Hail to the Dinosaurs!
Today is the 71st anniversary of D-Day.
So it's a day to take a second and remember
some of the most courageous men who ever
lived.
And for those of us who lift weights, it's a
day to remember that many of the men who
landed on those Normandy beaches were
pretty serious Iron Slingers.
For example, consider this.
There was a weightlifting contest in Philadelphia
on December 7, 1941.
There was a radio on, playing music in the
background while the men lifted.
It was near the end of the contest. They were
down to the last couple of clean and jerks.
One of the Heavyweights chalked up, tightened
his lifting belt, and walked slowly toward a massive
300 pound barbell.
It was a personal record -- and his chance to
break into the world-famous 300 Pound Club.
Everyone watched him intently.
No one spoke. They knew how important the
lift was to him.
They let him give the lift his total and complete
focus. Concentration is power. They all knew that.
He got set, lowered his hips, flattened his back,
and pulled.
It was a perfect split-style clean.
He held the bar at his shoulders -- dipped -- and
drove upward.
The bar shot to arm's length overhead --
-- and suddenly the radio blared.
"From the NBC newsroom in New York. President
Roosevelt said in a statement today that the
Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
from the air . . . "
The gym burst into pandemonium.
And the poor lifter stood there with the barbell
over his head, desperately waiting for the referee
to give the down signal.
But it never came.
America was at war.
The next day, every man in the gym made the
trip to the recruiting center and signed up for
duty.
One of them was John Davis, the defending
World Champion who would go on to win another
five World Championships and two Olympic gold
medals after the war.
Another was his training partner, Hymie Cohen.
And three and a half years later, Hymie landed
on one of those blood-soaked beaches in France.
He was followed a day later by Frank Spellman --
another training partner. Spellman went on to win
a gold medal at the 1948 Olympic Games.
Today, many people think of weightlifters and
Iron Tossers as self-centered and narcisistic.
Back then, many lifted weights because they
wanted to be ready to help out -- to help
others, and to help serve their country in
its hour of need.
And help they did.
So let's say THANK YOU -- AND WELL
DONE!
And the next time we train, let's all hit an extra
set in honor of the men and women who trained
for strength and health back when strength and
health meant helping to save the world.
As always, thanks for reading and have a
great day. If you train today, make it a good
one.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
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