This is a post about me, my friends Joe Vitale and George Helmer and of course, Steve Reeves.

I began bodybuilding in 1985 after seeing a magazine with Bob Paris on the cover.

I was standing in the checkout line of the grocery store.

It was Spring.

I needed some motivation.

I played football in High School.

But now that I was just out of High School, I was not doing much physically.

Of course I was still eating the same amount of calories daily as when I played football.

But now those calories were sticking with me instead of being burned off through football practice, lifting and running.

So I needed to find something to do.

And I noticed the Muscle and Fitness magazine cover.

I bought that issue, took it home and devoured it from cover to cover.

I joined Gold’s Gym there in Waco, Texas (I was attending Baylor University at the time).

Results came quickly for a 21 year old.

It motivated me even more.

I cleaned up my diet.

I ate chicken, rice, broccoli, repeat, repeat.

The gym owner told me I should “compete”.

At what?

I thought.

Enter competitive bodybuilding.

I competed in 1988 at the NPC Heart of Texas Classic and got 2nd place.

In fact I got 2nd place in just about every contest I entered over the next 13 years.

(note - if you plan to compete in bodybuilding, fitness or figure MAKE SURE and hire someone to help you over the last 6-8 weeks.)

I had enough of it and finished competing in 2001.

I was married and my interests turned away from competitive bodybuilding to a more healthy approach.

(note -competitive bodybuilding is not about health.  The people on the pro and national level stage are usually the most unhealthy people around.  At least during the contest phase).

I got into the entrepreneurial mindset with the help of my great friend, Joe Vitale and another guy who I’ll always be grateful to.

Fitness was/is still my passion.

But now, I run an indoor fitness boot camp business, create DVD’s with Monica Brant, DVD’s with Lee Priest, ebooks, audio coaching program for fledgling fitness entrepreneurs, a documentary on 4 time Ms Fitness Olympia, Adela Garcia, online training, telephone coaching for fitness professionals, message boards, and a bunch of different websites.

And with all of that, one of the moments that I’m most proud of is meeting Steve Reeves best friend and business partner, George Helmer.

Steve Reeves is unknown by most people that I talk to.

It’s hard to believe.

Steve was the number one box office movie draw in 1959 due to the incredible success of the movie Hercules.

Steve was a role model for Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and a host of other well known personalities.

A few years ago, I had the incredible pleasure of attending “The Steve Reeves Fitness and Film Festival” near San Diego, California.

Joe Vitale and I spent the weekend there in that wonderful San Diego weather soaking up all of the stories about Steve Reeves told by Steve’s greatest fans and longtime friends.

Namely by George Helmer.

George was Steve’s long time friend, business partner and training partner.

I can identify a lot with George because little did he know that he would become such a great friend to Steve Reeves.

Just as I have with Lee Priest, Monica Brant and others.

Steve told the story of how he met Steve.

How Steve helped George’s gym business grow.

How George used to drive out to Steve’s nearby ranch from San Diego on the weekends.

In order not to be late, George would arrive early and sit in his car under a grove of trees near Steve’s Ranch.

Steve asked George how he did it.

How did he always arrive on time?

George never told Steve how he did it.

I heard some amazing stories that weekend.

I met some amazing fans and friends of Steve’s.

I got to see up close and personal some of Steve’s belongings.

Clothing, car, jewelry, bicycle, trophies, letters, photos, paintings, and more.

One of the coolest things that I got to see was a piece of the wall that Steve used to write his workouts on at his childhood home.

It was nearly lost forever though.

Until George got involved.

George went back to Steve’s childhood home after he learned that Steve had written or carved his workouts on the garage wall of the home.

He wondered if it was still there.

He asked the home owner (can you imagine?) if he could look for it in the garage.

The owner said “Sure”.

George could not find the section, it had been covered up.

George asked if he could remove sections of the garage wall (he paid them) to look for it.

They said “yes” and after hours of trying, he found it.

George now owns that piece of wall.

Steve was everything that was good about bodybuilding.

He had a great physique, he was honest and hardworking, he was charismatic and he had the ability to make a great living by following his passion.

Joe Vitale has taken on the great responsibility of guarding some of Steve’s greatest belongings.

Such as the bust that you see in the top header of this post.

There were only 3 made.

Joe now has 1.

1 is lost.

And 1 is in the hands of the sculptor’s family.

The bust was created by artist Kenneth Kendall.

Kenneth is best known for his work with

James Dean

.

“His bust of James Dean is on display at the Griffith Park Observatory where the movie “Rebel Without A Cause” was filmed.

Dean was at Kendall’s studio one day and Kendall asked Dean to follow him back to the studio’s work area.  Ken had been working on Steve’s bust and had a towel covering it.

He removed the towel and asked Dean if he knew who this was.

Dean replied, “That’s the one and only Steve Reeves.”

George is full of stories like this one.

Personally, I find it amazing and I love the history of bodybuilding and fitness and the folks like Steve who have helped bring popularity to health and fitness.

Steve Reeves played a huge role in getting the general public’s attention and getting them to take an interest in health and fitness.

Joe Vitale has taken ownership of Steve’s beloved 1977 XJS V-12Jaguar that Steve bought off the Hollywood showroom floor in 1977.

Rock Hudson wanted it.

But Steve talked the salesman out of it saying “I know Rock Hudson.  I know he’s in Europe working on a film.  So sell me the car and Rock can get another one.”

So Steve got the car.

And now Joe has it.

And I’ve sat in it.

And I’ve sat at his dining room table - the one Steve’s parents owned when Steve was a boy.

And the same one that Steve used later on as an adult.

And I’ve tried on Steve’s Mr. America watch.

Getting to know who Steve Reeves REALLY was and actually sitting at his table, wearing his watch, sitting in his car and working out on his home universal gym has been one of the highlights of my involvement in the fitness industry.

As Gene Landrum writes in his book, “The Superman Syndrome”:

“Paint superman on your psyche and dare anyone to knock him off”

And:

“Everyone has Superman or Wonder Woman lurking within; those who can tap into that power will leap tall barriers and think faster than a speeding bullet.”

Thanks, George, Joe and Steve for the “insiders only” look into one of the greatest ever in the health and fitness industry.