From Powerlifting Roots to Modern Training Techniques

Zach Even-Esh discusses the roots of strength training from the Golden Era of Bodybuilding

Bodybuilding has changed a lot from its golden era in the 1970s and 1980s. I remember when famous athletes like Franco Columbu and Lou Ferrigno competed in events like the World’s Strongest Man, where they combined powerlifting and bodybuilding. This period was new and exciting, setting the stage for how bodybuilding developed in the years to come.

In the late 70s, bodybuilders, including myself, used simple exercises and basic equipment to sculpt our bodies. We relied on weight plates made by York Barbell and focused on effective strength training. Arnold Schwarzenegger, long before his time as Governor of California and the Terminator, was a major figure in bodybuilding. He was one of the early advocates of the body-part split training method, which involved training specific muscle groups on different days. Arnold also competed in powerlifting competitions in Austria, performing max-effort lifts in the squat, bench, and deadlift. These core lifts were essential for building strength and muscle and were key to Arnold’s success, as well as the overall training philosophy of that time.

Today, modern bodybuilding has changed significantly. Many of the workouts are less intense and rely more on advanced machines. If you compare how we trained our backs in the 1990s to how people do it today, you’ll notice the difference. In the 90s, we focused on heavy exercises like bent-over rows and deadlifts, but now many routines include lighter, more isolated exercises using machines. This shift is a big departure from the tough, all-out lifting style we practiced in the past.

In my experience, I’ve also seen a shift in high school training programs. Nowadays, high school athletes are often doing exercises that don’t have as big of an impact compared to traditional compound movements. More effective exercises, like farmer’s walks and heavy kettlebell swings, build far more strength and endurance than what is commonly practiced today.

This change in training style is partly due to the increasing use of performance-enhancing drugs in bodybuilding. These drugs allow athletes to build muscle more easily without relying on heavy, compound lifts. As a result, modern bodybuilding often focuses more on aesthetics than functional strength and traditional methods of training.

In conclusion, bodybuilding has evolved a lot from the powerlifting-focused era to today’s more isolated approach. While the methods and equipment have changed, the basic principles of building strength and muscle size are still crucial. By understanding and applying these fundamental principles, we can combine the effective training of the past with the new techniques available today.