[3] Robinson attended Florida A&M University, where he competed in both football and track & field. Although impressive, this was an incredibly risky move, one that would soon catch up to him. Access exclusive muscle-building workouts and weight loss diets with our, Robby Robinson on the cover of muscle mag Muscle & Fitness from June 1983, "You have to go in there and make life, whatever life you want, all on your own. You know, out there in that world at that point in time, those doors were just not open. I collapsed because of the fact that when you take steroids, there can be blood-pressure issues. The tensions between Robinson and the IFBB continued to grow. The Robby Robinson diet mirrors the golden age muscle building plan. But when the judge said, The first Masters Mr. Olympia is Robby Robinson, everybody let out boos. 2023 Greatest Physiques. Robbie Robinson was interviewed and photographed for Lift Every Voice, in partnership with Lexus. After just six weeks in LA, I had a contract in my hands and was able to make a living here. Robby is a veteran investigative reporter and editor. About ten minutes into the conversation, the guy breaks down. You know, out there in that world at that point at that time, those doors were just not open. We never really get to know how we should come in for a show. When I came to Los Angeles in 1975 from Florida, I was denied a professional contract. He. He was introduced to them shortly after his arrival in California, he recalls the events: About two weeks before the Mr. World, an older guy at the gym came up to me and said, Well, Robby, what are you taking? I said, Nothing. He said, Come back this afternoon., I took one shot of Primobolan Depot or Durabolin-50 I remember the guy saying it was one of the two and I won the Mr. World and all the body parts.. He was starting to get suspicious of the IFBB and how they judged black competitors. It was a devastating crash that ended with Robinson landing on his head. Search Menu. Please describe that experience? I ran track. I WENT TO what was basically an all-Black high school in Tallahassee, Florida, so I really didnt encounter that much racism. Mr. Weider had already noticed me at the NY Pro show, and I guess he liked my looks (smiling). Hustle", "The Black Prince: Robby Robinson Speaks", Robby Robinson interview with evolutionofbodybuilding.net, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robby_Robinson_(bodybuilder)&oldid=1146709937, 1994 - Mr Olympia - Masters - IFBB, Winner, 1991 - Musclefest Grand Prix - IFBB, Winner, 1989 - World Pro Championships - IFBB, Winner, 1988 - Niagara Falls Pro Invitational - IFBB, Winner, 1979 - Pittsburgh Pro Invitational - IFBB, Winner, 1979 - Grand Prix New York - IFBB, Winner, 1979 - Best in the World - IFBB, Professional, 1st, 1978 - Professional World Cup - IFBB, Winner, 1976 - Mr Universe - IFBB, MiddleWeight, 1st, 1976 - Mr Universe - IFBB, Overall Winner, 1976 - Mr International - IFBB, Medium, 1st, 1976 - Mr International - IFBB, Overall Winner, This page was last edited on 26 March 2023, at 14:12. Its not perfect; it didnt make you any promises. I received 10th place," she said. This makeshift effort would be his first step to developing his incredible physique. Those are the exercises that build your foundation so you can always go back to that.. So I didnt really get a blunt force of it, I guess, until I left the swamps. "Please feel free to stop by and say hi. And I just never listened to the negatives. Robby Robinson learned that the hard way back in his prime - and it almost led to his death. . I recently contacted the Nordic Knockout to see what she thinks about the industry and find out what is going on in her busy life. Your email address will not be published. And he's one of the better ones. Learn how to avoid fad diets by crafting meals with real food and understanding basic nutrition. I recently contacted the "Nordic Knockout" to see what she thinks about the industry and find out what is going on in her busy life. I love sweets not so much chocolate, but the gummy stuff sour, sweet, licorice etc. Thats how I dealt with it. Robby Robinson is survived by his wife, Vera; children, Tonyua, Sonya, Diannia and Shawn; brothers, Sidney and George; sisters . I told my Mom, "Don't worry - I'll be back in a few months." At the time Robby had a wife, 3 children and had worked his way up towire room manager for Tallahassees biggest newspaper. Rumor has it,the idea behind the competition was so Lou Ferringo could keep winning competitions. You know, couldn't stop crying. I had a great physique; I had a good, tough mindset. Robby Robinson is one of THE legendary bodybuilders from the Golden Era. Today, Nancy Grace speaks with Pastor Roby Roberson, his wife Connie, and daughter Rebekah Osborn. [In the early 80s] I was suspended because of the fact Ive spoken out about Hey, you know, listen, theres really no money here; people dont really care about you. He was harassed at competitions and struggled with steroids and sickle cell anemia. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a7b05ae332c798c330c53a3fafa6354d" );document.getElementById("de63bbf7bd").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); This a great site! The family will receive guests in the Memorial Chapel of Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home on Thursday, 3:00 PM, April 22, 2010. He was born in Philadelphia, son of the late Orville and Marie (Wiehsner) Robinson. It changes from show to show. This is where him and other famous bodybuilders (like Arnold Schwarzenegger) would train each day. Walter "Robby" Robinson Walter has worked at The Globe for more than three decades and is a Boston local, through and through. And you know, I cant admire it. I thought it would be a great thing to do. They have successfully raised two beautiful kids; today, they are proud grandparents. The bodybuilders he had looked up to for years, all in one place, all working hard. Changing the sport by becoming the first black man to feature on the front of muscle magazines. However, even this wasnt enough to encouragehim to seek medical attention. At 75, Legendary Bodybuilder Robby Robinson Is Only Getting Stronger, The Best Gifts for New Moms for Mothers Day, National Association of Black Journalists, The National Caucus & Center on Black Aging. He became soconcerned with the politics in the sport that he moved out to Amsterdam in the 1980s to get away from it all. I was standing onstage and they announced, The first Masters Mr. Olympia winner 1994, Robby Robinson. I remember all the obscenities I was called. . LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Find Robby Robinson (Bodybuilder) stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. The couple first met in Paris while he was touring with his bandmates. My lady friend dragged me in the house. During this time, Robinson admits part of his success may have been aided by anabolic steroids. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. He started entering amateur contests around Florida and the East Coast, as many as often as he could. While training for those sports he noticed his body's great responsiveness to weight training, which motivated him to enter his first bodybuilding competition. Of course it was a bit scary too, being so far away from all my friends and family. Wilkins: Do you regularly log on and read what the fans think on the various bodybuilding web sites? Now, you might not believe it, but that saved my life. But back in the golden age it was all about red meat. When he wanted a hardcore biceps pump, Robby would pre-exhaust the forearms first. "Hard work pays off" and other lessons from the first-ever Masters Mr. Olympia. Despite many wins, Robinson never captured the IFBBs overall title, Mr. Olympia. Check out our top rated fat burners to find out what actually works. That very same year he made the leap, and started training for the Olympia, the biggest competition of his life. Robby and other bodybuilders during this time preferred to eat whole eggs and they didnt worry about the fat in the yolk. We ended up getting $100.00 a day but not before more racial slurs of nigger-nigger were leveled at me for speaking up for myself and the rest of the guys., What the fans and media dont know is we all then signed $10,000.00 contracts with White Mountain Film Company and Arnold. Kristian Rhim is a recent graduate of Springfield College. Although a risky move, Robbyknew hisdetermination andgenetics would see him through. I don't think it hurts to get lots of publicity. Benson rose to fame as a teen idol, appearing in "One on One," "Ice Castles," and many other movies. I mean, theyd run you out of the gym.. After this, actionswere put in place against Robinson; he was dealt a double lifetime ban from the IFBB. These episodes tended to occur during contest preps, and became one of the reasons he decided to stop competing. All he needed was to be in the right location, and the rest would fall into place and California was exactly that. Amazingly, after the accident, hepicked himself up and carried on to the gym to train. I had a great physique; I had a good, tough mindset. "I was very excited to be able to compete with the girls I had only seen in the fitness magazines. You may know him as the leader of the Boston Globe Spotlight team awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 2003 for reporting that uncovered the Roman Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal. I've only seen it once myself and I've heard there are different versions of it. After building one of the greatestbodys of all time, Robby went on to shape the sport and make it fairer for the competitors, rather than just the promoters. Robby Robinson is an icon in the sport of bodybuilding with an interesting roller coaster ride of a career. Long after most of his contemporaries had retired or reached their peak . My lady friend dragged me in the house. Robby Benson is well known as an American actor, composer, teacher, filmmaker, and singer. Lena came in 4th place barely missing a qualification to the Fitness Olympia. . Many in black bodybuilding community supportedRobinson. I have many other favorites too, but they are no longer competing. That hit me hard. I won't charge you $10.00 for taking a photo with me," Lena said laughing. Lift Every Voice records the wisdom and life experiences of the oldest generation of Black Americans by connecting them with a new generation of Black journalists. This has been an effective way to increase the muscle growth process. I never heard the word n***** until I came to California in '75. What is going on with Robby Robinson? He often jokes that his friends use to say he hasn't gone all that far in life. What Exercise Can I Do to Look Swole Fast? However, the first few years of his retirement wasntplain sailing. Me being in great shape put him in a bad light and a bad attitude. Robby Benson and Wife Karla DeVito during "Descending Angel" Los Angeles Premiere at Directors Guild in Hollywood, California, United States. I made it through all of that, and I just felt that you got to say something. I think that's the least thing I can do for my fans and it's good for my business as well. So I just didnt listen to all the negs. Building on his athletic, high school footballers frame,he createdan impressive sculpted slab of pure muscle, ripe for the stage. At nine years old, Lena was a competitive swimmer and focused on this activity until age 16. FORMER Mr America Robby Robinson has revealed the secrets to achieving your dream body. He's got a wife, kids, good job. Not only is he knownas one of the greatest bodybuilders in history, but also as an action movie star, and an American politician. Not only on your body, but hair, make up, suits and shoes, and stage presentation. All rights reserved. Lena: I first met Joe Weider in 1998. Great guy, positive always, motivating and always positive. Wilkins: I'm sure it must have been a huge culture shock coming from Norway to the bright lights of Los Angeles, California. Arnold Schwarzenegger - He's been named the Austrian Oak, The Terminator,John Matrix, Mr. The Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas My 600 . A graduate of Western Michigan University, Rev. He has remained active in various ways, including as a personal trainer, lifestyle and bodybuilding coach, athlete, artist, and actor. This would tire out the forearms and force his biceps to do more of the work during a set of curls. But when the judge said, The first Masters Mr. Olympia is Robby Robinson, everybody let out boos. Walter 'Robby' Robinson : Mmm. WHEN ROBBY ROBINSON started bodybuilding at Venice Beachs Golds Gym in 1975, he remembers being told Blacks dont get contracts to compete. They had a tremendous amount of respect for one another: I loved Mike to death; he was a great guy and one of my favorite competitors., Nutrition and training. This puts the muscle under as much tension as possible. By 1975, Robbywas 27 years old and had participated in over 300 amateur competitions. Rob Wilkins is a Special Assistant to the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) and a recipient of the IFBB Gold Medal. At the end of the meeting he said, "Of course I will sign her to a contract!" Lift Every Voice records the wisdom and life experiences of the oldest generation of Black Americans by connecting them with a new generation of Black journalists. Period. Rob Wilkins writes articles related to the IFBB for Muscle & Fitness, FLEX magazine, and other international Weider Publications. Michelle Obama's Brother, Craig Robinson, is the Heart and Soul of Netflix's 'Becoming'. My first ever photo shoot was in 1996 and I appeared on the cover of Vi Menn, a weekly publication in Norway. After 2 years of service, he returned to the states hungrier than ever to get back on the circuit. However, Robinson came out on top and was finally theMr. Olympia he had working for all those years. Robby is survived by his wife of 59 years, Joanne; his children Todd (Leisa) Robinson, Matthew (Jennifer) Robinson,. In my mind I wanted to bust him up. At the time, bodybuilderswere not well paidfrom competitions, and they needed all the help they could get. Whilst also the first ever professional bodybuilder to still be in competition shape into his 70's, Robby is and was a force to be reckoned with. "I was fortunate enough to receive an invite to compete at the Arnold Classic in '97. Despite many wins, Robinson never captured the IFBBs overall title, Mr. Olympia. Robinson established the Crossmen in 1974 as a merger between two smaller suburban Philadelphia-based corps, the Keystone Regiment (where he was a staff member) and the 507 Hornets. I CAME BACK in 1994 for the Masters Mr. Olympia. He's continued to maintain an amazing shape despite his age and health struggles, which is a combination of top-tier genetics and a champion-caliber mindset. Hes one of the greatest competitors in the sport, and even though he no longer competes, hes never stopped training. Now, you might not believe it, but that saved my life. I had three birds, two guinea pigs, one rabbit and two dogs. Robinson was born in Damascus, Georgia, and raised in Tallahassee, Florida. The main thing we learn from Robby is that you need to stand up for what you believe in, and dont be influenced by tradition. Because everybody was poor, Blacks and whites, it didnt look like I was any better than youwe ate the same food, cooked in the same pots. It didnt matter what muscle group Robby was training that day, he would find time to pose in between sets. Wilkins: Since you live currently in California and also came to America from Europe, what are your feelings on Arnold running for Governor? Bodybuilders today often stress the importance of getting blood work done for pro competitors. Even into his older years, Robby continued to stand up for black bodybuilders in the community. Lena: Always strive to be the best that YOU can be and follow your dreams and goals. I'm posing and flexing to rap music. He placed1st in the Over 50s category for both events placing 4th and 3rd overall respectively. I collapsed because of the fact that when you take steroids, [there can be blood-pressure issues]. When he turns 40 and is about to retire then he can and will settle down. "Somewhere Down the Crazy River" (1987) This 1987 hit appeared on Robertson's debut solo album, Robbie Robertson. He interned at USA TODAY and is an alum of the New York Times Student Journalism Institute. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Turn Inspiration to ActionConsider donating to the National Association of Black Journalists. Im in a very happy place with what Ive accomplished. The couple has three children together. She was able to drag me to the bathtub and put cold water on me. The modern chicken and rice diet wasnt popular until many years later. For the Black Prince, training is a lifelong endeavor and while he won't be competing . You cant break me down mentally; the only person who can break me down is myself. Sergio Oliva was there years ahead of him. To Waller, Robinson looked the part, but he didnt know if he was strong enough to play it. Wilkins: What was it like meeting Joe Weider the very first time? It has taken me many years to find out what works best for my physique.. He was the first ever Masters Mr. Olympia,the first black man featured on muscle magazines, and the first pro bodybuilder to be in competition shape into his 60s and 70s. Robby is survived by his three children Adam (24), Emily (22) and Jonna (19) and their mother Cheryl Robinson, his brother and two sisters, as well as many nieces, nephews and countless friends and loved ones. This was where he belonged. Personal Trainer, Researcher, Author, Inventor Gym Owner, Doctor, Physical Therapist, Strength & Conditioning Specialist. In the second half of . After proving his might, Robinson hadbecomeworthy, and was allowed to train with other greats of the time. If you dont care about yourself, youre not gonna make it.. You have got to become aligned with supplements that will help your body recover. When he got off the plane, there was no one there to meet him. "A month later, I received 2nd in Prague and qualified for my first Fitness Olympia where I came in 3rd! As Pastor Roby speaks out about the injustice of the arrests, he and Connie arrested themselves and charged with child abuse. Believe me, you will see the results! @Allyn Harold Lee "Robby" Robinson, age 97 of Logan, Ohio, formerly of Charleston, West Virginia, passed away on Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at his daughter's home in Logan. Browse 24 robby benson wife photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. Raised in Tallahassee, Florida, Robby enjoyed playing sports and being active from a young age. Robby is absolutely right, Arnold's commentary was right, Cedrics words were right. I haven't really considered it a lot, but hey - you never know (smile). When asked about Joe Weider in a2012 interview, Robby was a lot more understanding to Joes decisions: He [Joe] has done a tremendous job. A few words on how you started bodybuilding and when you started taking it seriously. Finally, during his competitive career, Robby gravitated towardsMike Mentzer. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, December 22, 2021 at 4:00pm at Life Fellowship of Frederick. Although courageous, this stance eventually landed him a double-lifetime ban from the IFBB, and subsequent retirement. So I didnt really get the blunt force of it, I guess, until I left the swamps. I became certified last year and I totally fell in love with it. I just didnt pay any attention to it. Robby abandoned everything to pursue his ambition at Gold's Gym despite having a wife, three children, and a position as wire room manager for Tallahassee's largest newspaper at the time.