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Kevin Mark LevroneAmerican professional bodybuilder, musician and actor.
Date of Birth: 16.07.1964
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Kevin Levrone: The Monument of Masculinity and Perseverance
- Early Life and Tragic Loss
- From Construction to Competition
- Bodybuilding Success and Tragedy
- Music, Charity, and Tragedy Revisited
- The True Cause of His Return
- The Benefits of a Break
Kevin Levrone: The Monument of Masculinity and Perseverance
Kevin Levrone, an esteemed American professional bodybuilder, musician, and actor, stands as a testament to the immense power of the human spirit. His remarkable achievements in the realm of bodybuilding, including victories at the Arnold Classic in 1994 and 1996, and second-place finishes at the Mr. Olympia in 1992, 1995, 2000, and 2002, have cemented his legacy as one of the sport's greatest.
Early Life and Tragic Loss
Born on July 16, 1966, in Baltimore, Maryland, Levrone faced adversity at a young age. The tragic loss of his father at just 10 years old instilled within him a profound sense of solitude. "Strangely, my father's death prompted me to take up bodybuilding," Levrone recalled many years later. "I felt very alone at the time and avoided socializing. Bodybuilding is a solitary sport; in the gym, you're by yourself and can escape your sorrows."
From Construction to Competition
After graduating from college, Levrone pursued a career in construction and even started his own business. However, fate had a different path in store for him. Just months after turning 24, his mother was diagnosed with cancer. "I was devastated," said Levrone. "I didn't want to see anyone or do anything. All I could do was train."
Bodybuilding Success and Tragedy
In the wake of yet another personal loss, Levrone immersed himself in weightlifting and achieved notable success in powerlifting. In an unusual twist of fate, his first bodybuilding competition came while he was a powerlifter. In 1990, at a state championship, Levrone, encouraged by friends, bought posing trunks and stepped onto the bodybuilding stage - and to his surprise, he won! The following year, he triumphed at the National Championships, earning his pro card.
From that point on, Levrone ascended the bodybuilding ladder with astonishing speed, amassing an impressive collection of titles, including the Night of Champions, a series of post-Olympic Grand Prix events, the Arnold Classic, the San Francisco Pro, and the Toronto Pro. In total, Levrone's uniform bears 21 IFBB medals - more than any other bodybuilder in history.
Music, Charity, and Tragedy Revisited
Today, Levrone owns fitness centers in Maryland and Baltimore. In memory of his parents, he established a charitable foundation to support terminally ill children. Each year, he hosts his self-titled Classic, with all proceeds donated to the foundation and the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.
In 2002, Levrone shocked fans with the announcement that he was retiring from bodybuilding to pursue a career in rock music and relocating to Los Angeles. However, fate intervened once more. In February, an unexpected message appeared on a bodybuilding website, suggesting that Levrone was preparing for the Olympia.
Despite selling his shares in the thriving World Gym in his hometown, Levrone reversed his decision in March and bought back the remaining half of the shares, becoming the sole owner of the vast club. In July, he officially announced that he was abandoning his music plans and would remain a professional bodybuilder. More remarkably, he would compete in the upcoming 2002 Olympia.
The True Cause of His Return
What had caused Levrone to change his mind? Tragically, he had suffered two severe injuries. The first occurred in 1993 during a heavy bench press attempt (500 pounds!). His right pectoral muscle tore, sidelining him. Ten years later, disaster struck again. While squatting with a weight of over 700 pounds, Levrone suffered an inguinal hernia. "To make serious gains, you have to lift heavy weights," Levrone explained. "As the years go by, the weights become increasingly demanding, and eventually, your body reaches its breaking point."
The second injury was particularly severe, causing multiple blood vessels to rupture and putting Levrone at risk of abdominal bleeding. Doctors miraculously saved his life. During his rehabilitation, Levrone confessed that he couldn't even look at weights. He behaved like a driver who had experienced a car accident and feared getting behind the wheel again.
Doctors prohibited Levrone from exercising for six months, and this period became a time of introspection. For the first time in his life, he had free time and could indulge in previously forbidden activities, such as playing pool for hours or spending entire days in music stores listening to new releases. He could also travel without worrying about his training and the inevitable feelings of guilt.
The Benefits of a Break
Levrone, who had been involved in bodybuilding since the age of 16, joked that during his six-month layoff, he finally understood what it meant to live a normal life. By the end of the summer, when Joe Weider gathered his "contractors" for a celebratory meeting, Levrone felt like an outsider. No one believed he could return to the elite ranks of professional bodybuilding.
However, Levrone not only returned but surpassed his previous form, once again placing second at the 2002 Olympia. Paradoxically, his success stemmed from his extended break from training.
Before his second injury, Levrone had seriously considered quitting competitive bodybuilding. His progress had stalled, and his knees, elbows, and shoulders were in constant pain. Moreover, with the colossal Ronnie Coleman dominating the Olympia, Levrone felt he needed to become even bigger to challenge for a top-five finish. This meant increasing the intensity of his workouts, which translated to heavier training weights. Levrone grew apprehensive. He sensed that his strength was waning.
His years of demanding, foundational training had brought him to the professional level. It seemed logical to pause, give himself a break, and focus on refining his muscular shape, symmetry, and separation, especially since Dorian Yates had retired from the Olympia stage. However, as fate would have it, Yates's departure merely paved the way for the otherworldly presence of Coleman.
Levrone resolved to improve his leg development to match the new benchmark. He embarked on a rigorous squatting program. The result was the devastating injury he suffered.
When Levrone resumed training, he was astonished by how different his body felt - there was no pain! The weights skyrocketed, and his knees and elbows moved like well-oiled pistons. He cautiously tested his shoulders with heavy presses - and still, no pain! "I had been in the professional circuit for 12 years," Levrone remarked. "Training had become a torture for me. But here I was, enjoying it again!"
He regained his previous weight and even exceeded it by an additional 13 pounds. This put Levrone in a position to pose a legitimate threat to Coleman.
Physiologically, Levrone's experience was not entirely miraculous. During his six-month layoff, all the micro-tears and inflammations that had plagued his body had healed, even those that had become chronic. Tendons, which had weakened due to repeated stretching, had regrown and strengthened. This resulted in a significant increase in muscular strength and the ability to handle heavier training weights.
Inspired by these changes, Levrone opted to take another six-month break from training after the 2002 Olympia.
In his estimation, the time was not yet ripe for a new Olympia champion. While Ronnie Coleman had lost to Günter Schlierkamp, his strength lay in his continuous improvement. With each Olympia, he returned in better shape. Furthermore, Coleman had also mastered posing, gaining valuable points in the discretionary round. Levrone viewed the 2003 Olympia as even more challenging. In addition to Coleman, he faced fresh threats from Schlierkamp and the "young gun," Dennis James.
