Competitive bodybuilders usually have an offseason period when there is no bodybuilding competition they are competing in for a while; that’s when many take a complete break from lifting, while others continue lifting, build muscle, and get a little fatter.
Then when the bodybuilding competition they are competing in gets closer, they start to prepare themselves to get in great shape again.
It’s fascinating to see how many guys look utterly different in the offseason.
Some guys maintain a decent built during the offseason, while others look almost like they don’t even lift.
In this post, we will cover the bodybuilders that look way different in the offseason.
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Lee Priest
Lee Priest was one of the guys who got fatter in the offseason, but he also built mass in the process.
Here’s what Lee said about his offseason:
People always get worried in the offseason, that they don’t wanna put too much fat on but the offseason is the offseason. if I wanted to put extra muscle on I would just add what I wanted and bust my a** in the gym every day.
Lee Priest got a lot fatter in the offseason, but he always managed to show up in great shape in his competitions.
Lee Priest competed a few times in Mr. Olympia, and his best placing was 6th.
Kevin Levrone
Kevin Levrone was one of the bodybuilders who didn’t train hard in the offseason; he only trained a few months leading to a show.
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In his offseason form, Kevin almost looks like an average guy that barely lifts.
However, when he stepped on stage, he was one of the best bodybuilders in the world.
In his competitive career, Kevin placed 2nd in the Olympia four times!
He potentially could have won it and is one of the best bodybuilders in the sport’s history.
Ronnie Coleman
Ronnie Coleman, one of the best bodybuilders in the sport’s history, trained hard in the offseason.
In the offseason, he weighed around 330 lbs.
Ronnie lost a considerable amount of weight before stepping on stage.
We can see that Ronnie wasn’t even close to his contest shape in his offseason.
However, he was always huge in the offseason.
Ronnie won Mr. Olympia eight times in his bodybuilding career.
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Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler was one of the bodybuilders who got a lot heavier in the offseason.
He trained hard but gained fat in the offseason.
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Jay Cutler was around 290 lbs in the offseason.
However, on stage, Jay Cutler almost always showed up in great shape.
Earning him 4 Mr. Olympia trophies in his competitive career.
Jay Cutler had the challenging task of competing against Ronnie Coleman, which he placed second too many times before eventually winning him for the first time in 2006.
Markus Rühl
Markus Rühl from Germany is one of the most giant mass monsters ever in bodybuilding.
In his offseason, he was around 330 lbs and eating around 7000 calories per day.
Ha also smoked a lot of cigarettes in the offseason, not the healthiest lifestyle by any means.
His most significant victory was the Night of Champions in 2002; he also competed at the Olympia, with his best placing being 5th place in 2004.
Johnnie Jackson
Johnnie Jackson was not only a great bodybuilder, but he was also a powerlifter.
He was, at a time, the strongest professional bodybuilder.
After his bodybuilding shows, Johnnie gained a lot of mass to maintain his strength.
With that mass came a lot of fat as well.
Johnnie wasn’t afraid to show the world his transformations.
He was a very strong powerlifter, and he always brought an excellent physique to the stage.
He won a few shows in his career, and his best placing at Mr. Olympia was 9th place in 2007.
Shawn Rhoden
Shawn Rhoden won 2018, Mr. Olympia, dethroning former Olympia Champion Phil Heath for his first time.
What was interesting to see is that Shawn isn’t in great shape all year round.
After his bodybuilding shows, he takes a break from bodybuilding.
The difference is vast from his offseason shape to his on the season.
However, this method has worked for him, and he has had a lot of success in the past decade.