What is 70s Big?

My friend AC and I were walking around the Wichita Falls Athletic Club one day looking at pictures of lifters from “back in the day”. We saw a collection of guys who were simply massive and strong. It made AC shake his head and say, “Man, these guys were…70’s Big.”

And it got me thinking.

The physiques of our 70’s Big co-captains, powerlifting Doug Young and Olympic lifting Anatoly Pisarenko, didn’t flourish through bodybuilding techniques. No sir; they wanted to be as strong as possible in their respective sports, and as a result they grew to meet such needs. Guys from this time period were big because they were strong. Guys from this time period were…70’s Big.

70’s Big is synonymous with being strong. It can also be considered the quest of attaining strength and subsequently muscular body weight. The best way to obtain strength is through barbell training, and barbell training means squatting, pressing, deadlifting, cleaning, jerking, and snatching. Period.

There are plenty of people who make it a priority to look like they are strong when they actually aren’t. This would be training for the sake of aesthetics, and the type of training that meets such goals has no part in a strength program. The difference between a physique that has been developed through strength training is very different than one that has been created with vanity in mind.

If you’re confused, the following picture is 70’s Big:

It’s currently in vogue to have a spindly, thin appearance which is typically accompanied by a low body fat percentage. Regardless of why this has come to be, those who have such an appearance are not very useful. Imagine asking someone of this “stature” to help you move your car out of the road, haul some lumber, or even fend off a potential zombie attack. It simply wouldn’t be feasible.

Thus, the mission statement of 70’s Big is multi-faceted and ever evolving. We aim to:

• Improve strength through barbell training while eating plenty of food

• Become big by being strong as opposed to aesthetic focused exercise

• Begin a movement against the prevailing wisdom that “looking good” means being emaciated, gaunt, and undernourished

• Be humble about our own gains of strength while encouraging and teaching others to improve theirs

• Honor the lifters of the past who inspire us to become 70’s Big

• Test ourselves in competition while encouraging others to take the chance on competing
  

I hope this website provides a good mix of quality information regarding strength training and entertainment. If you ever have any thoughts, comments, or questions, you can e-mail me.

The authors and publisher disclaim any responsibility for adverse effects or consequences from the misapplication or injudicious use of the information presented on this website.

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