From Jay Cutler to Lee Priest Here Is the Unseen Footage of Elite Bodybuilders During Off-Season

Bodybuilders showcase an insanely shredded physique in bodybuilding competitions. But do they maintain that physique all year round? The answer is a big NO. While they do get into shape after training hard for the competitions, they let loose during the off-season. Here’s a list of five bodybuilders who were notorious for gaining weight in the off-season.

There were various reasons why these bodybuilders gained as much weight as they did. While someone gave in to their love for junk food, someone gave up a healthy lifestyle and developed unhealthy habits. However, there was also someone who gained weight to improve his strength.

1) Mr. Fourth Quarter a.k.a. Jay Cutler

First up here is 4x Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler. When Cutler was at his peak during the contests, he weighed around 260 lbs. However, during the off-season, his weight went as high as 300 lbs. The way he used to shed those extra pounds for the competitions proves that it’s never too late to hit the gym.

2) World’s Strongest Pro Bodybuilder: Johnnie O. Jackson

Johnnie O. Jackson wasn’t just a pro bodybuilder, but a powerlifter, too. During his bodybuilding competitions, he weighed around 255 lbs while in the off-season, it went up to 275 lbs. However, his weight gain wasn’t accidental or the result of an unhealthy life, but intentional. He purposely put on the extra pounds to improve his strength.

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3) Jamaican Muscle Machine: Shawn Rhoden

The Flexatron, Shawn Rhoden, is quite famous for being out of shape in the off-season. Unlike the rest who gained weight purposely or due to some bad habit, Rhoden gained it naturally. It happens because he doesn’t train as much in the off-season. He gives his body some time off from the intense training to relax.

4) The German Freak Markus Ruhl

The 5’9″ giant is dubbed as “one of the freakiest bodybuilders to ever grace the bodybuilding stage.” On stage, Ruhl used to weigh around 280 lbs in one of his best shapes. However, during the off-season, his weight hit a maximum of 330 lbs. While his shredded body on stage was insane, so was his calorie intake in the off-season. He consumed around 7000 calories every day. Adding to that was an unhealthy amount of cigarette consumption.

5) The Blond Myth a.k.a Lee Priest

Last but now least on the list is Lee Priest. This 5’4″ bodybuilder is the one who was infamous for the shocking amount of weight he used to put on during the off-season.

While his weight during the competitions ranged between 200 to 225 lbs, his off-season weight was staggeringly high. He used to put on around 50 to 75 lbs. He used to weigh around 275 lbs in the off-season. The insane weight gain was a result of his love for junk food.

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This is it for the list for now. Let us know in the comments section if there is a bodybuilder whose name should be on this list.