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For Webb, an ‘uplifting day’ in Duncansville

The pioneer of weight training in central Pennsylvania was the center of attention Saturday at an annual reunion held in his honor.

Former and current lifters, all with pronounced builds, lined up at the Progressive Martial Arts Gym on Sixth Avenue in Altoona to greet Jake Webb, regarded as an innovator in promoting the sport locally.

Webb, now 85, operated Jake’s Gym in Altoona from the late 1960s until he sold it in 1985. Over the years, his feats of strength were chronicled in strength magazines.

Though he retired from his business 30 years ago, his legion of supporters remains strong.

“Jake was the pioneer,” Mike Baker of Altoona said. “When weight lifting wasn’t popular, he was the guy who got it all started around here and made it popular. He was the first guy to have body building shows locally, first guy to have power meets.”

Though it would be difficult to prove, Baker said, “At one point, we had more 300-pound benchers in Altoona than anywhere else in the country. He’s an amazing man.”

Webb mentored his clientele, many of whom started before they were 15 years old. Ted Skelley was one of them.

“I learned a lot from Jake,” Skelley, now 71, said. “It’s great to see he’s still maintaining what he’s done all his life.”

Skelley said Webb preached lifting “at our own pace” and setting goals.

“We learned by trial and error,” Skelley said. “We learned how to handle muscle pulls by stretching and warming up more, and eating better – quality proteins, lean meats, fish, chicken.”

The results became profound and memorable. Skelley said one of his neighbors, Bob Parks, bought a set of weights for his son and “we’d work out in the garage.”

Not long thereafter, when Skelley got home, he put his 165-pound father on his shoulder and spun him around three times.

“I set him down gently,” he said, laughing at the memory.

A toned man whose “calves rippled” when he walked, Skelley’s father quickly decided future discipline would need to be rendered “through psychology,” Skelley said.

Many a local athlete, including Mike Reid, found their way to Jake’s Gym, and Webb was gratified at Saturday’s turnout.

“It makes you feel great that anybody still remembers an 85-year-old man,” he said. “I took a personal interest in all my members. Some of these guys were skinny kids when I first met them.”

Webb, who stands just 5-foot-6 and weighs 150, was introduced to lifting by his brother, who came out of the service and provided him with barbells at age 15.

“I hadn’t seen a set of weights before then,” he said.

So he took the “Charles Atlas course, like everybody else” and started honing his body. For his 85th birthday in October, he did 75 pushups.

Weight lifting has endured the stigma of steroid use, and Webb said he never took steroids, nor recommended them, but is learning through research as to their potential benefits in fighting various conditions.

“In years gone by, I didn’t approve, and I still didn’t recommend, but I’ve learned a lot more about it,” he said.

Webb was raised in Eldorado and moved to Calvin, Huntingdon County, where he has “50 acres and three miles of hiking trails.”

Baker said he still trains an hour per day. Skelley said, “It’s a way of life for us. You can’t wear the weights out.”

Rocco Alianiello, owner of Progressive Martial Arts, organized Saturday’s reunion.

“Jake was kind of the father of weight lifting and strength building around here,” Alianiello said. “He was ahead of his time in weight lifting. He taught us how to lift and improve our performance. Everybody appreciates what he’s done, and this was just a way to say thank you.”

Rudel can be reached at 946-7527 or nrudel@altoonamirror.com.

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