The biography, life, and accomplishments of bodybuilder Rich Gaspari
Rich Gaspari is a well known bodybuilder that has remained active in the industry with his supplement brand, Gaspari Nutrition. He also was rumored to have had below 3% body fat, which is unheard of. Rich Gaspari is nothing short of a phenomenon.
Below is a complete breakdown of Rich Gaspari’s profile, stats, biography, training and diet regimens.
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Full Name: Rich Gaspari (Men’s Bodybuilder) |
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| Weight | Height | Date Of Birth |
| 225 lbs | 5’9″ | 5/16/1963 |
| Division | Era | Nationality |
| Men’s Bodybuilding | 1980, 1990 | America |
Rich Gaspari Biography
Nicknamed the “Dragon Slayer”, Rich Gaspari is an IFBB-certified pro bodybuilder who was born in 1963 in New Brunswick, New Jersey who is most famous for being one of the richest men in bodybuilding due to his supplement company, Gaspari Nutrition. Though he never won a Mr. Olympia, it just goes to show that competing is no longer the sole income of a professional bodybuilder.
Rich was a feared, yet admired individual in the fitness industry, as he brought a package to the stage that was nowhere near matched in many competitions. Gaspari went pro early in his career, in the year of 1984, and made his pro debut at the World Amateur Championships in the same year, where he placed first, not bad for the first time on a pro stage. Although a seven-time Olympia contender, he unfortunately never managed to win the title, but that did not stop him from competing. He was very successful in the sport nonetheless and was inducted into the Muscle Beach Hall of Fame in 2011. In 2013, he was also awarded the Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement Award.
After Gaspari retired in 1996, he began focusing full-time on his company, Gaspari Nutrition. He also currently stars in the Generation Iron docu-series Gaspari: The New Era.
Competition History
- 1983 NPC Junior Nationals Overall Winner
- 1983 NPC Junior Nationals HeavyWeight, 1st place
- 1983 NPC Nationals HeavyWeight, 5th place
- 1984 NPC Nationals Light-HeavyWeight, 1st place
- 1984 World IFBB Amateur Championships Light-HeavyWeight, 1st place
- 1985 IFBB Night of Champions 2nd place
- 1985 IFBB Mr. Olympia 3rd place
- 1986 IFBB Los Angeles Pro Championships Winner
- 1986 IFBB Mr. Olympia 2nd place
- 1986 IFBB World Pro Championships Winner
- 1987 IFBB Grand Prix France Winner
- 1987 IFBB Grand Prix Germany 2nd place
- 1987 IFBB Grand Prix Germany (2) Winner
- 1987 IFBB Mr. Olympia 2nd place
- 1988 IFBB Grand Prix England 2nd place
- 1988 IFBB Grand Prix France Winner
- 1988 IFBB Grand Prix Germany Winner
- 1988 IFBB Grand Prix Greece 2nd place
- 1988 IFBB Grand Prix Italy Winner place
- 1988 IFBB Grand Prix Spain (2) 2nd place
- 1988 IFBB Grand Prix Spain Winner
- 1988 IFBB Mr. Olympia 2nd place
- 1989 IFBB Arnold Classic Winner
- 1989 IFBB Mr. Olympia 4th place
- 1990 IFBB Mr. Olympia 5th place
- 1991 IFBB Arnold Classic 7th place
- 1991 IFBB Mr. Olympia 10th place
- 1992 IFBB Arnold Classic 13th place
- 1994 IFBB Chicago Pro Invitational 16th place
- 1994 IFBB Niagara Falls Pro Invitational 15th place
- 1994 IFBB Night of Champions – Did not place
- 1995 IFBB Canada Pro Cup 5th place
- 1995 IFBB Night of Champions 12th place
- 1996 IFBB Canada Pro Cup 11th place
- 1996 IFBB Florida Pro Invitational 12th place
Earlier in his career, before he went pro and even his first few years as a pro, Rich Gaspari would only compete 2 or 3 times a year. This allowed him to focus on nutrition, training, and recovery to really make improvements before the next show. Many times, bodybuilders will compete too often each year, which leaves them plateauing and not making progress.
Rich Gaspari Diet
In order to look the way he did, sitting at low body fat levels year round and coming in absolutely shredded and full of muscle mass at each show, Rich Gaspari paid close attention to his diet, taking a scientific approach to this aspect of his lifestyle and regimens. So, what did he eat?
Well, for one his calories were high, at a little over 3,000 calories each day. 57 grams of those calories were fat, 421 grams were protein, and 244 grams were carbohydrates. Packing those macros into one day could be challenging, but Rich did it.
Below is a breakdown of Rich Gaspari’s diet:
Breakfast – Protein Shake, 1/2 Cup Egg Whites, 1/2 cup Apple Juice, 1tbsp Peanut Butter
Snack – 1 cup Oats, 1 Banana, 1/2 Egg Whites, Whey Protein
Lunch – 9oz Chicken, 1 cup Brown Rice, 1 cup Broccoli
Snack – 8oz Chicken, 1 Sweet Potato, 1 cup Asparagus
Dinner– 8oz Lean Steak, 1 cup Brown Rice, 1 cup Broccoli
Pre-Workout – Whey Protein, 1/2 cup Egg Whites, 1/2 Apple Juice, 1tbsp Peanut Butter
Post-Workout – 1 cup Yogurt, Whey Protein
Rich Gaspari Training Regimen
Diet and training go hand in hand, and again to stay that big and shredded, Rich Gaspari had an intense workout regimen.
Here is Rich Gaspari’s training plan:
Monday: Chest and Abs
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Shoulders and Abs
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest
Rich followed the “bro split”, a workout split that involved hitting one muscle group each day, and a week to hit that muscle group again. This meant he would absolutely destroy the muscle, leaving nothing in the tank when it came time to leave the gym for the day. He would then give himself seven days to recover from that training session to attack the muscle group again. This was a similar approach to other bodybuilders of that era, such as Tom Platz and Dorian Yates.
You also can see that he trained abs a few days a week, but abs are on the list of muscles that you can train every day. You use your abdominal muscles with almost every exercise, as they are a key part of stabilization, especially on compound lifts. That being said, the abdominals can take a little bit of overtraining!
Life Outside of Bodybuilding
Rich Gaspari is known as one of the wealthiest bodybuilders in the industry, but it was not through money he won in competition, it was through his supplement brand and business ventures. Gaspari Nutrition is known for supplements from creatine to pre-workouts and protein powders. His brand is known for using high quality formulas that give good results, and has been a huge reason for some of his success.
Rich Gaspari Wrap Up
Overall, despite not winning a Mr. Olympia, Rich Gaspari is a renowned bodybuilder who has had great success in the industry. His supplement company is a leading brand, and he has won many titles by bringing an unmatched physique to each show.
What do you think of Rich Gaspari?
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