The biography, life, and accomplishments of Big Ramy
Big Ramy is an Egyptian IFBB pro bodybuilder whose rapid rise to bodybuilding fame culminated in a win at the Mr. Olympia contest in 2020, then took home another Mr. Olympia title the following year, making him a 2x winner of the highest achievement in bodybuilding. He has brought an insane amount of muscle mass to the stage, making him a real force to be reckoned with in the bodybuilding world. Combine his mass with his work ethic and sheer will to be the best, and that is what has made Big Ramy a serious contender on the world’s stage.
Below is a complete breakdown of his profile, stats, biography, training and diet regimens.
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Full Name: Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay (IFBB Pro Bodybuilder) |
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| Weight | Height | Date Of Birth |
| 300 lbs. | 6’0” | 09/16/1984 |
| Division | Era | Nationality |
| Open | 2010 | Egyptian |
Biography of Big Ramy
Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay is originally from Alexandria, Egypt. He is an IFBB professional bodybuilder that had experienced a rather rapid rise to fame when he earned his pro card in just under three years of training, which is something that usually takes years to even come close to for most competitors.
Mamdouh was a trained fisherman that grew up in a poor area of Egypt. He spent multiple years working in Kuwaiti waters for a living. Along the way, Big Ramy decided to attend the ‘Oxygen Gym’ in Kuwait, a very popular bodybuilding gym in that part of the world. The decision was actually on a whim, but he fell in love with bodybuilding immediately. It definitely was a big help that his genetics were also perfect for the sport. So once he started adding muscle mass, Big Ramy’s true potential began to show.
As he started to attend the gym more often and work on truly dieting down, getting serious, and improving his physique, his friends encouraged him to compete in bodybuilding competitions. He finally accepted their challenge and competed for the first time in the 2012 Amateur Olympia in Kuwait City and won. This title gave him his Pro Card, and since then, he has been unstoppable.
Big Ramy made his IFBB Pro debut at none other than the New York Pro in 2014 and won. Following this win, he won several major competitions, working his way up to earning a 1st place win at the 2020 Mr. Olympia contest, cementing his place in the history books. Big Ramy has made a huge name for himself and is very popular in the bodybuilding community.
Training
In order to put on that amount of muscle, as well as keep it, you can only assume that Big Ramy is completing some intense training sessions, so let’s take a look at what those sessions may look like. Unlike some bodybuilders, such as Mike Mentzer, who believe in low volume and extremely high intensity sets, Big Ramy focuses on higher reps in his sets. However, do not take this as him going light, he is still moving some heavy weight. Let’s take a look at some of the workouts Big Ramy does to build and maintain his massive physique.
Workouts
Big Ramy completes 4-5 sets of each exercise and aims for the 8-15 rep range. The way he does it is he ‘pyramids’ up in the weight for each set, as he simultaneously decreases his repetitions as he sees fit. It is important to rest between sets.
Below are a few of Big Ramy’s workouts to give you an idea of what it takes for him to hit his muscle groups effectively.
Back Workout
- Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown, 4 sets, 10 reps
- Seated Cable Row, 4 sets, 8-12 reps
- Barbell Or T Bar Row, 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Triceps
- Bar Pushdown, 4 sets, 10-12 reps
- One-Arm-Dumbbell Extension, 4 sets, 10-12 reps
- Rope Pushdown, 4 sets, 12-15 reps
- Biceps
- Hammer Curl, 4 sets, 10-12 reps
- Preacher Curl, 4 sets, 10-12 reps
- Rope Curl, 4 sets, 12-15 reps
Leg Workouts
- Leg Extensions, 4 sets, 10-12 reps
- Squat, 4 sets, 5-8 reps
- Leg Press, 4 sets, 10 reps
- Machine Squat, 4 sets, 8-10 reps
Though these workouts may not look like much, Big Ramy is using some seriously heavy weight on these sets. Head over to YouTube to check out some of his workouts and see just how intense they are.
Diet of Big Ramy
Big Ramy has a healthy diet, which comes as no surprise as he shows up to his competitions looking absolutely shredded. Though he stays relatively low in body fat, Big Ramy consumes a great amount of calories per day to ensure that he doesn’t lose any of his muscle gains. From quality meats, carbohydrates, and fats, he attempts to consume 3,858 calories per day.
Below is a breakdown of a full day of eating of Big Ramy:
Meal 1
- 12 egg whites
- 3 whole eggs
- 8 oz sweet potato
Meal 2
- 5 oz of rice
- 8 oz chicken breast
Meal 3
Meal 4
- 4 whole eggs
- 8 oz sweet potato
Meal 5
- 8 oz chicken breast
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 cup sliced pineapple
Meal 6
- 10 oz salmon
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
Meal 7
- 10 oz steak
- Green salad
Meal 8
- Protein shake
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
Supplements
While Big Ramy uses his own personal choice when it comes to supplements, it is important to always have a solid pre-workout and protein powder to ensure serious energy and muscle pumps while also promoting great gains and recovery. Using something like a BCAA intra-workout product is great for maintaining fuel and preserving muscle throughout your workout as you eliminate fatigue, and of course, a creatine supplement can really boost your gains to new heights.
Big Ramy Competition History
- 2012 Kuwait Golden Cup – 1st
- 2012 Amateur Olympia – 1st
- 2013 New York Pro Championship – 1st
- 2013 Mr. Olympia – 8th
- 2014 New York Pro Championship – 1st
- 2014 Mr. Olympia – 7th
- 2015 Arnold Classic Brazil – 1st
- 2015 Mr. Olympia – 5th
- 2015 Arnold Classic Europe – 4th
- 2015 EVLS Prague Pro – 2nd
- 2016 Mr. Olympia – 4th
- 2016 Arnold Classic Europe – 2nd
- 2016 IFBB Kuwait Pro – 1st
- 2016 EVLS Prague Pro – 2nd
- 2017 Mr. Olympia – 2nd
- 2017 Arnold Classic Europe – 1st
- 2018 Mr. Olympia – 6th
- 2020 Arnold Classic – 3rd
- 2020 Mr. Olympia – 1st
- 2021 Olympia- 1st
- 2022 Olympia – 5th
Big Ramy Wrap Up
Overall, Big Ramy is certainly a massive force in the bodybuilding industry, quite literally. He is a two time Mr. Olympia champ, and although he fell short at the 2022 Olympia, there is promise in his future.
Do you think Big Ramy will win the crown again in the coming years?
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