kevin levrone steroids

Kevin Levrone and Steroids: Biography & Workout

Kevin Levrone is a professional American bodybuilder, actor, musician and blogger. The peak of Levrone’s sports career came in the 90s of the 20th century, although he continues to perform today, returning to bodybuilding after more than a 10-year hiatus. During his long career as a bodybuilder, he has won over 10 awards at various grand prix and competitions. One of the most significant achievements of the athlete is the 1st place at the “Arnold Classic”, won in 1994 and 1996.

Kevin Levrone Biography

The future titled bodybuilder Kevin Levrone was born into an Italian and African American family. He was born on July 1, 1965 in Baltimore (Maryland). It is a settlement in the east of the country, the largest in its state. Today, as in the sixties, the city has a well-developed sports infrastructure.

Colleagues and experts call Levrone one of the most good-natured and determined athletes in the history of bodybuilding. However, his life path was not easy. The guy grew up in a large family (only 6 children), while from an early age without a father (he died when Kevin was 10 years old). Oddly enough, but it was this tragedy that prompted the young man to get involved in sports. To distract himself from grief, the boy disappeared for hours on the sports fields.

Kevin Levrone got into bodybuilding by accident. He was struck by the muscles of his cousin, which he pumped up in the gym (while serving in the army). The young man decided to follow in his footsteps – he began to pull iron (he did not become a military man).

Until the age of 24, Kevin Levrone lived a normal life – he graduated from high school, went to college and graduated from it successfully. But then he had to face another shock for himself: his mother fell ill and was slowly dying of cancer. In the athlete’s own words, this was the most difficult period in his life.

All Levrone could do was train until he passed out. He wished, at least for a few hours a week, not to remember the loss of both parents.

Kevin Levrone entered his first bodybuilding tournament at the age of 25. At the urging of his friends, he took part in the State Championship. The result is predictable – first place. A year later, after finishing 2nd in the heavyweight division at the 1991 Junior Nationals and winning the overall at the 1991 Nationals, Levrone became an IFBB professional.

Over time, the athlete’s achievements only accumulated. In the period from 1992 to 2001, he became the first at such prestigious competitions as: Grand Prix England, Grand Prix France, Grand Prix Spain, Grand Prix Italy, Grand Prix Germany, Grand Prix Finland, Grand Prix Russia, Grand Prix Hungary, San Francisco Pro Invitational, San Jose Pro Invitational, Night of Champions, Arnold Classic and some others. In total, there are about 20 first won places in Pro tournaments.

In 2002, the already eminent bodybuilder Kevin Levrone is seriously interested in music, even thinking about a career as a rock musician. But he gradually changes his mind: he decides to remain only an amateur musician and not end his sports performances. He backs his words with action: he buys out most of the shares of World Gym, becoming the sole owner of the club, and also takes part in several of the largest bodybuilding competitions, including the Arnold Classic and Mr Olympia.

In 2003, Kevin Levrone announced that he would not leave bodybuilding for at least the next 2-4 years. However, after an unsuccessful performance at Show of Strengths 2003, he unexpectedly stops playing in tournaments, whether amateur or professional. Kevin Levrone explains the decision by fatigue and a desire to focus on a more promising profession of an actor. Levrone studied acting in Hollywood with Milton Katselas and Allen Williams, who have raised many American film and television stars.

Despite the fact that Kevin Levrone left the big sport, he did not completely give up bodybuilding. Firstly, in 2016 he returned to compete for “Mr Olympia” (unsuccessful, only 16th place, but still), and secondly, he continues to be the head of several gyms under the “World Gym” brand. Today, it is business that is the main source of income for an athlete.

kevin levrone biography

Bodybuilding Titles

At his peak, Kevin Levrone had impressive anthropometric data that would be the envy of many modern amateur and professional bodybuilders.

With a height of no more than 176 centimeters, the bodybuilder had a competitive weight of 112 kilograms (weight in the offseason rose to 127 kilograms), the volume of the neck was 47 centimeters, biceps – 59, chest – 145, waist – 80, hips – 84, shins – 94.

Like many athletes, Kevin Levrone has suffered injuries throughout his career. There were two of them in total, but both were quite dangerous: first, the rupture of the pectoral muscle, and then the entrapment of the inguinal hernia. The second injury nearly cost Kevin his life. Doctors literally saved him, because there was a high risk of fatal hemorrhage in the abdominal cavity.

Levrone was recovering from surgery for a long time and could not even think about continuing his sports career. Doctors recommended that he give up physical activity for at least six months. As a result, the athlete lost his optimal shape – the weight significantly decreased, and the muscle relief worsened.

Fortunately, the worst predictions did not come true, and after six months of rehabilitation, Kevin Levrone calmly returned to professional bodybuilding to compete with Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler for several more years.

In just over 10 years of competitive performances as a professional, Kevin Levrone has won numerous titles, however, he never became the best of the best (we are talking about winning the “Mr Olympia”):

  • 1st – Night of Champions 1992;
  • 1st – Grand Prix Germany 1993;
  • 1st – Arnold Classic 1994;
  • 1st – Grand Prix France 1994;
  • 1st – Grand Prix Italy 1994;
  • 1st – San Jose Pro Invitational 1994;
  • 1st – Grand Prix Germany 1995;
  • 1st – Grand Prix Russia 1995;
  • 1st – Arnold Classic 1996;
  • 1st – San Jose Pro Invitational 1996;
  • 1st – Grand Prix Czech Republic 1997;
  • 1st – Grand Prix England 1997;
  • 1st – Grand Prix Finland 1997;
  • 1st – Grand Prix Germany 1997;
  • 1st – Grand Prix Hungary 1997;
  • 1st – Grand Prix Spain 1997;
  • 1st – San Francisco Pro Invitational 1998;
  • 1st – Grand Prix England 2001.

From 1992 to 2003, each time he stopped a few steps from the triumph at the main bodybuilding tournament, on average 2-3 places. In different years, Dorian Yates (won from 92 to 97), then Ronnie Coleman (won from 98 to 2005) stood in his way.

kevin levrone biography

Kevin Levrone Workout

Kevin Levrone first competed in 1988. It was a local amateur tournament in Maryland. Three years later, he was able to win the National Amateur Championship, and after becoming a professional, he overtook opponents at such prestigious tournaments as “Night of Champions” and “Arnold Classic”. And even though he never won at “Mr Olympia”, he was consistently in the top three or at least in the top five at this competition.

Obviously, in order to achieve such heights, Kevin Levrone has developed for himself a verified workout plan, which was made taking into account the individual needs and characteristics of his body.

The Kevin Levrone workout program was based on a 3-4-day split scheme: on the first day, training was carried out with a priority on the chest, shoulders and triceps, on the second day – on the back, biceps and hamstrings, on the third day – on the quads, calves and press, the fourth day was set aside for rest, and on the fifth day a new cycle began.

Kevin Levrone was especially proud of his deltoid muscles, for which he practiced a set of exercises, which consisted of:

  • Smith Machine Behind-The-Neck Shoulder Press (4 sets x 6-8 reps);
  • Seated Dumbbell Press (4 sets x 6-8 reps);
  • Dumbbell Front Raise (4 sets x 6-8 reps);
  • Dumbbell Side Raise (4 sets x 6-8 reps);
  • Rear Delt Machine (4 sets x 12-15 reps);
  • Dumbbell Shrugs (7-8 sets x 6-8 reps).

Kevin was not a conservative. Therefore, Levrone training relied heavily on good old and well-studied techniques.

First, Kevin Levrone’s training was about adhering to the Weider principles. That is, the bodybuilder adhered to the pyramid principle in exercises. So, when pumping the shoulders, he definitely warmed them up in advance: with each set, he methodically increased the weights in order to prepare the muscles for maximum load.

Second, Kevin Levrone’s workout involved constant muscle tension. So, when pumping the shoulders, almost everyone has or has a desire to “pull” the weight. The bodybuilder believes that this should never be allowed. To maintain a constant tension in the muscles and achieve an optimal result from the exercise (press), he advises not to fix the weight at the top point on straightened arms.

kevin levrone and steroids

Did Kevin Levrone Take Steroids?

Nowadays, Kevin Levrone openly admits that he used steroids in order to compete on an equal footing with competitors who were completely on illegal drugs. The athlete does not claim that taking steroid hormones was a pleasant aspect of his career, he just, unlike the hypocrites, is not shy about the fact that there is doping in bodybuilding.

Kevin Levrone ran the first steroid cycle at the age of 24. By that time, he was already an accomplished young man, was aware of his own action and the consequences of these actions, which distinguished him from most newcomers who first tried anabolic steroids.

According to the bodybuilder’s own words, the doping was provided by his cousin: “he just came to my house with Testosterone Cypionate vial and said – here you go.”

With the development of Kevin Levrone’s career, steroid cycles also became more complicated: first it was Testosterone Cypionate only, and then Nandrolone Decanoate, Oxymetholone, Stanozolol and other substances were added to it. Of course, not without Growth hormone (HGH), which changed everything in the 90s. In particular, the bodybuilder used it in preparation for the “Arnold Classic” in 1996.

Where Kevin could lie was in dosage. He assures that he only resorted to moderate doses of substances. Levrone claims to have never consumed more than 100mg of Oxymetholone per day, or in excess of 600mg of Nandrolone Decanoate and 800mg of Testosterone per week. Many experts question his words.

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