Hail to the Dinosaurs!
(Note: This is part one of the Dinosaur
Christmas Story for 2012. The Dinosaur
Christmas Story is a Holiday tradition
here at Dino Headquarters. I write a
new one every year. Hope you enjoy the
2012 story!)
The crowd roared as the Strongest Man in
the World snapped the heavy barbell to
his shoulders, set himself, and then drove
it overhead in a powerful jerk.
It was standing room only, and people were
hanging from the rafters of the YMCA gym.
They'd come from miles to see the fabulous
York champions in action.
Tony Terlazzo.
John Grimek.
Steve Stanko.
Gracie Bard.
Bob Hoffman.
Bob Hoffman opened things up by talking
about the benefits of barbell training
and the Strength and Health Way of
Living.
Then he proved he practiced what he
preached by bent pressing a 250 pound
barbell.
Tony Terlazzo was next. He demonstrated
the military press -- and he worked his
way up to 240 pounds at a bodyweight of
only 148 pounds. No wonder he was a
World and Olympic champion!
Gracie Bard flashed a vivacious smile as
she did the complete set of exercises in
York Courses No. 1 and No 2 -- with a
barbell heavier than most men could
lift.
Not that lifting made Gracie look manly.
Far from it. The petite dancer was cute
as a peach. If she hadn't been Bob
Hoffman's girlfriend (and a regular
in every issue of Strength and Health),
she would have received a dozen marriage
proposals that night!
John Grimek showed the crowd what serious
continental pressing looked like -- with
weights up to 320 pounds -- and then he
showed them what serious muscle looked
like.
Grimek's posing routine left the audience
speechless.
No one had ever seen anything like it.
But how could they?
Grimek was undoubtedly the best developed
man in the entire world -- with muscles
that jumped up and down like billiard
balls when he did his famous "Muscle
Dance."
Then it was time for the Big Champ --
Steve Stanko. The United States National
Champion in the Heavyweight class. The
strongest man in the world.
Stamko started heavy and finished heavier,
thrilling the crowd by driving 380 pounds
to arms' length overhead.
"Go for 400!" someone shouted.
Stanko was game, but Bob Hoffman stepped
forward, raising his hand to silence the
crowd.
"It's Christmas Eve and we have a long
drive to get back to York," he said. "And
the Big Champ needs to save his strength --
he and John Grimek may end up pushing the
car out of snow drifts before the night is
over!"
That ended the exhibition. The lifters
showered and changed, piled into Bob's big
black Buick, and took off for York. Their
York Olympic barbell was tied to the front
bumper, and the plates were piled on the
floor in the back.
The crowd stood on the street behind them,
waving and cheering and shouting "Merry
Christmas!" as they drove away.
Inside the car, Bob Hoffman shivered and
pulled his scarf tighter. It was cold --
and they had many miles to go.
"Step on it, Bob!" said Steve Stanko. "I'm
hungry!"
"You're always hungry!" said John Grimek.
"Yeah, but right now I'm exactly hamished!"
said Stanko, who often spoke in a secret
language all his own.
"What's that mean?" asked Tony Terlazzo.
"It means I'm famished and I want ham and
eggs for breakfast," said Stanko.
"I'd settle for a steak dinner," said Grimek.
"Or maybe two of them."
The car sped over the dark road as the
lifters planned their next meal.
Little did they know what the night held
for them -- or how memorable that meal
would be!
(To be continued.)
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. We're down to the wire on Christmas
orders. If you've been waiting to place
an order, wait no longer -- do it now!
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 2. Thought for the Day: "Study the past,
look to the future, live in the present."
-- Brooks Kubik
