Do you not know that your our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who’s in you, whom you have got obtained from God? You aren’t your personal. 1 Corinthians 6:19
For some, bodybuilding isn’t nearly bodily power; it’s additionally religious.
On this article, we’ll be itemizing pro-bodybuilders (previous and current) who’ve publicly spoken about their religion in God (Jesus Christ).
These are bodybuilders who haven’t saved quiet about their Christian religion and credit score it for spurring them on to forge profitable careers within the sport.
Lee Haney
Lee Haney is essentially the most profitable bodybuilder of all time with reference to Mr. Olympia wins, with eight Sandow trophies (matched solely by Ronnie Coleman). He’s additionally one of many few bodybuilders to stay undefeated all through his complete profession.
He describes himself as a “man of God,” usually sharing Bible verses by way of Twitter and speaking about his relationship with Jesus.
Being a follower of Jesus Christ have been a superior and at occasions a difficult journey. Although all of it, He received me coated. Psalm 1:1-6
— Lee Haney (@LeeHaney) September 7, 2014
He additionally has his personal tv programme, known as TotaLee Match With Lee Haney, on TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Community), a Christian channel. He’s typically joined by different Christian sportsmen and girls on the present, the place his favorite motto is “Prepare to stimulate, not annihilate.”
Lee additionally runs a youth charity along with his spouse known as ‘Haney’s Harvest Home’. This can be a mentoring programme the place boys aged 8–17 are nurtured and educated on what it means to be a person. The Bible is the impressed, major reference for all ideas taught to kids.
Dennis Tinerino
Dennis Tinerino was an American bodybuilder within the Nineteen Sixties and Seventies, profitable 4 Mr. Universe titles. Dennis was nicknamed the King of Traces on account of his distinctive muscle definition, significantly within the stomach area. Dennis mixed unbelievable muscle tone with excellent proportions and traditional aesthetics. He usually appeared on the covers of well-known bodybuilding magazines reminiscent of Iron Man, Energy Well being, Muscular Improvement, and extra. We additionally noticed Dennis seem in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first film, Hercules in New York.
Dennis discovered God in jail after being charged with organised crime and working an escort service. After receiving the gospel behind bars and being baptized within the spirit, he later arrange his personal ministry, preaching the gospel to tens of millions of individuals everywhere in the world.
His confidence and drive when it got here to evangelical work led to him being nicknamed The Sermonator. Dennis can also be the writer of Supersize Your Religion.
Now, Dennis absolutely rests in heaven, with him passing in Could 2010.
Serge Nubret
Serge Nubret, aka the Black Panther, handed away in April 2011. Serge is mostly remembered for being a part of bodybuilding’s golden period within the Seventies, whereas additionally showing alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in traditional documentaries reminiscent of Pumping Iron.
Some regard Serge as the best bodybuilder to by no means win a Mr. Olympia title and is consequently nicknamed by followers because the ‘Uncrowned Olympia‘.
Serge may even be remembered as a toddler of God. In 2006, Serge printed his autobiography in French, with the title translated as I’m…me and God. He was open about his Christian values within the mid-2000’s; he usually appeared on bodybuilding boards, doing Q&A’s with followers. He was additionally eager to provide recommendation concerning religious power, explaining how his religion was an important side of his life.
Kevin Levrone
Kevin Levrone was a world-class bodybuilder from the 90’s, profitable many competitions, essentially the most prestigious being the Arnold Traditional. Nevertheless, like Serge Nubret, Levrone by no means received a Mr. Olympia title, ending in second place on a number of events.
Kevin says he first was launched to God at 9 years outdated, when his father handed away. With each of his mother and father growing most cancers, Levrone says this drove him to eat clear and go to the health club in a bid to be as wholesome as attainable. Thus, he says he wouldn’t have been a bodybuilder if it wasn’t for this setback at such a younger age.
God not solely blessed Kevin Levrone with world-class genetics but additionally with an angelic voice, releasing songs titled God Is aware of and See the Gentle. We see Kevin share Bible verses and preach biblical messages by way of his Fb web page.
Ronnie Coleman
Ronnie Coleman is hailed as ‘The King’ in bodybuilding. Nevertheless, in his circle, that title belongs to Jesus.
Ronnie has the joint document variety of Mr. Olympia wins (alongside Lee Haney) with eight Sandow trophies. Ronnie took dimension and mass to new ranges within the Nineties and 2000s, defeating legends reminiscent of Dorian Yates, Flex Wheeler, and Jay Cutler.
After profitable 26 bodybuilding titles, Ronnie was eager to provide credit score to Jesus throughout victory speeches, hailing him as his “Lord and Saviour.”
Ronnie’s mom shared God’s Phrase with him rising up, along with his religion persevering with to strengthen by way of his bodybuilding profession, enabling him to return again from a number of hardships and accidents. Ronnie was additionally identified to usually pray earlier than his exercises.
Mark Dugdale
Mark Dugdale is an IFBB professional bodybuilder who positioned 4th within the Mr. Olympia (202 division) and ninth within the Arnold Traditional.
Within the documentary movie Pushed, Mark shares his robust religion in God, explaining how he begins every day by studying a passage from the Bible to maintain him spiritually crammed. He and his spouse usually attend Attain Church in Kirkland, Washington.
Mark is an admirer of well-known Christian preachers and theologians reminiscent of Charles Spurgeon, Martin Luther King, and C.S. Lewis. He’s additionally eager to warn towards idolatry, with bodybuilding typically turning into an idol for a lot of people, fueling self-importance and satisfaction.
Bob Birdsong
Bob Birdsong was a traditional bodybuilder from the Seventies, profitable many titles, together with Mr. America, Mr. Worldwide, and Mr. Universe. Bob had significantly spectacular arm improvement and vascularity.
Bob wasn’t at all times brawny; he as soon as weighed 97 kilos and was bullied on account of his weak stature and surname.
He was born once more in 1975, which led to him utilizing muscle magazines as a platform to share the gospel with tens of millions of readers everywhere in the world.
Bob condemns the usage of steroids in bodybuilding immediately, saying it’s one thing he would change. Nevertheless, he in truth admits to utilizing them prior to now (1). Bob is at the moment a church minister in California and usually lifts weights at 71 years outdated.
Franco Santoriello
Franco was one of many high bodybuilders of the 80’s and 90’s, displaying world-class genetics from a younger age. He was identified for his unbelievable symmetry and aesthetics, and followers could be excited at any time when he appeared on {a magazine} cowl.
On the newbie stage, he received quite a few titles, beating legends reminiscent of Shawn Ray and Eddie Robinson. Franco is believed to be the one teenager to win 4 nationwide newbie titles in two years.
After rising up in an abusive family and his father leaving dwelling at a younger age, Franco was a damage youngster. He developed a extreme cocaine and heroin habit, which led to his coronary heart assault at 44 years outdated. Throughout his life, he had clinically died twice earlier than being resuscitated.
Franco has admitted to taking anabolic steroids, however said it was solely in tiny quantities. As a consequence of his drug issues, he skilled frequent and intensive intervals away from weight lifting. Throughout his 2-year break, when he resumed lifting weights, his physique remodeled quickly, resulting in Franco incomes his pro-card. This transformation solely took a number of months, demonstrating the divine genetics Franco possessed.
Ultimately, Franco’s profession got here to a halt when his heroin habit spiraled uncontrolled. It’s believed that Franco may have been Mr. Olympia if his drug habit hadn’t interrupted his profession.
In 2014, Franco received arrested for physician purchasing and spent 3 years in jail. He would get pharmaceuticals from one physician, then go to different docs to get extra medicine (with out their information of earlier prescriptions). Franco did this to gas his personal habit whereas additionally promoting them to others.
Previous to Franco going to jail, he was homeless, unemployable, and suicidal.
One yr after being arrested, he known as out to God, saying he needed to stop his hellish way of life and wanted assist.
God answered.
He was born once more, was let out from his drug habit, and now runs his personal ministry known as Jackdup4Jesus, the place he visits inmates and addicts throughout America, sharing God’s phrase.
We had the pleasure of conversing with Franco on-line, and the fruits of the spirit are apparent.
Mike Christian
Mike Christian, nicknamed The Iron Warrior, was a high bodybuilder within the 80’s who posed as a menace to Lee Haney’s dominant spell. We noticed Mike mix enormous mass with nice conditioning. His dense and thick higher physique was his largest power
Cash, ladies, and drug abuse led to Mike shedding his enterprise, home, and fiancé. Such darkish occasions brought on Mike to hunt assist, going into rehab and eagerly learning the Bible. Via the grace of God, Mike was healed, being victorious over his sin and drug-free since 2007. In the present day, he usually attends church along with his good good friend Flex Wheeler (2).
Flex Wheeler
Arnold Schwarzenegger hailed Flex Wheeler as one of many biggest bodybuilders he’d ever seen. Ronnie Coleman additionally admitted that Flex was one of the best bodybuilder he ever competed towards.
Flex competed within the 90’s and 2000’s, profitable quite a few titles, together with the Arnold Traditional. Nevertheless, he got here up quick when it got here to profitable a Mr. Olympia title, as a result of formidable Dorian Yates and Ronnie Coleman. Nevertheless, his followers consider he ‘by no means misplaced a contest’, being deemed essentially the most aesthetically pleasing bodybuilder of his era.
Flex had an abusive childhood (being molested), which resulted in suicidal tendencies. He later suffered an nearly deadly automobile accident and developed focal glomerulosclerosis (a uncommon kidney illness). He consequently misplaced all of his sponsors and tens of millions of {dollars} whereas successfully turning into homeless. Via all of his setbacks, Flex says he “discovered God,” however he hasn’t gone into a lot element about his testimony.
In 2003, a girl from Flex’s Church donated her kidney to him, serving to to save lots of his life. He’s nice associates with Ronnie Coleman and usually attends church with Mike Christian. Flex has stated he reads the Bible and may be seen quoting scripture in interviews (3).
Curiously, Flex made a comeback in 2017, competing within the Mr. Olympia and putting fifteenth within the Traditional Physique division. We discover this to be a really spectacular achievement, contemplating he was steroid-free. Following his placement, Flex stated, ”After giving my life to God, my thoughts can also be lastly free, and that’s the actual win.”
Flex now condemns the usage of steroids and tries to warn youngsters about their harmful results. Flex has clearly repented for this sin.
Sergio Oliva
One further point out is Sergio Oliva, the Cuban bodybuilding legend.
He was nicknamed ‘the parable’, as he would give chills to spectators and adversaries who noticed him dwell. He had enormous muscle mass, broad shoulders, and a tiny 27-inch waist. Followers consider Sergio to have a number of the greatest arms bodybuilding has ever seen. He was the one bodybuilder to defeat Arnold in a Mr. Olympia competitors, profitable in 1970.
When Arnold first noticed Sergio, these have been his ideas (as documented in his autobiography): “I understood why they known as him “the parable.” It was as jarring as if I’d walked right into a wall. He destroyed me. He was so enormous, he was so incredible, there was no manner I may even consider beating him.”
There isn’t a lot data on Sergio Oliva’s religion; nevertheless, he did point out God many occasions throughout an interview with Bodybuilding.com, professing Jesus Christ as his Lord.
“I thank my Lord Jesus Christ. I believe I’ve been blessed over in Cuba and even after I came visiting right here (to America) and received into bodybuilding. I’ve been blessed”.
Sergio admitted that he regretted utilizing steroids, describing it as a continuing “monkey on his again” to fellow bodybuilder Craig Monson (4).
Abstract
It’s fascinating how we see two of the best bodybuilders of all time (statistically) each having religion in Jesus Christ. It’s as if God predestined Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman to turn out to be formidable champions, enabling two males prepared to share the Phrase of God to have the proper platform to take action.
It’s additionally insightful how a number of of those bodybuilders skilled all-time low earlier than looking for God. Riches and fame may give a false sense of safety and an phantasm of success. These testimonies are proof that there’s hope throughout darkish occasions and that God is at all times with us. Whether or not an individual is homeless, abused, suicidal, or hooked on medicine, there may be at all times gentle on the finish of the tunnel if we attain out to him.
We’re glad that all the bodybuilders on this article discovered peace by looking for the true dwelling God. There is no such thing as a one which God can’t forgive or heal; you simply want to succeed in out to him, invite him into your life, and be prepared to show out of your sin.
References:
(3) https://www.youtube.com/embed/JgeHKGEw4C8
(4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CmuCnGrHAk
Co Authors :
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During the last 20 years, Dr. O’Connor has efficiently handled hundreds of males who’ve taken anabolic steroids, SARMs, and different PEDs, giving him first-hand expertise of their results. Board-certified MD since 2005.
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