The Journal
Gym history & LA stories
Everything we've learned about Muscle Beach, Gold's Gym, the Golden Era legends and visiting Los Angeles as a fitness fan.
Bodybuilding history
Muscle Beach History: From Santa Monica to Venice
Muscle Beach began in the 1930s on the sand just south of the Santa Monica Pier, closed in the late 1950s amid scandal, and lived on in the Venice weight pen that powered the Golden Era of bodybuilding.
Read →Visiting LA
Gyms in Los Angeles for Travelers: Where Fitness Fans Go
The best gyms in Los Angeles for tourists, from Gold's Gym Venice to Muscle Beach, plus how day passes generally work, where to stay and how to see the bodybuilding history behind them.
Read →Golden Era legends
Where Arnold and the Golden Era Legends Trained in Los Angeles
Arnold Schwarzenegger trained at Gold's Gym in Venice and on the sand at Muscle Beach after arriving in 1968. Here are the LA landmarks tied to him and his Golden Era peers, and what you can see at each one today.
Read →Visiting LA
The Best Time to Visit Venice Beach (Season, Day and Time)
The best time to visit Venice Beach is late summer to early fall, on a weekday, starting in the morning. Here is how season, June Gloom, weekend crowds and light shape a visit to Muscle Beach and Gold’s Gym history.
Read →Guides
Gift Ideas for Bodybuilding and Golden Era Fans
The best gifts for bodybuilding fans connect them to the sport's history: a guided tour of Venice and Santa Monica's legendary sites, the classic Golden Era books and films, and memorabilia with a real story behind it.
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The Golden Era Legends of Venice Beach: Who Trained There
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu, Dave Draper, Frank Zane, Robby Robinson, Lou Ferrigno and Ken Waller all trained in Venice during the Golden Era. Here is who they were and how each one connects to the neighborhood.
Read →Bodybuilding history
What Was the Golden Era of Bodybuilding?
The Golden Era of bodybuilding is the period from roughly the 1960s through the 1970s, often extended into the early 1980s, centered on Venice and Santa Monica, California, when Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane and their peers defined the classic, aesthetic physique.
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The History of Gold's Gym Venice: How Joe Gold's Gym Became the Mecca
Joe Gold opened the first Gold's Gym on Pacific Avenue in Venice in 1965. Here is how a cinderblock gym near the beach became the Mecca of bodybuilding, and what happened to it next.
Read →Golden Era legends
Jack LaLanne and the Original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica
Jack LaLanne, the "Godfather of Fitness," was one of the best-known regulars at the Original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica. Here is how he fits into its story, which of his feats are documented, and where to see the site today.
Read →Places & landmarks
Los Angeles Bodybuilding Landmarks Every Fan Should See
From Gold's Gym Venice to the Original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica, these are the Los Angeles places where modern bodybuilding and fitness culture were born, with the history behind each one and what you can actually see today.
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Mr. Olympia in the Golden Era: The Contests That Defined Bodybuilding
Joe Weider created Mr. Olympia in 1965 so Mr. Universe winners had somewhere left to compete. Here is every Golden Era champion from Larry Scott to Lee Haney, plus the rivalries that shaped the title and its link to Venice.
Read →Places & landmarks
Muscle Beach Venice vs. the Original Muscle Beach: What's the Difference?
Muscle Beach Venice vs. Santa Monica: the Original Muscle Beach is where outdoor fitness began in the 1930s, and the Venice pen carried bodybuilding forward. Here is how the two differ and why both are worth seeing.
Read →Visiting LA
A One-Day Itinerary in Los Angeles for Bodybuilding Fans
An hour-by-hour plan for one day in LA as a bodybuilding fan, covering Gold's Gym Venice, Muscle Beach Venice, the Boardwalk and the Original Muscle Beach. Includes transport tips and a DIY vs. guided tour comparison.
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Pumping Iron (1977): The Documentary That Put Venice on the Map
Pumping Iron followed Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno and Franco Columbu toward the 1975 Mr. Olympia in Pretoria, and turned Gold's Gym in Venice into a worldwide name. Here is the story behind the film and what fans can still see in Venice.
Read →Visiting LA
Venice Beach for Fitness Fans: A Visitor's Guide
The best Venice Beach things to do for gym lovers: the Muscle Beach weight pen, the outside of Gold's Gym Venice, the boardwalk and the best photo spots. Plus practical tips on timing, getting there and staying safe.
Read →Places & landmarks
Venice Beach Boardwalk: History and Culture of Ocean Front Walk
The Venice Beach Boardwalk began with Abbot Kinney's Venice of America resort in 1905 and became LA's most famous street-culture strip, home to Muscle Beach, skaters and artists. Here is its history and what to see today.
Read →Guides
What to Expect on the Golden Era LA Gym Tour
A Stop-by-Stop look at The Golden Era LA Tour, a six-hour guided bodybuilding history tour of Venice and Santa Monica. Van transport, the stories behind every landmark, lunch and a t-shirt are included.
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Who Was Joe Gold? The Man Behind Gold's Gym and World Gym
Joe Gold (1922–2004) was a Los Angeles machinist and Muscle Beach regular who opened the first Gold's Gym in Venice in 1965 and later founded World Gym. Here is his story, from Boyle Heights to the Mecca of bodybuilding.
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Why California Became the Bodybuilding Capital of the World
California became the bodybuilding capital of the world because a sunny outdoor training scene at Muscle Beach, early commercial gyms, the Weider publishing empire and Hollywood all came together on a few miles of Los Angeles coastline.
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World Gym History: Joe Gold's Second Act in Venice
Joe Gold sold Gold's Gym and the rights to his own name, then came back in the late 1970s with World Gym. Here is how the gorilla-logo gym grew from a single Santa Monica gym into a worldwide franchise.
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