
them to satisfy the referee's demand for a low enough position. The
lift
was
made August 29, 1953, which beat the old record of 235 which was also
held
by
me.
IM: At the Viking Club (10/26/49), I understand that you also tried to
repeat Thomas Inch's three feats of strength.
Reg: I tried lifting Inch's "Challenge Dumbbell" (172 lbs. With a
2.47"
diameter handle). It was impossible to move off the ground. In my
mind, it
is impossible to lift by anyone. [7. The Inch Dumbbell today is owned
by
David Prowse and is on display at his gym.] I made mince meat of his
cable
expanders. They were very easy. I was unable to close his grip
machine,
which supposedly took 580 pounds of force to close. I did; however,
register
525 pounds on it, which was fairly close to Inch's record of 556
pounds;
this
was the second best attempt done to that time.
IM: How about a sample routine from the 1950s?
Reg: I didn't have a favorite workout routine. I have done every
routine
and every exercise in the book, but like most advanced trainers, I have
found
what exercises and what routines give me the best results. What is
good for
one man isn't necessarily good for somebody else. My bodyweight
fluctuated
between 230 and 245 during those years. Here is a routine I used
around
1956-1957 with good results:
Deltoids and Upper Back
- Press Behind Neck 4-10 Sets, 5 Reps.
- Heavy Bent arm Lateral Raises 5-10 Sets, 10 Reps
Chest
- Bench Press 5-10 Sets, 2 Reps (That's Right 2 Reps!)
Thighs
- Squat 5 Sets, 5 Reps (of all exercises, this one was my favorite.)
- Hack Lift 5 Sets, 5 Reps
Biceps
- Barbell Curl 5 Sets, 5-8 Reps
- Incline Dumbbell Curls 5 Sets, 5-8 Reps
Triceps
- French Press - I did these standing and lying on the bench.
Calves
- Calf Machine 25 Reps, Many Sets.
- Donkey Calf Raises 25 Reps, Many Sets
Back
- High Pullups 5-8 Sets, 3 Reps.
- Power Clean 5-8 Sets, 3 Reps.
- Chins Behind Neck 5-8 Sets, 5-8 Reps (weights tied to waist.)
Waist and Trunk Area
- Leg Raises and Side Bends 100 or more Reps.
I alternated upper and lower body exercises on different days. I
worked
each
muscle group for approximately one half hour. I also practiced forces
breathing between sets. I also feel that one must have the right
mental
attitude when working out. You must drive yourself hard all of the
time.
Don't fool around, keep talk to a minimum, maybe a joke or wisecrack to
ease
the tension. Relax completely between exercises and concentrate only
on the
weight when exercising. Have one or two training partners to assist
you, if
possible. I also disliked working out in front of mirrors.
