Muscular Development
Encyclopedia
Muscular Development is an American fitness and bodybuilding
magazine first published in 1964. It was founded by Bob Hoffman
Bob Hoffman - athlete, nutritionist, weightlifter, coach and philanthropist - was born on a farm in Tifton, Georgia on Nov 9th 1898. His family stock was good. Bob was never the seven stone weakling claimed by other physical culturists. His father was a large strong man who liked to demonstrate the hardness of his tensed muscles. Given this it his easy to see how Bob was influenced in his formative years.
When Bob was 5 years old the family moved to Wilkinsburg near Pittsburgh where his athletic career started from a very young age. He was an exceptional athlete especially in aquatic sports - his favorite being canoeing.
The First World War saw Bob as a hero. He gained 3 Croix de Guerres with two palms and a Silver Star from France. From Belgium he was awarded The Belgian Order of Leopold and from Italy the Italian War Cross and the Purple Heart.
His business started in the 1920s, at first selling oil burners, before developing into the massive York Barbell Company.
Bob Hoffman, never a great coach or great weightlifter, was a man who influenced and guided weightlifting and bodybuilding for half a century. He died on July 18th 1985 suffering heart disease and dementia.
The owner and founder of the York Barbell Company, its editor from 1964 to its sale in 1986 was John Grimek
. MD, as it's known to many of its readers, was previously owned by Twinlab
. In 2001 Twinlab
sold Muscular Development to Steve Blechman
who then resigned from Twinlab. Muscular Development is also currently published in Romania
.
Muscular Development focuses on bodybuilding
and nutrition science. Among its current or past contributors are Michael Colgan
, John Romano, Dan Duchaine
, and Mike Mentzer
. It was notable for including an ongoing comic strip
, Max Rep: Mr. Astrotitan 2206 by illustrator Lyman Dally
in the 90's. Max Rep
was featured on the January, 1991 cover with Sandy Riddell while both he and Quadra Blu appeared together on the fully illustrated November, 1993 cover with Quadra appearing on that issue's poster. After the sale of the magazine to Blechman it changed to a more "hard-core" bodybuilding magazine and focused less on fitness.
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
magazine first published in 1964. It was founded by Bob Hoffman
Bob Hoffman - athlete, nutritionist, weightlifter, coach and philanthropist - was born on a farm in Tifton, Georgia on Nov 9th 1898. His family stock was good. Bob was never the seven stone weakling claimed by other physical culturists. His father was a large strong man who liked to demonstrate the hardness of his tensed muscles. Given this it his easy to see how Bob was influenced in his formative years.
When Bob was 5 years old the family moved to Wilkinsburg near Pittsburgh where his athletic career started from a very young age. He was an exceptional athlete especially in aquatic sports - his favorite being canoeing.
The First World War saw Bob as a hero. He gained 3 Croix de Guerres with two palms and a Silver Star from France. From Belgium he was awarded The Belgian Order of Leopold and from Italy the Italian War Cross and the Purple Heart.
His business started in the 1920s, at first selling oil burners, before developing into the massive York Barbell Company.
Bob Hoffman, never a great coach or great weightlifter, was a man who influenced and guided weightlifting and bodybuilding for half a century. He died on July 18th 1985 suffering heart disease and dementia.
The owner and founder of the York Barbell Company, its editor from 1964 to its sale in 1986 was John Grimek
John Grimek
John Carroll Grimek is recognized as one of the world's greatest bodybuilders and weight lifters of the 1930s and 1940s.Grimek was born on June 17, 1910 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, son of Slovak immigrants George and Maria Grimek.Besides his bodybuilding exploits, in which he was never defeated,...
. MD, as it's known to many of its readers, was previously owned by Twinlab
Twinlab
Twinlab Corporation is an American company which manufactures and markets vitamins, minerals, and bodybuilding supplements. It was originally founded by David and Jean Blechman in 1968 and run by them and their sons – Neil, Brian, Ross, Steve and Dean...
. In 2001 Twinlab
Twinlab
Twinlab Corporation is an American company which manufactures and markets vitamins, minerals, and bodybuilding supplements. It was originally founded by David and Jean Blechman in 1968 and run by them and their sons – Neil, Brian, Ross, Steve and Dean...
sold Muscular Development to Steve Blechman
Steve Blechman
Steve Blechman is a businessman and magazine publisher. He was at one time Executive Vice President of Twinlab. Blechman is currently the CEO, President, and sole owner, of Advanced Research Press, Inc. . ARP owns the bodybuilding magazine Muscular Development, and the fitness magazines Fitness Rx...
who then resigned from Twinlab. Muscular Development is also currently published in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
Muscular Development focuses on bodybuilding
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
and nutrition science. Among its current or past contributors are Michael Colgan
Michael Colgan (nutritionist)
Michael Colgan is a biochemist and physiologist nutritionist who gained recognition through his articles in the bodybuilding magazine Muscular Development and also through his books. From 1971 through 1982 Colgan was a senior member of the Science Faculty at the University of Auckland in New...
, John Romano, Dan Duchaine
Dan Duchaine
Daniel "Dan" Duchaine was a former American bodybuilder, author, and two time convicted felon. Nicknamed the steroid guru, Duchaine gained worldwide notoriety due to his outspoken opinions on the use of performance enhancing drugs, and made numerous television appearances discussing the subject...
, and Mike Mentzer
Mike Mentzer
Mike Mentzer was an American IFBB professional bodybuilder, businessman, and author.-Bodybuilding career:...
. It was notable for including an ongoing comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
, Max Rep: Mr. Astrotitan 2206 by illustrator Lyman Dally
Lyman Dally
Lyman M. Dally is an illustrator and former competitive bodybuilder perhaps best known for the comic strip Max Rep: Mr. Astrotitan 2206 appearing in FLEX in the late 1980's and Muscular Development throughout the 90's until its cancellation, though Dally continued to illustrate articles for MD...
in the 90's. Max Rep
Max Rep
Max Rep: Mr. Astrotitan 2206 and Max Rep in the Age of Astrotitans were comic strips appearing originally in FLEX in the late 1980's, and then in Muscular Development magazine throughout the 90's, and a Comic Book published by Dumbbell Press and created by illustrator Lyman Dally after the strip's...
was featured on the January, 1991 cover with Sandy Riddell while both he and Quadra Blu appeared together on the fully illustrated November, 1993 cover with Quadra appearing on that issue's poster. After the sale of the magazine to Blechman it changed to a more "hard-core" bodybuilding magazine and focused less on fitness.