{"id":256139,"date":"2025-10-28T07:17:28","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T07:17:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/256139\/"},"modified":"2025-10-28T07:17:28","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T07:17:28","slug":"train-like-the-bodybuilders-of-the-80s-with-the-weider-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/256139\/","title":{"rendered":"Train like the Bodybuilders of the 80s with ‘The Weider System’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Few names carry as much weight in gym culture as Joe Weider\u2019s. Long before lifting became the norm, Weider was lifting barbells made from scrap metal. The man behind the Mr Olympia bodybuilding<\/a> competitions built the stage for stars such as a young Austrian bodybuilder (you might have heard of) called Arnold Schwarzenegger<\/a>. Weider discovered Schwarzenegger in Europe, brought him to the US and mentored him. Their partnership helped transform bodybuilding from a niche fitness goal<\/a> into a global movement.<\/p>\n

\"joe<\/p>\n

@joeweider\/\/YouTube<\/p>\n

Who Was Joe Weider?<\/p>\n

Born in Montreal during the Great Depression, Joe Weider (1919-2013) was a pioneering figure in bodybuilding, widely regarded as the man who transformed how the world viewed exercise.<\/p>\n

He left school at 12 years old to help support his family and began lifting weights after being bullied for his size. Using scrap metal to make his first barbell, he soon became a successful weightlifter and wanted to share his training knowledge more widely. In 1940, with just $7 in his pocket, he launched ‘Your Physique’ magazine, which eventually grew into a publishing empire that included titles such as Muscle & Fitness. His magazines helped popularise strength training<\/a>, nutrition<\/a>, and supplementation<\/a> long before they became mainstream.<\/p>\n

What to read next\"bodybuilding<\/p>\n

Getty Images<\/p>\n

Weider also cofounded the International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB) in 1946 with his brother, and created the Mr Olympia contest in 1965 \u2013 the sport\u2019s most prestigious event, made famous by Schwarzenegger. Weider took Schwarzenegger under his wing and later, they became so close, they were referred to as like ‘father and son’. Schwarzenegger shared, ‘When I was a young boy in Austria, [Weider’s] muscle magazines provided me with the inspiration and the blueprint to push myself beyond my limits and imagine a much bigger future.’<\/p>\n

‘Joe didn\u2019t just inspire my earliest dreams; he made them come true the day he invited me to move to America to pursue my bodybuilding career,’ said Schwarzenegger. ‘He freely gave of his time and expertise and became a father figure for me.’<\/p>\n

Beyond competitions, Weider developed the ‘Weider Training Principles’, a system of strength training methods that shaped bodybuilding and sports science for decades. Through his training methods, equipment, supplements, and publications, Weider turned bodybuilding into an everyday lifestyle, earning him the title \u2018Father of Bodybuilding.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"bodybuilder<\/p>\n

@classic_body.building\/\/Instagram<\/p>\n

What Were the Weider Training Principles?<\/p>\n

Long before workout apps existed, Weider was using muscle growth techniques to teach the masses how to train effectively:<\/p>\n

Weider\u2019s progressive overload principle taught that to keep making gains, you must gradually increase the challenge by adding weight, reps, sets, or reducing rest as your body adapts. It\u2019s the fundamental cornerstone of all modern training, from powerlifting to functional fitness.<\/p>\n

Instead of resting between sets, Weider recommended pairing two exercises back-to-back. This could mean opposing muscles (like biceps and triceps) or the same muscle group for extra intensity. Supersets boost training density, raise the heart rate, and build both muscle and endurance in less time.<\/p>\n

Weider encouraged lifters to adjust load and reps across sets by starting lighter and building up to heavier weights (or vice versa). Pyramids sets, warm-up the joints and muscles, and train both strength and hypertrophy in one set.<\/p>\n

To extend a set beyond fatigue, Weider recommended taking a brief pause (20-40 seconds) mid-set, then continuing with the same weight. It\u2019s a controlled way to push muscles past their usual limit without compromising form.<\/p>\n

Weider emphasised targeting individual muscles to refine shape and symmetry, which was crucial for bodybuilders and useful for addressing weaknesses.<\/p>\n

Priority Training<\/p>\n

One of Weider\u2019s simplest but smartest ideas was to train your weakest body part first in the session, when the muscles are fresh. This ensures underdeveloped areas don\u2019t stay that way.<\/p>\n

Weider also formalised the idea of dividing workouts by body part or function. This was legs one day, chest and back the next, allowing for higher volume per muscle group and better recovery. While programming has moved forward since then, it\u2019s still a popular way of splitting workouts up.<\/p>\n

Tri-sets and Giant Sets<\/p>\n

For advanced lifters, Weider introduced tri-sets (3 exercises in a row) and giant sets (4 or more). These techniques ramp up volume and metabolic stress, helping break through adaptation while keeping training time efficient.<\/p>\n

Iso-tension and ‘Cheating’<\/p>\n

Weider even taught lifters to create muscular tension without weights. This included flexing and contracting muscles between sets to improve control. And while he cautioned against poor form, he allowed \u2018controlled cheating<\/a>\u2019 \u2013 using slight momentum to extend a set past failure, when strength alone couldn\u2019t finish.<\/p>\n

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