Vince Gironda

Gironda died on October 18, 1997, in Ventura County, less than a month before his 80th birthday.

In the 1990s the growing popularity of very well-equipped gyms with considerable mass appeal and the emergence of numerous personal trainers to the stars made it difficult for simple gyms to operate, and so Vince's Gym closed in November 1995. A contributing factor to the gym closing was the severe health problems of Gironda's beloved son Guy. Caring for Guy sapped Gironda's energy, and his motivation to run his gym.

Girona promoted a low-carbohydrate high-fat diet and invented a diet known as the "Steak and Eggs Diet". He ate butter, cream, eggs, milk and red meat in high quantities and only a small amount of carbohydrates. His dietary views are mentioned in his book Unleashing the Wild Physique, published inn 1984.

In the 1980s, a book was published with the collaboration of MuscleMag International publisher Robert Kennedy titled "Unleashing the Wild Physique". It contained considerable knowledge Vince gathered and tested throughout his 30+ year career. The release of the book prompted a promotion tour where the Iron Guru gave sold-out seminars throughout the US and Canada.

In 1972 Vince and Ray Raridon (personal trainer at Vince's Gym) became frustrated with quality and prices of the nutritional supplements that were in the market. Vince and Ray went on to create their own formulations with Signet Labs in Los Angeles. They came out with NSP Nutrition as their answer to the low quality and ineffective supplements. NSP Research Nutrition was born, which Vince lovingly called "Old Time Body Building Co." They used those terms because "We still make the staples of natural bodybuilding that Vince so strongly advocated.

In the 1970s Vince wrote countless articles for Iron Man, managed his mail-order business, started a nutrition supplement company (NSP Nutrition) and authored his own training and nutrition manuals, all the time still operating his gym.

During the 1960s, Vince's reputation grew as a personal trainer due to his pupils winning all the important contests, the most well-known pupil being Larry Scott, winning the first 2 IFBB Mr. Olympias in 1965 & 1966. Bodybuilders who have trained at Vince's Gym over the years include "Body by" Jake Steinfeld, Lou Ferrigno ("The Incredible Hulk"), Frank Zane, Don Howorth and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Gironda came to be known as "the Iron Guru", a name former magazine editor and photo/journalist Denie Walter gave him.

By the early 1950s, he was a very well known trainer of both champion bodybuilders and movie and television actors. Gironda claimed to be able to get a person into shape faster than anyone else. He also claimed that the movie studios would send their actors and actresses to him for that reason.

The first gym he trained at was the local YMCA. He was there for approximately eight months before moving to the Easton Brothers' gym. The Easton brothers taught him to be one of their instructors. He worked there and experimented with training protocols before opening his own gym in North Hollywood, California in 1948 called Vince's Gym.

Vincent Anselmo Gironda (November 9, 1917 – October 18, 1997) was an American professional bodybuilder, personal trainer, author, co-founder of the supplement company NSP Nutrition, and owner of the celebrity-frequented Vince's Gym. His nickname was the "Iron Guru".