Samir Bannout - Mr. Olympia
Born: November 7, 1955 in Beirut, Lebanon
I contracted an incurable case of iron fever in March 1972 at the age of 15 in my hometown, Beirut, Lebanon. My parents were very strict about my never leaving the house alone, but they allowed me to go and watch my brother-in-law train one day. He was the Lebanese champion of his weight class in Olympic-style weight lifting. I recall being bored by the prospect of sitting around a smelly gym watching him lift weights.
Born: November 7, 1955 in Beirut, Lebanon
I contracted an incurable case of iron fever in March 1972 at the age of 15 in my hometown, Beirut, Lebanon. My parents were very strict about my never leaving the house alone, but they allowed me to go and watch my brother-in-law train one day. He was the Lebanese champion of his weight class in Olympic-style weight lifting. I recall being bored by the prospect of sitting around a smelly gym watching him lift weights.
Surprisingly, I was deeply affected by that first visit to the best gym in Beirut. In addition to a large weight room, there were areas for boxers, wrestlers, and other athletes to work out. For the first time in my impressionable youth I saw powerful, muscular men lifting huge weights. Because I weighed barely more than 100 pounds and was very self-conscious about being so skinny, I was immediately impressed with the idea that I might be able to grow stronger and normalize my body weight by lifting weights. I decided then and there to give it a try. I first attempted to clean a 60-kilogram (132-pound) barbell - lift it from the floor to my shoulders in one smooth and powerful motion - but failed badly. Instead of cleaning the weight, I settled for a few repetitions deadlifting it - pulling the bar only to my waist - even though I knew nothing of correct lifting form. But I was naturally much stronger than I suspected I would be, and soon worked up to 180 kilos (just under 400 pounds). But as I lifted the bar from the floor I felt a stabbing pain in my lower back and had to terminate the lift.
more of Samir's story
more of Samir's story
