West Coast Impressions, A Random Journey

[stef]

First, Nutrition of the Sixties

by Dr Ken Leistner

“It began with the awareness that my training efforts needed a boost . . . At least the muscle magazines told me this. Of course this wasn’t true, as weight training was in the process of taking me from an undersized 120-pound youngster to a 232-pound collegiate athlete. The training was doing its job . . .”

Part I

"THE REAL FORMULA FOR GAINING MUSCULAR BODYWEIGHT:
1. A GARAGE FULL OF WEIGHTS AND RACKS +
2. A GROUP OF GUYS AND GIRLS TO LIFT THE WEIGHTS +
3. LOTS OF POST-WORKOUT FOOD"

Part II

“...wheat germ, yogurt, freshly made juices, raw milk, and blackstrap molasses were food products that seemed to come from a foreign planet in the estimation of most. If one throws in the mineral baths, introduction of yoga, and any type of meditation, it was rather easy to lump lifting weights into the “these people are all nut-jobs” category. This was the reality of the physical culture lifestyle, but for many, lifting weights was a part of it and just as often left onlookers scratching their heads and wondering “why do they do it?” ”

Part III

”...it was rather easy to lump lifting weights into the “these people are all nut-jobs” category. This was the reality of the physical culture lifestyle, but for many, lifting weights was a part of it and just as often left onlookers scratching their heads and wondering “why do they do it?””

Part IV

“The type of obsessive/compulsive nature of those drawn to the repetitive and controlled activity of training made them ripe for, as Jan put it, giving a different paraphrase to what I wrote in an earlier installment: the consumption of ‘horse flop if they believed it would put another inch on their arms or 20 pounds more on their bench press.’”

Part V

"Our excitement in finally arriving in California was in part due to the expectation that we would discover as yet unknown secrets, secrets that would allow some sort of miraculous and rapid increase in muscular size and strength. Within us, there was also a hope, if not an expectation, that all of the sets, reps, and dietary manipulation we had developed were in fact, correct, and that we had not wasted a lot of precious training time."

[idealius]

Just wanted to say I really like this series.

It feels like something is building towards a climax. Great writing.

[lacertosus]

i must agree with the first response. splendid.

[johnreynolds]

Thanks for posting the Dr. Ken articles. He writes like a half crazed iron addict who would drive all night in a snow storm to buy a York Power Rack. I never get tired of reading this stuff.

[BrooklynJerry]

I have to say Doc and Ripp are two of a kind. I have been in his company a few times and he has so many stories and a unique way of telling them .

I have trained under Dr. Ken in the past and lives for getting int people stonger. He sure is a strong guy himself and has a way with words if you meet him in person. It would be great if Ripp and Doc did on of those podcast together, I am sure it would be informative and entertaining to,say the least.

If you met him in person he could keep you entertained for hours. He sure has come into contact with some strange characters .