Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Make a sustaining gift today to support local journalism!

Joe Weider, Fitness Icon And Mr. Olympia Creator, Dies At 93

Arnold Schwarzenegger raises the arm of Joe Weider, the creator of the Mr. Olympia Bodybuilding competition, during the 39th annual Mr. Olympia event in 2003. Weider died Saturday at 93.
Eric Jamison
/
AP
Arnold Schwarzenegger raises the arm of Joe Weider, the creator of the Mr. Olympia Bodybuilding competition, during the 39th annual Mr. Olympia event in 2003. Weider died Saturday at 93.

Joe Weider, a legendary figure in the world of bodybuilding whose name became synonymous with the sport, died Saturday at the age of 93.

Weider's publicist, Charlotte Parker, told The Associated Press that the bodybuilder, publisher and promoter died of heart failure at his home in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley.

Through the creation of the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding event in 1965, Weider is often credited with introducing the world to a charming, young bodybuilder named Arnold Schwarzenegger, who would go on to win the competition a record seven times and become a superstar.

Schwarzenegger tweeted the news of his friend's death:

In a statement on his website, Schwarzenegger remembered Weider as a "titan in the fitness industry and one of the kindest men I have ever met."

Schwarzenegger continued:

"Joe didn't just inspire my earliest dreams; he made them come true the day he invited me to move to America to pursue my bodybuilding career. I will never forget his generosity. One of Joe's greatest qualities is that he wasn't just generous with his money; he freely gave of his time and expertise and became a father figure for me."

Weider was born in Canada in 1919 and began lifting his own, homemade weights he built from scrap parts. He eventually joined a weightlifting club and won his first bodybuilding competition when he was 17.

Weider went on to create a mail-order barbell business and become a staunch promoter of bodybuilding, as well as health and fitness, with publications like Muscle & Fitness, Flex and Shape.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.