Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Kirsten Yovino, CPT Brookbush Institute
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In the bodybuilding world, there is a distinct size difference between a recreational lifter and a professional bodybuilder. It takes years and years of extreme dedication in the gym and kitchen to enter the world of professional bodybuilding and build the type of mass required to step on stage.
However, even on the big stage, there are different categories. Everyone's big, of course, but then there are the biggest of the big, known as "Mass Monsters." These are the guys who stand out due to the sheer amount of muscle mass they carry, even making other pros seem small in comparison.
Those are the guys we're going to discuss in this article.
Table of Contents:
- Biggest bodybuilders of all time
- Biggest by muscles
- A brief bodybuilding history lesson
- Recap
The 15 Biggest Bodybuilders of All Time
Ready to take a look at the most massively built bodybuilders to grace the competition stage? Here are the top 15 biggest bodybuilders.
1. Phil Heath:
We're going to start this list with Phil Heath. However, it's not because of his giant size.
When compared to the other lifters on this list, Phil Heath is relatively small. We say "relatively" because at 5'9", he's still 240 pounds on stage while carrying 270 pounds of mass during the off-season.
So why talk about him? Because Phil Heath is one of the most successful bodybuilders of all time, with 7 consecutive wins at Mr. Olympia from 2011-2017. We could all certainly learn a thing or two following the Phil Heath biceps workout!
2. Ronnie Coleman:
"Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but nobody wants to lift no heavy-ass weights!" One of the most iconic lines spoken in the world of professional bodybuilding, strength training, and gym culture was spoken by Ronnie Coleman.
Hailing from Louisiana, Ronnie Coleman came from a rough life and recalled barely having enough money to eat. It wasn't until Brian Dobson, amateur bodybuilder and owner of Metroflex Gym, offered Ronnie Coleman a free gym membership that he started training.
But the membership came with one caveat. Ronnie had to agree to let Dobson be his personal trainer for a competition in 1990. And, as they say, the rest is history.
Since then, Ronnie Coleman has won 26 IFBB Professional Titles. A few major highlights include:
- Eight consecutive Mr. Olympia wins from 1998-2005 (Tied with Lee Haney for most consecutive wins)
- First bodybuilder to win both the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia title in the same year in 2001
To put it lightly, Ronnie Coleman is regarded as the strongest and biggest bodybuilder of all time. This would arguably make him the greatest and most compelling athlete to ever step on the big stage.
At 5'11", weighing around 300 pounds for competitions and 330 pounds during the off-season, very few men will ever even come close to this size. The good news, however, is that you can still train like him following the Ronnie Coleman workout split.
We can only imagine what his grocery bill looked like.
3. Markus Rühl:
"When life closes a door, it opens a window." This quote does a pretty good job of summing up Markus Rühl's professional bodybuilding career.
A German IFBB professional bodybuilder, Rühl started his bodybuilding journey in 1990 at the age of 18. Interestingly, it was a knee injury that he sustained while playing football that opened up his window of opportunity.
During his recovery, a doctor suggested to Markus Rühl that he participate in strength training to speed up recovery and prevent further injury. At the time, Markus weighed just 125 pounds.
He started an intense 6-day workout routine, and just 5 years later, Markus Rühl received his pro card. Rühl's height is 5'10", and records show that he blew up to 285 pounds during contests and a massive 325 pounds off-season.
Since then, he has placed in numerous IFBB competitions while coming away with first in several shows, including:
- 2000 Toronto Pro: 1st
- 2002 Night Of Champions: 1st
- 2003 Arnold Classic: 3rd
- 2004 Mr. Olympia: 5th
Looking at his size, it's easy to see why he's considered one of the biggest bodybuilders to ever across the stage.
4. Lou Ferrigno:
Some superheroes are real. One of those is The Incredible Hulk, 2X IFBB Mr. Universe, and IFBB Mr. America mass monster, Lou Ferrigno.
Standing at 6'4", Lou Ferrigno's height also puts him as one of the tallest bodybuilders, making it even more difficult to look massive due to weight distribution. But he managed.
With a competition weight of 285 pounds, it's easy to see why Lou Ferrigno was chosen to play the green monster. Since playing The Hulk, Mr. Ferrigno has landed multiple other TV roles and movie cameos.
This included playing a pivotal role in Pumping Iron, the infamous docudrama that followed his rival with Arnold Schwarzenegger as they trained and competed for 1975 Mr. Olympia and 1975 Mr. Universe.
This has cemented him as one of the most popular bodybuilders of all time and a staple in pop culture.
5. Jay Cutler:
Jay Cutler is one of the more active bodybuilders and can be seen pretty extensively across social media platforms. That's in addition to his extremely successful career as a larger-than-life pro bodybuilder.
Just 5 years after he started training at 18, Jay Cutler won his pro card at the young age of 23. And then in 2005, he won his first Mr. Olympia title. Jay was then crowned Mr. Olympia's winner again in 2007, 2009, and 2010.
This means he went head to head with the great Ronnie Coleman and came out on top (at least for a couple of titles).
Jay Cutler stands at 5'10", weighed in at 260 pounds for his contest weight, and a monstrous 300 pounds for his off-season weight.
These days, Jay Cutler is still looking incredible...and massive. He's sponsored by numerous big brands in the industry, such as Trifecta Nutrition, who supplies the Legend with 10lbs of chicken and 6lbs of bison weekly.
Ready to work out like the lifting legend? Check out our article on the Jay Cutler Bodybuilder Workout Routine. And, if you want to learn more about this bodybuilding legend, check out our exclusive Q&A with Jay Cutler!
6. Arnold Schwarzenegger:
The Austrian Oak. The Terminator. The Governator. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Without a doubt, the competitive bodybuilding world would likely not be what it is today without the inclusion of this absolute beast of an Austrian. Arnold Schwarzenegger is regarded as one of the original bodybuilders who brought additional muscle mass to an amazing physique.
Arnold lifted during the "Golden Era" of bodybuilding, where lifters focused more on symmetry and aesthetics than the current scene. Now don't get us wrong here, as these lifters, Arnold included, were all still massive.
Arnold stood at 6'2" with a competition weight of 252 pounds, and was known for how aesthetically pleasing his body was. In fact, during the 1975 season, it was his physique and aesthetics that led him to victory over the larger Lou Ferrigno.
Since this time, Arnold created the IFBB Arnold Classic, which has spawned into the largest fitness expos in the world. Hosting various competitive bodybuilding contests, the Arnold Classic also includes an array of other fitness disciplines, such as Strongman and powerlifting.
Little known fact, before the bodybuilding world, Arnold competed in powerlifting. Want to train like him? Get some inspiration from the Arnold split. Curious about what his diet is like today? Check out our article: Is Arnold Schwarzenegger Vegan?
7. Paul Dillett:
Canadian IFBB professional bodybuilder Paul Dillett is next on our list. Competing in the 1990's Paul earned the nickname "Jurassic Paul" for his larger-than-life size.
At 6'1", Paul Dilllett was competition ready at 285 pounds and grew to 330 pounds in the off-season. While an absolute beast, he wasn't as exceptional as many bodybuilders on this list.
During his 20-year career in the world of bodybuilding, Paul Dillett's top ranking was 4th at My Olympia in 1994. However, since his pre-debut in 1993, he has competed in:
- 5 Mr. Olympia
- 4 Arnold Classic
- 3 Iron Man Pros (One win in 1999)
8. Roelly Winklaar:
Nicknamed "The Beast," Roelly Winklaar is a Dutch IFBB professional bodybuilder who is absolutely massive.
Standing at 5'8", Roelly Winklaar would blow up to 320 pounds during the off-season, trimming down to 265 pounds for competitions.
"The Beast" has had more than a few highlights in his career. In 2018, Roelly took home first place at the Australian Arnold Classic and earned the people's champion crown at the 2018 Mr. Olympia.
This was due largely to his insane arms, particularly his biceps. In 2019, he also took 5th place at the 2019 Mr. Olympia.
9. Dennis Wolf:
Dennis Wolf, AKA "The Big Bad Wolf," stands at 5'11", and would weigh in at 258 pounds for contests, growing to 300 pounds in the off-season. A German IFBB professional bodybuilder, Dennis Wolf began competing at just 21 years old, 6 years after he began training at 15.
His first pro-debut was in 2006 at the World Amateur championships.
During his career, he won the IFBB Arnold Classic in 2014 and took 4th at Mr. Olympia in 2015.
Unfortunately, in 2016, Dennis had a career ending injury that forced him to retire from the stage a little earlier than he would have liked (C4-C7 herniated disks).
Nevertheless, these days he is still living the fitness lifestyle and looks fantastic. On Instagram, you can see how he trains (and how he trains his clients), and you better believe he is still flexing for the camera here and there.
You can tell he eats well, which is no surprise, since he, like Jay Cutler, is a sponsored athlete of Trifecta Nutrition. Trifecta feeds him a weekly order of 2lbs of bison, 3lbs of salmon, 3lbs of flat iron steak, and 1lb of cod.
10. Dennis James:
At 5'8", Dennis James was on the shorter side, yet he still managed to weigh in at 260 pounds for competitions. And during the off-season? He grew to 300 pounds!
Dennis James won his first competition in 1985 and then struck his bodybuilding poses on the Mr. Olympia stage for the first time in 2000.
Later, in 2003, Dennis James would get his highest placing at a Mr. Olympia contest with 4th place.
Fast forward to today, Dennis James (born 1966) is still a beast, training hard and eating healthily.
Dennis is also a sponsored athlete of Trifecta Nutrition. We reached out to Trifecta to see what he eats. They told us he gets a weekly order of (his choice): 3lbs cod, 5lbs chicken breast, and 3lbs salmon.
11. Greg Kovacs:
Without a doubt, the title of biggest bodybuilder on this list goes to Greg Kovacs. This monster of a man didn't just have an insane amount of mass - he was also very tall.
Greg Kovacs was 6'4" and towered over the majority of bodybuilders who stood around the 6'0" mark or shorter.
A tall bodybuilder, his height was only matched by his weight, which would hit a staggering 420 pounds during the off-season. Greg would then drop to a jaw-dropping competition weight of 330 pounds.
That is absolutely huge. To put it in perspective, he weighed almost 80 pounds more than Arnold. That's insane.
He may be the absolute biggest bodybuilder to ever walk across the Mr. Olympia stage. Sadly, Greg Kovacs passed away in 2013, at the age of 44, due to heart failure.
12. Dorian Yates:
Dorian Yates earned the nickname "The Shadow" due to his body mass blocking out the sun as he walked around normal-size people.
From the United Kingdom, Dorian Yates began lifting and building muscle in 1983, making his professional debut at the Newcastle Pro in 1991.
At 5'10", Dorian Yates weighed around 310 pounds for his off-season weight yet would cut down to 260 pounds of pure muscle when he stepped on stage.
Want to train like this mass monster? Check out the Dorian Yates Workout Routine!
13. Jean-Pierre Fux:
Hailing from Switzerland, Jean Pierre Fux's height is listed at 5'11" with a competition weight of 275 pounds. In other words, he's a force to be reckoned with.
Starting his career in 1994 at the IFBB World Amateur Championships, Jean-Pierre took home 1st place in the heavyweight division. He revealed his monstrous dimensions in Mr. Olympia for the first time back in 1996. In 1996 and 1997, Jean-Pierre Fux placed in the top 8 at Mr. Olympia. Suffice it to say, he had a promising career.
In fact, some report him as being the most muscular bodybuilder ever.
Unfortunately, his career was cut short. In 2002, Jean Pierre Fux was doing a photo shoot for Flex Magazine, and on the agenda was getting shots of him doing 700-pound squats.
Things did not go according to plan, and during the squat, Jean Pierre suddenly dropped to his knees. He had suffered massive damage to both of his kneecaps, which ended his career.
14. Lee Haney:
Besides Phil Heath, Lee Haney is the smallest bodybuilder on this list. However, he is one of the all-time greatest.
At 5' 11", Lee Haney would weigh around 255 pounds walking across the Mr. Olympia stage, while only gaining around 10 pounds and hitting 265 pounds in the off-season. But that was enough. Not only was Lee Haney the Mr. Olympia winner in 1984, but he also continued winning every year for the next seven years.
If you're keeping record, that's 8 consecutive wins at Mr. Olympia. As an eight-time Mr. Olympia winner, he is tied with Ronnie Coleman as holding the most wins on the Mr. Olympia stage. The only difference? He did it first.
Since his retirement, Lee Haney was appointed chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. He also started his own show on The Trinity Broadcasting Network, where he preaches heavily on physical as well as spiritual health. Curious about what else Lee Haney is up to these days? Check out our article on where Lee Haney is now!
15. Mamdouh Elssbiay (Big Ramy):
Mamdouth Elssbiay is almost exclusively referred to by his "Big Ramy." Maybe it's because his real name is too hard to say, or maybe it's just because he's, well....big. Really big.
After starting training in 2009, Mamdouh Elssbiay weighed 200 pounds by 2011. However, the story has it that by 2012, Big Ramy weighed a whopping 286 pounds for his contest weight when he stepped on stage at the 2012 Amateur Olympia in Kuwait city.
He took first place there, earning his pro card just 3 years after he began training. Since then, Big Ramy has perfected his body, and in 2020, he walked across the Mr. Olympia stage and took first place. He then did it again in 2021.
At the 2022 Mr Olympia, Big Ramy got 5th place. 1st place went to Hadi Choopan.
Check out the Big Ramy workout routine and diet.
Biggest In Bodybuilding By Muscle Groups:
Curious about who had the biggest biceps, legs, or chest? We took the time to research the biggest in bodybuilding by muscles. All your answers are below.
Who has the biggest biceps (arms) in bodybuilding?
Big Ramy has the biggest arms currently at 24 inches. In fact, his would be among the biggest of all time in professional bodybuilding. Roelly Winklaar has 24 inch arms as well. Flex Wheeler and Phil Heath would come in tied for second with 23” arms.
It makes sense that the biggest arms would be from more recent times. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, and Ronnie Coleman had 22 inch arms, which was crazy for the time. For reference, 8 time Mr Olympia Lee Haney “only” had 20 inch arms!
Who has the biggest legs in bodybuilding?
Currently, the biggest quads in the world of bodybuilding is Big Ramy. He has massive 36” thighs, as did Ronnie Coleman in his prime.
Fun fact: Tom Platz, aka The Quadfather, had 30 inch quads in his prime. He was only 5’7”, which proportionally, made his legs seem huge compared to guys with actually bigger legs.
Who has the biggest chest in bodybuilding?
Lou Ferrigno’s 59 inch chest is the biggest chest in bodybuilding history. Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler had a 58 inch chest, and Arnold and Serge Nubret had a 57” chest. These are the all-time biggest chests in bodybuilding. In terms of current bodybuilders, recent Mr Olympia Hadi Choopan has the biggest chest, measuring in at 56 inches.
Note: Some reports show Ronnie Coleman with a 60 inch chest.
Who has the biggest back in bodybuilding?
Ronnie Coleman is generally agreed upon as having the biggest back in bodybuilding, ever. There’s also not much debate about Ronnie having the best lats. In current times, Chris Bumstead, Brandon Curry and Big Ramy are known for having the best and biggest backs in the sport.
Who has the biggest calves in bodybuilding?
The biggest calves in bodybuilding history was Eric Frankhouser. He had 24 inch calves in his prime professional bodybuilding competition days.
Who has the biggest traps in bodybuilding?
Johnnie Jackson is known for having the best and biggest traps in bodybuilding history. Even better than Ronnie Coleman and Markus Ruhl.
Who has the biggest forearms in bodybuilding?
Lee Priest is said to have had 18 inch biceps at his peak, which makes his the biggest ever in bodybuilding.
Who has the biggest neck in bodybuilding?
By far, Colombian IFBB Elite Pro Rubiel Mosquera, aka Neckzilla, has the thickest and biggest neck in bodybuilding. His neck measures about 20.5 inches.
Who has the SMALLEST waist in bodybuilding?
In bodybuilding, the waist is one area that smaller is better. To determine the smallest waist in bodybuilding, we had to choose a division and with Mr Olympia having the biggest bodybuilders, that was the easy choice. With that said, the smallest waist in bodybuilding goes to Sergio Oliva with his 27 inch waist.
For reference, Frank Zane was also known for having a very tiny waist, and his was 29 inches!
Biggest Muscles in Bodybuilding Recap:
| Biggest Biceps | Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay |
| Biggest Legs | Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay |
| Biggest Chest | Lou Ferrigno |
| Biggest Back | Ronnie Coleman |
| Biggest Calves | Eric Frankhouser |
| Biggest Traps | Johnnie Jackson |
| Biggest Forearms | Lee Priest |
| Biggest Neck | Rubiel Mosquera |
| Smallest Waist | Sergio Oliva |
The Mass Monster Supplement Stack:
Ask any mass monster what the perfect mass-building supplement stack is...
Besides the anabolics, you only really need protein, creatine, and if you like pre-workout, then pre-workout too.
If possible, get a whey protein and a casein protein, as whey after a workout (absorbs quickly when the muscle needs it) and casein before bed (it's slow digesting) will provide the best results. Nevertheless, this is more of a luxury. Just whey will do fine too.
Creatine is a must for growing as it will give you more power in the gym to create the growth - go ATP! That is, unless you are among the small percentage of people who's muscles don't respond to creatine (as some research shows is possible).
And pre-workout, because it works. Particularly because, well, caffeine. But there are other benefits that are special to pre-workouts, which you can't just get from a coffee.
If you are like us, shopping on Amazon is always easiest. So, here's the "all you need", "basic" muscle building supplement stack from our favorite supplement brands on Amazon:
- Optimum Nutrition Whey Protein
- Optimum Nutrition Casein Protein
- Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Monohydrate
- Ghost Pre-Workout
A Brief History: The Birth of Bodybuilding & Huge Bodybuilders
The bodybuilding world has evolved quite significantly over the century. Yes, we said century! The sport of bodybuilding has been around much longer than many people realize.
Its roots can be traced back to the early 19th century when the sport of Strongman was the most prevalent fitness-oriented sport. During this time, a man named Eugen Sandow was quite interested in aesthetics and using weight training to manipulate the human body.
In 1901, the first recorded bodybuilding competition took place in London's Royal Albert Hall. Judged by Eugen Sandow, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Sir Charles Lawes, the competition was wildly successful, and it grew from there.
Who Were The First Mr. Olympia Bodybuilders?
Originally, greater emphasis was placed on aesthetics and symmetry, similar to the way the Greeks looked at the human body. (If you're after aesthetics, be sure to check out our Greek God workout plan!).
During this time, athletes were much more limited in how large they could get due to certain pharmaceutical agents being non-existent.
For example, for the first two Mr. Olympia competitions, which began in 1965, two winners weighed in at 205 and 225 pounds.
Here's a look at the first Mr. Olympia winners:
- 1965-1967: Larry Scott, the first Mr. Olympia winner, had a competition weight of 205 pounds and an off-season weight of 220 pounds.
- 1968-1969: Sergio Olivia had a competition weight of 225 pounds and an off-season weight of 245 pounds.
The Mass-Focused Bodybuilding Era (1990-Present)
The 60s, 70s, and 80s were a different time in bodybuilding. Being "big" was a different perception then. Those guys were big, yes, but they weren't "mass monsters".
During the 90s, things changed. The mass era was ushered in. Dorian Yates often gets credit as setting the tone for the "Monster Mass era" (circa 1992).
It was at this time that the quest for being the best in bodybuilding came down to one goal: to continue building muscle until becoming an absolute monster.
The off-season weight of 220 and 245 pounds that the first elite professional bodybuilders had wouldn't even give them a chance to step on the stage in the mass era.
In fact, competitors got so massive that a new category was made for bodybuilders 5'5" or shorter, weighing less than 212 pounds, as these guys would otherwise have zero chance of ever being considered to compete with the biggest bodybuilders in the world.
Are Today's Elite Bodybuilders Too Big?
While most would say we are still in the bodybuilding mass era, over the past few years, heavy scrutiny has been placed on the biggest pro bodybuilders due to their freakish size.
Recently, the bodybuilding industry has shown signs of starting to slowly trend back toward favoring a more aesthetic appeal, as opposed to only being mass-focused. Mind you, today's lifters are still beasts, but more aesthetically proportioned beasts. (By the way, if your ears perked up at talk of aesthetics, our aesthetic workout routine may be exactly what you're looking for!)
There has even been some insider talk suggesting we may perhaps have already witnessed the largest bodybuilders of all time. With this in mind, the bodybuilders we just discussed could quite literally be the biggest to ever grace the stage: past, present, and future.
Summary: The Biggest Giants in Bodybuilding History
We just went through a list of the biggest giants in bodybuilding history. While there are arguments about who's the biggest bodybuilder of all, we can all agree all of these athletes are larger than life.
That said, don't think that you must aim to be the biggest professional bodybuilder in order to go to the gym and lift weights. The fact is, not everyone wants this. The great thing about bodybuilding is that it's open to anyone, regardless of fitness goals.
Maybe it's to lose a little weight or to get in shape for summer. Or, maybe your ultimate goal is to become a mass monster. And if becoming a mass monster is your goal, the above bodybuilders demonstrate exactly what that looks like.
Looking for more bodybuilding inspiration?
Check out the The 12 Best Bodybuilders to Follow!
And if you are ready to start training like the best, here is a bodybuilding workout plan inspired by the greats.
Images courtesy of bodybuilder's social media accounts.
Garett Reid
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