CHUCK AHRENS- Strength Through Humility
A different version of this story appeared in Powerlifting USA Magazine approx. in March of 1983.
On Dec. 30, 2009 Chuck Ahrens, one of the most notable of modern day American strongmen, passed
away. Strength devotees well remember his prodigious strength. I too remember the absolutely stunning pictures in Iron Man Magazine showing a man who appeared to be wearing shoulder pads but in reality, did not. However, what was equally impressive to me was Chuck's modesty. Never did he boast or brag about his gift.It made several friends of mine immediately come to mind who were a kindred spirit to Chuck- both strong and humble. I contemplated my friends Steve Sanderson of Plymouth, Steve Monas and Dave Hartnet of NH and my pals Paul Dallalis, Frankie Ciavattone and Jeff Ciavattone of Norwood..
Finally, I thought of my teenage friend, Joey Previte. When Joey was born, circumstances arose where Joey's parents were fearful that his health would be in jeopardy.. By the grace of God, the opposite occured and Joey became a prodigy of strength. At 250lbs., he became a superb lineman garnering all scholastic honors in 3 Massachusetts newspapers.He bench pressed 405 for a double and squatted and deadlifted 500lbs. all before reaching the age of 19!
Like Chuck Ahrens, Joey is the epitome of strength and humbleness. He and Chuck would have made perfect training partners given another time and place and I dedicate this story to Joey.
CHUCK AHRENS- Strength Through Humility.
By Peter Vuono
In the early days of powerlifting, back in the 1950's there was established in Santa Monica California an outdoor gymnasium known as the Muscle Beach Weightlifting Club. This gym was enclosed by a wooden fence and was equipped with a wide variety of weights and machines. It was here at this Mecca of muscle that many of powerlifting's pioneers congregated. One of the largest and strongest of these behemoths was Chuck Ahrens. Chuck was known as weightlifting's "Mystery Man", because he was of a quiet reserved nature and refused to take off his shirt to pose for cameras. Only in one rare photo taken for Muscular Developement Magazine, did Chuck roll up his sleeve. When walking along the shores of Muscle Beach, he must have resembled one of the huge saurians that may have roamed there in the Mesozoic.
Chuck stood 6' and weighed 330 lbs., most of which was distributed in his upper body. He had a normal, non-expanded chest measurement of 58 inches. His shoulders were 28 inches wide and his arms measured 22 and three eighths in circumference!
Ahrens specialized in odd lifts. His favorites were the one arm dumbbell strict press, the two arm dumbbell press and the triceps extension. Chuck was able to press with one arm 310 lbs. for 3 repetitions! He also performed 235lbs. for 5 consecutive repetitions standing with a dumbbell in each hand! While seated, with his back up against an incline board set at 90 degrees, Chuck pressed two 225lb. dumbells for 5 reps!
In the lying triceps extension, Chuck's style was to hold the bar overhead, lower it behind and below the head and then extend it up overhead. In 1956, Chuck performed a single in this movement with 400lbs.!
Such work on the dumbbell presses and triceps extensions gave Chuck tremendous power in the behind the neck press and the bench press. In the behind the neck press standing, Chuck performed 390 lbs. without specialization. In the bench press, he performed and incredible 28 reps with 400lbs.!!
Unfortunately, Chuck's quiet and humble disposition,kept him away from actual competition.
According to the office of Unclaimed Persons of the Los Angeles County Dept. of the Coroner, the body of Charles Henry Ahrens who lived on Ocean Park in his beloved Santa Monica was unclaimed by family, friends or acquaintances at age 76.
At first, I felt terrible that Chuck died alone and it almost brought me to tears knowing that this man who inspired so many was unclaimed at death. However, in truth, God claimed his humble soul and his memory still beats in the hearts of all those he inspired. In this way, his essence was claimed by all.
"A wise man walks with his head bowed; humble like the dust".- Shaolin saying
Great stuff as always,Pete
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Dave!
DeleteYou met Chuck... Please give us more data about this strength monster... The whole iron world want to know more about hum.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Thanks so much for your entry. Unfortunately, I never got to meet him but there is a great deal about him on line. He was very shy and reclusive. When he trained, his best friend was powerlifter Steve Merjanion who did a 60 degree 500lb incline in the 60's. Steve is still living in California. Hope you can find more info on Chuck on line. Thanks again!
DeleteBack from 1961-1963 I used to do Olympic lifting at the old Los Angeles YMCA. There I met a competing bodybuilder named Don Hollingsworth who told me a very interesting story about Chuck Ahrens that goes right along with Chuck's legend. It sems that Don struck up a friendship with Mr. Ahrens that resulted in Don's being invited to dinner with both Chuck and his wife. During the beginning everything was going well until for some reason Chuck's wife got mad at her husband-she grabed his shirt sleeve and at the same time stting her fustration that her husband Chuck would never ever take off his shirt-even in front of his own wife. Well at the same time she actually ripped his sleeve. Accord to Don Hollinsworth Chuck with one hand held hos shirt sleeve up and with the other hand ate hiss food. He simply retreated within himself and did not say another word. Don left as soon as he could. But this simple story Don Hollingsworth told me over 50 years ago tells in itself much about the inner mindset of Chuck Ahrens that actually was his eventual downfall. Obviously his inner demons which resulted in his most likely total isolation from other human beings-well there it is. As told to me over half a century ago. Oh yes I believe that he also suffered a major shoulder injury which in itself most likely ended his weightlifting carrier did not help as well. Which also helps to understand his bodyweight at time of death was supposidly only 175 pounds. With his lifting over, his divorce and probably becomming a hermit-well so sad, so sad.
DeleteAll of us, who trained in the 70's gym in Penna.were Chuck Ahrens fans.I drove out to Muscle beach then....it was paradise then but not now.
DeleteThis was an excellent, Story, Alan; thanks for sharing. The irony of the whole thing that even though Chuck died virtually alone, at the same time he had(and even now has), a huge number of strength athletes who continue to be inspired by him. Nod doubt, this legacy will continue on. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteAnother notable weightlifting individual who ended up poorly that I used to know was Herb Glossbrenner. With Herb it was his total obsession with the weight game. To suffer the worst injury possible attempting an age group squat record and ending up both a physical as well as a mental invalid is about as bad as it gets. Bob Hise III too, All three of them put their entire life, and then some, into the iron game and all ended up wit nothing.
ReplyDelete