Click Here For Free Bodybuilding Magazine Subscription
Frank Zane: From Math Teacher to Mr. Olympia

Frank Zane wasn't always a professional body builder.  He had always been interested in fitness, but not at the professional level.  Frank grew up in Pennsylvania and wasn't very big growing up. In fact, he was very shy and reserved. When Frank was 14, he found a weightlifting magazine.  That’s when he started lifting at home and at the YMCA. This upset his father because he wanted him to be doing work around the house instead.  However, the results were quite apparent as he gained 30 pounds of muscle over 3 years. During the summer, Frank would train when he was an archery instructor for a camp in the Poconos.

Zane graduated from high school with excellent grades and earned a partial scholarship to Wilkes University.  He graduated from Wilkes University in 1964 with a B.S. in Education. This naturally led to him becoming a math teacher. He taught math and chemistry for the next thirteen years in California and Florida.

For two years he also taught high school math in New Jersey. This background in chemistry earned him the nickname The Chemist. He also was given this moniker because he used supplements and amino acids during a time period when most weren't. If it wasn’t for Zane, supplements may not be as popular as they are today.

While as a teacher, Zane participated in local bodybuilding tournaments. He was very successful doing this, winning most of the competitions. Because of Zane, the bodybuilding community began to shift away from mass and began focusing on aesthetics.

Zane preaches a combination of body weight exercises, weights, and unconventional techniques. Zane had the second thinnest waistline of all Mr. Olympias. His broad shoulders and slim waist gave him a popular v-shaped look. Zane was also distinct because he is one of the few Mr. Olympias to win while under 200 pounds. He weighed exactly 198 pounds when he won. Zane won three times in a row, from 1977 to 1979. He has beaten Arnold Schwarzenegger in a competition, one of the few to do so.  

Zane has also written several books on bodybuilding and are all critically acclaimed.  Obviously thanks to his educational background. Frank and his wife Christine also opened a bodybuilding institute in Palm Springs called Zane Haven.

Zane also created many pieces of exercise equipment like the Leg Blaster. He has also created and released the Calf Blaster and the Right Angle. Zane’s most famous fitness invention is the Total Body Blaster. Most people recognize this name, but they don’t know that Zane created it. Then Zane and his wife sold Zane Haven and moved to San Diego. Now he operates his website -frankzane.com- and teaches people across the country about bodybuilding through the Zane Experience.  Zane is also available to be hired for appearances and motivational speeches. Zane’s story truly shows that anybody with the right mind-set and enough work ethic can become Mr. Olympia. Even someone as mild mannered as a High School math teacher.

About the Author

As mentioned in this article, if it wasn’t Frank Zane or The Chemist, the use of supplements might not be as important as it is in today’s bodybuilding and fitness world.  Depending on what stage you’re competing or just an amateur training like most of us there are still a number of regulation you need to comply with.  This is why Kevin Hodges promotes legal and safe supplement through the website https://crazygain.com/ because sometime you just want to make sure you’ve got a clean conscious.

If you have any questions or want to make suggestions please feel free to contact us by e-mail

Click Here For Free Bodybuilding Magazine Subscription

Disclaimer: This information is for entertainment purposes only. We strongly recommend that you consult a physician before beginning any exercise program. Bodybuildingco.com is not a licensed medical care provider. The reader should understand that participating in any exercise program can result in physical injury and agrees to do so at his own risk. The findings and opinions of authors expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily state or reflect those of Bodybuildingco.com.