Mass Monsters Of The 1980's You Never Heard Of (MAYBE)

Join me as we take a look at some less famous bodybuilders from the 1980's. In some cases, most of you heard of a couple of these guys, but for the most part, there will be some bodybuilders in this video you never heard of before(hopefully). One thing all these guys had in common is MASS! They were all mass monsters before the era was ushered in by Dorian Yates in 93.

[@josephk4310]

Josef Grolmus ..... I forgot about Mr. Grolmus but I had never seen him compared with Bertil Fox, he made fox look small in the front double bicep pose.

[@jimt9261]

I saw Lee Haney do a seminar in my city shortly after winning one of his Olympia's and the London Grand Prix. This was the first time I'd seen a pro bodybuilder. I thought it'd be inspirational to see him but it was quite the opposite! His muscularity, thickness, separation, and development was off the charts, way beyond anyone I'd ever seen. His pecs were massively thick and rippled the full depth down to the bone! Unbelievable! And I knew that no matter how hard I trained, no matter how much gear I took, there was no way that I'd EVER EVER look like that! I left the seminar completely demoralised because of this. A short time after that I saw Bertil Fox in a seminar, and I've got to say that compared to Haney he seemed flat and not at all impressive. Of course, yes, he was impressive, but you could see why Haney was a multiple Mr O. Haney just exploded with muscularity when he posed, whereas Fox didn't.

[@panathatube]

Seminars and stage are two different things though

[@anthonyvenegas8299]

Same thing happened to me,it was mike christian

[@mikehito5226]

@@anthonyvenegas8299 i saw them both in seminars and posing. Haney much denser than mike though. saw Lance Dreher. MASSIVE.. Tim Belknap in 85 in seminar and posing. a week after his comp and more shredded than any urrent pro on contest day.

[@jsvideos2261]

Great video! On a side-note, Tim Belknap, who was diabetic, was rumored to be one of the first bodybuilders to experiment with insulin for competitive gains. This was only a rumor, but it might be interesting if someone researched and made a video about how modern sports governing bodies treat the use of insulin by athletes who happen to have diabetes.

[@nickbritten8132]

Really was a great video this 😀

[@stevegeorge6880]

I'm pretty sure it was just a side effect of using insulin as a diabetic. He had to account for higher doses of insulin did deal with higher carbs when eating to build muscle and just noticed the gains as an aftereffect. I read an article on him in which he said that he gained 60 lbs in his first full year of bodybuilding. Ironically, before his success, most people would have avoided insulin because of the dangers of hypoglycemia as well as potentially hastening diabetes with chronic use and killing the potential for a successful athletic career.

[@Volttikoira]

Jeff King definitely didn't skip neck day

[@nathanf2790]

Great video. One guy you might have forgotten: Nimrod King. Huge canadian bodybuilder.

[@glennheydon3117]

A great video for us older trainers who remember all these greats. Tom PLATZ in 81 blew every spectator and competitor away with freaky mass and to me he was the first one to go beyond what anyone else had done with development,and not just legs,the whole body and condition 👍🏼

[@HEAVYCHEVY409]

Quadzilla

[@jimt9261]

Yep, heard of them all! I bought Flex and Muscle and Fitness avidly in those days. Obviously all these blokes used the Joe Weider Training Principles exclusively. And only used Weider Amino Mega Packs ;-). At least that's what the magazines would have us believe. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you're too young :-)

[@shack7631]

Yes, the Weider Anabolic Mega Packs. They were so good that Joe Weider got taken to court and successfully sued because of the outrageous claims he made about the., I remember reading all the training articles by the pros (all ghost written by Weider staff journalists) and then the list of Weider Principles they used. It was only years later that I realised it was all horse shit. Still we were young and it was great at the time.

[@myopinion8062]

I know 100% what your talking about remember the mega packs had a tablet in the pack that would always split Jim and rumour has it one of those tabs was anavar

[@shack7631]

@@myopinion8062 Suggesting there was Anavar in the Mega Packs is doing Anavar a great disservice. The court proved they contained nothing more than vitamins, minerals and a few non essential aminos. It wasn't the first time Weider supplements ended up in court either.

[@jkmsaturn]

Gunnar Rosbo never saw his full potential due to a pinched nerve that caused some asymmetry on his left side, compared to his right.

[@phlmsr392]

There were new ones for me! Great Video! Eduard Kawwak is my favorite of them!

[@Gygsd]

Jeff king best neck in body building history

[@jessedavis7572]

That was an awesome video!!! I loved it !! great job n thanks for making n posting 😉

[@jeffp3926]

Awesome video! I knew them all, but that was my era of bodybuilding. Bringing in Tim at the end was good. 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼

[@gustavofigueiredo1798]

Good stuff, Mark! Knowing the history of what we enjoy is very important. You're doing a nice service to the bodybuilding community with these types of videos.

[@nickbritten8132]

He really is 😁

[@Geckoliga]

Nice list, I knew them all, cause I grew up with them. Gunnar Rosbo competed in the IFBB as an amateur. He was Mr. Europe ('81) and 2 x 2. place Mr. Universe ('81 behind Lance Dreher and '82 behind Lee Haney)

[@DissidentPrick]

Gunnar had some awesome forearms.

[@robertgabrielle5956]

Great Idea!!! So many underrated physiques!!! Thank you for the great video Max! 👍💪🙏

[@anthonyk597]

Love your “history” videos. No one does them now. Also enjoyed your History of Bodybuilding and History of NABBA. Excellent.

[@nickbritten8132]

We’re lucky Marx still does these videos.

[@andrasszekrenyes9687]

Dear Max, thank You for this awesome video. I like Your analyses from the golden era of B.B. No bubble guts and outstanding physics....

[@nickbritten8132]

Couldn’t agree more.

[@septemberquest6393]

Jeff King. Most powerful neck..wow

[@mick998r]

I'm now 53, so I've heard of all of these guys. Bertil was definitely the best of them, shame he didn't get along with the IFBB fraternity as he should have! He spat his dummy out on more than one occasion... Cheers Marx. 👍

[@rossscarbro4602]

This was an awesome video! I love this old school material and giving props to these little-known giants. More of this type of material please!

[@nickbritten8132]

It was awesome 👏🏻

[@martindevon3204]

Tim was one of my favorites in the 80s

[@cebukid70]

Lee Haney always had "small" arms.. he was never known for arm size... same with Dorian Yates

[@proudmen1220]

Dorian had good biceps and forearms. He had also good biceps before injury

[@jasmaart]

Thanks to my old bodybuilding magazines from the 80s, I know most of these gentlemens. Awesome time for bodybuilding 💪

[@AbhijitBoruah]

Great video bro

[@abimbolaadebanjo7948]

I'm shocked you didn't talk about Jeff Kings unusual neck development!!

[@OldSchoolStrength]

Jeff used one of those 4 way neck machines and a plate on his forehead to train neck high volume with good weight 👍

[@zman8340]

Great video Marx. Hill and king really stand out . Wow.

[@EdDevon]

Congratulations Max on showcasing a great selection of Monsters of Mass . 90% of those guys I have had the pleasure of knowing and shearing time in various iron temples over the world 🌎 Your including of European identities will only enhance the knowledge of your followers. Might I site Big Bill Richardson , Walter O Malley, and Dave Johns, all prime examples of mass with class.

[@riceflatpicking4954]

Tim Bellknap had a younger brother named Fred who looked like his twin. He was featured in muscle and fitness but I don’t think he ever really did anything. I was hoping that the bodybuilders you featured would be more difficult to identify but I was completely obsessed with bodybuilding all through the 80s and 90s so I studied all these guys. I always liked Lance Dreher he had great arms. Pardon me if I missed it but can you make a video of Casey Viator sometime? Maybe the most jacked teenager of all time during the Colorado experiment.

[@elav126]

Excellent made!!! Thank You!!!

[@woldemike82]

Great clip bro

[@rubbersoul2827]

Awesome vid. It goes to show that you can huge yet strive for(and be pretty successful at)proper proportion and symmetry. I shake my head when I read things like "Aesthetics vs Bodybuilding". They should have never divorced! And if Classic Physique is going to carry the banner for aesthetic bodybuilding, give them the full complement of poses! I love bodybuilding but, man, it seems really screwed up to me these days.

[@rubbersoul2827]

I'm not against size or definition, by the way. I just think the best, overall body(and presentation) should win. Different weight divisions make sense to me(to make a level playing field)but different criteria, where one class emphasizes size and the other, aesthetics, do not.

[@rubbersoul2827]

You can be freaky and proportionate! It's been done.

[@necemer]

Great video. Thanks

[@Masters-Muscle]

I really enjoyed this video. And you got a great channel. Keep up the good work.

[@septemberquest6393]

Belknap..powerful for his size..incredible !!!💪💪💪

[@josephk4310]

Phil Hill, like Bertil Fox.

[@hitwarriors8040]

Tim Belknap for one night, at the 1981 Mr America had one if the best physiques to ever step on-stage. He truly hit his peak that night. Never again did he achieve that look, it seemed he tried to add more size as a pro and the body just didn't have the same aesthetic appeal. I was 11 at the time and fell in love with the sport after seeing this man come in like that.

[@stephentemple5617]

When i was young I'd go through my uncle's old muscle magazines the seventies eighties and the 90s so I've heard all these guys nice honorable mention Tim Belknap beautiful physique I asked my uncle why he never did some damage in the big ranks he said that Tim had diabetes that's what stopped his career and nice mention of Jeff king he was another great and bertil fox a murder rotting in prison for his crimes one the best physiques of all time I have pictures on my wall from old bodybuilders with great physiques that no one has ever heard of thank you for your KZbin channel showing some of these bodybuilders names lost in time that no one would of heard of or known about

[@nelacostabianco]

Definately a trip down memory lane. I remember in a M&F mag article where Gunnar Rosbo said he smoked a pack of cigarettes a day and the fella he was talking too said if that's what it takes to get the 'guns' size you have I guess I'll start smoking. True story.

[@vinniedeluca2188]

Belknap looks like he’s wearing a muscle suit 😂😂

[@DissidentPrick]

You were right there was one bodybuilder I didn’t know of in the video Josef Grolmus.

[@josephk4310]

Gunnar Rosbo looked a lot like Arnold.

[@jonathanwilson8399]

Mos def appreciated, blast from the past

[@thisisjustmebodybuilding6043]

i actually didn't know one guy so thank you! very interesting 👌👌

[@josephk4310]

Lance Dreher a monster from Northern Illinois, I am from Wisconsin, we respected this guy highly even though he was a FIB.

[@septemberquest6393]

Phil Hill. .wow quite impressive. Wow.

[@septemberquest6393]

Kawak . Damn .never heard of him Awesome

[@petershirleyA3R7]

Good video enjoyed that remember them all Joseph Grolmus best German bodybuilder in my opinion he was under rated, Bertil Fox ripped off in 2 Mr Olympias, Gunnar Rosbo massive fore arms

[@MeesterJ]

Man, Neckzilla really had a LOT of potential! Mr O potential I would say

[@zman8340]

I’ll never get over how much fox destroys Haney in that side chest , my god .... and I love lee Haney .

[@nickbritten8132]

It was an amazing comparison there! Shocking!

[@ALT3REDB3AST]

Just Tim Bell-NAP. Good vid buddy.

[@DissidentPrick]

Gunnar Rosbo had the sickest forearms.

[@OldSchoolStrength]

the best ever

[@ATILLA-l4i]

Grolmus was well known for his extraordinary Triceps,and Kawak for his symetrical abs and Lats.

[@septemberquest6393]

I'm 57 years old and lifted weights since I was 15..Bertil Fox was a monster in his day..unfortunate what happened in his personal life.

[@josephk4310]

Bertil Fox, was very inspirational to me....

[@jimbroderick5507]

Nice job Marx Max Muscle.

[@hevinherman4713]

Marx "Thing Of That Nature" Max would make a good bodybuilder name in the 80s 😏

[@comeon_man]

Yeh man I’m 1st!! Good chanel dude!!

[@howy3333]

Criteria has changed alot over the yrs. Arms were everything back in the day. I think it came from hulk hogan and wrestling but not sure.... If you look at the mass monsters/everyone in those days their arms were much bigger proportionally

[@DissidentPrick]

Hulk Hogan has had zero influence on bodybuilding criteria. He didn’t even have a good build.

[@007stopjockin]

Quick story about Tim Belknap. I don't know when this took place, but my boy Carlos (everyone knew Carlos if you were from Ft Lauderdale. He was the bar back at Croccos, Bermuda Triangle, Mai Kai, etc...) he was my boy, we used to work out all the time back in the day. He is dead now. Ate those damn Oxys in early 2000's. Anyway, Carlos told me the story of Tim and him partying in Ft Lauderdale. Tim had to leave for a show or something (can't remember the details). For his meal before he left, he ate a handful of winstrol tabs and a big bag of Cheetos or a box of Cheez Its (I can't remember which one guys) LOL! 007

[@TheSpritz0]

Lance Dreher was INCREDIBLY strong, he used very heavy weight to train with (bordering on record weight for most others!!).

[@nickbritten8132]

Lance’s lower biceps were wow 🤩 😯

[@howy3333]

Gunner, what a name!! Never heard of him but he looks a bit like Strydom.. Great physique!!

[@rockywaters9592]

2:22 Denzel Washington was crazy jacked in the 80s

[@coolaxe-dw4840]

Awesome

[@HEAVYCHEVY409]

*If we being honest, Lou aka the hulk was OG mass monster!*

[@shanghaiffgg]

Jeff Kings head looks almost fake sitting on top of that enormous overdeveloped Godzilla neck at 9:20

[@davidanderson3684]

I remember phill hill he was a black version of Tom platz with a better upper balance!

[@shred9475]

Brutal bertil had huge guns and a thick chest too bad he was crazy

[@paultaylor5502]

Knew Brutal, definitely not crazy, angry yes, crazy no.

[@shred9475]

@@paultaylor5502 u know what he did to hisbfiancee right

[@richardyoung1890]

@@shred9475 The fiancés mother too! Temporary Insanity brought on by jealousy and drugs?Who knows he ruined 2 lives and his own sad story. .

[@paultaylor5502]

Very familiar with what he did

[@bio1656]

You forgot about VICTOR RICHARDS .

[@asprinklingofclouds]

Matt Mendenhall should be on this list.

[@DaFTswagger]

Jeff King 🤴 bigger trapezius than any three of us. Neckzilla flex on my friend those bent bars are on the mend.

[@thomasmuller546]

;DDDD 3:37 says a strong body like the one of josef grolmus, is a sign for a healthy heart xDDDD the journalist here was having fun for sure, hahahaha, hilarious comedy

[@JustSage-b2y]

Heard of only 1 or 2 of these gents

[@edwinsilvacolon4689]

It’s interesting 🤨….put them against the top 8 on today’s Olimpia stage and I bet you’ll be surprised 😮….Tim Belknap had a promo on a supplement with body shots from different angles that rocked the magazine’s….

[@timothyfosberg6408]

Tim Belknap was no more than 5"6 we called him snapper when he trained Olympic gym owned by Lonnie Lemek. Lance D. and Tim trained together at certain times. Tim was Mr.America in 81. Lance was Mr. Universe in 1981. They both were very strong. Tim was a diabetic and was an expert with insulin, food AD steroids. At one time Tim had to slow down on squatting because his legs were 32" in cercumbrance. He lived near me when we lived in Rockford Illinois. One time Tim was squatting 700lbs without collars and the weight fell off one side than the other. He put the weight back on and finished his set. 300lb incine was easy for him. He would go to failure some times. I told him 300lb incline benchs was to much for me to spot for him today. Lol

[@rdallas81]

Excellent job on this video. Thanks Marx. (Not karl Marx) But Anyhoo.

[@josephk4310]

Jeff King, massive all over, obviously Jeff King didn't do any insulin, just maxed out muscle from heavy workouts and good eating.

[@willcongdon114]

Edward Kawak lol every pic looks like his head is photoshopped on his shoulders lol huuuuge neck

[@charlieschmitt1420]

Tim had a brother who worked out if I'm not mistaken. Knew them all .I'm 54

[@ABD5667]

There were some huge bodybuilders in the 80s, although they used PEDs before the 90s a person can really appreciate the importance of genetics to building big muscles

[@xanderguldie]

Fox definitely got robbed of a few titles

[@peterodriguez5636]

You showed one Mass monster first to take insulin his Name was Tim Belnap

[@haridavidson6818]

I actually met Josef few years ago, his triceps is still huuuge

[@haridavidson6818]

His width, from shoulder to shoulder is still fascinating, his clavicules are pretty long

[@stefanosprokopis6974]

Where's the beef!

[@maximmortal3170]

Kal Skalak?

[@johnblanchette4326]

Hey boss tell me Tim Belknap didn't look like Ivan Putski come back on that one

[@josephk4310]

Tim Belknap .......5 ft 2 inches, he was Diabetic, had to use insulin to stay alive.

[@stanfordkoch1271]

Those guys were mass monsters before Dorian but the trend never took off because they never became mr olympia and because Dorian won they say he started the trend

[@donjeon8525]

Ed Kawak is a jacked Adam Sandler

[@peterodriguez5636]

Today bodybuilder have to thank Tim Belnap he was on Insulan & why today guy use it ( 5 ft 2 inches

[@saxonsteve]

Bertil, unfortunately killed his mother-in-law and girlfriend and is serving life in prison. No more big arms anymore. Darn shame.

[@TACT1LE]

Nineteen Eighteez, baby pleez

[@alexbrookner5331]

Do you think burble could win a modern day olympia. I do

[@charlieschmitt1420]

Vic richards

[@JohnSmith-fl5gc]

You should really say about anabolics

[@EamonBoyle-qn7vx]

I knew them all ,Tim was a diabetic

[@ajdinlanco9994]

One man have to long neck you didnt nottice

[@jamesjustice4515]

Lou frigno was to first and true mass monster. What wrong with everybody. Lou was the first. Even when he competed in the 92,93,94 Mr Olympia he made doain Yates look small. What was wrong with the judges in those years. I looked at Lou and rest in those years and he was huge and looked just as good or even better then the rest. Yates biceps was never good looking part of him. Look like tore biceps. From the sledgemaster ex-bodybuilder, strongman, Olympic lifter and now professional powerlifter for the last eight years and 3 times making professional powerlifting history in 2022 by doing 12 competitions and championships between February and November 2022 and on August 6th and 7th at pioneer classic in Hamilton, Ohio, all three has never been done before in past or present in any powerlifting federations in country in the world, that was said by Eric freeman, uspa meet director, ipl judge, legend and sits on the ipl Canadian council. Also said by the state, national and world judges on those two days and during those 10 months in 2022.

[@jamess6961]

Politics play a large part.

[@myopinion8062]

TIM BELKNAP A MASS MONSTER AT 5 FOOT 3 COME ON MATE THSTS NOT REALLY A MASS MONSTER