Happy Birthday 70sBig.com

On 22 September 2009 this website launched in order to educate people about strength and conditioning, but entertain them at the same time. The focus was on being big, muscular, and strong in a time dominated by emaciation. Women were encouraged to train, men were encouraged to pound the calories, and everyone was pushed into competition.

Over the years the site has evolved due to a combination of getting jaded with the same kindergarten material available across the “training-sphere” as well as an obligation to not only teach people to get strong, but to keep them healthy through life. I always say, we should all aim to bang our significant other when deep into our 80s. The basic tenants of 70sBig.com remain the same:

– commit to training with reckless intensity
– develop a physique built with performance instead of vanity
– help encourage others in their training
– enter competition for ultimate introspection
– teach and learn about strength and conditioning, nutrition, anatomy, physiology, fitness, etc.
– tirelessly lead the charge to end misconceptions about females and lifting
actively work towards changing societal body image
– have a gods damn good time doing it

70’s Big crew and friends from USAPL Raw Nationals in August

It’s always been my intention — and my bane — to help people through 70sBig.com. I hope whoever you are, whether you’ve been here since day one or just started reading yesterday, you have gained benefit through this website. I regularly work to improve our knowledge and synthesize material you can implement into your own training and life.

This wouldn’t be possible without all of you. I want to thank all of the readers, new and old. I consider you a part of the 70’s Big Community, one full of crazy assholes who are some of the nicest, hard working, and amusing folks around. The reach of 70’s Big is broad, and it’s comforting to know that we can go almost anywhere in the world, talk about 70’s Big and immediately have a bond with a stranger. One time somebody, who I’ve still yet to meet, told me in an e-mail, “70’s Big takes care of their own.” That’s a comforting thought; we’re building something really cool here. This is as much your birthday as it is mine.

To all of my friends around the world — whether I’ve met you or not, held a seminar in your gym, trained with you, or lectured to your unit — thanks for making this fun. And to my close friends who were integral in the creation of this website: thanks for being there for me with your absurd, unique, and borderline irritating personality.

The future is always bright to people who attack it with fervor. 70’s Big will always be around to educate, entertain, and irritate you. The idea of communicating with all of you assholes through old age is, at the very least, a comforting thought.

Train hard, get big. Get 70’s Big.

Happy Birthday

49 thoughts on “Happy Birthday 70sBig.com

  1. We all get a bit picky about the details sometimes, but this site really is a great resource/community that I am glad to be a part of. Have read every post for the last ~2 years, though I probably only make about 3 posts per month. Injuries get depressing sometimes and don’t let me post on PR Friday as much as I’d like, but I’ll try to give feedback more often.

  2. Congrats on hitting the three year mark! This site has been a wonderful resource and a great motivator… my lift mechanics and attitude towards training have both benefited immensely. Thanks for everything you do.

  3. Thanks for creating a great site, Justin, and all the advice that has came with it.

    I’ve been reading since almost the very beginning, although only started commenting recently.

    Been interesting to see how the site has evolved over the years. Seems to be a lot more emphasis in high quality, nutritionally sound eating and mobility now. Which is definitely a good thing, given that we all want to still look like we lift while we lift and this mobility thing that has rapidly increased in popularity of the years definitely helps keep people physically able to lift for longer, and safer.

  4. This is my first post after lurking for over a year. Just wanted to thank you, Justin, for all the hard work you do maintaining this site. After reading “Starting Strength,” this was the natural place to go for additional information, to fill in the gaps and lingering questions, and most importantly, stay motivated. Hats off to you.

  5. birthdays was the worst days, now we sip champagne when we thirstay

    Cheers, guys. After reading the site daily for a year, it’s something I look forward to – the learning, the debates, the camraderie, Stroup’s crazy comments on Female Mondays, Brent’s secret shames, e’erything.

  6. Thanks for the site, Justin. I’ve learned so much from all the great info posted here and it has all positively affected my training.

    Coincidentally, I usually train at night but today I felt compelled to leave my desk on my lunch break and train. Had a solid lunch of presses and weighted pull-ups followed by roast sirloin with potatoes and carrots. Happy bday, 70s Big.

  7. Man what a ride…

    I remember telling people for the longest time before the site ever existed “I don’t care about what I look like, i just want to get stronger” but I never knew how train efficiently. This site was that shining beacon of hope. Im not nearly as strong as I want to be, but Im on the right path.

    Thanks for everything you do for our community, Justin.

    Happy birthday, dooders!

  8. Lurker from the beginning, first time commenting. Many thanks Justin for the awesome site and specifically for having great advice for us women lifters. I couldn’t be “buff” (as a friend put it yesterday) if it wasn’t for this site. ;-)

    Keep up the good work!

  9. Congratulations Justin and thank you for the site.
    I came to the family in early October 2009 after reading the “Do Hard Things” post–still something I pull up and read every once in awhile. Keep up the great work.

  10. The site has served as a great motivator to me. After learning a little about what’s really important (strength training v vanity training), 70s big has been a pillar, a necessary part of my ‘big and strong’ lifestyle. Happy Birthday, you bastards.

  11. long time lurker, first time posting. 70’s big has been a game changer for me. I have always competed (bike racing, triathlon, running (even marathons)), but it wasn’t until I found 70’s that I realized what was important…being big as fuck. I was tiny, nearly six foot and 155….WTFuck. Now I am a halfway respectable 180 on my way to 200. Thanks 70’s big. Happy birthday!

  12. Hey Justin, the community you’ve built and the information you put out are some of the best out there. Thanks for all of your hard work!

    I can honestly say my strength would not have reached the (relatively mediocre, but still) level it has without this inspiration and learning I’ve found here.

  13. I’ve always enjoyed this site. And though I’ve never randomly met anyone who knows about 70s big, or even lifts for that matter, I’ve always imagined that we would have each other’s backs.

    Thank you for confirming my pathetic ideas of imaginary comradery.

  14. A bit behind on the posts and haven’t commented in a while. Always feel like this is a sort of haven though. A haven from all the people who don’t understand the bond you can have with a barbell and plates, the kind of dedication it takes to get up at 6 in the am so you can lift for an hour or two before class and work. A haven from the people who don’t understand the addiction to the bar, the anxiety you feel when you have to miss a day. A haven from people who don’t understand the satisfaction of letting that bar fall to the ground after locking out a snatch PR that’s eluded you for weeks. It’s a haven from the people who are satisfied with mediocrity and who make excuses. It’s a god damned beautiful thing I tell ya. A hairy, muscular, beautiful thing.

    • Amen Brother, it’s almost as good as having a friend in person who understands these things… A haven from people who are afraid of the *idea* of Olympic lifting…

  15. Been reading the site for a while, never posted, but the site has motivated me to get strong again after 3 years of cf. Thank you, happy bday, and keep up the good work.

  16. Happy birthday 70sbig! Been here from day one and the amount of information that has been put forward is incredible. I really like the TM books you have written it helped me a lot. Although I didn’t have much to say in the comment section I really like the discussion and people that make this site.

  17. Congratulations on your birthday (we have the same one)! This site has helped both motivate and educate me on lifting, and your efforts are greatly appreciated. Its always great to know there is a community out there that has the same ideas on fitness and society. It makes the annoying and snide comments roll off a little easier.

    Thank you and Happy Birthday!

  18. This is one of the few sites that I feel obligated to share with everyone I know and meet who is into lifting. Keep entertaining and educating the masses.

    Happy birthday 70sbig dot com

  19. Hey I’ve been a lurker for a year or so, signed up to say happy birthday, keep it up. No doubt you’re helping me, at least.

    Cheers.

    By the way, my favorite posts are still the ones about eating 70s big. Some of those photos….

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