Most impressive bodybuilders you have seen in person....casually

[BEEFYHEAVYWEIGHT]

Ok...what I am saying is this. Who have you seen in person...not so much on stage...but in a gym...known or unknown....in shape or off season. Or a specific aspect of their physique...that just left a crazy lasting impression on you for years. The guy might have not been a top placer for that matter. He couldve placed last consistently...but was inpressive in some way. Here is my list.
1.) Steve Brisbois forearms1989 NOC....(on the street)
2.) Bob Birdson forearms 1989 NOC (on the street)
3.) Jim Quinn...walking lobby of Trump TajMahal at first WBF show in a tanktop and shorts.
4.) Bob Paris calves walking around after prejudging at 89 NOC (on the street)
5.) Berry DeMey training supersets of chest and side delts in prep for 2nd WBF in Golds Venice...INSANE
6.) Paul Dillet in Golds Venice training delts and stripping off his sweatshirt multiple times in 1993. THE FREAKIEST AND MOST IMPRESSIVE BODYBUILDER I HAVE EVER SEEN IN PERSON since 1984. BAR NONE. Coleman..Kai have nothing on Dillet in person. Tommywishbone may agree with me.
7.)NABBA Mr. Universe,  Jerry Scalesse standing outside not competing..in a tshirt...HIS FUCKING ENTIRE ARMS...outside 1988 NOC.
8.) New Jersey bodybuilder NPC chairman...the late John Kemper...training for the 87 Masters Nationals. Insane thick old man muscle. Vascularity. Conditioning. Saw him daily. Unreal.
9.) Kevin Levrone...taking 2nd to Paul Demayo at Jr. Nationals in Red Bank, NJ. Absolutely freaky. Onstage and in person in lobby. The best he ever looked IMO.
10.) Barbarian Brother DAVID PAUL. Early 90's Golds Venice. Possibly the best walking around daily physique ever. Forearms, Thick upper pecs and smalkest waist , hips to shoulder width ratio. Incredible.
11.) German bodybuilder Hubert Metz in lobby of Algonquin Hotel in NYC after prejudging of 84 Mr. Olympia at Felt Forum. Wearing a tanktop. First time I ever saw freaky muscle. Wasnt pretty...but crazy big and ripped. Left an impression.
12.) NABBA and AAU America Medium class...Casey Kucharyk. Late 80's..daily in gym. Unreal vasularity, and conditioning.
13.) Dorian Yates...guest posing at the New Jersey NPC state. Full off season..1992 I believe. People didnt know what to make of it. I was sitting with great IFBB pro, John Knatyschack and John couldnt stop talking the rest of the night about what we all just witnessed on stage.
14.) Dave Palumbo...1993, 94 or 95?...Golds Venice..photoshoot. The vasularity, pure freaky thickness of muscle, and the most insane quads, glutes, hamstrings I have ever seen in person. Thick beyond belief.
15.) Phil Williams calves...1988 Chicago Pro. He destroyed Strydom to win. Was standing outside..alone. Wearing shorts. Calves were absolutely perfect...flawless.
16.) Lance Dreher...same show 1988 Chicago Pro. Dreher outside after prejudging with his yound son...wearing a string tank top. UNFUCKING REAL!!!
MORE TO LIST IN A FEW

[Henda]

The only one I ever saw in person was Brian flockhart who was from the town Blyth a few miles from where I live, saw him in the Blyth Asda when I was 19 or so and was amazed by his shoulder to waist ratio was wearing combat pants and a massive baggy white tshirt tucked in at the waist, had never ever seen owt like that in person ever his shoulder width just looked immense

[Simple Simon]

Bob Chics cock and balls when he was getting some ice at the Mirage hotel

[Ronnie Rep]

Not in any order
Paul Dillett
Robby Robinson
Flex Wheeler
Ronnie Coleman
Mike Mentzer
Phil Williams
Casey Viator
Ron Teufel
Chris Dickerson
Mike Quinn
Mike Ashley
Chris Duffy
Dave Palumbo
Claude Grolux
Dexter Jackson
Jay Cutler
Ray Mentzer
Kevin levrone
Nasser El Sonbatty
Vladimir Senatus
Matt Mendenhall
Mike Christian
Just off the top of my head. There are more if I think.
Forgot Vince Taylor. sSw him all the time. He lived, and still does, close to me.

[Zillotch]

any number of fitness whores, lol

[Thin Lizzy]

Tom Magee

[Rascal full]

Ian Harrison I believe......I have racked my brains to think who this dude was and Ian Harrison is what I came up with. This was years back in a Bournemouth all you can eat place and I just remember getting some food, a plate in my hand while I scanned the various offerings and suddenly I noticed this geezer.....Honestly I have never seen a human like it, this guy looked like a cartoon character. I gotta admit I felt fucking inferior and it was made much worse cos I was with my girlfriend. He had dyed blond hair cut short and was tanned as fuck with very blue eyes but facially he was that not that good, looked old and a bit lined. Did not matter though as he was absolutely exploding out of his shirt, massive arms and I mean massive here not seen before ever in my life and the dude was so wide and broad, huge delts, traps, forearms, the lot......He had some really skinny bird with him but every chick in the building was eye fucking the guy and it made me realise that when you get to that size, if you can girls will throw themselves at your feet. It killed me inside when my girlfriend asked me 'Who is that guy'..........

[polychronopolous]

Jim Jacobs and The Power Team

[Obvious Gimmick]

Only met 2 outside of shows or expos. Bob birdsong was at my gym In the 80s. I just remember think By he was as wide as he was tall. Veiny as fuvk (no homo).

About 3 years ago, I was eating at some Mexican place in Newport Beach and rich piano sat next to me.  He was massive as shit. I think I had chicken enchiladas

[Wiggs]

In no order

Ronnie off season in 2003
Marks Ruhl
Nasser
Shawn Allen
Paul Dillet
Palumni
Kai
Jay
Cormier
JP Fux

[Dan-O]

Ron Love
Mike Ashley
Ultimate Warrior
Keith Whitley (not the late country singer, a massive amateur from TX who competed in the late '80s-early '90s and apparently died in 2011).  I remember seeing a 280 lb. Keith training being trained by Ellington Darden at the Austin Gym in Dallas, TX back in the day.  Huge dude (Keith, not Ellington).  Does anybody know what killed him at age 53?

[Ronnie Rep]

Ok...what I am saying is this. Who have you seen in person...not so much on stage...but in a gym...known or unknown....in shape or off season. Or a specific aspect of their physique...that just left a crazy lasting impression on you for years. The guy might have not been a top placer for that matter. He couldve placed last consistently...but was inpressive in some way. Here is my list.
1.) Steve Brisbois forearms1989 NOC....(on the street)
2.) Bob Birdson forearms 1989 NOC (on the street)
3.) Jim Quinn...walking lobby of Trump TajMahal at first WBF show in a tanktop and shorts.
4.) Bob Paris calves walking around after prejudging at 89 NOC (on the street)
5.) Berry DeMey training supersets of chest and side delts in prep for 2nd WBF in Golds Venice...INSANE
6.) Paul Dillet in Golds Venice training delts and stripping off his sweatshirt multiple times in 1993. THE FREAKIEST AND MOST IMPRESSIVE BODYBUILDER I HAVE EVER SEEN IN PERSON since 1984. BAR NONE. Coleman..Kai have nothing on Dillet in person. Tommywishbone may agree with me.
7.)NABBA Mr. Universe,  Jerry Scalesse standing outside not competing..in a tshirt...HIS FUCKING ENTIRE ARMS...outside 1988 NOC.
MORE TO LIST IN A FEW

Agree about Dillett. He trained at my gym, Golds in Sunrise FL before he moved to So.Cal. The owner of the gym called called me to the front desk and said "you have to see this guy that just joined." He's the biggest bbr I have ever seen. He used to come in and do cable cross overs in a Golds cut off sweatshirt. All you could see where his forearms which were ridiculous. That was the only exercise I ever saw him doing, the times I was in the gym, the same time as him.

[Simple Simon]

Ron Love
Mike Ashley
Ultimate Warrior
Keith Whitley (not the late country singer, a massive amateur from TX who competed in the late '80s-early '90s and apparently died in 2011).  I remember seeing a 280 lb. Keith training being trained by Ellington Darden at the Austin Gym in Dallas, TX back in the day.  Huge dude (Keith, not Ellington).  Does anybody know what killed him at age 53?

undetected congenital heart defect, what else do bodybuilders die early from?

[Ronnie Rep]

I saw Flex at an appearance at a Nutrition store doing an appearance in S.FL. he was just sitting at a table in the store . It was offseason before the 99O. He told he he weighed 289. He looked cartoonish. His arms and delts were just stupid looking.

[Zillotch]

I saw Flex at an appearance at a Nutrition store doing an appearance in S.FL. he was just sitting at a table in the store . It was offseason before the 99O. He told he he weighed 289. He looked cartoonish. His arms and delts were just stupid looking.

not to be nice to u, but yes, flex was impressive. maybe more of a 'cartoon' than anyone else, in his way.

[polychronopolous]

Ron Love
Mike Ashley
Ultimate Warrior
Keith Whitley (not the late country singer, a massive amateur from TX who competed in the late '80s-early '90s and apparently died in 2011).  I remember seeing a 280 lb. Keith training being trained by Ellington Darden at the Austin Gym in Dallas, TX back in the day.  Huge dude (Keith, not Ellington).  Does anybody know what killed him at age 53?

A teacher if I remember correctly. I believe he had a farm out in Ennis TX.

[BEEFYHEAVYWEIGHT]

Ron Love
Mike Ashley
Ultimate Warrior
Keith Whitley (not the late country singer, a massive amateur from TX who competed in the late '80s-early '90s and apparently died in 2011).  I remember seeing a 280 lb. Keith training being trained by Ellington Darden at the Austin Gym in Dallas, TX back in the day.  Huge dude (Keith, not Ellington).  Does anybody know what killed him at age 53?

Keith was a good guy. I corresponded with him a bit after that Ellington book came out. Was a teacher for a many years. Heart attack killed him. Stayed too big...into later years.

[BEEFYHEAVYWEIGHT]

Only met 2 outside of shows or expos. Bob birdsong was at my gym In the 80s. I just remember think By he was as wide as he was tall. Veiny as fuvk (no homo).

About 3 years ago, I was eating at some Mexican place in Newport Beach and rich piano sat next to me.  He was massive as shit. I think I had chicken enchiladas

Agree about Birdsong. He was the most vascular bodybuilder I have ever seen. Pics dont do him justice. Those forearms were nuts.

[Ronnie Rep]

not to be nice to u, but yes, flex was impressive. maybe more of a 'cartoon' than anyone else, in his way.

Flex had very small joints and long round muscle bellies. He looked ridiculous at that weight.

[Royalty]

I saw Nasser & Dillett in the front foyer at the 1996 NOC. Both were huge. As for the competitors, Ronnie & Gunter impressed me the most on stage that day. And I felt that Ronnie definitely beat Flex at that show.

But I was most impressed with Yates at a guest posing in 1995 (few months before the Olympia). I saw Levrone at a guest posing right after the 1994 Arnold Classic. That was impressive too.

[Dan-O]

Keith was a good guy. I corresponded with him a bit after that Ellington book came out. Was a teacher for a many years. Heart attack killed him. Stayed too big...into later years.

Thanks for the info.  That sucks.  May he RIP.

[Thin Lizzy]

A teacher if I remember correctly. I believe he had a farm out in Ennis TX.

This was a pretty popular look among guys who lifted back in the day. You would buy a Ralph Lauren polo shirt one size too small so that it would hug the guns tightly.

[HonestBob]

Ian Harrison I believe......I have racked my brains to think who this dude was and Ian Harrison is what I came up with. This was years back in a Bournemouth all you can eat place and I just remember getting some food, a plate in my hand while I scanned the various offerings and suddenly I noticed this geezer.....Honestly I have never seen a human like it, this guy looked like a cartoon character. I gotta admit I felt fucking inferior and it was made much worse cos I was with my girlfriend. He had dyed blond hair cut short and was tanned as fuck with very blue eyes but facially he was that not that good, looked old and a bit lined. Did not matter though as he was absolutely exploding out of his shirt, massive arms and I mean massive here not seen before ever in my life and the dude was so wide and broad, huge delts, traps, forearms, the lot......He had some really skinny bird with him but every chick in the building was eye fucking the guy and it made me realise that when you get to that size, if you can girls will throw themselves at your feet. It killed me inside when my girlfriend asked me 'Who is that guy'..........

Ian as a junior is amongst my top 3 most impressive. He's the widest guy I've ever seen and he trained like an absolute demon.
Dorian in the early 90s, calves straining his baggies and making the stage at Wembley shake.
Brian Buchanan getting ready for his comeback, arms that looked bigger than his waist.
I saw Vince Taylor guest pose when he was still a complete unknown. That was pretty shocking too to see this guy come out of nowhere. At a Bertil Fox seminar where lazy Bertil just answered questions from the audience.

[BEEFYHEAVYWEIGHT]

Thanks for the info.  That sucks.  May he RIP.

I first met Keith in Garland, TX at a gym on a trip with my lady. Recognized him from the Darden book. Struck up a conversation with him. We exchanged contact info. Upon my arrival back in Los Angeles...I receieved a large poster size photo of Keith signed to me. Here is the crazy part though. The signature said...KEITH WHITLEY, GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE COMMANDING. lol...I never asked him about that. But he was a proud Texan and his teaching career was as a history teacher. Maybe some link???

[Simple Simon]

Bob Paris, saw him in 1989 in Sheffield in seminar.
Same day as the Hillsborough stadium disaster, we were listening to it on the radio travelling there.