Before Pumping Iron, bodybuilding wasn’t on the map. History and reality don’t always go hand in hand. I’m not going to beat around the bush. That’s never been my style. If I was the kind of writer who wanted to win awards, I could paint a series of nice pictures. I could gradually bring you into the fold, but we don’t have time for that. That last line is all you get. This is IronMag. So, let’s dive right in and let’s be real from start to finish. Before Pumping Iron, Joe Weider was printing magazines and there were some great shows. Both things are true; however, you can see the 1975 Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia in Pumping Iron and you can compare it to the 1977, 78, and future Olympias. Pumping Iron transformed bodybuilding by giving the bodybuilders their own fanbases. Pumping Iron was a film seen by the mainstream public. If you think bodybuilding is a niche sport today, imagine back then. Muscle magazines weren’t in most bookstores or news kiosks. There was no cable television, no internet, no social media. It was all word of mouth, limited print, and practically no mainstream exposure. If you were to have held a focus group in the 60’s or early 70’s and polled everyday people about bodybuilding, I’d opinions would vary vastly. In the spirit of political correctness, I don’t want to elaborate, but I’m sure you can imagine. The sport needed something to make it more interesting to the everyday viewer. One of the men behind Pumping Iron, was the one and only Charles Gaines. This great write has unfortunately passed at 84 years of age.
Many times, the most creative people work in pairs. Charles Gaines was a phenomenal writer, but when he linked up with filmmaker George Butler, things really went to the next level. The two began researching the sport of bodybuilding, going to contests, and filming the battles. Not only did they like the subculture, but they wanted to see it grow. There was no way bodybuilding would be on tv or radio then. That was reserved for hoops, football, and baseball. I don’t even know if hockey was seen in warmer states. I’d think most people south of the Mason Dixon Line would have a greater likelihood of seeing boxing on tv than hockey. In any event, bodybuilding was not going to be on the tube. It was a far different time. Some closed-minded people even thought bodybuilding was a sport for gay guys. Although the presence of gay people in the sport has been a reality since day 1, the idea that bodybuilding is a sport for gay people is not only preposterous, but incredibly offensive to the LGBT community, to bodybuilders, and to everyone associated with it. Others thought it was porn. The negative stereotypes were endless. It was also a sport that put men in little to no clothes. You must remember that conservative values were still very prevalent. So, I’m sure that Charles Gaines and George Butler were privy to the limitations that lay ahead. Nonetheless, they pressed forward.
The first step in presenting their findings came in 1974 with the book The Art and Sport of Bodybuilding. This book presented the subculture as a sport. The response was powerful, but it took three long years until Pumping Iron was released as a film. The book was the first step, the movie was the second step, but the staying power of the storyline is what was the undeniable third step. We’re living in step 3 – as much today in 2026 and as in yesteryear in 1977. This is because Pumping Iron created something for everyone. The IFBB Pro League has ten divisions of competition today – Pumping Iron presented a bodybuilder for each way of thinking. You had the guys who gravitated to the top guy – Arnold. No offense to Oak fans, but to me, most of them are of your bandwagon pedigree. It’s the same kind of person that loved Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls or rooted with Shaq with The Lakers. By the time of the 1975 Olympia, Arnold had won 5 Olympia titles. He was vying for his 6th. There was no mystery about the Austrian bodybuilder with the inflated ego. It was all but a fact he was going to win again. But then there were fans for other competitors.
Who could forget Lou Ferrigno training with his dad in some packed dungeon gym in New York City. This towering giant who looked like he could rip phonebooks for fun, was super delicate, and arguably insecure. It also looked like he was fighting for more than the title. It wasn’t just about beating Arnold, but maybe it was also about winning a father’s love. Maybe it was about getting a father’s approval. That part of the film resonated with a lot of people who maybe were estranged from their fathers – or maybe never even met them. Lou was also disabled but he wasn’t about quitting. Sure, it was harder for him, but so what? He was tough as nails – or – at least that’s the persona he wanted to present. Was that an act, too? What was acted and what was real? That’s for each individual viewer to decide on their own. It wasn’t all scripted – or was it?
Then you had the schoolteacher in Mike Katz. You had the short guy who felt like a giant in Franco Columbu. You had the pompous guy who thought he was bigger than sliced bread in Ken Waller. You had the old dude living his best life in Ed Corney. You had the aesthetic wonder in Serge Nubret (who should’ve won, but showed exemplary good sportsmanship in defeat; he showed great honor, actually). There were several others, but each competitor was playing a role – literally. It’s like they were playing the role of a disciplined bodybuilder prepping for the stage and battling in front of the judges, but they were also dropping their guard and letting the viewer know the real them. The only thing is it was mostly all an act. That act is what made an otherwise boring topic exciting.
Charles Gaines was a driving force in making bodybuilding interesting. It doesn’t matter that Pumping Iron was released 49 years ago. Look at The Exorcist. That came out in 1973 – 53 years ago. Even though the special effects look super cheesy, it’s a must-see for any horror fan, today. That movie still scares the shit out of people half a century later. And at nearly 50 years of age, teenagers are discovering Pumping Iron today. Maybe they’re into wrestling, maybe they want to play football, but they love the movie. Anyone who actively lifts weights is going to love Pumping Iron. It’s not just going to motivate them to train, it’s going to inspire them to chase their dreams.
There would be no bodybuilding as we know it today without Pumping Iron. And wherever the sport goes, that film will go with it. Like I said from the start, bodybuilding owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to Charles Gaines. Rest in peace, iron brother.
How many times have you seen Pumping Iron? Be honest. As always, I hope you enjoyed reading my article, here, at IronMag. I look forward to reading your feedback in the comments. Please be sure to copy and paste a link to this article on all your social media feeds. It’s bound to generate lively conversation.
Author Bio:
Christian I. Duque is the owner of StrengthAddicts.com, a physique and strength website founded in 2008. He has worked for a number of bodybuilding websites, including RX Muscle and Muscular Development. Christian has written nearly 1,000 published articles for IronMag Blog, as well as articles for StrengthAddicts, RX Muscle, and others. By day, he is also a licensed attorney practicing in the areas of family law, immigration, and criminal defense.
