Ed Corney was known for his grace and his perfect posing. He was known among fellow bodybuilders as a good friend and a reliably nice guy. But most people know him for the on-screen moment when he refused to give up and pushed past his breaking point to finish a set of squats before collapsing on the floor at training partner Arnold Schwarzenegger’s feet.
Ed Corney, the Oahu-born, Saint Louis High School grad, died Jan. 1 in Manteca, Calif., where he made his home. He was 85 years old.
He was featured in the 1977 documentary “Pumping Iron,” which is often cited as a turning point in Schwarzenegger’s career path from champion bodybuilder to movie star.
On hearing of his friend’s death, Schwarzenegger commented via Twitter: “Ed Corney was a jewel of a guy. He was one of the greatest posers bodybuilding has ever seen, and he was a fantastic training partner. He inspired me and I’ll miss him dearly. My thoughts are with his family.”
Born in Honolulu in 1933, Corney graduated from Saint Louis in 1952 and enlisted in the Coast Guard. After serving for four years, he settled down in San Jose, Calif., and became a bar owner and bouncer. He hung around a group of guys from Hawaii who were living in the area. Those friends introduced him to bodybuilding.
Corney was not a large man; he stood 5-foot-7 and was 140 pounds when he started working out. He was also a bit late to the sport. He entered his first bodybuilding contest when he was in his 30s (and won.) He went on to win the Mr. Universe title in both 1971 and ’72, the Mr. America title in 1973 and a long list of other bodybuilding championships. In 1983, at age 49, he was the oldest competitor for Mr. Olympia. He continued to compete into his 60s.
Former bodybuilder George Rosa of Waianae held great admiration for the Hawaii man who was known in the sport as the “Best Poser in the World.” Rosa said he took a chance and asked the champion for help.
“At 24 years old, I was hungry and wanted to meet and train with him. I called him up and asked him if I could train with him at Bob’s Gym in Fremont, California, because I was getting ready for a local bodybuilding contest myself,” Rosa said. “He said, ‘Come up!’”
Thrilled at the invitation, in May 1976, Rosa jumped on a plane to get to his idol. Corney trained Rosa in 2-1/2-hour sessions, five times a week.
“I stayed in a motel and ate tuna and egg sandwiches and fruits and vegetables. After three weeks, I came home, competed in the Mr. Waikiki contest and won,” Rosa said.
Rosa and Corney remained friends over the years, and when Corney would come home to Hawaii, Rosa would pick him up at the airport and drive him to appearances at gyms around town.
“He had a heart of aloha,” Rosa said. “He would do anything for you. He didn’t get into the sport for money. He needed a challenge and he found it in the gym.”
A celebration of life was held for Corney in California in January. He is survived by a daughter and three grandchildren. Bodybuilding organizations across the country have been posting tributes to the man who attributed his achievements to staying true to himself.
“You must know your goals and be realistic about whether you can attain them or not,” he told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin in 1979. “If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll make more progress toward your accomplishments. There is no easy way, no matter what you’re trying to accomplish. It’s all in what you put into it. Do what you can, and don’t do what you can’t.”
Reach Lee Cataluna at 529-4315 or lcataluna@staradvertiser.com.
