History of the Iconic Gold’s Gym Stringer Vest

Made with high-quality soft cotton, the Golds Gym Stringer is one of the most popular mens gym vests. This vest is identifiable by its tag-less neckline that prevents irritation when you are pumped and active inside the gym.

But is that all that makes this Golds Gym tank top so popular among the world’s top bodybuilding athletes? The answer is no; this gym stringer has a very interesting history. It tells the story of Gold’s Gym, the place that reintroduced the sport of bodybuilding to the world in a glorified way.

The History of Gold’s Gym and Its Stinger Vest

Gold’s Gym was started by a former bodybuilder and US Marine Joe Gold in 1965. He opened this training place for himself and other bodybuilding enthusiast friends. Initially, he charged as low as $60 as an annual fee and kept the costs lower by making equipment for the gym himself instead of buying. At that time, he didn’t know that his gym would become more like a fitness institute with worldwide recognition.

After a few years, the gym’s ownership was transferred to Dave Saxe and Bud Danitz, who sold the gym to Ken Sprague after running it for about two years.

Sprague used an innovative marketing approach by sponsoring bodybuilding contests, some of which had a significant fan following. He also arranged several events where he brandished the Gold’s Gym logo quite extravagantly.

This logo branding technique workout out pretty nicely, as it helped Gold’s Gym gain a significant reputation in California.

In 1973, the company logo was replaced with a new one depicting a bald lifter with a muscular physique. This logo was printed on t-shirts and stringers, which became popular among fitness enthusiasts from all around the US.

By 1975, Gold’s Gym had earned recognition as the best place for bodybuilding. This gym contributed significantly to initiating the golden age of bodybuilding.

The Gold’s Gym clothing range has always been a contributing factor in Gold’s success. The stringers introduced by Gold’s Gym are popular not just because they do not irritate during workouts, but also because they have been promoted by the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno in advertisements as well as during several events.

Pumping Iron

Sprague’s branding efforts had been so effective that he managed to create the prospects of his gym getting recognition on the Hollywood level. This was made possible in 1974 when freelance photographer George Butler and his partner Charles Gaines called Sprague to discuss the possibility of filming California’s top athletes. These two men had already written the Pumping Iron book, which describes the bodybuilding subculture.

Although the Pumping Iron book was a major financial success, Butler and Gaines couldn’t get enough funding for the film. That was because studios were reluctant to work on a project that wouldn’t garner much interest from the public.

Nonetheless, Gaines and Butler still managed to raise enough funds to buy the necessary equipment for the project and bring the bodybuilding star Arnold Schwarzenegger into a contract.

The shooting of this film took one month, and it featured a detailed bodybuilding match between Arnold and Lou Ferrigno for the Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia 1975 titles. The shooting of this film was a challenging endeavour as its creators had to face the egoistic behaviours of bodybuilders disgruntled over the contract fee. This was because, aside from Arnold, the rest of the bodybuilders were offered relatively meagre amounts. But despite all these hardships and struggles, the shooting was completed successfully, and the movie was a success.

The Pumping Iron’s success was not just in the form of its exceptional performance on the silver screen; it also served as a significant contributing factor in introducing the muscular physique as a vital trait of heroes in the films. And the ultimate beneficiary in this entire scenario was Gold’s Gym, which because a preferred place to train for globally known stars like Clint Eastwood and Muhammad Ali.

Gold’s Gym in the 1980s and Beyond

Gold’s Gym continued to grow and entered the 1980s as a widely known, fully established facility. However, Sprague had to sell this gym to Pete Grymkowski, Tim Kimber, and Ed Connors. These three men took the Gold’s Gym to new heights and enhanced its influence across the United States.

In 1985, Gold’s Gym was internationalized, as its first brand was set up in Canada. This expansion brought wide-scale recognition to the gym and made it pop around in American popular culture. The gym’s iconic Drasin-designed t-shirts were worn by Carl Weathers in several TV shows.

By the 1990s, chains of Gold’s Gym were opened in several countries in Europe and Asia. All these franchises were equipped with modern machinery, including treadmills and steppers. This gym was one of the first facilities to introduce equipment other than free weights.

In 2004, Gold’s Gym was purchased by TRT Holdings for more than $150 million. Since then, the expansion of this gym never slowed down. At this moment, Gold’s gym is not just a place to train; it has become a well-known brand for bodybuilding apparel. It also contributes to several events, an example of which is the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure.

Wrapping Up

Gold’s Gym was created to help fitness enthusiasts reach their goals, and it has been doing its job pretty well since then. Initially, it was just a gym that later included apparel production in its operations to serve bodybuilders more effectively. Its stringers are one of a kind due to their high-quality and comfort. All these features of Gold’s Gym get augmented by its rich history.