Are you in search of answers regarding the top bodybuilders that have ever set foot inside a gym? We’re glad you are here. It matters not whether you wish to attain the title of the world’s biggest natural bodybuilder or simply hoping to become more fit.

Either way, it’s a fact that actually living out a fitness resolution is far more complicated than drawing a routine for a workout. Whatever the case may be, we present you with a carefully researched list of the 20 biggest bodybuilders ever.

We suggest you stay disciplined and focused on long-term gains if you ever wish to come close to realizing your goals. Right off the bat, know that you must not plan to achieve results overnight. Be it bigger veins or a bigger frame, stay prepared for the long haul. That is if your goal is to become the biggest bodybuilder ever!

Everybody started from somewhere. The statement holds true for all the mightiest and strongest bodybuilders. By means of immense hard work, these muscular monsters were able to build massive physiques. They made sure to make each rep count and managed to achieve glory and massive success in the bodybuilding industry.

Thus, without further ado, here’s the list of the 20 biggest bodybuilders ever.

20 Biggest Bodybuilders Of All Time:

1. Dennis James

If you’re someone who takes a deep interest in the bodybuilding industry, you must’ve heard of the name Dennis James. Hailing from Germany, Dennis James is an extremely popular bodybuilder and a retired member of the IFBB Pro. In his golden days, his fans gave him the title “The Menace.”

In 1999, Dennis made his debut in the fitness and bodybuilding industries. His best performance was that of the 2003 Mr. Olympia, where he bagged the fourth position. Dennis James was infamous in the category of 265 pounds. His body boasted a blend of splendid mass and glorious aesthetics.

2. Dennis Wolf

When it comes to the Mr. Olympia competitions, this bodybuilder has never failed to pull off a memorable performance. In this ultimate test for the biggest bodybuilders, Dennis Wolf participated over eight times in total. Renowned as the “Big Bad Wolf” among his fans, Dennis Wolf’s closest stint to the title was in the year 2013. That was when he bagged the third position.

Wolf, for sure, boasted unfathomable size. His presence and abilities expanded the boundaries of the professional competition scene. Dennis Wolf exists among legends such as Dexter Jackson and Phil Heath, who, by their own rights, were a class above every bodybuilder.

3. Markus Ruhl

His is a name that still sounds synonymous with the bodybuilder with the biggest shoulders in bodybuilding. But in contrast, in terms of proportionality, he did miss out by a few points.

If you weren’t aware, Markus Ruhl began his athletic career as a football player. But due to a detrimental knee injury, his career shifted gears and landed in the fitness and bodybuilding industry.

Rather than choosing to please the judges, Markus Ruhl chose to be the people’s favorite. He participated in the 280 pounds weight category, and he’s 5 feet and 10 inches tall. His best stint at Mr. Olympia was in 2004 when Markus placed fifth.

4. Günter Schlierkamp

Günter Schlierkamp, more often than not, would always bag the tenth position. The bodybuilder was famous among his numerous fans for having among the biggest traps in bodybuilding.

He was also popular for consistency and his never-dying spirit. An honorable member and retired IFBB pro bodybuilder, Günter Schlierkamp truly lived up to the title of the Little Giant.

Günter Schlierkamp did easy work of the GNC in 2002 when he concurred the title finally. By doing so, the Little Giant dethroned the unbeatable Coleman. He achieved that with the help of Charles Glass, who’s also equally well-known in the industry as a legend.

5. Jay Cutler

The IFBB pro was, in plain and simple terms, a very high-spirited bodybuilder. He nailed Mr. Olympia a total of four times and Arnold Classic three times. In his debut appearance, Jay Cutler secured the second position. The feat wasn’t extremely unique and special on its own since there are tons of bodybuilders who achieved the same in the past.

At the same time, the achievement did lay the foundations for his success to bloom. Jay Cutler took part in the 280 pounds weight category. He’s rightly among the top candidates for the title of the biggest bodybuilder in the world.

6. Paul Dillett

Paul Dillett naturally crosses one’s mind when they consider greats like Ronnie Coleman and Dorian Yates. These bodybuilders belonged to the era of mass monsters. 

Taking into account the early 1990s landscape of pro bodybuilding, Paul Dillett’s jaw-dropping size surely deserves mention. That’s especially true in terms of the criteria that existed in those times. To have a go at the stage of Mr. Olympia, bodybuilders needed to showcase mammoth frames.

Surely, he had among the biggest biceps in bodybuilding. The top five positions always featured Paul Dillett constantly till the late 1990s. Paul Dillett conquered various competitions, such as the Night of Champion in 1999 and NPC in 1992, to mention a few.

7. Arnold Schwarzenegger

If there was one individual who’s been through all shades, it would be none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger. Fans know him as the Australian Oak, The Governator, or simply as Arnie. Arnold surely is among the most notable mentions in this list of the 20 biggest bodybuilders ever.

In terms of his accolades in the Mr. Olympia championships, Arnold boasts a total of seven professional titles. He’s also a popular figure when it comes to contests such as Mr. Universe. He belonged to the Golden Age of the bodybuilding industry. At one time, Arnold showcased the biggest chest in bodybuilding.

8. Ronnie Coleman

When it comes to the pro bodybuilding industry, the new era marked the rise of the bodybuilder with the most giant arms in bodybuilding. That especially holds true for bodybuilders such as Ronnie Coleman. In an industry where bigger muscles were the key to winning contests, Ronnie Coleman shone as the judges’ top favorite. 

Famously given the title of The King, he boasts more titles and Sandows than any other bodybuilders in history. Ronnie Coleman is the only bodybuilder who managed to break Arnold Schwarzenegger’s record of seven titles.  Although Dexter Jackson did break his record in the years to come.

9. Rich Piana

Rich Piana is simply a legend when it comes to the American bodybuilding industry. Piana started his career at the tender age of fifteen. The bodybuilder was a popular figure in various national and state bodybuilding contests.

In 1998, Rich Piana bagged the title of Mr. California in the NPC Mr. California contest. By far, it was Piana’s top performance in any championship. He also had a successful business in the supplement and nutrition industry.

Rich Piana was also quite infamous for admitting to using steroids. It truly made the career of the bodybuilder with the daunting physique quite turbulent and controversial.

10. Roelly Winklaar

To state that the physique of Roelly Winklaar is jaw-dropping and eye-popping would be quite an understatement. The Dutch/ Curaçaoan muscular beast began his pro career by thrashing the NCP Arnold Classic contest for amateurs. That earned him his golden ticket to the pro-IFBB championships.

Among the giants in the pro scene, Roelly Winklaar bagged a notable seventh position, a feat that was quite impressive for an amateur. In 2018, the fan voting system made its first appearance. Roelly Winklaar was the first bodybuilder to receive it. That year, the first two positions showcased Phil Heath and Shown Rhoden, followed by Roelly Winklaar.

11. Greg Kovacs

Many regard Greg Kovacs as the bodybuilder with the biggest chest in bodybuilding. That’s aside from the title of the strongest bodybuilder. The Canadian pro dominated the 330 pounds weight category. That feels light compared to 420 pounds which were his off-season weight group. 

You might be thinking, how come a bodybuilder of his stature never made it to the top of the pro-IFBB. To answer that in simple terms, Greg Kovacs is indeed underrated in that sense. Whenever it came to the verdict of the crowd, Greg Kovac was usually the winner. That’s a testimony to his dominance in the pro bodybuilding scene.

12. Big Ramy

Mamdouh Elssbiay, the pro-IFBB bodybuilder from Egypt, is among the top individuals who recently shot to fame in the industry. Boasting a physique that’s aesthetically pleasing, Mamdouh completely dominated the pro-IFBB in 2020.

With a contest weight of over 300 pounds, he was the top favorite bodybuilder of the crowd and possibly the biggest bodybuilder at the 2020 contest. Popularly known as Big Ramy in the industry, he bagged the Europe 2017 and Brazil 2015 Arnold Classic contests. These results are quite in contrast to his debut performance at the 2013 pro contest in New York.

13. Lou Ferrigno

Mr. Universe contest organized by IFBB is among the biggest stages for any bodybuilder out there. Now imagine winning the contest twice and being the youngest ever to achieve that.  Yes, indeed! We are talking about the popular bodybuilder, Lou Ferrigno.

Aside from his career as a pro-IFBB bodybuilder, Ferrigno is also a critically acclaimed actor. He’s known mostly for his role in Pumping Iron, the famous 1977 docudrama.

The docudrama revolved around the Mr. Olympia contest starring another bodybuilding legend, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Lou even had an influential role in The Incredible Hulk as the alter ego of Bruce Banner.

14. Dorian Yates

Boasting a spectacular off-season contest weight of 310 pounds and participating in the 275 pounds contest weight, Yates was surely among the biggest bodybuilders ever.

Dorian Yates focused on showcasing his rock-solid mass and conditioning to make up for aesthetics and symmetry. Biggest has always been better when we talk about a bodybuilder such as Dorian Yates. Be it any platform, Yates was always the biggest. That holds true even for his debut performance at the 1991 Olympia contest.

Yates simply dominated the Olympia stage from 1992-97, adding one title every subsequent year.  Thus, there’s no denying the fact that Dorian Yates belongs among legends such as Ronnie Coleman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the likes.

15. Lee Haney

GOAT is a term used for individuals who are simply at the top in their respective fields. When it comes to the art of bodybuilding, no one deserves that title other than Lee Haney.

In terms of bodybuilding, eight-peat is among the hardest for any bodybuilder to pull off. That’s evident from the fact that Lee Haney was the only one who managed to achieve such a feat in the entire history of bodybuilding.

Haney’s debut contest bagged him his first pro title. He followed that up with his second performance, which earned him the title of Mr. Olympia. The bodybuilder retired at 31 years of age after winning eight titles in total.

16. Phillip Heath

Known among his fans simply as Phil Heath, the bodybuilder thrashed the Mr. Olympia contest seven times in total from 2011-17. Aside from that, Heath had already made quite a name for himself from various wins, including the NPC USA contest. Phil Heath also goes by the title of “The Gift” in the bodybuilding industry.

The year 2002 marked the beginning of his pro bodybuilding career. Before that, he was a member of the basketball team in his university, playing as the shooting/point guard. While his off-season weight was 265 pounds, Phil heath participated in the 240 pounds contest weight. 

17. Johnnie O. Jackson

In straightforward and plain terms, let’s all agree to one thing, that is, this particular bodybuilder is a beast. Jonnie O. Jackson has many records of his name. For instance, 720 pounds record in deadlifts and 600 pounds in the bench press to name a few.

Also, if you weren’t aware, Johnnie O. Jackson boasts the biggest traps in the bodybuilding industry. Aside from being famous as a bodybuilder, he’s also popular in the industry for being among the best personal trainer. The bodybuilder is the epitome of discipline and hard work. He also has a very impressive philosophy on life.

18. Kai Greene

Kai Greene remains among the youngest bodybuilders in the history of IFBB. He was also among the biggest bodybuilders ever when he entered the pro bodybuilding scene.

His career speaks nothing short of pure resilience, sincerity, hard work, and love for bodybuilding. That’s evident from how it took Kai Greene sixteen long and gruesome years to finally become recognized at IFBB.

You’ll find it interesting to know that Kai Greene owes his success to his English teacher, who opened the bodybuilding world to him. Kai Green’s off-season contest weight was 308 pounds, while 266 pounds was his competition weight.

19. Flex Wheeler

In case you weren’t familiar, the famous bodybuilder Flex Wheeler’s real name is actually Ken. But if you’ve had the opportunity to witness the bodybuilder in action, you’ll agree that Ken doesn’t require flexing in order to showcase his muscle.

In 1997, Ken entirely dominated the scene, winning the San Jose Classic, Arnold Classic, and even the Ironman. That year, it earned Flex Wheeler the prestigious Triple Crown. His secret lies in the symmetry and proportionality that the bodybuilder’s physique possesses. In that regard, Flex boasts a flawless physique earning him the title of “The Sultan of Symmetry.”

20. Tom Platz

The title of the bodybuilder with the most enormous legs in bodybuilding goes to none other than the squatting beast Tom Platz.  He is a sensation in the bodybuilding and fitness industry. He’s infamous for squatting 635 pounds for fifteen reps and 350 for 15. That’s some crazy leg power and lower body weight statistics for any bodybuilder!

If that wasn’t all, he’s capable of squatting 225 pounds for ten minutes without stopping. That would tally up to over a hundred reps continuously. Thus, when it comes to sheer raw power and intensity, Tom Platz for sure is among the biggest bodybuilders ever.

Conclusion

With that, we conclude our well-prepared listing of the 20 biggest bodybuilders ever. At this juncture, it’d be quite apt if you would term best bodybuilders as dedicated artists and bodybuilding itself as a form of art.

The list mentioned the career of these bodybuilders, the overall competition, and physique, among many other aspects. At the same time, there are still a plethora of other notable stars who would’ve easily made it into our listing.

What do you think? Did we manage to include your top favorite bodybuilders, or we might’ve missed out on a few? Let us know by commenting down below.

Similar articles:

Biggest Female Bodybuilders on Instagram: Power, Perseverance, and the Pursuit of Fitness