Cinema, painting, music, sports - everywhere there are legends that brought something important to one or another area of human life. Bodybuilding also did not go overboard, having in its history an impressive list of sonorous names. Ben Vader is a Canadian trainer who will forever remain in the memory of world bodybuilding. Why? Read about it later.
Ben Vader: biography
The future iron sports star was born on February 1, 1923 in Montreal, Canada. Ben's parents, Louis and Annie Vader, were not rich people, often experienced financial difficulties. Sometimes it came to the point that there was not even enough money for food, because the family consisted of 5 people (Ben was the youngest of 3 children). At that time, Canadians were very aggressive towards foreigners, which served Ben poorly in childhood, when he experienced all kinds of ridicule and mockery from his peers. It is worth clarifying that the parents of our hero were from Poland, did not have a high position in society.
The school years were not easy, which was the reason for the youth to leave the school after the 7th grade. Nevertheless, the boy did not wander or idle, but immediately got a job, helping his family as best he could. The hard work took 10-12 hours, but this did not stop Ben from starting to study in the boxing and dancing sections, as well as meeting and having fun with friends. Despite all the hardships, the young man grew up optimistic about life.
The beginning of a sports career
Seriously keen on sports, Ben Vader remained faithful to the gym forever, spending long hours of free time in it. In those years, he began to be interested in weightlifting, around which there was not yet such a violent hype, which we see at the present time. Over time, he took an honorable 2nd place in the Canadian Championship, which only irritated the athlete. At the same time, one could observe the intensive career growth of Ben's brother, an athlete who also excelled in weightlifting, having established himself well in the local competition, Mr. Montreal.
In 1942, Ben was forced to enlist in the ranks of Canadian intelligence, going to the front. There he honestly and conscientiously served 3 years, returning later back to his homeland. Arriving in Montreal, he decided to seriously engage in the promotion of bodybuilding, which became the first brick of his future empire. In the 40s, the Vader brothers constantly became the subject of numerous ridicule from scientists and doctors, who noted the meaninglessness of hard training in the gym and taking all kinds of food additives. In those years, it was believed that a "sports heart", which sometimes develops power loads, will not lead to anything good. Moreover, doctors argued that this only leads to weakness, all sorts of diseases and, finally, to death. Nevertheless, the brothers believed that all this is nonsense, and training, on the contrary, can enhance the health and general tone of the body.
IFBB Foundation
The year 1946 was a turning point in the lives of the brothers Ben and Joe Vader. It was then that they jointly founded the bodybuilding federation, which still exists today - IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilding). An interesting fact is that the largest organization that monitored the achievements of weightlifting in those days (the American Athletic Union), tried by all means to annoy the newly-made competitor, threatening a number of athletes with complete removal from the championships if they took part in the Vader competitions. But this did not break the brothers. Over time, other federations began to join the IFBB, dreaming of maximizing the spread of the "bodybuilding cult." In his aspirations, Ben Vader traveled over 100 countries around the world, convincing athletes of IFBB's serious intentions. So he attracted people, explaining that bodybuilding should be regarded as a full-fledged sport, and not just a hobby or hobby.
Today, the IFBB is the most influential bodybuilding federation in the world, which is several times ahead of other competitors. Moreover, this is observed both in the reputation and the number of references in the media, and in the total amount of cash flows controlled by the organization.
In 1975, Ben Vader was presented with Canada’s most honored award - an order bestowed for many years of commitment to improving the lives of people around the globe. In 1984, luck went even further when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Only the achievements mentioned indicate the great value of this person, not only for Canada, but for the whole world.
Mentioning the same year of 1975, it is worth talking about the filming of the stunning film about bodybuilding "Pumping Iron." The movie itself was shot in South Africa, where the apartheid regime reigned supreme. A kind of salvation was the fact that the Minister of Sports Pete Kornhov adored bodybuilding, which is why he wanted to organize a grand championship in his native country. Ben agreed to the competition, but only on condition that all bodybuilders live and train in the same conditions. As a result, South Africa became the home of the 1975 Mr. Olympia.
Last years and death
Ben Vader was an ardent fan of bodybuilding, but in his last years he began to think more broadly. So, he was seriously interested in history, studying various aspects of this science. It is interesting that Ben served as chairman of the International Society for the Memory of Napoleon for several years in a row. Ben had an impressive list of relics of those times, and among the general collection there was a place for rare specimens of the times of Bonaparte, among which were the emperor’s personal belongings.
Unfortunately, October 18, 2008 was a fateful date for Canada and the global sports community. It was then at the age of 85 that Ben Vader was discovered dead. But be that as it may, his name will be forever inscribed in the annals of world bodybuilding.
Ben Vader College of Bodybuilding and Fitness
In 1992, an institution was established with branches in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The idea of creating such a college belonged to Vladimir Dubinin, who was also directly involved in the promotion of bodybuilding. The educational institution operates both full-time and part-time studies. Basic training programs include:
- "Personal trainer in fitness and bodybuilding."
- "Instructor of group exercises in aerobics."
- "Instructor to the gym."
The cost of training, depending on the program, varies from 28800 to 48200 rubles. Of course, Ben Vader College of Bodybuilding and Fitness has all the necessary certificates and licenses.
Finally
Great people become, not born. It is such a saying that can be applied to such a popular person in the bodybuilding environment as Ben Vader. You could see the photo of the athlete in our article. He has significantly transformed this sport, making it a true passion for hundreds of thousands of people around the world.