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Steve Michalik Bodybuilder

Steve Michalik Tribute Page

Stats
Born: January 8, 1949
Died: May 24, 2012
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 230 Pounds
Chest: 52 Inches
Arms: 20 Inches
Waist: 27 Inches
Thighs: 26 Inches
Calves: 19 Inches

Bodybuilding titles won:
1971 Mr. Apollo
1971 Mr. USA
1972 Mr. America
1975 Mr. Universe.

Steve Michalik was one of the top bodybuilders of the 1970's and the inventor of workout routine called the Intensity or Insanity training system.

Michalik was a big fan of Captain America comic books when he was a child and wanted to be like his hero, he decided that the closest thing to being Captain America would be winning the Mr. America bodybuilding contest, which he achieved in 1972.

He won the tall class in the 1975 Mr. Universe and was getting ready to compete in the 1976 Mr. Olympia contest when he was literally hit by a truck. The doctors told him he would never walk again, yet not only did he walk again he also made a comeback to compete as a pro bodybuilder. In the first contest after his comeback Arnold dubbed Steve "The Phantom Bodybuilder", the nickname stuck and he was from then on known as The Phantom.

He competed a few more years until one day he collapsed on stage and was rushed to the hospital where he realized that if he didn't stop using steroids he would die and became a very vocal campaigner against anabolic steroids.

But the steroids had already taken their toll and in the years to come he suffered a heart attack, a stroke, and even latter got a kidney transplant.

Sadly, at 63 years old and in failing health he took is own life.

Steve Michalik Workout

He called his workout routine "Intensity or Insanity" which was an extreme form of volume training, where he did as many as 100 sets for each body part.

He would work almost non stop going from one exercise to the next like a man possessed, and would keep going until the muscle was totally exhausted.

For example a typical chest workout was 1) bench press, 2) incline dumbbell flyes and 3) pullovers all done in a continuous circuit - meaning 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, etc. without resting between exercises. He would do as many non-stop circuits as possible until he couldn't take it any more.

Of course after he stopped using steroids his training was more sensible but he still believed in high sets and little rest between sets.

Note: For more information on volume training for natural bodybuilders checkout Muscle Express Training.

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