Happy 40th Birthday, Phil Heath!

Strength Wars Movie

It’s a very special day for a very special man.

Phil Heath turns forty years old today! It’s hard to believe the seven-time Olympia winner is already forty. He definitely still looks better than most of us at twenty. In order to celebrate such a special occasion, we thought we’d take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the incredible moments that have built up such a legendary career for this large, powerful man.

Wow, talk about a mass monster! That is one of the most recognizable physiques in the game. Phil’s always been good to his fans, too, encouraging others to follow their dreams and strive for excellence. It’s how he got to where he is today, starting out as a high school basketball player in Seattle, Washington with big dreams and the ambitions to get there.

WHAM! Another one. His mind-blowing body has earned him the admiration of gym rats the world over. They don’t call him “The Gift” for nothing! His presence on the world stage is nothing short of a present for all of us (Thanks, Kanye!). In this picture, you get a much better sense of the overall outline of his frame, and better appreciation for his chest and abs.

Wow, young Phil Heath was a total smokeshow! Even back before he lifted professionally, he still had the makings of a young legend. In this picture you can really see the naturally athletic frame he built on to become what he is today. It must have been cool to party with him in his college days. It’s also always nice to see professional athletes sharing something so personal about themselves with their fans. It reminds us how close we are to them, and yet so far.

Wow, and he’s also an outdoorsman? How many talents does this guy have? Here we see Phil enjoying a beautiful day outdoors, and who wouldn’t do that, if they had one of the greatest physiques in living memory. If that was my body I would go everywhere shirtless. Phil is always inspiring fans to try new things and go new places. Same Phil, different backdrop.

Who could forget that our boy was on the cover of Flex Magazine Turkey? I almost did — until I saw this Instagram post! And thank god he reminded me. Phil Heath deserves every athletic sponsorship in the world. He’s a great guy, a winning athlete, and he has one of the best bodies in the world. Those are simply the facts of the situation.

We would be remiss if we didn’t include at least one shot of Phil’s glorious back. This man’s conditioning is enough to make any natty builder run screaming for the hills. If I was a monk I would set myself on fire to protest this body because it seems too excellent to exist. No one should be in that good of a shape…no one except Phil Heath, seven-time Olympia champion. An absolute beast of a man. Happy birthday to a true champion.


*All images and media courtesy of Instagram.

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