All the rewards of the present can be traced back to the past.

When it comes to bodybuilding, fans and practitioners alike are concerned mostly with the end results of their arduous training. That’s not to say that they don’t appreciate the journey to making the ultimate physique, but the practice of bodybuilding is in reality a results based endeavor. If you don’t have an idea about what you want to look like then the whole endeavor could prove to be futile. Being a bodybuilder means scrutinizing your physical form and making the improvements necessary. The same rings true for the pros as well.

Dennis “The Big Bad” Wolf has become a staple in the bodybuilding world. The German born bodybuilder is one of the top 5 bodybuilders in the world and is a perennial contender on the Olympia stage. After coming in 4th place at the 2014 Mr. Olympia, Wolf went on to take top honors at the Arnold Classic Europe out dueling Shawn Rhoden. With the win big things are on the horizon for the German superstar.

But before Wolf became a bodybuilding dynamo, not even he was free from the notion of having to start from scratch. All bodybuilders have to start somewhere. You don’t roll out of bed and become a shredded beast over night. It takes hard work, dedication, and consistency to transition your average Joe Schmo to ripped athlete. Dennis Wolf was no different than any bodybuilder in the beginning. Nothing highlights that more than the rare footage above. (Note: The  video is in German with no English closed captions)

It’s pretty awesome to see the bodybuilder’s transformation through the years and makes his rise to bodybuilding super stardom all the more impressive. For anyone out there who is considering taking part in a bodybuilding competition but doesn’t think they have what it takes, just take a look at Dennis Wolf and the progress he’s made. He didn’t get to the top by wondering what to do, but by doing something in the first place and sticking to it.

What’s your opinion on Dennis Wolf’s transformation? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.