The fitness industry lost an icon on Saturday March 23, 2013 with the death of Joe Weider. Weider passed away at 93 at Los Angeles hospital from a heart attack. He is survived by his wife Betty, his daughter and three grandchildren.
Born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Weider designed multiple training courses in the 1950s and was the co-founder of the International Federation of Body Builders with his wife. In 1936, Weider had launched the magazine Your Physique, which in 1953 was renamed as Muscle Builder, then again to Muscle & Fitness in 1980.
Weider also created the Mr. Olympia contest as well as Ms. Olympia in 1980, Fitness Olympia in 1995 and Figure Olympia in 2003. His publishing background also produced titles such as Men’s Fitness, Shape, Flex and Natural Health.
In 2006 Weider was presented with the Venice Muscle Beach Hall of Fame’s Lifetime Achievement award by the seven-time Mr. Olympia, and California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Schwarzenegger said in a statement on his website: “Joe Weider was a titan in the fitness industry and one of the kindest men I have ever met.
“Joe didn’t just inspire my earliest dreams; he made them come true the day he invited me to move to America to pursue my bodybuilding career. I will never forget his generosity. One of Joe’s greatest qualities is that he wasn’t just generous with his money; he freely gave his time and expertise and became a father figure for me. He advised me on my training, on my business ventures, and once, bizarrely, claimed I was a German Shakespearean actor to get me my first acting role in ‘Hercules in New York,’ even though I barely spoke English.
“He leaves behind a fantastic legacy of a fitter world. Very few people can claim to have influenced as many lives as Joe did through his magazines, his supplements, his training equipment, and his big-hearted personality. Joe was known for urging everyone, ‘Exceed yourself,’ and there is no question that throughout his life, he did just that.”
Tyler Montgomery is the Editor of Club Solutions Magazine. Contact him at tyler@clubsolutionsmagazine.com.
