John Grimek New Jersey Strength and Power HoF inductee 2023

By Strength and Power Hall of Fame

 

 

6/17/1910-11/20/1998

 

John started training when he was 12 years old primarily to get bigger and stronger. It wasn’t long before others started to notice John’s rapid physical response to training. John continued to train and was a much sought after model for the advertisements of the day.  While John is regarded as the greatest bodybuilder of his time and one of the greatest ever, he was also an accomplished weightlifter. John was a member of the 1936 United States Olympic Weightlifting Team, a Senior National Champion a North American Champion and set several National Records as well as a World Record. John was also New Jersey State Champion several times representing the Shore Athletic Club of Perth Amboy New Jersey. 

 

1^st Heavyweight class* 1934 New Jersey State Championships.

Heavyweight class 1934 Senior Nationals. John military pressed a National Record 110K but bombed in the snatch. At the time John was primarily training on body building movements and had not learned how to properly perform snatches or clean and jerks.

1^st Heavyweight class 1935 New Jersey State Championships

2^nd Heavyweight class 1935 Senior Nationals

1^st Heavyweight class 1936 Senior Nationals

9^th Heavyweight class 1936 Olympic Games

1^st 181lb class 1938 North American Championships

4^th 181lb class 1938 World Championships

1^st 181lb class 1938 Canadian Championships

3^rd Heavyweight class 1940 Senior Nationals

 

There were no World Championships after 1938 and no Olympics in 1940 and 1944 due to World War 2. John continued bodybuilding and is the only 2X Mr. America and was Mr. Universe in 1948 and Mr. USA in 1949. John then retired undefeated at 39 years old. John worked for York Barbell for 50 years and was editor of Muscular Development Magazine.

 

John’s lifetime contributions to Strength and Power Sports as well as Body Building are so numerous it would take volumes to properly explain his life time impact. That impact still manifests itself in every one before and since whom shares a love of the barbell and the decades of training that enrich their lives. John was just like you. He loved lifting and training.

 

• A heavyweight in John’s era was 82.5kg+ or 181.5 lbs+.

 

John and his wife Angela are buried at Holy Savior Cemetery in York County Pa. The cemetery is not far from the York Hall of Fame. John’s friends Steve Stanko and John Terlazzo are also buried there.

Author: By Strength and Power Hall of Fame Completed: yes Created: Mon Feb 27 18:07:22 UTC 2023 | Last Updated: Sun Dec 24 17:14:17 UTC 2023