A goal of every gym freak’s life is to prove himself the most muscular man alive. But these massive giants did more than simply dream; they made their dreams come true.
Anyone who has spent significant time attempting to bulk up will attest to the difficulty of achieving both massive muscular growth and high-quality gains. A professional bodybuilder’s impressive physique results from years of hard work and dedication to training, a rigorous food regimen, and self-discipline.
For this list of the 15 greatest professional bodybuilders of all time, we battered the world in search of the most imposing athletes.
Table of Contents
15. Paul Dillett
Paul Dillett was born in 1965 in Quebec, Canada. He is 6 feet, two inches tall, and weighs 285 pounds for competition. Dillett has competed in almost 40 bodybuilding contests, with his best result being a fourth-place showing in the Olympia in 1994.
During his heyday, Dillett exercised four times per week, focusing on building muscle in his shoulders, hamstrings, quadriceps, chest, arms, and back. He is now the CEO and owner of World Beauty Fitness and Fashion Inc., a firm he founded.
14. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger may be the most infamous bodybuilder of all time. Arnold is most known as a seven-time Mr. Olympia champion, despite his relatively modest stature (he is 6 feet 2 inches tall and 253 pounds in contest weight) and weight (he weighs in at a contest at a weight of 255 pounds).
Arnold was born in Austria in 1947, and he is pretty proud of the Arnold Sports Festival, which is the second-largest bodybuilding competition in the world after Olympia.
He eventually gave up bodybuilding to focus on other goals, such as acting in Hollywood and running for governor of California (the 38th) (2003-2011). Arnold Schwarzenegger is still in terrific form and is beloved by fans all over the globe, despite his retirement from active bodybuilding.
13. Gunter Schlie Kamp
Gunter competes in the international IFBB bodybuilding scene. He is 6 feet and 1 inch tall and 330 pounds in the offseason but just 300 pounds while in season, earning him the nickname “The Gentle Giant.” Gunter was born in Olfen in the 1970s and has been training for bodybuilding competitions since the 1990s.
Since his retirement in 2006, he has focused on his business endeavors. He died in 2013 from renal failure, yet he continued to compete in bodybuilding competitions till the end. Nasser stood 5 feet, 11 inches tall, and could gain up to 330 pounds in his off-season training.
12. Nasser El Sonbaty
German-born Nasser El Sonbaty entered the world in 1965. The professor got his moniker from his signature eyewear and his linguistic versatility. After first training in the gym in 1983, Nasser made his Olympia stage debut in 1994.
A first-place result at the 1999 IFBB Arnold Classic and a second-place showing at the 1997 Mr. Olympia are among his most notable accomplishments.
He died in 2013 from renal failure, yet he continued to compete in bodybuilding competitions till the end. Nasser stood 5 feet, 11 inches tall, and could gain up to 330 pounds in his off-season training.
11.Ronnie Coleman
Ronnie Coleman, born in Louisiana in 1964 but no longer competes in bodybuilding, has called it quits. Ronnie is 5 feet, 11 inches tall, has a 60-inch chest, and weighs anything from 287 to 300 pounds during the season and 320 during the off-season.
Ronnie has brains to go along with his muscle, earning a BSc in accounting from Grambling State University in 1984. Ronnie Coleman, who has won Mr. Olympia eight times in a row since 2000, is considered one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time.
10. Jean-Pierre Fux
Switzerland’s own Jean-Pierre Fux is a renowned bodybuilder. He began training at the tender age of 16 after being born in Switzerland in 1968. He competed in his first bodybuilding competition in 1993 and finished in the top five in the amateur division at the IFBB World Championships.
Since then, he’s entered other contests with varying degrees of success. Jean is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 300 pounds during the off-season. In 2020, Jean found a way to combine her love of fitness with her desire to help homeless cats.
9. Wolf, Dennis
Dennis Wolf, often known as “The Big Bad Wolf,” was born in Kyrgyzstan to German parents in 1978. At 5 feet 11 inches tall and 275 pounds, he is one of the best bodybuilders in the world.
Dennis’s interest in bodybuilding and weight training began as a child when he began training in martial arts. In 2005, he transitioned to professional bodybuilding, and since then, he has won the Arnold Classic (2014) and placed fourth in Mr. Olympia’s (2015) competitions.
8. Lee Haney
Lee Haney, born in 1959, has always put himself above being considered “old.” He is one of the most famous bodybuilders even now. In addition to Ronnie Coleman, Lee Haney holds the record for most Mr. Olympia victories with eight. Lee Haney, 5 feet 11 inches tall and 248 pounds heavy, is among the largest bodybuilders in history.
The Lee Haney Games, a tournament where men and women are evaluated on their physique, fitness, and overall health, is his brainchild.
7. Dorian Yates
Dorian Yates, sometimes known as Dorian Andrew Yates and by his nickname “The Shadow,” is widely regarded as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time.
Dorian Yates, born in England in 1962, is an American. Dorian Yates has a 58″ chest and is 5’10.5″ tall for his weight class. Among his many accomplishments is the record for the fifth-most Mr. Olympia titles ever won (held for six consecutive years). After a successful bodybuilding career, Dorian Yates has decided to call it quits.
6. Big Ramy
Big Ramy, or Mamdouh Mohammed Hassan Elssbiay, was born in 1984. He is 5 feet, 10 inches tall, and weighs 290 pounds for competition.
In 2012, Big Ramy made his debut in the Amateur Olympia in Kuwait. Since then, he has triumphed in many events and is presently the Mr. Olympia champion for 2020.
5. Jay Cutler
As Jason Isaac Cutler Jay Cutler is a global legend and one of the largest bodybuilders of all time. Jay Cutler, who is 5 feet 10 inches tall, 290 pounds in the off-season, and 260 pounds while competing, is the third wealthiest bodybuilder in the world. In 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010, Jay Cutler was crowned Mr. Olympia four times.
Like many other retired bodybuilders, Jay is in excellent form and pursuing personal business interests, such as a clothing brand he founded called Cutler Athletics.
4. Markus Ruhl
Markus Ruhl, born in 1972 in Germany, is a former professional bodybuilder. He weighs 282 pounds despite being only 5 feet and 10 inches tall. Former football player Ruhl had his ambitions of becoming a football superstar dashed when he suffered a catastrophic knee injury.
After having his boyhood goal dashed when he was 18 years old, Markus Ruhl pursued other interests, bodybuilding being one among them.
The rest is history: he finished first in the 2000 Toronto Pro, third at the 2006 Austria Pro Grand Prix, and fifth at the 2004 Mr. Olympia competition.
3. Johnnie O. Jackson
Johnnie Otis Curtis, born in New Jersey in 1971, is 5 feet, 8 inches tall, and weighs 255 pounds during the season and 275 pounds while not playing.
He is one of the largest bodybuilders with the most expansive upper body, with a chest measuring 57 inches across. When Jackson won the National Physique Committee USA Competition in 2001, he launched his professional career.
Since then, he has participated in Mr. Olympia and other yearly bodybuilding competitions, eventually being known as “World’s Strongest Professional Bodybuilder” at the 2009 Mr. Olympia.
2. James Dennis
In 1966, Dennis Tyron James, better known as “The Menace,” was born in Germany. As a competitor, 5’8″ Dennis James weighs 265 pounds.
Once Dennis James turned 18, he began training for the professional bodybuilding division. He competed in the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding competition for the International Federation of Bodybuilders and Fitness Athletes (IFBB) for many years until calling to quit in 2012.
1. Roelly Winklaar
Black muscle-top-clad Roelly Winklaar. Roelly Winklaar, often known as “The Dutch Beast,” is 5 feet, 6.5 inches tall and can weigh up to 320 pounds in the offseason and 297 pounds during the season.
Roelly is a Curacao who emigrated to the Netherlands and later the United States with his family when he was young. He entered the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding contests in 2009 and has since placed fifth. He also has some of the most impressive arms in bodybuilding.
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