Several weeks ago, on January 28, I received an email from my good friend, Steve Weiner. That in itself was certainly not unusual. We speak several times per week, and exchange texts almost every day. Training, our latest workout sessions, funny wrestling videos and vignettes from the old WWF days of the 1980s are just some of the things we share. However,on this day, Steve shared some very sad news: Kim Wood the legendary strength coach and training authority had passed away. He was 80 years old.
I had never had the pleasure of meeting Kim Wood, but his loss affected me in much the same way as those of Dr. Ken Leistner, Vic Boff, Ralph Raiola, John Grimek, and many other Iron Game legends. The world of strength has lost too many legends over the last few years, and when that happens,it’s only natural to reflect on the impact that they’ve had on those who have benefitted from their wisdom. All-Pro NFL players like Reggie Williams and Tim Krumrie are just two of the countless athletes who trained under his tutelage, but the number of lifters who were influenced by Kim is staggering.
My first introduction to the teachings of Kim Wood was, not surprisiningly, through Dr. Ken. It was through Dr. Ken’s many articles that I first heard of KIm Wood. His training methods and philosophy, his emphasis on grip and neck work, his use of anvils and other “unorthodox” strength modalities just seemed to resonate with me from the very beginning. But it was his unalterable views on steroids and PEDs that had the deepest – and most lasting- impact on me. An impact that remains as strong today as when I first was introduced to his writing.
Anyone who has followed www.naturalstrength.com for any length of time knows that I have written about the dangers of steroids for many years. I was fortunate enough to have been introduced to drug-free lifting from the moment I joined Bruno’s Health Club, back in 1983. Larry Licandro simply would not allow steroids, or those who used them, in his gym. I was lucky to have been introduced to such a lifting philosophy at a young age, and I was even luckier to have been able to follow others, like Bob Whelan and Kim Wood, who have shared the same attitude towards the use of drugs in lifting (or other sports). Many self-described “experts” claim to be against drugs. But when they are challenged, they fold like the proverbial beach chair and cater to those who cheat.
One of my favorite quotes came from Kim Wood, it was from the initial issue of Books Kubik’s Dinosaur Files, back in the late 1990s. I had the pleasure of being a subscriber to The Dinosaur Files from the beginning, and I had the further pleasure of writing for Brooks about fifteen years ago. If you can get your hands on any issues of The Dinosaur Files, I encourage you to do so. Anyway, back to my favorite quote. It was on the last page of the first issue, and it was under the title of “Putting Steroids Into Perspective.” It was a short paragraph, but the sentence that immediately caught my attention was as follows: “If you take steroids, your are admitting to yourself, deep down, THAT YOU DON’T HAVE ENOUGH OF WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A MAN.” A bit harsh perhaps, but why beat around the bush when it comes to drugs.
Over the last decade or so, my only “contact” with Kim Wood was through his column in The Iron League, which is a site developed by Kim’s son, John Wood. Aside from being an invaluable source of information devoted to all things related to strength, the best part of the Iron league was Kim’s column, where he contributed articles on a regular basis. Over the years, the number of his columns, and the information he disemminated through his wisdom over his many decades in the world of strength, made his column something similar to Dr. Ken’s column in Powerlifting USA magazine: It was the very first thing I would read. I am going to miss the anticipation of reading his latest articles, but I’m fortunate to be able to have access to his many contributions. And as I have often said, good training material NEVER goes out of style. And I suspect that the influence of Kim Wood will continue for a long time. To his family, friends, and the many athletes who were connected to him, I offer my sincere condolences. May he Rest in Power and may his legacy continue forever. As we lose more Iron Game legends, it will be their legacies that will live on in all of us. And for those who lift, always try to remind yourself of how he approached strength training.
Editor's Note: Great article Jim. Kim Wood helped me a lot during my career especially at the start of my business. He sent me one of his NFL players (from DC) to train during the off season back in the 90's. He also gave me a great deal on a barely used Hammer Strength Leg Press machine that I kept for over 20 years. He sent me several packages with great articles and old magazines. I never met him in person either but had many great phone conversations with him, mostly in the 1990's. I used to call the Hammer Strength gang at least once a month for several years when I wrote for Hard Training (formerly the HIT Newsletter). Kim was one of the few guys that had the guts to make a hard stance against the use of steroids. He always gave good advice. Thanks for all your help and RIP Kim.
