Bodybuilders are not immortal; they will all die sometime.
But this Bodybuilder was just 30 years old. He was not the most well-known man in the world. He was not even the most well-known in his chosen sport of bodybuilding. He was an American heavyweight, winner of a number of state titles and consistently placing in the middle of the line-ups at National level.

He was a big man, 6ft tall, with a contest weight of about 265 lbs. He always looked like a bodybuilder with great potential and, perhaps, one day, he could have achieved that potential. He earned his living from modelling and “escort” work, a life style which would not have had everyone’s approval. But those who knew him said that he was a friendly and helpful guy. Now, it’s all over. Life snuffed out in youth. Why did an apparently fit and healthy man die so young?

It is many years now since I went to my first bodybuilding contest and in the intervening years, the standards of physiques on display have got higher and higher. We all know that a Mr. Universe from 1970 would struggle to win a good novice contest nowadays. There is always great anticipation going to contests from year to year expecting to see ever freakier bodybuilders. Even though the standard of development achieved by top level competitors is already extremely high, we can expect ever more awesome displays of muscle in the future. Or can we?

No one [unless that person is a pessimistic fool] will predict limits to human endeavour, because he [or she] will almost certainly be proved wrong sooner or later. Recently, we have been recalling the day in 1953 when Mt. Everest was climbed for the first time. Prior to that year there had been many attempts to get to the top and many men had died trying. Some suggested that the altitude of 29,000 ft [8,838 m] was just too much and that the peak would remain impossible for ever. Now many go to the top of the mountain every year. It is still not an easy thing to do – people still die on the mountain – but climbers know that it can be done and the mental block has gone.

So with bodybuilding. Years ago to be 6ft tall with a 50 in chest was considered superhuman but now any decent 6ft bodybuilder will have a 50in chest even before he thinks about competing. Over 60in is more like big! Every serious bodybuilder wants to be the best he can be and he knows, even if he is still several years away from approaching Pro standard, that he has to plan to be bigger and better than the top guys today. It’s a tall order and to some extent has been a cause of many men deciding not to bother trying – consider the time, the costs and the health risks.

The difference between a top bodybuilder and the Joe Public man-in-the-street is far greater now than it has ever been. Standards have risen because of improved training, improved nutrition, improved understanding of physiology, improved pre-contest dieting, improved life-style and drugs. All of these have had important effects but it is the drugs aspect which I want to consider.