Bodybuilding in the USSR.

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Vincas Dubickas. City of Kaunas. Absolute champion of the first USSR championship.

 

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Soviet bodybuilders. Ufa. 1975.

 

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On the far left is Stanislavas Polyakovas, in the center is Alexander Vasin, on the far right is Valery Bogdanovich.

 

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Second from the left is Valery Bogdanovich, third from the right is Vincas Dubickas.

 

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Soviet bodybuilder Sergei Laneev. Kyiv, 1989

 

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A page from the Soviet magazine "Start." 1989.
Anthropometric data and an article about the Soviet Ukrainian bodybuilder Sergei Laneev.
Serhii Laneev
Profile card: born in 1958. Height — 180 cm, weight — 90 kg.
Biceps — 48–49 cm, chest — 132 cm, thigh — 69 cm.
Bench press — 160–170 kg, squat — 180 kg.
Candidate for Master of Sports.
Absolute winner of the Ukrainian SSR Championship 1987, winner of the Ukraine Cup 1988.
During his service in the navy, Serhii first saw a real athlete not in photographs, but in person. It was Chief Petty Officer Yukhym Zadachyn — Master of Sports, champion of the Black Sea Fleet in sambo and judo. From him the young sailor received his first lessons in athletic training, and after being discharged into the reserves, he continued to improve himself using numerous domestic publications.
At first he trained at home, and when the equipment became insufficient, he joined a gym in one of the workers’ dormitories, which he equipped with homemade training machines. Over time, he became a highly qualified electric welder.
Serhii trains twice a day throughout the entire week. The first session is during the lunch break, the second — after the working day. On Wednesdays and Saturdays he adds cross-country running to his usual training (5 km in 40 minutes).
“The body needs to be fatigued. This is the path to health and youth” — this is the life credo of Serhii Laneev.

 

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Soviet bodibuilder Andriy Garkusha from Voroshilovgrad/ USSR/ 1989/

 

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A page from the Soviet magazine "Start." 1989.
Anthropometric data and an article about the Soviet Ukrainian bodybuilder Andriy Garkusha:

Profile card
Born in 1966.
Height — 172 cm, weight — 80 kg.
Biceps — 45 cm, chest — 123 cm, waist — 75 cm.
Calves — 39 cm, thigh — 65 cm.
Bench press — 160 kg.
Squat — 200 kg.
Deadlift — 230 kg.
Second-year student of the Voroshilovgrad Medical Institute,
Candidate of Master of Sports.
Article translation
In our domestic athletic movement, it has already become a tradition that the final event of any competition is the posing of the leaders in each weight category, where the absolute champion is determined.
If we take into account the reaction of the audience, then this moment is undoubtedly the culmination of the entire tournament. Judges need considerable patience to resist the applause and cheers from the stands and remain objective until the very end.

This year, at the Ukrainian Junior Championship in Cherkasy, the audience's sympathies immediately focused on two athletes named Andriy:
Andriy Garkusha from Voroshilovgrad, who won the 80 kg weight category, and super heavyweight Andriy Oksanych from the Kyiv region, who actually had no real competition.
Both surpassed the other contenders with their harmoniously developed muscles and the ability to beautifully present them - bringing the athletic physique closer to true art.
However, Garkusha demonstrated a higher level of skill, and the judges awarded him the victory.
Who is he - the champion of the republic among juniors?
He has been involved in bodybuilding for about a year and a half. After returning from service in the Soviet Army, he began working at the Voroshilovgrad mine. Before that, he was engaged in gymnastics, weightlifting and kettlebells. As he himself says, all this was just preparation for his current passion.
As soon as he joined the "Zirka"("Star") athletic club (now it works as the Atlet cooperative) and saw the physiques of athletes sculpted like ancient Greek statues, he dreamed only of bodybuilding.
Coach G. P. Volyk, noticing Andriy's figure, developed his strength base and improved it thanks to persistent work on muscle relief, which soon brought the young athlete to republican and all-Union tournaments.
How does Andriy Garkusha train?
At first, especially after entering the medical institute, he trained three times a week. Later, adapting to the rhythm of student life, he increased the frequency of training to six classes a week.
After a short warm-up, which includes a five-minute jog at a moderate pace and various stretching exercises, he moves on to exercises targeting the muscle groups by which the development of the physique is assessed. The weakest point for most people is the calves, and Andriy was no exception. He paid considerable attention to them, intensively training the calves on the first and third days of the week. He starts with 60 kg and works up to 130 kg, performing sets of 60 repetitions, observing the correct technique - rising on his toes as many times as possible.
The thighs require no less effort. To bring them into shape, the athlete performs squats with a barbell weighing 160–190 kg, adjusting the repetitions to maintain a proportional load.
To develop the latissimus dorsi muscles, various pull-ups on the block simulator are used; for the chest - bench press with 110–130 kg, bench press on an inclined bench at an angle of 45 degrees with 85–100 kg and dumbbell swings with dumbbells weighing 35 kg.

Bench press and shoulders
At the competition in Cherkasy, Andriy demonstrated excellent relief of the abdominal press. This was achieved thanks to additional gymnastic training and targeted exercises: torso lifts with fixed legs, simultaneous leg and pelvis lifts, torso turns with a barbell while sitting up to 250 kg.
The development of deltoid muscles is promoted by standing barbell presses (60–75 kg, 5–6 sets of 6–10 repetitions), sitting presses from behind the head and dumbbell rows in an incline with dumbbells weighing 18 kg.
Swimming and running are also included in his specialized training. This versatility allows him to compete successfully in other disciplines.
This year, Andriy won his weight category at the USSR championship in track and field all-around (bench press, deadlift, pull-ups) among medical institutes.
What are his plans?
Over the next two years, after further improving the girth of his biceps, chest and calves, he aims to join the ranks of the strongest Ukrainian bodybuilders.
He has a lot of enthusiasm, especially when he works together with such passionate bodybuilding enthusiasts as Valery Mukovnin and Gennady Pidgorny, with whom, by the way, he also won a team victory in Cherkasy.
Ivan Potemkin
Cherkasy - Kyiv. 1989.

 

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http://193.40.192.80...4481
I found the original file for the INDREK OTSUS poster on the Tallinn Library website (see the link to the Tallinn Library website above). I ordered it, and they sent it to me. I hung it on my wall, just like I did back in 1989. You can order this file, and they'll email it to you. The Tallinn Library service costs 2 euros.

Size: 61 x 89 cm

I've attached a photo of the poster as it hangs on my wall.

 

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Soviet bodybuilder Roman Berezovoy. Ukraine . Kiev. 1989. Photo by Igor Naumenko.

 

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A page from the Soviet sports magazine "Start" (Ukraine) from 1989 with a photograph of bodybuilder Roman Berezovoy.
At the bottom of the page is an article about powerlifting.

 

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Sopviet weightlifter and bodibuilder Fedor Shemuratov. 1989.

 

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A page from the Soviet sports magazine "Start" (Ukraine) from 1989 with a photograph of weightlifter and bodibuilder Fedor Shemuratov.
At the bottom of the page is an article about the Fedor Shemuratov.
Translation
Let's build our body
Having experience in weightlifting, Fedor Shemuratov became interested in bodybuilding and soon rose to the all-Union level.
His very first competition in Klaipeda ended with a victory at the Latvian Open Championship. By the way, he repeated this success five more times later. After that, there were victories and prize places at the USSR intercity competitions in Kharkov, at the all-Union tournaments in Kaunas, Tallinn, Šiauliai and Chernivtsi, and last year he also became the champion of Ukraine.
Scientific and teaching work at the Lviv Polytechnic Institute, combined with the duties of the head of the regional bodybuilding federation, participation in republican and national championships, raising children - all this, it would seem, is more than enough for one person.
However, Fedor Shemuratov has another passion: wood carving. Everything in his house and in the gym where he trains with his friends is made by his own hands - with skill, care and true craftsmanship.
Fedor Panasovich generously shares his knowledge, skills and vast experience in sports and life with everyone who seeks it. Publishing houses throughout the republic and the country are expecting the release of his bodybuilding and woodcarving manuals soon.
All this is said in order to help the reader better imagine a person of a truly exceptional level - an athlete of the highest class: Fedor Panasovich Shemuratov.

 

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Soviet bodybuilder Gennady Mendak. Ukraine. 1989.

 

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A page from the Soviet magazine "Start." 1989.
Anthropometric data and an article about the Soviet Ukrainian bodybuilder Gennady Mendak:
At the bottom of the page is an article about the Gennady Mendaк.
Translation
Profile card: Born in 1961.
Silver medalist of the 1989 USSR Championship in the up to 70 kg category.
Champion of the Ukrainian SSR (1989) in the up to 80 kg category.
Bronze medalist of the Absolute Championship of Ukraine.
Master of Sport.
Coach of the Bohatyr Club (Zaporizhzhia).
There are athletes who hesitate even when asked to talk about themselves. They seem to shrink, and only become animated when the conversation turns to collective matters.
Gennadiy Mendak is exactly such a person.
He does not present himself as a titled athlete, despite having every reason to do so. Like many others who once entered a gym skinny, unremarkable, almost fragile, he transformed beyond recognition within a year or two. What helped him—and continues to help everyone without exception—is the hard daily labor of training, which was firmly guided by the founder of the club and current head of the regional athletics federation, V. I. Ponomarenko, as well as other coaches A. I. Dolhohir and I. H. Habulov.
By age, Gennadiy Mendak is not older than most of today’s bodybuilding favorites in the republic. But in terms of training experience, he surpasses many of them. Only six years ago he came to the Bohatyr club at Yakushenka Street, 1. That address in Zaporizhzhia is well known to everyone who takes bodybuilding seriously.
A young dock worker crossed the threshold of the club with a single dream: perhaps, after all, he could become a real athlete—despite the fact that he had not been accepted into the Soviet Army due to asthma. And what seemed improbable at first became reality. From a 40th clothing size, the young man soon moved to a confident 54th. Today, Mendak’s physical parameters are: bodyweight — 70 kg, height — 171 cm, biceps — 46 cm, calf — 42 cm, chest — 118 cm, waist — 74 cm, thigh — 61 cm.
How does one train to become one of Ukraine’s most titled athletes? Gennadiy trains almost every day, except Sunday. Special attention is given to leg development—an area in which he does not lag behind many members of the national team, where athletes rightfully dream of representing their country.
In addition to basic exercises and a rational diet, he includes fast-distance running (2–3 km) and swimming. He spares no effort or time, realizing that stage presentation—posing—is an essential part of bodybuilding. Without it, it is impossible even to dream of success at the highest level.
In short, he works tirelessly to grow not only himself, but also to pass on his experience to his students.
This year may become decisive for Gennadiy, as it will be for many Ukrainian athletes. For the first time in the history of bodybuilding, our country is preparing to host the European Championship. And who among athletes would not want to be not just a spectator, but a participant in this grand event?
Of course, one must still pass through the strict selection of the USSR national team—or at least the Ukrainian one. For now, these are only projections. The Bohatyr club is not accustomed to rushing things.
Author of the article: Ivan Andrienko

 

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Soviet newspaper "Krasnoyarsk Komsomolets."
March 29, 1988
The ancient Greeks admired the beautiful, harmoniously developed person. Striving to achieve this ideal, they spared no effort, training both mind and body from early childhood. Convinced that diversity is the foundation of perfection, they created numerous works of art centered on the warrior-athlete. Ideals of beauty were embodied in sculptures and frescoes, and the exploits celebrated by Homer are still celebrated today.
Times have changed. However, the human desire to realize one's potential remains unchanged. Young people have become more discerning in their choice of role models, while women increasingly notice strong, well-built men.
By publishing this photograph, we would like to remind our readers that a slender waist, strong arms, and powerful legs are not gifts bestowed upon us at birth. These young people are living proof of this truth.
Article by A. Demyanenko
(Photo by the author)

 

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Krasnoyarsk
March 29, 1988

 

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One of the athletes of the Monolith club, 18-year-old Vadim Ivanov, is a finalist of the international "Amber Prize" competition.

 

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Poster "Saulis Misyavicius"

 

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In the photo on the left is Rolandas Bučinskas, on the right is Saulis Misyavicius