Nov 15, 2022
Joe Abbenda, 1962 AAU Mr. America and NABBA Mr. Universe winner, is the guest on this episode of the Bodybuilding Legends Podcast. Joe talks about how he began bodybuilding as a teenager and the early gyms he trained at in New York. Joe also tells the stories of when he started competing in bodybuilding and traveling to the national level competitions. Joe was one of the few bodybuilders who was able to win both the AAU Mr. America and the NABBA Mr. Universe competitions in the same year. At the end of the podcast, host John Hansen reads the 1983 Mr. Olympia report written by Rick Wayne for the February, 1984 issue of Muscle & Fitness Magazine.
Time Stamps:
1:30 - Mr. America and Mr. Universe winners in the same year
2:39 - The Rick Wayne Interviews
5:10 - Joint-Friendly Fitness
7:20 - Beginning of Joe Abbenda Interview
8:00 - When Joe started training
11:39 - The friendships in bodybuilding
14:40 - Working out in the gyms
17:00 - Reg Park's 5x5 workout
19:07 - Earning the athletic points for the Mr. America contest
24:00 - The Mr. America anniversary
25:00 - Joe's early competitions
28:06 - Competing in the Mr. America
31:50 - Bill Pearl's passing
35:00 - Winning the AAU Mr. America and the NABBA Mr. Universe in the same year
37:00 - A young Harold Poole
38:15 - Competing in the NABBA Mr. Universe
43:00 - Traveling to Europe
44:00 - Joe's career after bodybuilding
47:00 - Guest posing with Reg Park
56:00 - When Joe stopped competing
1:13:10 - Host John Hansen reads the 1983 Mr. Olympia report written by Rick Wayne from the February, 1984 issue of Muscle & Fitness magazine.
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