About Denny Holmes
Beginning in the early 1970’s I owned and operated a gym called Denny’s The Boddy Shoppe where I sold my T-shirts, vitamins and made protein drinks that were second to none. I produced and promoted major bodybuilding shows, selling and distributing my own product Denny’s Pro-Blend, one of the first good tasting milk and egg proteins.
I also was a nationally competitive bodybuilder in the mid seventies winning the Mr. Ironman in 1974, the Mr. California in 1976, I placed 3rd overall and won Best Abs and the Mr. Western America in 1976, and placed 5th overall. My gym is in the credits of the movie Pumping Iron and the first bodybuilding show in 1975 I produced, Mr. San Francisco and the Mr. Pacific Coast, was filmed as part of the movie that came out the following year.
My first bodybuilding training partner was Ed Corney (Ed is the gentlemen on the front cover of the book Pumping Iron, Ed was and still is the greatest poser that ever lived. He did so much for me and the sport of bodybuilding, we love you Ed.
Ed won Mr. Universe at 42, he and I trained together in 1969, we were training for the Mr. Iron Man which Ed won that year. I took 9th and came back in 1974 and won the title also.
While training for competitions I traveled to Golds gym in Los Angeles every 3 months to train, party and just have fun with all my friends there. Back then, the fitness circuit on the west coast was like a big family. Every so often one of my friends from Gold’s would show up at my gym and we would train then go out and have a ball in San Francisco where my gym was located. We all knew each other and it was an incredible learning experience as well as a lot of fun!
Being a Mechanical Engineer by profession I was driven to know the how’s and why’s of my fitness routine and my nutrition. I kept track of my progress and watched the members of my gym, as well as those I trained throughout the years. Through this I learned what works and how to get long lasting results that have left myself and my past clients looking and feeling younger than their ages today.
Work In The Fitness Industry
After my success in the bodybuilding circuit and in various fitness related business endeavors I focused in on another passion for business and engineering. I worked as a product developer and manufacturing manager at IBM, Mitsubishi and then on a team that created the number one selling infomercial fitness product, The Ab Flex, The Ab Roller and The Hip And Thigh Sculpter for 3 years running.
I was recognized for my success in the fitness industry and Bodybuilding and asked to do a lecture series for the faculty at UC Berkley, and I’ve held seminars on health and fitness for various corporations including Hewlett Packard in 1986. I also worked as a consultant on health and its affect on the workforce.