bill pearl measurements

 

Bill Pearl had a rather impressive competitive bodybuilding career. Carve Your Muscle Shape. It was at this moment he knew he had a future in the sport and went on to win several other shows. Bill claims his top lifts were 450lbs for Bench Press, 605lbs for Squats and 310lbs for Seated Press behind the neck. The first big names that inspired Pearl to take up the sport were John Grimek, Clancy Ross and Steve Reeves. Again, Bill won outright, scoring top marks from every judge at the competition. Required fields are marked *. Although he sold his LA gym and relocated to Pasadena where he’d open up another fitness club. He’d do a full-body workout routine for developing power on Monday, Wednesday, and Fri, then he’d rest the other four days out of the week. There’s even more to it, Bill have a series of rules that apply to each weekly split: It’s a seriously intense workout, and can last for hours at a time. Dexter Jackson Downsized From 265 to 225lbs Since Retiring . and bought gym equipment from her and had hoped to meet you and have you autograph the book. My aim is to always add good firm muscular size and with hard training, good food, and plenty of protein.”. In the 1971 Mr. Universe Bill Pearl defeated Sergio Oliva, Frank Zane, and Chris Dickerson. Hi Bill, I bought your book “Keys to the Inner Universe” many years ago. Don’t know why God has kept me around so long. This course was first published in 1953 under the title The Reg Park Mr Universe Barbell & Dumbbell Course: Mr Universe Training Methods Revealed. Born in 1930, up in Prineville, Oregon, Bill found himself in a financially desperate family scratching a living in the great American depression. While Pearl was a great athlete in high school; receiving several scholarships to play football and compete in wrestling, he opted to join the navy after graduation, of which he was stationed in San Diego, California. In school, Bill’s desire to become a bodybuilder was also bleeding into his work. He actively competed until his retirement in 1971, when he won the Mr. Universe title one last time, beating Frank Zane, Reg Park and Sergio Oliva. At his own peak as a bodybuilder when he last won the Universe in 1971 at age 41, he weighed 242 pounds at a height of 5’10” and his arms measured 21 … His direct work made many great athletes, and even the Mr. Olympia Chris Dickerson. William H. Press also known as Bill Press was born on the 8th of April 1940 in Wilmington, Delaware. Listed height varies between 5'9" and 5'11" so an average of 5'10" was used. IFBB Bodybuilder, Body Transformation Coach, Certified Personal Trainer, Internet Personality, Fitness Model, CEO, Classic Physique Athlete, Former Men's Physique Competitor. He currently resides in Phoenix, Oregon with his wife. The following split was the legend’s best workout routine for all-around muscular development. Leo’s gym not only gave Bill access to free-weights so he could train, but it was also a resource for him to learn the best methods to get the most out of his body. Required fields are marked * Comment. Find your dream, follow it through, and don’t let anybody get in your way. This was also his last competition of which he retired at age 41 weighing 242 lbs/109 kg. But after his return and Mr. Universe victory in 1971, Pearl said the following about his decision to come back. All he had in his mind was the cover of ‘Strength and Health’ and the wonder of when he was going to appear on it. Training with Mr. Universe Bill Pearl, Sipes set his sights on being the greatest bodybuilder to ever live, though he didn’t give two shits about posing and spent the vast majority of his time heaving huge weights around like toddler throwing his toys during a tantrum. Other striking shots show number 38 US Navy soldier Bill Pearl who won the amateur class, contestants limbering up backstage and judges measuring the biceps of the entrants. However, our reviews are based on well research backed analysis. 1952 Mr. San Diego, 3rd place (San Diego, California), 1952 Mr. Oceanside (Oceanside, California), 1953 Mr. Southern California (Los Angeles, California), 1953 Mr. California (Los Angeles, California), 1953 A.A.U., Mr. America (Indianapolis, Indiana), 1953 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe Amateur (London, England), 1956 Mr. U.S.A., Professional (Los Angeles, California), 1956 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional, Tall Man’s Class (London, England), 1961 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional (London, England), 1967 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional (London, England), 1971 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional (London, England), 1974 W.B.B.A., World’s Best-Built Man of the Century (New York, New York), 1978 Entered into W.B.B.A., Hall of Fame (New York, New York), 1978 Elected the I.F.B.B. We believe you should have the best information at your fingertips to help you reach your fitness goals and to stay up to date on everything happening in the bodybuilding, fitness and strength sports industry... Read more. This proved to be my downfall, because my two main competitors, Pearl and Oliva, both were over 230 pounds (Arnold did not enter). Before the working sets, he’d 1-2 warmup sets and then would use 75-90% of his one-rep max for each lift. Read: Bill Pearl, A True Bodybuilding Legend. He did quit however many years later when he had a heart attack. 1949: Mr. USA (3rd place) 8. At nearly 73 years of age, he continues to live the bodybuilding and fitness lifestyle. So meat is no more than another substance to put in your body, and what little bit of protein and carbohydrates and minerals that are there, your body will extract it and use it like any other food. Pearl was also very interested in Strongman feats which wasn’t surprising seeing as who his inspirations were in Eugen Sandow and Louis Cyr. Your email address will not be published. Each fellow must be his own trainer, follow his instincts towards that which is best for him alone . All Rights Reserved. “It is not sensible to increase your chest three inches and have your waist increase along with it. I actually felt strange onstage and felt I should have been there as a consular or a judge rather than a competitor. The trophy or the title meant very little to me. Bill Pearl – Complete Profile: Height, Weight, Biography. His exact measurements were as follows: Arm 15″ Neck 15″ Chest 41″ N- … People were talking smack about Pearl. Well, hello to Bill if you actually get to read this. He needed to take the next step: buying a barbell set. He retired from bodybuilding, sold his gym, and opened a health club in Pasadena, California. 1971 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional. I thought he meant the whole verse but all I was able to say was Mary had a little lamb. (Former IFBB bodybuilder, trainer, gym owner, author). Matthew Magnante is the senior writer for Fitness Volt. Bill Pearl was known as the first bodybuilder to produce training booklets and guides. He was one of the strongest bodybuilders of the time. After having a rough childhood; living through the Great Depression, it’s safe to say he did amazingly well for himself. But at 39 years old, Pearl became a vegetarian, or lacto-ovo vegetarian (can eat eggs and dairy but no fish) after learning his health was declining following a blood test. Pearl also produced two DVDs, “Pearls of Wisdom – Bill Pearl a Bodybuilding Legend” and “Bill Pearl & Dave Draper Seminar.”. Elite Level Body Fat. I believe I met you once in your life. Bill Pearl is a fountain of wisdom. The largest muscular arm that I ever measured – or saw –was Sergio Oliva's, which, accurately measured, "cold" was 20 1/8 inches. FitnessVolt.com - 1700 Lincoln St. Denver, CO. © Copyright 2010 - 2021 Fitnes Volt IBC. He was incredibly strong for his time and received plenty of well-deserved recognition for his amazing feats. Bill Pearl is a retired former IFBB professional bodybuilder from the United States. Bill Pearl - Image via @Billpearl Instagram. After finding that his blood pressure, uric acid and triglycerides were way above average, Bill realized that keeping up his high-meat diet could have long term consequences. He is as likeable in his book as the man I met a couple of decades ago. Before he received his weights, Pearl would use gallon cans of corn and green beans as dumbbells, from his father’s restaurant, and would take on tough jobs that will develop his muscles. Your email address will not be published. William Arnold “Bill” Pearl was born in Prineville Oregon in 1930. I own the original “Getting Stronger”, I bought it back in 1987 and still use it today. Bill was also known for breaking horseshoes in half, and tearing up phone books. In all, he won the professional Mr Universe four times in an 18-year span. Bill Elvis Williams is on Facebook. … The Overall Professional Mr. Universe 1967 just had to be Bill Pearl, and was there ever a better one?”. It was there that he found Leo Stern’s gym – his next step to becoming one of the world’s greatest. He was definitely done with the lifestyle. I was born 9/14/30 two weeks before you! Pearl was very intrigued by muscular physiques at a very young age and before his teenage years, and it became an obsession of his to build his body. Recently Jon Jon Park (son of the late Reg Park) suggested on Instagram that Reg should have beaten Steve Reeves at the NABBA 1950 Mr. Universe in London. Check regularly for the latest, Greatest Physiques. In spite of that fact, he racked up an impressive number of wins, including pulling down the “Mr. I met your wife (Judy?) The two live together in Southern Oregon. Required fields are marked *. Each full body workout uses alternative exercises to the last one. I am an 84 yo lady. To begin with, most of the claimed measurements of top bodybuilders are simply untrue. Aim for 18 – 20 sets per exercise in your main workout at around 8 – 10 reps. Unfortunately you were not home. Love from Sandra P.S. To achieve this, Bill took on every odd-job and chore he could find to exercise and see results. Height (cm) Height (inch) Weight (lbs) Weight (kg) Arms. Contest weight: 174 lbs. The largest muscular arm that I ever measured – or saw –was Sergio Oliva’s, which, accurately measured, “cold” was 20 1/8 inches. Steve's measurements were: height (6' 1"), weight (215 lbs), neck (18 1/4 in), arms (18 1/4 in), calves (18 1/4 in), chest (52 in), waist (29 in), forearm (14 3/4 in), wrist (7 1/4 in). ©2021 Greatest Physiques. On this day, he was awarded the Mr. America title. His most notable and impressive victory came when he defeated three legends in Frank Zane, Sergio Oliva, and Reg Park to win the 1971 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional. After graduating high school, he followed up by getting his Bachelors of Arts Degree in Philosophy at Niagara University. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s arm was 19 7/8, slightly pumped – probably 19 1/2 “cold”. In 1954, Bill had finished his service in the Navy. He knew that bodybuilding wasn’t just an isolated sport – it was about community and bringing people together to keep the industry great for years to come. The making of Bill Pearl goes all the way back to that fateful day when he was first shown ‘Strength and Health’. I wanted it forgotten and over. With an incredible strongman posing routine, and one of the best classic physiques in the business – you’ll be hard pressed to find a finer bodybuilder than Bill Pearl. This would be a universal fitness establishment that catered to all types of athletes and skill levels. He’d also eat lots of meat, baked potatoes, and vegetables, and would either bake or broil his food because it was easier for him to digest. Calves. Height: 5 foot 9 inches. 1953 is when it all started happening. Chest. I actually felt strange onstage and felt I should have been there as a consular or a judge rather than a competitor. However, at 39, Bill discovered his body was starting suffer under the food choices he was making. This led him to create many future leading lights in bodybuilding, with one of the more notable being Chris Dickerson. Bill was one of the nicest guys I’ve ever known in my long life. During his health club days, Bill consulted on fitness for all kinds of groups – one of which being the North American Rockwell Aerospace Program. In his earlier years of competing, Pearl would eat five meals per day and he’d drink lots of milk (4-5 quarts per day). A Powerful Physique. Meat is definitely not the secret to bodybuilding.”. Matthew's other passions include learning about mindfulness, strolling through nature, and always working to improve overall. He stopped guest posing, and dropped everything related to the industry that didn’t directly involve his business. I would love to hear from you. Your email address will not be published. Train Forearms, Abs, Legs, Biceps and Neck every day (one exercise for each muscle groups, 6 sets). Regardless of my desire to gain weight, I always endeavor to train regularly, and very hard.”. His winning of this title was a surprise to all, including Bill and myself. He also won Mr. California (1953), Mr. America (1953), and Mr. USA in 1956 to name a few of his other achievements. Whereas Reg prescribed his 5×5 course Strength & Bulk Training For Weightlifters & Bodybuilders to those looking to bulk up as quickly and dramatically as possible, his Mr … “Everything you do in the gym has to be done on a positive note. To entertain the crowd he’d tear license plates and phone books apart, blow up hot water bottles, bend penny spiked nails, break horseshoes in half and he’d lift big weights. He said that when he prepared for contests, he would first diet down and then gain weight. Bill recalls the situation: To remedy the situation, Pearl made an immediate change to lacto-ovo vegetarianism. I wanted it forgotten and over. I once had a picture of you standing on the stomach of a guy you had hypnotized. Leo eventually convinced him this could be worked around, and get into the best shape of his life for the event. Bill decided he’d compete one last time, at the age of 37 in the 1967 London Mr. Universe. All rights reserved. Contest History: Bill Pearl: 5'9" 201: 17.5: 17.5: 14: 48: 32.5: 25: 16.2: 7.8: 9.5: 1954: Dick Dubois: 6'1" 220: … He has had a passion for fitness since elementary school and continues to research and learn how to build muscle effectively through training and diet. At the end of the four month period his arms were two inches bigger, his neck an inch bigger, his chest four inches bigger and so on. Class 1 – All the way it was Pearl, here he was the supreme. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ac5f408582ebaa8dc7e41a5a5d03724a" );document.getElementById("c642fcd723").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); My first venture into a gym for personal bodybuilding was in Bill Pearl’s first gym, located at 1914 P Street in Sacramento. One of the most iconic images from Hollywood. And ironically, this win would get him the attention of Oscar Heidenstam who owned the British equivalent of the magazine ‘Strength and Health,’ which was called ‘Health and Strength’. Later on Bill was also heavily influenced by Leo Stern, who showed him the proper way to use equipment and tutored him weightlifting during his time in the navy. Focusing more on grains, vegetables, eggs and dairy products, while excluding foods that meats and fish. My measurements were; Calf: 16.5” Thigh: 24.75” Waist: 32” Chest: 47.5” Bicep: 17” Forearm: 14.5” Neck: 17.5” (5 foot 11, 196lbs, 12% bodyfat) Muscle gain had slowed a lot at that point, I expected to gain … At a point where many competitors were well past their prime, Pearl was thriving. Who could be second to such a man? Pearl also produced two DVDs, “Pearls of Wisdom – Bill Pearl a Bodybuilding Legend” and, 1974 W.B.B.A., World’s Best-Built Man of the Century (New York, New York), 1978 Entered into W.B.B.A., Hall of Fame (New York, New York), 1978 Elected the I.F.B.B. To ensure the fans were more than satisfied with his performance, he designed a strongman routine to accompany his poses – and boy, was it a sight. “The last two Universe contests I won were done without eating red meat. Leo had seen Pearl’s progression throughout the years, and thought that he had more in the tank – enough to not only compete again at the 1971 Mr. Universe – but take home first place. . I felt I had my day and enough was enough.”. This made him a known name in industry, and helped him confirm his greatness when he won the Professional Mr. Universe in 1961 in London. Measurements are based upon the ratio of circumference-to-height, and the weight is calculated based on the Square-Cube law. Bill recalls the situation: “I had a blood test done one day, and the company doctor called me into his office and said, ‘Bill, do you have a family doctor?’ I said ‘Yes, I have a family doctor,’ and he said, ‘I strongly suggest you see this man and he puts you in the hospital.’ I said ‘You’ve got to be kidding, doc,’ and he said, ‘No, Bill, if you were my patient, I’d actually put you in the hospital.'”. Bill Pearl would be the kind of person you would be happy run into at the supermarket, to have as a neighbor, or to have a cup of tea or coffee with at a coffee shop. Below we’ve provided a few of his workout routines from back in the day. Due the success, Bill sold his gym in Sacremento and bought another in Los Angeles, moving down to the state’s capitol in the process. All rights reserved. He also hyponized my dad, your uncle Jack to quit smoking. Our family had no car so I think that perhaps Aunt Zella and Uncle Harvey must have taken us on a trip there. Bill Pearl is and forever will be a legend in the sport of bodybuilding. Pearl is the ultimate example of how hard work, determination, desire, and visualization can help one to achieve what would seem impossible to many. Pearl was a big proponent of maintaining a small waist in comparison to the size of his muscles, which is what classic bodybuilding is all about. But after his friend showed him the magazine ‘Strength and Health’ featuring big names such as John Grimek, Clancy Ross and Steve Reeves; he had big aspirations… like to one day be on the cover. He was raised in Delaware City and received his education at a private Roman Catholic school in 1958. Pearl’s first big major win came at the 1953 Amateur Mr. Universe contest where he defeated Sean Connery. He even believed his joint pain when training was in-part down to his large meat consumption. Pearl didn’t train to failure with this routine; he’d stop when the reps began to slow down. The trophy or the title meant very little to me. Measurements . National Chairman of the Professional Physique Judges Committee (Acapulco, Mexico), 1988 Entered into Pioneers of Fitness Hall of Fame, 1992 Entered into Gold’s Gym Hall of Fame, 1994 Guest of Honor of the Association of Oldetime Barbell & Strongmen 12th Annual Reunion, 1994 Entered into The Joe Weider Hall of Fame, 1995 Oscar Heidenstam Foundation Hall of Fame, 1996 American Powerlifters Federation Hall of Fame, 1997 International Chiropractors Association Sports & Fitness Man of the Year, 2001 World Gym Lifetime Achievement Award, 2001 Society of Weight-Training Injury Specialists Lifetime Achievement Award, 2002 Canadian Fitness Award for 60+ Years of Inspiration to the Industry, 2002 National Fitness Trade Journal Lifetime Achievement Award, 2003 Iron Man magazine Peary & Mabel Radar Lifetime Achievement Award, 2004 Arnold Schwarzenegger Lifetime Achievement Award, 2006 PDI Night of Champions Lifetime Achievement Award, : 32 Workout Programs for Lifelong Fitness, : Weight Training for Men and Women (Revised Edition), Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Sports. If you feel the secret to bodybuilding is how much red meat you can consume every day, don’t you think the smart thing to do is put down 2 or 3 pounds of that stuff on a regular basis? It would take 2 years for Bill’s barbell to arrive – however when it did, Bill appreciated it all the more and used it as his first step to becoming one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. 1946: Mr. Pacific Coast 2. After a friend had shown him a wartime copy of the magazine ‘Strength and Health’, all Pearl wanted was to be on the cover of it. Bill joined the Navy after graduating high school in 1950, and was stationed down in San Diego. Jail Bait (1954) Hollywood film directed by Ed Wood 3. Bill did well in the gym business, expanding to nine individual clubs throughout Northern California. Sit ups on a flat board – 100 to 200 reps. It reminded me of an old man trying to act like a kid. However, as nice as the business was, there was trouble brewing back over in the bodybuilding community. He’d been inspired by Leo and he wanted the same for himself. Shortly after Bill opted for a new sport and started competitive bicycle throughout the early 70s. Contains Well Researched and Natural Ingredients.