Born: 17th June 1910

John Grimek is the only man who has ever won the Mr. America title more than once. His victories in 1940 and 1941 were so overwhelming that the competition organizers of the time introduced the one-time rule. Grimek showed the sight of a true Hercules and was as strong as he looked - he proved that when he represented the United States as a weightlifter at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. 1948, at the age of 38, struck Grimek Young star Steve Reeves at the Mr. Universe in London.
A year later, in his last competition, the Mr. USA, he hit Reeves again - as well as Clarence Ross, George Eiferman and Armand Tanny - and withdrew from the bodybuilding competition unbeaten. An expert in muscle control and agile in acrobatic strength movements, he possessed extreme strength.
Long after his retirement, he was still able to squat over 180 kg. With his combination of proportioned body lines and raw strength, John Grimek served as the perfect blend between the pre-war "bodybuilder as strongman" and the modern "just one sport" bodybuilder of today.

John Grimek arbeitete schon seit den 1930er Jahren als Journalist für die Muskelzeitschrift „Strenght & Health“. 1964 wechselte er dann zu „Muscular Development“ und beendete dort erst 1985 seine Tätigkeit.
He wrote countless articles about bodybuilding.

Grimek John - Competitions

Career as a weightlifter

* 1935, 2nd place, USA Championship, FK, S, with 497.5 kg, behind Bill Good, 545 kg;
* 1936, 1st place, USA Championship, OD, S, with 357.5 kg;
* 1936, 2nd place, US Olympic elimination, OD, S, with 352.5 kg,
* 1936, 9th place, OS in Berlin, OD, S, with 357.5 kg,
* 1937, 1st place, New Jersey Championship, OD, S, weighing 345 kg;
* 1938, 1st place, North American Championship, OD, Hs, with 377.5 kg,
* 1938, 4th place, World Championships in Paris, OD, Hs, with 365 kg,
* 1939, 1st place, North American Championship, OD, Hs, with 370 kg;
* 1940, 3rd place, USA Championship, S, with 390 kg,

(OS = Olympic Games, WM = World Championship, Hs = light heavyweight, S = heavyweight)

Bodybuilder career

* 1939, “York Perfect Man”, before Elmer Farnham and Constantin Cosiras;
* 1940, “Mr. America “, before Frank Leight and Ludwig Schusterich;
* 1941, „Mr. America“, vor Jules Bacon und Frank Leight;
* 1946, "Most Muscular Man in America", before Steve Stanko and Sam Loprinzi;
* 1948, “Mr. Universe “(NABBA), ahead of Steve Reeves and André Drapp;
* 1949, „Mr. USA“ (AAU), vor Clarence Ross, Reeves, George Eiferman

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