Weider Achievements

In 1945 Ben and Joe Weider began a mail order fitness equipment business called Weider Sports Equipment Limited and Weider Health and Fitness in both Canada and the United States. They quickly found that there was genuine interest in weightlifting and bodybuilding although many people did not yet see it as a sport. Joe and Ben Weider began to establish reputable competitions for body builders and other fitness conscious people to compete. They used a panel of judges to decide not only strength but also overall muscle development and conformation. The Weiders continued on with this tradition fostering the following competitions and organizations:

• 1946 – Started the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IBFF). Currently there are 176 member countries.
• 1946 – Organized the first Mr. Canada
• 1949 – Ben Weider travels to Europe to promote bodybuilding
• 1965 – Organized the first Mr. Olympia contest
• 1980 – Facilitated the first Ms. Olympia contest

The Weider’s are some of the first fitness trainers and event promoters to work with females and minorities in competitions. They truly did and still do encourage all people to incorporate fitness and weightlifting as part of an overall approach to a healthy lifestyle.

Weider Exercise Equipment

One of the cornerstones in the Weider empire is their development and promotion of professional quality training equipment for the home. Weider currently makes home training and fitness equipment designed for any type of weight training. The Weider equipment line features the Platinum series that provides over 75 different exercises all in one machine. The Max and the Advantage series are excellent machines that can be used to complete the workout available on more than 60 different club-quality machines.

Weider also makes a series of specialized equipment for the home fitness enthusiast. The Weider Crossbow is designed to allow a maximum range of motion as well as providing maximum levels of resistance. Additional bows can be added to increase resistance and to increase your workout level. The Weidner Crossbar is a great machine for giving a complete body workout. Enthusiasts of either the Weider Crossbow or Crossbar like the range of motion and the multiple gym type exercises that can be achieved on one machine in the comfort of your own home.

In addition to the complete workout machines mentioned above Weider has a product line for many other types of fitness. The Weider fitness equipment includes:

• Weight benches
• Jump ropes
• Bands
• Mats
• Sit-up bars
• Free weights
• Strength training machines
• Boxing gyms
• Weight stations

Weider fitness equipment is rated consistently as some of the best home fitness equipment on the market. The Weider Crossbow and Crossbar are comparable to a Bowflex system and are less costly. Most users report that the Weider products have a greater range of motion and are easier to assemble, an important point to consider when purchasing a home gym.

Joe and Ben Weider did not just stop at promoting the sport and producing equipment, they also worked towards having bodybuilding recognized as a sport. They finally accomplished that in 1998 when the International Olympic Committee officially recognized the IBFF, fifty-two years after it was founded.