Shawn Rhoden Died

Shawn was a lovely guy prob one of the few "top" level guys I know well enough to have a good chat to, he was always cool with my wife and I, giving her a pep talk before her pro debut back in the Arnold Aus. a few years ago , and the most 'real' loss of the recent bunch in terms of actually knowing someone a bit. However he was in his 40s, he was a big guy, even in off season..... so there is going to be strain. He didn't mind a proper off season - like cold turkey on gear post show and plenty of "good eating". financially he wasn't doing great, he never really held down relationships as he was a player and his case was about to come up soon too (regardless of the outcome, he was basically brushed off by sponsors and the sport - banned from Olympias etc until he had proven his innocence - quite to the contrary of the innocent until proven guilty notion).... so im pretty sure had a fair bit of stress on top due to loss of earnings and inability to earn (bit fucked as a BB if you cant do shows or sponsors blacklist you)

so this could be long term damage from gear, size or just stress (or a mix)..... he wasn't prepping was its not like some of the recent cases - sad whatever the cause....
 
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This is from Flex Lewis's IG, perhaps with all the stuff going on as mentioned above he wasn't as on top of his medical check ups as he could have been as that easily can be pushed aside if you 'feel' fine in yourself I guess.
 
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Like Brian shaw now in his 40s still making videos about eating 8-10k cals a day. He must still be 30 stone and has been for years. Technically the same as basketball players. Their huge. I wonder if their genetics dictate they were always going to be huge. Bodybuilders on the other hand push the envelope to keep moving weight class when genetically they were never destined to be anything like size?
I think this is a very good point
Strongmen are genetically built for what they do, naturally big from a young age
Yes, they are extreme but they are consistent with everything and their bodies are used to the environment
Compare to bodybuilders
Many force muscle onto their frame coz generally bigger is better and they do this quickly
Their cardio is nothing more than low intensity calorie burning
With the big weight fluctuations and extreme measures some take pre contest
Then you can see where the differences are and the extra strain a bodybuilder is putting on themselves
 
I think this is a very good point
Strongmen are genetically built for what they do, naturally big from a young age
Yes, they are extreme but they are consistent with everything and their bodies are used to the environment
Compare to bodybuilders
Many force muscle onto their frame coz generally bigger is better and they do this quickly
Their cardio is nothing more than low intensity calorie burning
With the big weight fluctuations and extreme measures some take pre contest
Then you can see where the differences are and the extra strain a bodybuilder is putting on themselves
I remember seeing Chris Cormier doing steady state cardio on a mr o battle for the Olympia. He must have had the treadmill set at 1mph max. He was barely shuffling his feet claiming the cardio was for fat loss. Compare that to atlas stones or farmers walks rope pull any of those and it’s high level cardio HIIT type training.
 
I think comparing elite strongmen to pro bodybuilders is like comparing apples and oranges.

As a number have already said, elite level strongmen are natural giants genetically able to pull and push heavy loads when they’re young and natural. Their events also demand a reasonable level of cardiovascular health (relatively speaking).

Bodybuilders are fighting to hold onto muscle they’ve built, mass they’ve developed through years of eating and training. Then there is contest prep, just torture for most yo-yoing between eating massive quantities to near starvation alongside the various drugs be it fat burners, diuretics, etc….

The advent of social media has led to people staying at or near contest condition for longer periods too meaning more drug use, more stress.

You only have to look at someone like Dorian to see how different he is in retirement size wise - most strongmen would still be giants albeit most likely carrying a lot more body fat.

Interested in views on what sort of cycles elite strongmen might be taking dosage wise? More or less than top bodybuilders? Anyone ITK enough to know?
 
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I think comparing elite strongmen to pro bodybuilders is like comparing apples and oranges.

As a number have already said, elite level strongmen are natural giants genetically able to pull and push heavy loads when they’re young and natural. Their events also demand a reasonable level of cardiovascular health (relatively speaking).

Bodybuilders are fighting to hold onto muscle they’ve built, mass they’ve developed through years of eating and training. Then there is contest prep, just torture for most yo-yoing between eating massive quantities to bear starvation alongside the various drugs be it fat burners, diuretics, etc….

The advent of social media has led to people staying at or near contest condition for longer periods too meaning more drug use, more stress.

You only have to look at someone like Dorian to see how different he is in retirement size wise - most strongmen would still be giants albeit most likely carrying a lot more body fat.

Interested in views on what sort of cycles elite strongmen might be taking dosage wise? More or less than top bodybuilders? Anyone ITK enough to know?

Just as much from what I hear eluded too, no worries about blowing up too much either as theres no weight limit or need to look a certain way. Bloat is king.
 
Shawn Rhoden was gone too soon but the reality is that irrespective of your genetic predisposition, steroids in high doses kill you. That's why you'll find it's always the bodybuilders, strongmen and WWE who die young.

Everybody wants to point the finger at diuretics, fat burners and recreational drugs as being the killers, but they don't want to accept the truth. The human body was not meant to have ultra high levels of hormones.

Too much of anything will kill you.
 
I think comparing elite strongmen to pro bodybuilders is like comparing apples and oranges.

As a number have already said, elite level strongmen are natural giants genetically able to pull and push heavy loads when they’re young and natural. Their events also demand a reasonable level of cardiovascular health (relatively speaking).

Bodybuilders are fighting to hold onto muscle they’ve built, mass they’ve developed through years of eating and training. Then there is contest prep, just torture for most yo-yoing between eating massive quantities to near starvation alongside the various drugs be it fat burners, diuretics, etc….

The advent of social media has led to people staying at or near contest condition for longer periods too meaning more drug use, more stress.

You only have to look at someone like Dorian to see how different he is in retirement size wise - most strongmen would still be giants albeit most likely carrying a lot more body fat.

Interested in views on what sort of cycles elite strongmen might be taking dosage wise? More or less than top bodybuilders? Anyone ITK enough to know?
Massive doses of testosterone and “bloaty” steroids like deca and NPP from what I’ve heard

A lot of oral use on the run up to comps and on the day it self

Basically very similar to open weight powerlifters
 
Shawn Rhoden was gone too soon but the reality is that irrespective of your genetic predisposition, steroids in high doses kill you. That's why you'll find it's always the bodybuilders, strongmen and WWE who die young.

Everybody wants to point the finger at diuretics, fat burners and recreational drugs as being the killers, but they don't want to accept the truth. The human body was not meant to have ultra high levels of hormones.

Too much of anything will kill you.
I agree
But I dont think people specifically blame diuretics etc as the main cause
Its more the fact that when the bucket is full, adding in these things will tip the water over the edge
 
That's why you'll find it's always the bodybuilders, strongmen and WWE who die young.
Majority of people I've known personally who have died young weren't steroid users and some didn't even train. But there's def a disproportionate amount from those quoted groups dying from or suffering with heart issues.

Kali Muscle is the latest example just today
 
Majority of people I've known personally who have died young weren't steroid users and some didn't even train. But there's def a disproportionate amount from those quoted groups dying from or suffering with heart issues.

Kali Muscle is the latest example just today
What's happened to kali muscle?
He's natural so can't be steroid related
 
Majority of people I've known personally who have died young weren't steroid users and some didn't even train. But there's def a disproportionate amount from those quoted groups dying from or suffering with heart issues.

Kali Muscle is the latest example just today
Taco bell will do that to you
 
All of these deaths make me think I have made the right decision that I’m dropping weight/gear and getting my CV fitness in order.
Not preaching by any means but I think the BBing industry needs to stop sugar coating the detrimental impacts of the size gains and PED use (in some cases abuse). Apparently some BBing guys were saying Rhoden died due to the vax. He supposedly wasn’t even vaxed. It seems that these individuals just look for any means to justify their behaviours.
Build the size you want whilst young, enjoy it and then downsize/get fit/trt and enjoy living longer. It isn’t worth dying early to have an unnatural amount of muscle IMO.
I still can’t fathom why so many are popping their clogs now and not 5-10years ago, or maybe they were and I just didn’t read about it. Or maybe it is a generation thing where many of the generation currently dying followed similar protocols and the consequences have only now caught up with a vengeance?
I don’t know.
 
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