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Honored For His Body Of Work

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By SEAN C. LEDIG, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 14, 2007

Updated: 11/12/2007 06:33 pm

NORTHDALE - While sitting in darkened movie theaters in his native New York City more than 40 years ago, Warren Fredericks knew what he wanted to be.

Watching gladiators and mythical heroes display their prowess in "sword and sandal" epics, the future Mr. Universe and Northdale resident chose those characters and the actors that played them as his role models.

"I always wanted to be like Hercules when I was growing up," Fredericks said. "I wanted to be like Steve Reeves."

In 1965, his quest led him to a gym owned by Dan Lurie in New York City. Lurie has trained many top bodybuilders and some Hollywood celebrities, including Lou Ferrigno and a teenage Sylvester Stallone.

"I just went down to the gym and asked the guy, 'How much to work out?'" Fredericks recalled. "It was $10 to join and $2 a week, so I started working out."

This summer, Fredericks was honored by his former mentor as he was inducted into the World Body Building Guild International Fitness Hall of Fame at a banquet in Portland, Maine.

Others honored at the event include Ferrigno and professional wrestlers Tony Atlas and "Superstar" Billy Graham.

"Fredericks was considered one of the most muscular bodybuilders ever," Lurie said. "He was just pure muscles with lots of veins and definition."

Fredericks, who won WBBG Mr. America in 1974 and WBBG Mr. Universe in 1977, never expected such titles when he started training. He only wanted to be strong.

Fredericks' efforts at promoting health and fitness also played a role in his nomination, Lurie said.

Fredericks, a retired soldier, served in the Special Forces and as a drill sergeant in the Army. During his time in the service, he organized the Army's first bodybuilding competition in 1978 at Fort Campbell, Ky.

"He has been a great ambassador to bodybuilding," Lurie said.

He also helped with the Army's recruiting efforts. Fredericks would tour with other athletes, displaying his physique and performing feats of strength at recruiting functions. Fredericks used to bend iron bars and tear license plates to impress potential recruits on the importance of physical fitness.

"When the recruiters would take me with them, we would all get together to let recruits know that it's not just about shooting in the military," Fredericks said. "If you have a skill, or any gift, you can use it in the Army."

Coming up during what Lurie called "The Golden Age of Bodybuilding," strength training and bodybuilding were different activities in Fredericks' youth. It was much more difficult, Fredericks said, because exercise equipment wasn't as available as it is now.

"When we started bodybuilding, there was nothing," he said. "We didn't have all the fancy equipment. Most of the equipment we had was homemade. We would weld it together ourselves.

"If we had what they have now, we would have been as big as houses," Fredericks said.

On the plus side, though, bodybuilders in those days were forced to rely more on their efforts. There was less use of performance-enhancing drugs that Fredericks says are rampant today.

"There are people using steroids, and they're destroying themselves," he said. "I know plenty of people that have died from using that stuff."

Reporter Sean C. Ledig can be reached at (813) 865-1507 or sledig@tampatrib.com.

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