The road to perfection: 10 most famous bodybuilders

Bodybuilders and bodybuilders took the passion for sports to a new level and were able to improve their bodies, making them almost an ideal, which Greek sculptors looked up to when creating their ancient masterpieces.

We present the top ten most famous bodybuilders.

Eugen Sandow

Many historians believe that the founder of modern bodybuilding is Eugen Sandow. He began his career in the circus arena as a strongman, then in 1893, having gone to America, he focused on performances and the promotion of his method of muscle development. In 1897, Sandow moved to England, where he built one of the first gyms, and in 1901 he organized the world's first beauty contest among athletes.

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Charles Atlas

In 1904, he emigrated from Italy to the United States, where he achieved unprecedented success by creating his own program of physical exercises to improve his body. According to Atlas, he tried many methods aimed at building his own body, but was never able to achieve the desired result, so he began developing his own exercises. In 1921, Charles Atlas was called "the most perfectly developed man in the world."

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John Grimek

John Grimek's career began in 1936 at the Olympic Games, where he represented the United States as a weightlifter. His contemporaries, who were also involved in bodybuilding, were inferior to Grimek, who was beyond competition. In 1939, he won the York Perfect Man contest, and then two years in a row he became the winner of the Mr. America contest, thanks to which he went down in history as the only person who managed to win this contest twice. Even in his declining years, at the age of 60, Grimek could lift more than 180 kilograms.

Steve Reeves

In 1946, Reeves' stellar career began - he won the Mr. Pacific Coast contest, and further victories followed: 1947 - Mr. Western America, the same year he won the Mr. America contest, and then received the title of Mr. Universe in 1950. Unlike his colleagues, Steve Reeves did not build a career in the world of professional bodybuilding, but achieved success in the cinema, which was facilitated by his attractive appearance and athletic physique. Reeves' most famous role was the role of Hercules in the film of the same name. The sunset of Reeves' film career came in 1960. He was forced to retire due to a shoulder injury sustained during the filming of The Last Days of Pompeii.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Even as a boy, Iron Arnie decided that he would become the most famous bodybuilder in the world. And so it happened. In 1966, Schwarzenegger won his first title at the Mr. Universe competition, although he did not take first place, but second, losing the victory to Sheth Yorton from the USA. In 1970, Arnold finally became the winner of the Mr. Olympia competition in New York. Further victories in his career were the result of intense work and hard work. In 1980, Schwarzenegger ended his successful career as a bodybuilder and plunged headlong into the world of cinema. The role of Conan in the film Conan the Barbarian brought him success, and after the leading roles in the films Total Recall and Terminator, the charming muscleman finally won the hearts of viewers.

Lou Ferrigno

If Arnold Schwarzenegger is the most famous bodybuilder of our time, then Lou Ferrigno is breathing down his neck. Lou Ferrigno can be called strong not only physically, but also psychologically, because as a child, he lost 85% of his hearing due to an infectious disease, which became a target for ridicule among other children. Bodybuilding became a way for Ferrigno to combat bullying. He idolized Steve Reeves and strove to achieve the same results. After graduating from high school in 1971, Lou began to win prizes in bodybuilding competitions: he became the absolute champion of Mr. Universe and received the title of "Mr. America". In 1977, Ferrigno's childhood dream came true and he transformed into the Hulk in the film "The Incredible Hulk".

Rachel McLeish

Rachel rose to fame at the age of 26 when she won the Ms. Olympia competition in 1980. Despite her pumped-up body, Rachel looked very feminine and thanks to this, many women followed her example and female bodybuilding ceased to be an exclusively male sport. In 1985, McLish starred in the film Pumping Iron II: The Women, after which she played in several more films.

Lee Labrada

A winner of numerous awards, Lee made his debut as a bodybuilder in 1982 at the Texas Collegiate Championships, where he took first place. In 1985, he achieved even greater results by winning the Mr. Universe contest, and the following year, he won a prize at the Night of Champions contest. Labrada is known not only for his achievements in the world of bodybuilding, but also for having a very symmetrical physique.

Bev Francis

She is considered a true Australian legend. Even as a teenager, Bev achieved considerable success in shot put, and, as the bodybuilder herself admits, it was this passion that influenced her future destiny. She received the title of "The Strongest Woman in History" and became the owner of six world titles in powerlifting.

Ronnie Coleman

Coleman has a record 26 victories as a professional bodybuilder in the International Bodybuilding Federation. Eight of them were won at the Mr. Olympia competition. And Coleman's career began unexpectedly for him. One day, a trainer at the gym where he worked out offered him a free membership in exchange for participation in a tournament. Ronnie agreed, and the rest is up to you.