Top 7 Bodybuilders to Get Inspiration From

The path to success in training is long and arduous, often not being understood by other people. Therefore, the example of famous bodybuilders can be a good tool to help maintain your focus and dedication in training.

Knowing your trajectory can help to encourage you on this journey, realizing how the results appear over time. We’ve brought you a little history of some of the most famous bodybuilders in the world so you can see how they got there. Follow the reading and get inspired!

1. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Certainly, the greatest bodybuilder in history. He started training before he was 18 and intensified his routine when he was in the army.

His sports career began to take off when he won the Mr. Europa Junior tournament. After that, he won other competitions, including five wins at Mr. Universe and seven at Mr. Olympia, a record that was in force until 1991, when Lee Haney overcame winning eight editions.

Even after he retired from bodybuilding, Arnold remained an important influence in the field, writing books and articles about the sport. Currently, it still maintains a competition called Arnold Classic, being one of the major events in the area, which involves millions in prizes for competitors. For better performance, you can also buy hgh injections like lilly humatrope 72 iu.

2. Phil Heath

Phil Heat is one of the greatest American bodybuilders of all time. He is a seven-time winner of Mr. Olympia, achieving this place between the years 2011 and 2017.

He was born in 1979, in the city of Seattle, in the United States. At school, he discovered his affinity with sports: at the time, it was basketball that allowed him to win a scholarship at the university.

His experience on the court and his affinity for sports led him to seek new challenges. The intense training he had led him to bodybuilding in 2012.

Phil turned professional just two years after starting the training weight. At the time, he received criticism for being too narrow and for the flaws in his body, but that did not hinder his journey. So much so that he became one of Olympia’s biggest winners.

With just over 1.75m in height, Phil Heath has around 113 kg while in competition periods and has 127 kg in off-season periods.

3. Ronnie Coleman

Ronnie Coleman is an American bodybuilder, who has a record of eight consecutive titles from Mr. Olympia. He has accumulated more than 26 titles as a professional, becoming one of the big names in the history of bodybuilding.

For many, Ronnie Coleman is the best bodybuilder of all time. When considering only the sport, this can really be unquestionable, because its level of volume and muscle separation are still impressive, with no athlete with a more imposing physique than his.

In one of his interviews, Ronnie stated that the greatest bodybuilder for him was Arnold Schwarzenegger, because, according to Coleman, he had “unmatched genetics”, but that in his time did not have the same resources and structure to develop as today.

The athlete preferred training with free weights overlapping exercises done with machines. Another pragmatism of Coleman’s life is his punctual professional profile, especially with regard to commitments and dedication to training and diets in order to maintain his fitness. He maintained a regular (6 days a week) and daily (1 hour and 15 min to 1 hour and 30 min) training program, and yet he still worked for the US police force.

In competitions, Ronnie went on stage with 134 kg with his 1.80 m in height, while in the off-season his weight was close to 150 kg.

After retiring from bodybuilding, Ronnie Coleman had numerous problems related to the spine, having already performed more than 12 surgeries, and since then, he has been moving most of the time in a wheelchair or with the help of a walker. However, this did not alter his desire and motivation in any way, maintaining a training routine to this day.

4. Dorian Yates

Dorian Yates was one of the biggest names in bodybuilding, having revolutionized the sport in the 1990s. He was Mr. Olympia six times between 1992 and 1997. His measures in competition were 1.80 m and 120 kg.

He was the greatest bodybuilder of his time and made other athletes small by his side. His nickname was ‘Shadow’. It was a precursor to the “freak” era in world bodybuilding, it revolutionized with brutal volume and definition, thus forcing the world bodybuilding to advance to a new level.

With his unquestionable willpower and partial adept at “ heavy duty ” training – a method developed by the legendary Mike Mentzer, Dorian achieved excellent results, but paid dearly for his training style, even seriously bruising his triceps, a reason that kept him from competitions in early 1998.

Currently, Dorian still participates in conferences and lectures on bodybuilding, but leads a totally different lifestyle, and often on social networks he emphasizes the benefits of yoga and meditation. 

5. Lee Haney

Lee Haney in 1979 became Mr. America and in the following years he won several competitions, but he is known for being the first athlete in the world to win Mr. Olympia 8 times from 1984 to 1991.

Lee Haney won his first weights at age 12, from his father. However, strength training would not be part of his childhood because the athlete’s focus was football, interrupted by two fractures in his legs at 15 and 16 years old.

After practicing weight training to recover from injuries, Lee Haney then found a new passion. He quickly started accumulating bodybuilding titles, foreshadowing his long series of achievements from Mr. Olympia.

His reign remained intact. Unlike other athletes, Lee Haney retired at the height of his career, leaving the stage undefeated throughout his achievements.

Lee Haney’s training was divided into a three-day cycle. He trained three days in a row and the next day he rested. The first was reserved for the chest and arms, the second for the legs and the third for the back and shoulders. The abdominal and calf were trained daily.

Today, the bodybuilder is retiring, but acts as an educator and trainer, in addition to having two gyms in the city of Atlanta, in the United States. He has worked with celebrities and professional athletes and has consulted companies in the field of nutritional supplementation. 

6. Jay Cutler

Jay Cutler is considered one of the biggest names in the sport, having been a four-time champion of Mr. Olympia. At the age of 19, he started to participate in competitions, and his first great title came in 2002, when he became champion of the Arnold Classic, which he would win again in 2003 and 2004.

When he started training, his goal was totally aesthetic, but he soon discovered his genetics, which quickly led him to competitions. This brought him together of three great names: Marcos Rodriguez (personal trainer), Bruce Vartarian (the businessman who saw the potential of his physique) and Chris Aceto (who did all the athlete’s preparation).

Four times he was second in Mr. Olympia, until he finally won the title in 2006. He would still be champion in 2007, 2009 and 2010. In 2011 he had a serious biceps injury two weeks before the competition, but ended up participating and stayed in second place.

7. Brandon Curry

Brandon Curry is an American professional bodybuilder who competes in the heavyweight division. He is the current champion of Mr. Olympia, winning the 2019 edition.

Initially competing in the light heavyweight class, Curry won his first bodybuilding competition, the Supernatural Bodybuilding of 2003. In July 2008, Curry won the heavyweight division and the Overall of the NPC USA Championships, which ensured his status as a bodybuilder. professional.

The legs were his weak point for some time, so much so that in the 2018 presentation at Mr. Olympia the athlete was in 5th place. Trained by Abdulla Al Otaibi, the bodybuilder has evolved a lot in this regard, and in general, winning the title that year.

These are some famous bodybuilders who can help inspire your workouts and fitness. Their stories demonstrate that, with dedication, it is possible to achieve excellent results and become a reference in the area. So, keep your focus and continue on your journey, because the effort will be worth it and you will reach your goal.