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Iron Life Bodybuilding Tribute - Mike Mentzer & Laura Combes
by Ed Ouble, Admin at www.IronLife.com
Mike Mentzer
Born: November 15, 1951in Ephrata, Pennsylvania
Died: June 9, 2001
Mike Mentzer was born in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, and was something of a bodybuilding renaissance man. Renowned as much for his vocabulary and propensity to quote the philosophy of Aye Rand as he was for the dimensions of his Herculean physique, Mentzer established himself first as a bodybuilding champion and then as a scholar of the sport. Having placed 10th at the 1971 AAU Mr. America contest, Mentzer came in contact with Arthur Jones, who at that time was promoting his less-is-best training theories along with his Nautilus exercise equipment.
 From that grounding, Mentzer eventually evolved his own Heavy Duty training philosophy, which espoused brief intense workout sessions and spawned countless articles, many books and videos. In 1976, Mentzer won the IFBB Mr. America, and in 1978, after relocating to Los Angeles, he won the heavyweight division at the IFBB World Amateur Championships with a perfect score.
The following year, he was second to Frank Zane in the IFBB Mr. Olympia. In 1980, after tying for fourth at the IFBB Mr. Olympia, which Arnold Schwarzenegger won in controversial fashion, Mentzer quit competitive bodybuilding. For years afterward, he would rail against the outcome of that contest and Arnold’s part in it.
In recent years, Mike learned he had serious heart problems, and he and Arnold spoke, patching up their differences. The day after completing the filming of his latest training video, Mike was found dead by his brother Ray at the Los Angeles apartment they shared. Two days later, Ray, who had been undergoing regular kidney dialysis, was found dead at the same apartment.
Titles
1976 IFBB Mr. America
1977 IFBB North American Championships
1978 IFBB USA vs. the World
1978 IFBB World Amateur Championships
1979 IFBB Florida Pro Invitational
1979 IFBB Southern Pro Cup
Magazine Covers
1976 April Muscle Builder
1977 January Muscle Builder
1977 December Muscle Builder
1978 May IronMan
1978 December Muscle Training Illustrated
1979 March Muscle Builder
1979 August Muscle Training Illustrated
1979 October Muscle Builder
1980 January Muscle Training Illustrated
1980 April Muscle Builder
1980 September Muscle Mag International
1981 November IronMan
1982 January Muscle Mag International
1985 May Muscle Mag International
1994 June Muscle Media 2000
2001 September Flex
(courtesy of ifbb.com & musclememory.com)
Laura Combes
Born: October 19, 1953 , in New York City, New York
Died: October 4, 1989
The First Ms. America!
 In a short but colorful competitive career that spanned the period 1979 to 1982, Laura Combes became a pioneer for the distaff side of the sport and one of its most recognizable and outspoken personalities. Born in New York City, she moved to Tampa, Florida, when she was 13 and became immersed in high-school sports.
In the late ‘70s, in order to rehab from an injury, she began lifting weights; after that, she became involved in the new phenomenon of women’s bodybuilding. Although Combes’ competition titles were few, she managed to curve herself a permanent place in the history of the sport when, after winning the 1980 NPC Florida State Championships, she won the first-ever NPC National Championships later that same year.
In 1981, Laura captured the AAU Ms. America title. These accomplishments propelled her to the lofty heights of muscle celebrity enjoyed by the likes of Rachel McLish, Lisa Lyon and Kay Baxter. But Combes’ trophy triumphs paled when compared to what she brought to the stage by way of charismatic stage persona, unflinching spirit and genuine love of bodybuilding.
Said Combes toward the end of her competitive career, “As a bodybuilder, I’ve made my statement. I don’t need the competitive part anymore. If you think I’m muscular now, just wait until you see the women that will follow me in the future. I will look like a kid by comparison.”
Combes quickly excused herself from the competitive scene in 1982 after a sixth-place finish at her second IFBB Ms. Olympia. The impact she left on the sport, however, will last forever. Laura Combes was found dead in her Odessa, Florida, apartment on October 4, 1989. The cause of death was given as acute alcoholic poisoning.
Titles
1979 Ms. Tampa Physique
1979 Ms. West Florida
1979 Ms. Northwest Florida
1980 AAU Ms. Florida
1981 AAU Ms. America
Magazine Covers
1981 Strength & Health
(courtesy of ifbb.com & musclememory.com)
* Article by Ed Ouble, Admin at www.IronLife.com.
* Back to This Issue's Frontpage
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