Walt Redhead

Pen Picture Series: Walter Redhead of Hull, Yorkshire.

(ISSA - The Strandpuller Newsletter - Sept/Oct 1969)

The present holder of the ISSA's T.V. Trophy as Senior Puller of the Year has a very interesting story and one which should inspire many of our younger members who, in the main, are starting their P.C. careers in good health.. Born on the 29th March 1931, Walter was fond of most sports at school, in particular football and running. However at the age of 16 he was struck down with osteomyeletis in his right arm. After unsuccessful medical treatment, Walter's father took him to a well known herbalist who treated Walter for 18 months. Also he did light weight-training, encouraged by his father who had been a keen physical culturalist all his life.

By the age of 18 he was physically A1, so much so that he passed without any trouble for the Army, where he qualified as a Physical Training Instructor and represented his Regiment at Cricket, Boxing, Basketball, Football, Tug-of-war and Athletics. He did some weight training during his spell in the Army and trained very hard on his discharge for the considerable success he has achieved in the Physical Culture world since.

At Weightlifting, in the Society of Amateur Weightlifters, he won County and Area titles, a President's Plaque in 1963 for breaking British records in three different bodyweight classes.

At Muscle Control he is truly outstanding, being in great demand for Health & Strength shows and having performed on Television. He hold 3 Maxalding statuettes, 2 Cups, 6 Silver Medals and 8 Bronze Medals, all for Muscle Control. One cannot say he is not well qualified in this aspect of Physical Culture. Physique-wise he is also outstanding, having won some notable titles and having been placed highly in all his contests.

In 1955 the Health & Strength magazine held a nation-wide contest to discover who possessed the best abdominals. Walter won. He has also been twice-winner of the Bodybuilders Star Gallery Plaque, the Glory Plaque for posing, Before & After Contest Plaque winner, the Heath & Efficiency Best Physique Plaque, Man's World Magazine Medal of Merit, First - Mr. Steelopolis (Novice) 1957, First - Mr. N. Counties 1962, Second - Mr. N. Counties 1963, Second - Mr. Middlesborough 1963, Second - Mr. Adonis 1963, Second - Mr. Cleveland 1964, Second - Mr. E. Lancs (Over 30) 1964,65 & 66, Third - Mr. N. England (Over 35) 1967, Third - Yorkshire's Best Developed Man 1967, First - Mr. Yorkshire (Over 35) 1968, Twice winner of the NABBA Bodybuilder of the Month Competition and ISSA Best Developed Strandpuller 1966,68,70,71 and 72.

As a strandpuller Walter has been a member of ISSA since 1962, but it was not until 1965 that he began to take a greater interest in getting to the top as he had already done all the other activities he had participated in. In 1965 he won the English Light-Heavyweight Championship and in 1967 the English 13 stone Championship. 1968 was Walter's great year at the age of 37 when most sportsmen have long since hung up their boots. He broke 87 British records including such great ones as a Right Arm Push of 537lb. (Remember this was the arm that was almost amputated.) He competed for several National Championships winning the English Light-Heavyweight and British 13 stone titles and the Champion of Champions title on the Strength Championship pulls. His Right Arm Push of 537lb. won the Harold Wrigley Best Record Trophy and his considerable success in 1968 won for him the coveted and top title of Puller of the Year. He was also Britain's Best All-rounder with a record score of 384 points.

1969 found Walter with a great reputation to maintain. And he has aquitted himself extremely well. He won the North England Champion of Champions contest for the second year running, pushed his British record on the Push-Up to a fantastic 554lb. and won two British titles - British Middleweight and British Light-Heavyweight Championships.

As an ISSA Trainer and National Referee he has some interesting and useful hints to pass on to the Strandpuller. Walter does not smoke, but he does not see any harm in a pint of beer with the lads on a Saturday. As he puts it 'You can always sweat it out in a good workout! His advice to the up and coming puller is to keep trying. Even though you lose time after time, keep trying, success is bound to come if you really try hard.

Walter is a splendid example of just this 'try, try again' attitude. His final words - Do not forget your abdominal work every workout. Besides keeping you 'regular' you will be the envy of your mates with your trim waist. Walter always completes his workouts with a few Muscle Control exercises to keep him supple.

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