Even before Flex Wheeler emerged as the Sultan of Symmetry, there was one man who pioneered focus on symmetry and shape in bodybuilding. Winning three Mr. Olympia titles, Frank Zane brought grace and body aesthetics on stage. A staunch rival of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane grew up in a state that was the epicenter of weightlifting in the United States. From traversing into a different arena, the yesteryear bodybuilding legend, in an archive interview from 2008, walked down memory lane.

Speaking about how he ended up doing “425 deadlifts,” the bodybuilding legend had much to share about his early life and squatting skills.

Is 400+ squats a tough thing for Frank Zane?

The squat is one of the basic but most difficult things to ace in the gym. However, for Frank mastering 400+ squats was not a difficult task. Boasting his skills, the Pennsylvania native confessed, “I was always a good squatter.” Even though his state was famous for weightlifting, young Frank was never interested in “Olympic lifts.”

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Talking about his early years, he revealed that the area where he came from was not much enlightened about powerlifting. Adding more, he said, “they called it “odd lifting” and they sort of organized their own competitions.” Explaining the nature of the competitions, he added that the “lifts that the greatest number of guys were good at” were picked. 

Despite No Fear of Death, 86-Year-Old Frank Zane Once Felt Worried About It for a Specific Reason: “Everybody Has To Leave”

This helped him to pick up good squatting skills. He revealed that until he moved to California, there was no one other who was better at squats apart from him. He mastered bench presses, curls, and deadlifts. However, he was not into deadlifts. He did those only to get into the contest. Talking about it more, Frank added that when he weighed 175 lb, he did “425 deadlift, 285 bench press, and 155 curl.” But in squatting, he was the absolute master. He added, “I would have been squatting with over 400,” for he was good at it. 

The time when Frank reached out to help competitor turned friend Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold and Frank have been competitors; there was no denying the rivalry they shared. In 1980 when Arnold claimed his seventh title, he stopped Frank from clenching his fourth. But outside the sporting arena, the two were good friends. The two even shared apartments and trained alongside each other in California. They share a cordial bond and always speak highly of each other.

Arnold may be a man of versatile talent, but when it came to maths, he was not the best one. However, thankfully Frank helped him out. Speaking about the incident, Frank, in an archived interview, revealed that he helped Arnold to solve problems in Algebra. Thus, it’s needless to say that Frank was not just a master of squats but also a great friend. What have you got to say about his squatting skills? In the comment sections, do let us know!

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