Vladimir M. Zatsiorsky was born on December 26th, 1932, in Leningrad, USSR (what is now Saint Petersburg, Russia). From 1949 to 1951, he studied mathematics at Lvov University in Ukraine and graduated from the Lvov Institute of Physical Culture in 1954. In 1957, he joined the graduate program at the Central Institute of Physical Culture (GCOLIFK) in Moscow. After completing his PhD and obtaining a tenure-track position at GCOLIFK, Vladimir dedicated 30 years to the institution, serving until 1990. In 1972, he was elected Chair of Biomechanics at GCOLIFK. During his tenure, he also briefly held the position of Director of the All-Union Research Institute of Physical Culture between 1986 and 1989. In 1961, Vladimir co-authored the first paper on strength training for elite weightlifters with the three-time World Champion and 1960 Olympic Champion in weightlifting, Viktor Bushuev. Later, in 1965, Vladimir published Motor Abilities of Athletes, which explored strength, speed, endurance, and flexibility training. This book has since seen five editions in Russian and has been translated into 12 languages. While working in the USSR, Vladimir was regularly invited to deliver lectures and consult with national team coaches, often visiting their training camps twice a year. In 1995, Vladimir published the influential book Science and Practice of Strength Training. This work went on to have two additional editions in 2006 and 2020, featuring new chapters contributed by Dr. W. Kraemer and Dr. A. Fry, respectively. Vladimir currently resides in Sunnyvale, CA, with Rita, his wife of 63 years. The couple has two children, Betty and Michael, and six grandchildren: Anastasiya, James, Yana, Irene, Ellen, and Jaclyn.