Two bodybuilding legends have passed away: Nasser El Sonbati and the “father of bodybuilding” Joe Weider.
Famous bodybuilder Nasser El Sonbati(born October 16, 1965 - died March 20, 2013) - professional bodybuilder, polyglot. He is also the most muscular professor and father of two children. 47 years...
The exact causes of death are still unknown; they seem to have written that it was due to renal failure.
Nasser El Sonbati born October 15, 1965 in Stuttgart (Germany). Half Egyptian, half Croatian - perhaps that is why Nasser grew up as a very capable child. They say that mixing of blood is almost always successful. The boy studied very well, realizing that education is the only “ticket to a big life.” Excellent completion of the gymnasium allowed him to continue his studies at the University of Augsburg, where he studied sociology, political economy and history.
Sonbati was called one of the most colorful figures in bodybuilding - and for good reason! Nasser is the owner of not only an excellent muscular form, but also scientific degrees in history, political science and sociology. In addition, the athlete spoke seven languages fluently.
Sonbati began playing sports as a child. Football, rowing, swimming, wrestling - the future bodybuilder grew up as a truly active child. But he didn’t like bodybuilding at all in his teenage years. But already becoming a student, he got involved in training, a couple of times, out of pure interest, dropping into the nearest gym. I became interested in bodybuilding in 1983. As it turns out later, he will fall in love with this sport. But despite this love, Nasser El Sonbati was one of the small number of professional athletes who care about their health. According to him, he would never train at such an intensity that could seriously harm the body. And he is right - after all, if there is no health, then no matter what the title is (even Mr. Olympia), he will not be able to bring true pleasure from his presence. According to Nasser, the most valuable thing in life is health (your own and that of your loved ones). According to the bodybuilder, without such capital as health, you cannot accumulate anything else. That is why he never risked his health for the sake of a sports career.
But I couldn’t protect myself... :(
Nasser turned out to be naturally gifted - his muscles began to grow by leaps and bounds! A little later, the desire came to him to take part in competitions held in Germany - he was already “ripe” for this. But, unfortunately, then Nasser El Sonbati was defeated. Many might have thought that this would break the guy and he would leave classes for a long time, but this did not happen. Sonbati continued his movement and decided to prove that he was the best. In 1989, the athlete went to the Mr. Yugoslavia tournament. This is where real triumph awaited him - he became an IFBB professional.
Since 1990, he has won victories or prizes in international competitions. In 1994, Nasser took part in the “Night of Champions” competition and took 2nd place, unable to beat Mike Francos, with whom, by the way, he would have friendly relations in the future. After such an event, the athlete’s name began to appear in newspapers and magazines, and they started talking about him on television. This was, of course, pleasant, but Sonbati was given much greater pleasure by his small discovery - now he can become a full participant in the prestigious Mr. Olympia tournament. He did not miss his chance and in the same 1994 he entered the fight for the main title, but took only 7th place. In 1999 he won the Arnold Classic. For several years he was listed in the IFBB elite “clip”, which in itself is a great achievement, and not titles or medals at all, as one might think. The fact is that these days professional sports require superhuman dedication.
Sonbati tried more than once to become first at Mr. Olympia, but he did not succeed. And in 1996, after a series of triumphant performances (in the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Russia), a very unpleasant event occurred - a diuretic was discovered in Nasser’s blood, for which he was disqualified.
Despite the fact that Nasser El Sonbati was never able to become Mr. Olympia, he still remained in the history of sports as an athlete with a capital A.
“Europe Supershow 2005” is the last competition in which the athlete took part. Then he took 14th place.
The current professional bodybuilding has lost a lot in the person of Sonbati. Personality with a capital P - and that says it all. It’s not for nothing that not a single self-respecting Kachkov magazine can do without his photographs or articles about him, and Nasser has already appeared on the cover of Flex five times! The fact that Sonbati is one of the most prominent figures in the world of pros is recognized even by the “Austrian Oak” Arnold Schwarzenegger, who fired many critical arrows at modern pros.
And the point here is not even Sonbati’s education and intelligence, his ability to communicate with people. Among other things, Sonbati was interesting because his judgments were sharp and frank and often diverged from generally accepted ones. For example, he refused to be the subject of a popular traditional column in Flex magazine, which provides biographical information about professional champions, as well as their answers to the questions: “What is your favorite color, what is your favorite car,” etc. “I don’t give a damn what the color of my car,” said Sonbati, “black, red or white. And I don’t have a favorite movie. And I don’t have a favorite anything at all. I don’t want to repeat after someone, like a parrot, that my favorite vacation spot is Hawaii. "I've been to Hawaii ten times, it's just boring. And in general, people are interested in their own passions, and not mine or anyone else's."
But that’s not all: being one of the greatest athletes of our time, Sonbati openly admitted his hatred of iron: “When you are at the beginning of the path and work with light weights, all this is a joy, but when you are forced to hang weights in pursuit of mass more and more weights on the bar, when you have three centners on your shoulders, you only think about how to quickly complete the workout and rush away from this damned gym! It sounds a little unusual, but it’s frank. And this is what Sonbati is all about.
In addition to the fact that Nasser was the owner of prominent muscles, in a world far from professional sports, he had scientific degrees in history, political science and sociology. But that's not all... Nasser El Sonbati was a real polyglot, capable of speaking 7 languages, and he did it with such ease that it seemed as if nature had endowed him with these qualities from birth.
In recent years, the athlete lived in San Diego, California.
Rest in peace!
Victory
1995 Houston Pro Invitational
1995 Night of Champions
1996 Grand Prix Czech Republic
1996 Grand Prix Russia
1996 Grand Prix Switzerland
1999 Arnold Classic
Second and third places
1993 III. Grand Prix France
1993 III. Grand Prix Germany
1994 II. Night of Champions
1995 III. Grand Prix France
1995 III. Grand Prix Germany
1995 III. Grand Prix Russia
1995 III. Grand Prix Spain
1995 III. Grand Prix Ukraine
1995 III. Mr. Olympia
1996 II. Grand Prix UK
1996 II. Grand Prix Germany
1996 III. Grand Prix Spain
1997 II. Arnold Classic
1997 III. Grand Prix Czech Republic
1997 III. Grand Prix UK
1997 II. Grand Prix Germany
1997 II. Grand Prix Hungary
1997 III. Grand Prix Russia
1997 II. Grand Prix Spain
1997 II. Mr. Olympia
1997 II. San Jose Pro Invitational
1998 II. Arnold Classic
1998 III. Grand Prix UK
1998 III. Grand Prix Germany
1998 III. Mr. Olympia
Joseph Edwin "Joe" Wider (Joe Weider; genus. November 29, 1919 - died. March 23, 2013, Montreal, Quebec, Canada) is an outstanding Canadian-American trainer, founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) and the Mr. Olympia competition.
There is hardly a single bodybuilding fan who does not know the name Joe Weider. The great teacher of many champions such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbo, Frank Zane, Lee Haney, Rick Wayne, the founder of a huge bodybuilding empire with a starting capital of only 7 dollars - all this is Joe Weider...
The story began in the 30s of the last century, when two brothers born in the Jewish quarter of Montreal (Joe and Ben Wider) began to get involved in yard fights. The puny boys almost never achieved victory, and Joe quickly realized that the only way to avoid defeat was to become stronger. But what to do if you are not naturally endowed with heroic strength, and it is almost impossible to get dumbbells?
Joe began to come up with his own way of training - he brought an axle from a steam locomotive from a nearby landfill, attached to it wheels from a trolley found there, and began to train with such an improvised barbell. The results were not long in coming - Joe soon became the winner of local weight lifting competitions. People started asking Joe how he achieved such success. Questions poured in from all sides - from acquaintances and strangers, by mail and when meeting on the street.
The young man decided to answer everyone at once. At the age of seventeen, Joe published an article in Your Physique magazine where he talked about his training methods and the proper way to build muscle mass. The magazine was subsequently renamed Muscle Builder and then Muscle & Fitness.
In the post-war years, Joe, along with his brother Ben Weider ( Ben Weider) was actively involved in the promotion of bodybuilding. The cinematograph provided them with considerable help. After bodybuilders began appearing in films, a strong, muscular body became firmly in fashion.
The Wider brothers founded the International Federation of Bodybuilders in 1946 in Montreal. In 1965, Joe Weider organized the Mr. Olympia competition. By that time, the competitions “Mr. America”, “Mr. World” and “Mr. Universe” already existed. But the rules prohibited athletes who had won these titles once from participating in these competitions again. It was for such winners, who had not yet fully realized their potential, that Wider organized Olympia.
The competition was created to help the winners of the Mr. Universe contest ( “Mr. Universe") continue training and earn money. Joe subsequently trained such famous bodybuilders as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Colombo, Frank Zane, Louis Ferrigno, Larry Scott and Lee Haney.
After bodybuilding gained popularity among women, Joe organized the Miss Olympia competition. The first competitions were held in 1980.
Joe also founded Weider Publications, which publishes fitness magazines such as Mr America, Muscle Power, Shape, Men's Fitness, Living Fit, Prime Health and Fitness, Fit Pregnancy", "Cooks", "Senior Golfer" and "Flex". In the late 1990s, Weider Publications was sold to American Media.
In addition, Joe Weider wrote a series of books about his methods called “The Weider System of Bodybuilding”.
The Wider brothers turned bodybuilding from an unpopular hobby into a real cult, building an entire empire that included magazines, sports nutrition factories, clothing factories and much more. Joe's interests include more than just bodybuilding. For example, he was fond of collecting antiques.
Weider became the "father" of bodybuilding. And thereby changed the fate of millions of boys, and often adults, who gained strength not only in body, but also in spirit, as well as health, self-confidence and a willingness to overcome difficulties.
Born into the family of a poor Egyptian engineer.
However, Sonbati can only be considered half Egyptian, since, thanks to his mother, Croatian blood also flows in his veins. Half Egyptian, half Croatian - perhaps that is why Nasser grew up as a very capable child. They say that mixing of blood is almost always successful. Quite soon, the international family moved to Germany, to the city of Stuttgart, where the future bodybuilding monster spent his youth. Nasser did very well in high school because he knew that a good education was his only chance to achieve something in life. The “golden” diploma of the gymnasium gave him the opportunity to continue his studies, and he spent seven years at the University of Augsburg, studying all the sciences mentioned above. Sonbati is called one of the most colorful figures in bodybuilding - and for good reason! Nasser is the owner of not only excellent muscular form, but also scientific degrees in history, political science and sociology. In addition, the athlete speaks seven languages fluently. The most valuable thing in Nasser’s life is health (his own and that of his loved ones). According to the bodybuilder, without such capital as health, you cannot accumulate anything else. That is why he never risked his health for the sake of a sports career.
Sonbati has been involved in sports since childhood: football, rowing, swimming, wrestling. Bodybuilding did not appeal to him. Nasser recalls that at the age of 17 he first saw photographs of bodybuilders, and he really didn’t like them. But then, already as a student, he nevertheless looked into a nearby gym and got involved in training. Sonbati turned out to be a gifted athlete: his muscles grew by leaps and bounds! Inspired by success, he tries to compete at local competitions in Germany and fails. Then Nasser chooses a different path and goes to compete in Yugoslavia. And he manages to make it to the prize-winners!
The thorny path to glory
Nasser is no longer the same as before; he cannot imagine his life without bodybuilding and is seeking to obtain a pro card, giving him the right to compete in professional tournaments. In 1990, Sonbati made his debut at the Finnish Grand Prix and took eighth place. Frankly speaking, not a very successful start, but failures only strengthen him. In 1991, he decided to perform at the prestigious “Night of Champions” in New York. Another misfire: the 110-kilogram Sonbati did not make it into the top 15. The judges simply did not notice him, never calling him out for comparison with other athletes. Nasser rightly suggested that, apparently, he was too thin and brought 133 kg to the next “Night of Champions”! Sonbati recalls this performance with a smile: “I was “a little” smooth, and the judges again left me outside the top 15. The next “Night of Champions” turned out much more successfully for me, since I stayed at home. But Nasser’s performance at the “Night of Champions” ’94 created a sensation, as he managed to take second place, losing only to the rising star Mike Francois, with whom he became close friends. The 112-kilogram Sonbati amazed the judges and spectators with his super-reliable, hard muscles and very, very decent dimensions. They started talking about Nasser, his name appeared on the pages of “Kachkovsky” magazines, and most importantly, he received the right to take part in the Mr. Olympia competition. Seventh place at Olympia inspired Nasser and strengthened his growing ambitions. In preparation for these competitions, Nasser “slightly” lost muscle volume (a super-hard carbohydrate-free “pit”, when during the last week before the competition, while at the house of his friend Mike Francois Sonbaty, he consumed only 50 grams of carbohydrates per day, costing him a loss of 13 kg of “mass” ), and therefore immediately after Olympia he plunged headlong into training, wanting to show the whole world the new Sonbati next spring.
With Kevin Levrone and Dorian Yates on"Olympia" -95
The following May, just 8 months after the Olympia, Nasser put up 121.5 kg of pure muscle at the Houston Pro Invitational. Spectators and judges were shocked: no one could understand how he managed to do it. Of course, Sonbati won this tournament, simply overwhelming Vince Taylor, who was considered the favorite, with his volume. Vince and I are friends, and I respect him very much, but this was the very case when I wanted Vince to start respecting me, remembering the ups and downs of the fight at the Houston Sonbati tournament. Nasser explained the metamorphosis that happened to him by two circumstances: firstly, by the fact that he, together with his life partner named Bizera, moved to permanent residence in the USA (his choice fell on the Californian town of San Diego, which is very close to the legendary Santa Barbara ), where he had new opportunities in terms of training (in the States, unlike Germany, gyms are much better equipped, and they work almost around the clock, in addition, America is famous for its gigantic assortment of sports and dietary nutrition), and secondly, because he began to prepare for competitions differently. “I’ve been very big in the off-season before,” he admits. My usual mass weight ranges around 145-150 kg. However, before I could lose about forty kilograms in preparation for the tournament. In 1995, everything changed, and I lost no more than 20 kg, taking into account dehydration.
Three weeks after the competition in Houston, Sonbati easily wins the Night of Champions and becomes one of the main contenders for the Mr. Olympia title. Olympia-95 left Sonbati with conflicting feelings: on the one hand, he became third, losing only to the British monster Dorian Yates and the American Kevin Levrone, and it was he who received the most applause, but on the other hand, he felt that he could have been first. However, speaking on the pages of popular Kachkov publications, primarily Flex, he did not allow himself a single malicious remark towards his rivals or judges, thereby earning a reputation as a gentleman, noting only that even Yates can be beaten. Nasser is told that he has a weak back, compared to Yates, which is sorely lacking in detail, and for the next year he fanatically bombs his back. As a result, Nasser appeared at Olympia 96 in fantastic shape, with an improved back and weighing about 127 kg! Yates, with his 116 kg, is already quite lost against his background. However, Sonbati is again placed third after Yates and Ray. This news shocked the public so much that the audience, standing, expressed their indignation with a loud roar until Nasser calmed everyone down. No, he didn’t want conflicts and scandalous popularity, continuing to be a good guy in bodybuilding and facing the blows of fate with a smile. Sonbati received one of the most sensitive blows in October 1996, after his triumphant performance in the series of Grand Prix tournaments following the Olympia, where he won three victories: in the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Russia. Nasser was told that his Olympia performance had been annulled because his blood test tested positive for diuretics. Disqualification automatically deprived Sonbati of 30 thousand dollars, however, even here he resisted the vicissitudes of fate: I learned that the test would be carried out too late, and nothing could be corrected.
The end of gentlemanliness
However, when in the spring of next year at the Arnold Classic tournament, the second most important competition in professional bodybuilding, the victory and a check for 100 thousand dollars were given to the elegant, but very nondescript American Flex Wheeler compared to the 130-kilogram Sonbati, Nasser’s patience ran out. He made a sharp statement on the pages of the Flex website in which he branded everyone and everything: both the judges and his friends and rivals on stage: If you don’t talk about the fact that you have weaknesses, then the rest will also keep quiet about it. Take any of Olympia's top six. Wheeler? Take away his arms and deltoids and there will be nothing left. Ray? He's incredibly narrow and his upper legs are too long. Levron also has problems with width and has no calves. Yates? Everyone seemed to have forgotten that his arms look simply ridiculous against the backdrop of his hypertrophied back and delts. However, no one talks about this. So: now I will also say that I have no weaknesses! Oddly enough, the effect of the performance was amazing: despite the fact that at Olympia-97 Sonbati looked worse than before, he managed to take second place. It turns out that being a bad guy is more profitable?
The following spring, Sonbati again made an attempt to win the Classic and again Flex Wheeler, who was in fact in excellent shape, became an insurmountable obstacle on his way. This time, Sonbati does not complain about the bias of the judges and focuses all his attention on preparing for the Olympia. The sudden retirement of British lion Dorian Yates makes him one of the favorites in the race for the most honorable title in professional bodybuilding. Flex magazine experts estimate Sonbati's chances as 1 in 3, only Wheeler is rated higher. However, fate had its own way: Ronnie Coleman won a sensational victory, and Nasser fell back to third place, letting Wheeler take second.
Is the star setting or is everything just beginning?
In the spring of 1999, Wheeler's conscience apparently bothered him, and he decided not to go to the Classic and Sonbati finally managed to win the coveted title. However, it was a Pyrrhic victory: speaking at Olympia in the fall, Nasser fell back to sixth place. At two subsequent competitions: the World Pro Cup in Rome and the English Grand Prix in Manchester, he also finished sixth, managing to lose even to the not-so-strong pro Milos Sarcev. Already at Olympia-98 it was noticeable that he began to change not for the better, and at the Classic this trend intensified. Ron Coleman, Flex Wheeler, Paul Dillett and Shawn Ray, who were present in Columbus as spectators, unanimously declared that the best on the podium was the incredibly improved Cormier, and not Sonbati. However, Nasser is not giving up, and rest assured that he will make his presence known again. I'm not going to hang up my swimming trunks, he says. I enjoy living the lifestyle of a professional bodybuilder, traveling, meeting people, learning a lot of new things. Plus, I still believe I can win the Olympia.
Not like everyone else
To tell the truth, today’s professional bodybuilding would lose a lot in the person of Sonbati. Nasser is a personality with a capital P, and that says it all. It’s not for nothing that not a single self-respecting Kachkov magazine can do without his photographs or articles about him, and Nasser has already appeared on the cover of Flex five times! The fact that Sonbati is one of the most prominent figures in the world of pros is recognized even by Austrian Oak Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has fired many critical arrows at modern pros. And the point here is not even Sonbati’s education and intelligence, his ability to communicate with people. Among other things, Sonbati is interesting because his judgments are sharp and frank and often diverge from generally accepted ones. For example, he refused to be the subject of a popular traditional column in Flex magazine, which provides biographical information about professional champions, as well as their answers to the questions: What is your favorite color, what is your favorite car, etc. I don't care what color my car is , says Sonbati, black, red or white. And I don't have a favorite movie. And in general there is nothing favorite. I don’t want to repeat after someone, like a parrot, that my favorite vacation spot is Hawaii. I've been to Hawaii ten times, it's just boring. And in general, people are interested in their own passions, and not mine or anyone else’s. But that’s not all: being one of the greatest athletes of our time, Sonbati openly admits his hatred of iron: When you are at the beginning of the journey and work with light weights, all this is a joy, but when you are forced to hang on weight in pursuit of mass barbell more and more weights, when you have three centners on your shoulders, you only think about how to quickly complete the workout and rush away from this damned gym! It sounds a little unusual, but it’s frank. And this is what Sonbati is all about.
Workout
Sonbati is a strong strongman who prefers to train with heavy weights. If I don't lift heavy weights, I lose stiffness pretty quickly, much faster than other, less massive athletes, he admits. Nasser usually trains 4-5 days a week, working 1-2 muscle groups in one session, usually one large and one small. However, it is impossible to present Sonbati’s clear training scheme here, since he, listening to his body, constantly rearranges his training schedule. For example, in one session he can work the chest and biceps, and the next time he will train the deltoids along with the chest muscles. Sonbati also changes complexes for individual muscle groups all the time. For example, he can start training the same chest with barbell presses on an incline bench, or maybe with dips. However, the exercises themselves almost always remain the same: When you rush between different movements, it is quite difficult to track progress in strength indicators. In my opinion, you need to work on the same complex for at least three weeks. As for training principles, Nasser is very fond of the pyramid, performing 5-6 approaches in almost every exercise, starting with light weights, which he lifts 12-15 times, and reaching heavy weights, with which he does two or three sets of six repetitions. From time to time, Sonbati does forced repetitions, and before competitions he includes supersets and trisets. Are you wondering what kind of weights this giant, respectfully dubbed Masser by fellow pros, dabbles with? Please: In his letter to me, dated November 1996, Sonbati wrote that he squats 310 kg for one rep and bench presses 235 kg for eight reps. As for other movements, in lying dumbbell lifts he works with fifty kopecks, in seated dumbbell presses he uses seventies, and in the deadlift he overcomes 350-360 kg several times.
About strengths and weaknesses
Sonbati's back is actually his Achilles heel. It is quite broad, but lacks detail, Nasser admits. Obviously, this is due to the fact that for most of my career I did only basic movements for the back with a barbell and dumbbells, consigning the work on blocks to oblivion. Now I'm trying to somehow catch up. If we talk about strong points, then there are many of them. First of all, these are the hips. Many experts agree that Sonbati’s quadriceps are perhaps the best in modern bodybuilding. Approximately the same can be said about the Nasser deltas, which are developed surprisingly evenly; no one bundle is ahead of the other in development and, of course, about the abdominal press. Perhaps no one has cubes this thick! Of course, if an ordinary person were to measure the waist of this monster, he would probably faint; it would be no less than a meter, but against the backdrop of monstrously wide shoulders, it looks more than impressive, and it’s not for nothing that Nasser regularly beats such aesthetes as Ray and Levron. Sonbati's hands cannot be called outstanding, but their size is impressive. I remember how at the Russian Grand Prix-95 the fans, shocked by the size of Nasser, with difficulty returning their slack jaws to their original position, squeezed out: Ask how much his arm is? I asked. Somewhere around 58-60 cm, Sonbati rumbled. The boys felt even worse. They could understand; they had never seen anything like it before.
Performance history
| Competition | Place |
| Europe Supershow 2005 | 14 |
| Power Show Pro 2004 | 14 |
| Night of Champions 2004 | 15 |
| Mr. Olympia 2002 | 15 |
| Arnold classic 2002 | 10 |
| Mr Olympia 2001 | 9 |
| Mr Olympia 2000 | 5 |
| Grand Prix England 1999 | 6 |
| World Championship Pro 1999 | 6 |
| Mr. Olympia 1999 | 6 |
| Arnold classic 1999 | 1 |
| Grand Prix Finland 1998 | 3 |
| Grand Prix Germany 1998 | 3 |
| Mr. Olympia 1998 | 3 |
| Arnold classic 1998 | 2 |
| Grand Prix Russia 1997 | 3 |
| Grand Prix Finland 1997 | 4 |
| Grand Prix Czech Republic 1997 | 3 |
| Grand Prix England 1997 | 3 |
| Grand Prix Germany 1997 | 2 |
| Grand Prix Spain 1997 | 2 |
| Grand Prix Hungary 1997 | 2 |
| Mr. Olympia 1997 | 2 |
| San Francisco Pro 1997 | 2 |
| Arnold classic 1997 | 2 |
| Grand Prix Russia 1996 | 1 |
| Swiss Grand Prix 1996 | 1 |
| Grand Prix Czech Republic 1996 | 1 |
| Grand Prix England 1996 | 2 |
| Grand Prix Germany 1996 | 2 |
| Grand Prix Spain 1996 | 3 |
| Mr. Olympia 1996 | disqual. |
| Grand Prix Ukraine 1995 | 2 |
| Grand Prix France 1995 | 3 |
| Grand Prix Russia 1995 | 3 |
| Grand Prix England 1995 | 4 |
| Grand Prix Germany 1995 | 3 |
| Grand Prix Spain 1995 | 3 |
| Mr Olympia 1995 | 3 |
| Houston Pro 1995 | 1 |
| Night of Champions 1995 | 1 |
| Grand Prix France 1994 | 4 |
| Grand Prix Germany 1994 | 4 |
| Mr Olympia 1994 | 7 |
| Night of Champions 1994 | 2 |
| Grand Prix Germany 1993 | 3 |
| Grand Prix France 1993 | 3 |
| Night of Champions 1992 | 16 |
| Chicago Pro 1992 | 19 |
| Night of Champions 1991 | |
| Grand Prix Holland 1990 | 8 |
| Grand Prix Finland 1990 | 8 |
| Grand Prix France 1990 | 7 |
Nasser El Sonbati in professional rankings
| Place | Rating | Rating date |
| 119 | 2006 IFBB Male Bodybuilding Professional Rankings | 25.12.2006 |
| 3 | 1998 IFBB Male Pro Bodybuilding Rankings | 10.06.1998 |
In November 2013, at the age of 47 from kidney failure one of the strongest and smartest bodybuilders of the 90s, Nasser El Sonbati, has died. He was distinguished by his size, colorful appearance and superintelligence. His figure was attractive due to its proportionally developed muscles and aesthetics. In his short life, the bodybuilder managed to defend dissertations in 3 disciplines, learn 7 languages, and become a weightlifting star. It is not known exactly what caused the kidney problems, but according to doctors, it is malaria. He suffered a fever in Egypt in the winter of 2012 while working as a trainer. The complication led to tragedy.
Biography
Sonbati (Nasser El Sonbaty) was born in an international family in the fall of 1965. A Croatian woman and an Egyptian father gave birth to a gifted baby who surprised those around him with his early development and passion for learning languages. A few years later the parents moved to Stuttgart, where the future champion spent his childhood and youth. Nasser brilliantly graduated from high school in Germany and entered the University of Augsburg. After receiving your diploma entered graduate school and defended himself in history, sociology and political science.
Besides his studies, he fascinated by sports. Even during his school years, he tried himself in swimming, football, rowing, and kayaking. He was calm about the figures of muscular guys from magazines and believed that fitness was enough to keep in shape. The decision to tone my muscles turned my whole life upside down. Noticing rapid changes in his figure, the guy decided to continue training to see the results. Soon competed at a local competition, but failed. The guy was so fascinated by strength sports that he decided to go to Yugoslavia for a junior tournament and prove to himself that he is better than others.
Bad start
The victory influenced future plans. The athlete became obsessed with getting a PRO card. Hard training had an effect. In 1990, El Sonbati achieved the 8th best result in Finland. Participation in the New York show in the weight category up to 110 kg did not bring success. The judges did not notice the skinny bodybuilder. The guy drew conclusions and gained weight. At that time, he considered himself “smooth and big.” Despite excellent anthropometry, it was not possible to break into the top strongest again.
Anthropometric data
- Height – 180 cm;
- ankle circumference – 54;
- biceps – 58;
- competition weight – 123 kg.
The stars have aligned
The turning point occurred in 1993 at the Grand Prix in France. Bodybuilder took first places in all categories. An equally significant event turned out to be 2nd position on "Nights of Champions". He lost the championship to Mike Francois, with whom he would have a strong friendship in the future. These victories provided the opportunity to participate in "Mr. Olympia" and become 7th. If the athlete had not lost 13 kg after the hard workout, he would have ended up in the top three. In the spring Nasser is clean won on Houston Pro, confidently beating titled rivals. After 2 weeks, I consolidated my success on "Nights of Champions" and became the main favorite for 1st place at Olympia.
Annoying failures
Many believed that if he worked on his back, he would have no equal. Targeted training gave amazing results. However, at Olympia, the athlete repeated his previous success, missing out on Shawn Ray and. This decision of the judges caused indignation. The press talked about rigging the results and the unfairness of the decision. According to the audience, Nasser was superior to his opponents in all respects. However, due to the detection of diuretics in the blood, the commission canceled and this result.
This story and the undeserved loss to Flex Wheeler at Arnold Classic angered the strongman. He sent Flex a message where he wrote what he thought about the objectivity of the judges and his victory. Anger motivated me to train and achieve new achievements. In 1997, Nasser took 2nd place at the Olympia. After this, my career began to decline. In 2005, after 14th place in "Europe show" he announced his resignation.
| Year | Competitions | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Grand Prix France | 7 |
| 1990 | Grand Prix Finland | 8 |
| 1990 | Grand Prix Holland | 8 |
| 1991 | Night of Champions | — |
| 1992 | Chicago Pro | 19 |
| 1992 | Night of Champions | 16 |
| 1993 | Grand Prix France | 3 |
| 1993 | Grand Prix Germany | 3 |
| 1994 | Night of Champions | 2 |
| 1994 | Grand Prix Germany | 4 |
| 1994 | Mr. Olympia | 7 |
| 1994 | Grand Prix France | 4 |
| 1995 | Night of Champions | 1 |
| 1995 | Houston Pro | 1 |
| 1995 | Mr. Olympia | 3 |
| 1995 | Grand Prix Spain | 3 |
| 1995 | Grand Prix Germany | 3 |
| 1995 | Grand Prix England | 4 |
| 1995 | Grand Prix Russia | 3 |
| 1995 | Grand Prix France | 3 |
| 1995 | Grand Prix Ukraine | 2 |
| 1996 | Mr. Olympia | 3 disqualified |
| 1996 | Grand Prix Spain | 3 |
| 1996 | Grand Prix Germany | 2 |
| 1996 | Grand Prix England | 2 |
| 1996 | Grand Prix Czech Republic | 1 |
| 1996 | Grand Prix Switzerland | 1 |
| 1996 | Grand Prix Russia | 1 |
| 1997 | San Jose Pro | 2 |
| 1997 | Arnold Classic | 2 |
| 1997 | San Francisco Pro | 2 |
| 1997 | Mr. Olympia | 2 |
| 1997 | Grand Prix Hungary | 2 |
| 1997 | Grand Prix Spain | 2 |
| 1997 | Grand Prix Germany | 2 |
| 1997 | Grand Prix England | 3 |
| 1997 | Grand Prix Czech Republic | 3 |
| 1997 | Grand Prix Finland | 4 |
| 1997 | Grand Prix Russia | 3 |
| 1998 | Arnold Classic | 2 |
| 1998 | Mr. Olympia | 3 |
| 1998 | Grand Prix Germany | 3 |
| 1998 | Grand Prix Finland | 3 |
| 1999 | Arnold Classic | 1 |
| 1999 | Mr. Olympia | 6 |
| 1999 | World Championship Pro | 6 |
| 1999 | Grand Prix England | 6 |
| 2000 | Mr. Olympia | 5 |
| 2001 | Mr. Olympia | 9 |
| 2002 | Arnold Classic | 10 |
| 2002 | Mr. Olympia | 15 |
| 2004 | Night of Champions | 15 |
| 2004 | Power Show Pro | 14 |
| 2005 | Europe Supershow | 14 |
Personal opinion
The “retired” athlete began to travel a lot, read, and take care of his health.
“I have always believed that nothing is more important than health - without it you cannot accumulate capital.”
In 2007, the bodybuilder gave a series of interviews that would form a two-volume book. In them, he sincerely spoke not only about himself, but also:
- training strategies;
- pharmacology;
- attitude towards health;
- personal life;
- about other athletes.
His revelations debunked many myths. When asked about the strongman, Nasser El Sonbati gave several outrageous examples and did not say a single pleasant word. But he spoke warmly about his brothers
Nasser is a typical strongman. He trained up to 5 times a week, working 2 zones at a time: one large, the other small. It is impossible to present his system in order.
He believed that “the more chaos there is in training, the faster volumes increase.”
The athlete worked intuitively based on personal feelings, constantly adjusting the program. Complexes with isolating exercises were redesigned more often. Today he could start chest work with , and tomorrow with .
“If you do different exercises during training, the muscles are confused. All you have to do is monitor the increase in strength indicators.”
The facts prove that Sonbati was and will remain the pride of strength sports. Photos of the bodybuilder were published in all “Kachkovsky” magazines. His photograph appeared 5 times on the cover of the popular Flex alone. The same one, who rarely says nice things about modern bodybuilding, speaks with respect of the muscle-bound professor and sets him up as an example for young people.
Nasser El Sonbati in video format
, Germany
Nasser El Sonbati (October 15 - March 20, San Diego) - professional bodybuilder, polyglot.
Biography
From early childhood he tried himself in various sports (football, swimming, rowing), and he avoided the gym where muscular athletes “swinged”.
He received professional status after the Finnish Grand Prix in 1990, where he took 8th place. In 1990, he took part in the “Night of Champions” competition, but was not among the winners; the competition was won by Dorian Yates and was proclaimed the future king of Olympia. Since 1990, he has won victories or prizes in international competitions. He competed nine times in the Mr. Olympia competition since 1994. In 1996 he took 3rd place, in 1997 he took 2nd place, and in 1999 he won the Arnold Classic. Last performance - at “Europe Supershow 2005” (14th place).
Rich Gaspari once said in my presence words that greatly surprised me: “I would be willing to die to win the Olympia at least once!” Believe me, this never occurred to me. I don't live to rock. I rock to live a cool life.
According to numerous foreign sources, on March 20, 2013, Nasser El Sonbati died of kidney failure. Recently lived in San Diego (California).
Performances
Victory
- 1995 Houston Pro Invitational
- 1995 Night of Champions
- 1996 Grand Prix Czech Republic
- 1996 Grand Prix Russia
- 1996 Grand Prix Switzerland
- 1999 Arnold Classic
Second and third places
- 1993 III. Grand Prix France
- 1993 III. Grand Prix Germany
- 1994 II. Night of Champions
- 1995 III. Grand Prix France
- 1995 III. Grand Prix Germany
- 1995 III. Grand Prix Russia
- 1995 III. Grand Prix Spain
- 1995 III. Grand Prix Ukraine
- 1995 III. Mr. Olympia
- 1996 II. Grand Prix UK
- 1996 II. Grand Prix Germany
- 1996 III. Grand Prix Spain
- 1997 II. Arnold Classic
- 1997 III. Grand Prix Czech Republic
- 1997 III. Grand Prix UK
- 1997 II. Grand Prix Germany
- 1997 II. Grand Prix Hungary
- 1997 III. Grand Prix Russia
- 1997 II. Grand Prix Spain
- 1997 II. Mr. Olympia
- 1997 II. San Jose Pro Invitational
- 1998 II. Arnold Classic
- 1998 III. Grand Prix UK
- 1998 III. Grand Prix Germany
- 1998 III. Mr. Olympia
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Notes
Links
- on YouTube
- on YouTube
Excerpt characterizing El Sonbati, Nasser
He fearfully awaited the return of Prince Andrei and every day he came to see the old prince about him.Prince Nikolai Andreich knew through M lle Bourienne all the rumors circulating around the city, and read that note to Princess Marya, which Natasha refused to her fiancé. He seemed more cheerful than usual and was looking forward to his son with great impatience.
A few days after Anatole's departure, Pierre received a note from Prince Andrei, notifying him of his arrival and asking Pierre to come see him.
Prince Andrei, having arrived in Moscow, at the very first minute of his arrival received from his father a note from Natasha to Princess Marya, in which she refused the groom (she stole this note from Princess Marya and gave it to Prince m lle Bourienne) and heard from his father, with additions, stories about the abduction Natasha.
Prince Andrei arrived the evening before. Pierre came to him the next morning. Pierre expected to find Prince Andrei in almost the same position in which Natasha was, and therefore he was surprised when, entering the living room, he heard from the office the loud voice of Prince Andrei, animatedly saying something about some kind of St. Petersburg intrigue. The old prince and another voice occasionally interrupted him. Princess Marya came out to meet Pierre. She sighed, pointing her eyes at the door where Prince Andrei was, apparently wanting to express her sympathy for his grief; but Pierre saw from Princess Marya’s face that she was glad both about what happened and about how her brother accepted the news of his bride’s betrayal.
“He said he expected it,” she said. “I know that his pride will not allow him to express his feelings, but still better, much better, he endured it than I expected.” Apparently it had to be this way...
– But is it really all over? - said Pierre.
Princess Marya looked at him in surprise. She didn’t even understand how she could ask about this. Pierre entered the office. Prince Andrei, very changed, obviously healthier, but with a new, transverse wrinkle between his eyebrows, in civilian dress, stood opposite his father and Prince Meshchersky and argued heatedly, making energetic gestures. It was about Speransky, news of whose sudden exile and alleged betrayal had just reached Moscow.
“Now he (Speransky) is being judged and accused by all those who admired him a month ago,” said Prince Andrei, “and those who were not able to understand his goals.” It is very easy to judge a person in disgrace and blame him for all the mistakes of another; and I will say that if anything good has been done during the current reign, then everything good has been done by him - by him alone. “He stopped when he saw Pierre. His face trembled and immediately took on an angry expression. “And posterity will give him justice,” he finished, and immediately turned to Pierre.
- How are you? “You’re getting fatter,” he said animatedly, but the newly appeared wrinkle was carved even deeper on his forehead. “Yes, I’m healthy,” he answered Pierre’s question and grinned. It was clear to Pierre that his smile said: “I’m healthy, but no one needs my health.” Having said a few words with Pierre about the terrible road from the borders of Poland, about how he met people in Switzerland who knew Pierre, and about Mr. Desalles, whom he brought from abroad as his son’s teacher, Prince Andrei again heatedly intervened in the conversation about Speransky , which continued between two old men.
“If there had been treason and there had been evidence of his secret relations with Napoleon, then they would have been publicly announced,” he said with vehemence and haste. – I personally do not like and did not like Speransky, but I love justice. - Pierre now recognized in his friend the all-too-familiar need to worry and argue about a matter alien to himself, only in order to drown out too heavy spiritual thoughts.
When Prince Meshchersky left, Prince Andrei took Pierre's arm and invited him into the room that was reserved for him. The room had a broken bed and open suitcases and chests. Prince Andrei went up to one of them and took out a box. From the box he took out a bundle in paper. He did everything silently and very quickly. He stood up and cleared his throat. His face was frowning and his lips were pursed.
Anthropometry Sonbati
Nasser El Sonbati biography
(Nasser El Sonbaty) was born on October 15, 1965 in Stuttgart, Germany. His nationality was half Egyptian and half Croatian. Nasser was phenomenally smart since childhood. In addition, he understood the importance of education, because at that time it was the only chance to break into the people. After graduating from high school with honors, he entered the University of Augsburg. Nasser not only studied, he admired learning and absorbed knowledge like a sponge. He eventually received degrees in history, sociology, and political science. He spoke seven different languages perfectly. Nasser considered health to be the most important thing in life, but, unfortunately, it later let him down.Nasser El Sonbati photos
Performance history of Nasser El Sonbati
But in addition to intellectual genius, Sonbati was an active child and since childhood he played football, rowing, swimming and wrestling. Bodybuilding was not initially to his taste at all. But during my student years, it was fashionable to go to the gym. And he went to several training sessions out of pure interest. Even a few training sessions were enough for the future champion to notice a colossal result. His muscles grew on their own. He was inspired, he liked playing this sport more and more and, one day, he tried to compete at local competitions in Germany. Things didn’t work out very well with Germany, and a little later he went to Yugoslavia, where he became a professional bodybuilder according to the IFBB version.
Nasser El Sonbati training and performances
The first steps in professional bodybuilding were very difficult. Nasser did not win for very long, finishing outside the top 15 places. But with the French Grand Prix in 1993, a turning point began. He began to take prizes in almost every tournament in which he took part. In 1994, he finished second at the Night of Champions, behind Mike Francois, with whom he would later become great friends. After this tournament, everyone begins to pay attention to the giant. Also, this championship gave Sonbati a ticket to "". Having finished 7th at Olympia, the giant believed in himself more than ever before. He devotes his whole life to training and enters the next professional Houston Pro tournament with a net weight of 121.5 kilograms, which amazes the judges. For the first time he wins among the bodybuilding elite. Two weeks later, he confidently wins the “Night of Champions” and becomes the main contender for the Mr. Olympia title.
And in 1995, the long-awaited Olympia took place. Nasser finished 3rd, not a bad result, although the champion thought he could have won. Then he took first place, second -. Sonbati was a tolerant athlete, so he never spoke badly about his opponents or the judges, which is our honor.
Many argued that if the champion had a little more strength in his back, he could easily win. The athlete himself shared this opinion. He trains his back fanatically and is showing significant progress at next year's Olympia. But again he became third, ahead of Kevin Levrone, but behind Dorian Yatz. After the announcement of the result, the public was indignant and had a row in the hall for a long time until the champion himself calmed them down. A little later, the athlete’s result was canceled because his test for diuretics was positive.
Then the giant got angry about it all. In addition, he lost the Arnold Classic. After that, he sharply wrote on the official Flex website that he was really being underestimated in the judging and pointed out a lot of shortcomings of other athletes, which the judges turn a blind eye to. In 1997, he finished second at Mr. Olympia. Although he was one of the few who could compete with Dorian Yates with his size and unreal muscle mass, he could not defeat him.
Nasser El Sonbati died
Despite this, Nasser remains an all-time great bodybuilder. Unfortunately, not so long ago, on March 21, 2013, disappointing news was heard. Nasser El Sonbati has died. The cause of death was health problems caused by kidney failure. It’s a pity that the life of such a wonderful person and athlete was cut short so early, at only 47 years old.
