Your Physique, Vol 3, No 6, Page 8, February 1942
DAN LURIE is another amazing example of what bar bell training will do. He cheated death. Doctors assured him with a solemn warning that there wasn't much hope for him with a heart as weak as his. Instead of this grim 'death warrant' frightening him, Dan refused to be panicky. He had heard what bar bell training had accomplished for thousands of others and figured it couldn't make him any worse than he already was, but by training with weights there was a good chance of gaining in strength, so he decided to give barbells a whirl.
While his heart recovery is not quite up to the rigid standard demanded of the army medical examiners, his improvement has been truly phenomenal, proving that bar bell training paid a big part in salvaging this victim of serious heart weakness. In addition he acquired a magnificent physique and during 1942 and 1943 was regarded as the 'Most Muscular Man'. The accompanying photographs of Dan which I took of him should convince anyone that he really has the muscles His beautiful body has won for him many medals and loving cups, which have spurred him on to still greater achievements, and in recent months he has made even more sensational gains.
Last February, when Dan attempted to enlist in the Coast Guard and stripped off his clothes for his 'physical' , the doctor's eyes popped out in astonishment when they beheld his marvelously muscled body. What the doctor didn't know was the fact he was a weakling and had a heart so impaired he was given little hope. So when the doctor placed the stethoscope against Dan's mighty chest and discovered a slight murmur, the doctor jumped at the erroneous conclusion that Dan had over-trained and injured his heart. And before Dan had a chance to state the actual facts some 'goon' at the induction center phoned the different newspaper publishers that Dan was rejected; twisting the real facts, and in a grossly unfair and exaggerated way, gave the impression that weight lifting had been to blame. To news reporters on the hunt for the dramatic and sensational, here was a 'scoop', an exciting story to make typical 'news copy'. Without troubling themselves to get the EXACT facts, the presses ground out the distorted details belittling barbells and trying to frighten mothers against their sons taking up this body-building, strength giving exercise. Then, too, to paint their picture more lurid they harped on the fact by saying Dan was forty pounds overweight. Naturally, his beautiful body, packed with rippling muscles would be heavier than the so-called 'standard of weights for men at varying heights', which Physical Culturists regard as much below the normal. When 'over-weight' is referred to, it means an excess of FATTY ADIPOSE tissue, not healthy muscular flesh. Study these photographs of Dan carefully and see if you can discover anywhere on his beautiful and symmetrical physique where he is OVER-burdened with surplus fatty tissue!
Dan Lurie is 20 years of age, his height is 5' 5½" and his weight is 165 Ibs. That this weight is really muscular tissue and not sloppy, flabby FAT you can tell by these remarkable measurements: If fat accumulated anywhere quickly its nearly always around the abdomen, but Dan has an extraordinarily SLIM, TRIM waist, measuring only 29½", while his magnificent chest, on which he has concentrated as a means to help gradually banish his heart ailment, is normally 46" and expanded he brings it up to 47 ¾". His huge biceps measure 16 ¾", forearm 12½", neck 16", thighs 21½", calf 15½", ankle 9 ¼", wrist 7½".
This isn't all, for here is the biggest surprize. Dan has performed some astonishing endurance feats which very few of all the world's STRONGEST men have ever equalled. He performed the incredible number of 1655 Floor Dips in one and a half hours. 25 Extended Body push ups, with arms stretched back of his head, and raising the entire body between finger tips and toes. He does 360 consecutive pullovers with a 42½ lb. dumbell in his hands. Another sensational stunt is performing 1255 'dips' on parallel bars in 1½ hours. These are stunts hard to approach or equal by those possessing the soundest, strongest heart. Dan trains very regularly and his co-trainers at the Adonis Athletic Club are very proud of him. In fact they helped to make it possible for Dan to go to Hollywood, California, to represent their Club in the "MR. AMERICA CONTEST", winning SECOND Place (Jules Bacon winning First Place). Dan won the "MOST MUSCULAR MAN" Contest in Los Angeles for 1943, 1st for arms, 1st for back, and 2nd place for chest, legs and abdominals. While in California Dan gave a number of posing Exhibitions at some of the huge Defense Plants in Los Angeles and appeared on the stage of the mammoth Coliseum the same Saturday that Gunner Haegg ran, and posed for the gigantic crowd who attended.
Dan's posing in Los Angeles was recorded by the 'Movie News' and flashed throughout the movie theatres all over the Country. The papers ran pictures and stories about Dan in all parts of the United States to the great surprize of Dan and his proud family. "Time" Magazine ran one of my photographs of Dan, and Dave Ellman of '''HobbyLobby" Radio. program saw it and immediately got in touch with Dan Lurie with the result that Dan appeared on the air-show the evening of February 28th. This started an avalanche of fan mail. Folks everywhere wanted to buy photographs of Dan. Sculptors, artists, painters, photographers as well as Art Classes all clammored for him to pose for them.
During the past several years during which I have specialized on PHYSIQUE Photography it is indeed rare it has been my privilege to focus my camera before a more muscular specimen than Dan is. Among the younger new-comers in the realm of Body Building, Dan stands out as a glorious example of what can be accomplished by earnest, persistent training. He was fortunate in having Hy Schaffer as his Instructor, who was Organizer, President and Lifting Coach of the we!! known Adonis Athletic Club in Brooklyn, N. Y. Incidently Hy Schaffer is now himself in the Army as Physical Instructor.
Funny thing, but Dan was born on April 1st, back in 1923, just twenty years ago. Yes, 'all Fools Day'! Born with a weak heart, his doctors offered little hope or encouragement with a handicap like that - but Dan FOOLED 'em alright, as these photos I recently took of him, so eloquently prove.
Dan's dad is in the moving-van business and one has to be a husky to lug around heavy pianos, couches, devanports, and other massive pieces of furniture. Dan helps his father with this kind of strenuous work all day, every week day; and several evenings a week puts in his time training with heavy barbells. The other evenings when he doesn't train, he poses to satisfy the insistent demands of artists and sculptors.
It was about 3 ½ years ago Dan first asked me to photograph him, since then he has appeared before my camera many, many times, and thus I've had an excellent opportunity to study the amazing gains and improvements he has made during that time. I am convinced that during the coming years Dan will have one of the most outstanding physiques in the world. It is my sincere hope that photographs of his body, and those of others possessing splendid developments, will make hundreds of thousands of other fellows more conscious of their bodies by taking up bar bell. training and a study of the laws of health so that after this war we may have a more physically fit nation.
If any of my readers right now have a weak heart and have been cautioned against indulging in any exercise, why not consider what Dan has been able to accomplish, and start in training mildly and gradually at first, of course; building up steadily and by a better selection of nourishing foods it may astonish you with the improvement that can be made. Young Lurie has demonstrated what can be done in building a Grade "A" body, and a greatly strengthened heart, enabling him to perform the remarkable endurance records.
- Dan Lurie at the age of 19. Two and a half years of steady training has transformed him from a weakling to a man of great strength. Ruggedness and power just ozzes from this picture. We believe Dan well on his way to recognition as one of the best built men ever produced in America. Don't fail to read his story on this page. (Photo by Early Forbes).
- The power and beauty of Dan Lurie's poses rest in his effortless stance that brings out the full splendor of his physical perfection. This photograph was taken last year when he was placed second to Kimon Voyages in the "Jr. Mr. America" contest held at Bristol, Conn. (Photo by Earle Forbes).
- Dan Lurie as he is to-day, in a beautiful muscle control pose. His trapezius, shoulders, chest and arm muscles can be clearly seen in this flawless pose. (Photo by Earle Forbes)
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