Who is Bill Pettis?
Bodybuilder Bill Pettis once competed against well-known figures from the Golden Era of bodybuilding, such as Lou Ferrigno and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Short Career of Bill Pettis
Bill Pettis was one of the most prominent characters in bodybuilding during the 1970s and 1980s, largely due to his enormous 23 1/4′′ biceps. He finally became known as “The Man With The Biggest Biceps in the World” as a result of this.
But due to the failure of his bodybuilding career, Bill was never able to realize his full potential.
In his later years, he lost his home, although he continued to frequently be spotted in and around Muscle Beach until his untimely death.
Body Measurements of Bill Pettis
| Full Name: | Bill Pettis |
| DATE OF BIRTH: | 23 December 1946 |
| DATE OF DEATH: | 27 September 2016 |
| PROFESSION: | Bodybuilder |
| NATIONALITY: | American |
| ERA: | 1970, 1980 |
| AGE AT DEATH: | 69 |
| WEIGHT: | 225-235lbs (102.1-106.6kg) |
Accomplishments
Competitions
- 1971: Pro Mr. America – WBBG, 13th placed finish
- 1972: Pro Mr. World – WBBG, 5th placed finish
- 1974: Mr. Eastern America – WBBG, 5th placed finish
- 1975: World Pro Championships – IFBB, Heavyweight, 3rd place finish
Biography
Early Years
On December 23, 1946, Bill Pettis was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He grew up among six other siblings in a big household.
Bobby, Bill’s twin brother, with whom he had a close relationship, would frequently check on Bill to make sure he was doing okay when he subsequently experienced homelessness.
In his earlier years, Bill relied on gigs as a bodyguard, piano mover, and nightclub bouncer to make ends meet. For the rest of his life, he would continue to rely on this as a regular source of income.
Beginnings of Fitness
Bill started his fitness career at an early age by training with cinder-block weights that he manufactured himself.
He was an extremely competitive athlete who wished to have a body that would help him perform better in sports like football and baseball.
But as Bill’s huge family at home required help, his fitness journey ultimately took a new turn. To enhance his athletic physique at the time and realize his growth potential, Bill turned to bodybuilding.
Bill quickly started to establish a name for himself at the beginning of his bodybuilding career.
He put his everything into his training, and as he got closer to peak condition, he started competing in bodybuilding events.
At His Best
Bill could achieve the level of success that Arnold Schwarzenegger did in the bodybuilding world. He became the face of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, which was one of the high points in a career that never really took off.
Bill was a well-liked figure in the bodybuilding community who was admired by everyone he met. He would give it his best in the gym, garnering the respect of all his friends.
In his prime, Bill had several possibilities to increase his wealth, but he never truly took full use of them. A close friend of Bill’s commented on his failure to do so about this:
He relied on the Olympics and the reputation of having “the greatest arms in the world” for years. “Bill didn’t want to put in enough effort or broaden his horizons.”
Competition Background
When Bill competed in the Pro Mr. America in 1971, it was his first competition. He was able to finish in 13th place and use that as a springboard for his upcoming tournament.
Bill competed in the Pro Mr. World in 1972 and managed to place sixth. He knew his dedication at the gym was paying off because this was a better performance than in his previous competition.
Then, Bill kept putting all of his efforts into working out frequently to get in better shape. In the following contest, which was held in 1974, Bill competed in the Mr. Eastern America contest and once more placed fifth.
Bill would, however, make his final appearance in a show where bodybuilders compete in 1975.
In his professional bodybuilding career, his third-place performance at the IFBB World Pro Championships would stand as his greatest accomplishment.
When Things Started to Get Worse in His Life
Despite not taking the possibilities that could have advanced his career, Bill would continue to work out frequently.
Bill had trained with several well-known athletes who went on to become famous even outside the bodybuilding industry, but he had not lived up to his reputation.
He had a close friendship with Joe Gold, the owner of Gold’s Gym, who helped Bill through tough times, including when he was occasionally homeless.
Bill was given free access to the gym where he could exercise and occasionally even sleep.
But regrettably, Joe Gold passed away in 2004. Bill was severely hit by this and was inconsolable. It marked a turning moment in his life as he started to fall downward.
Bill developed an alcohol addiction after being permanently homeless.
At this point in his career, when he had gained the moniker “The Man With The Biggest Biceps in The World,” he was a shell of the man he had once been.
Maintaining Public Visibility
Bill’s downward slide after Joe Gold’s death led to him losing his home. Before Gold’s passing, he had been homeless on occasion, but in the last stages of his life, this circumstance became ongoing.
Many passersby thought Bill was a strange character because of his appearance and were unaware of who he was as they passed.
He was frequently spotted at Muscle Beach in posing trunks, flexing his arms as onlookers snapped pictures of him. He had lost most of his front teeth.
Bill had once intended to compete in a nearby bodybuilding contest at Muscle Beach in the over-60s division. But because of his drunkenness, which had taken over his life, the organizers decided to bar him from the weight pen.
But despite having hit a low moment in his life, this demonstrated that Bill hadn’t given up on his desire of being a bodybuilder.
He would recount the events leading up to his peak, allowing him to continue doing the one thing he had devoted his entire life to bodybuilding.
His Last Days
Bill reportedly visited his hometown, where his family members still lived, in his final days. He was supposed to go to a family reunion, but he never showed up. Bill tragically died on September 27, 2016, at the age of 69.
His body was found in a Pennsylvania stream bed, and coroners ultimately determined that he drowned accidentally.
He was discovered with a duffel bag that included pictures of him working out in his prime, including pictures with Arnold Schwarzenegger and other bodybuilding buddies.
When word of Bill’s death began to circulate, many people expressed their anguish at the news. According to Rich Piana,
Bill, you were truly a legend, and we will miss you. Rest in peace.
Training
Bill’s enormous arms were without a doubt his greatest asset. This made him the envy of his bodybuilding peers, including Lou Ferrigno and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
But he would train his arms for up to an unbelievable six hours every day. His lack of attention to his other muscle groups, caused his body form to become somewhat disproportional.
Jerry Brainum had the following to say about Bill’s appearance:
“Everybody loved him. But he was like a specialty bodybuilder. His arms overshadowed the rest of him”.
Bill used to work his arms utilizing the following routines while using extremely heavy weights and low repetitions:
Bill’s Arm Routine
- Barbell Cheat Curl – 220kg (5 sets, 6 reps)
- Scott Bench Curl – 5 sets; 6 reps, 160
- Barbell Curl – Strict 180kg (5 sets, 6 reps)
- Tricep Pushdowns – 150kg (5 sets, 6 reps)
- Standing Tricep Press – 225kg (7 sets, 6 reps), 275kg (3 sets, 6 reps), 315kg (3 sets, 4 reps)
- Parallel Bar Dips – 4 sets of 25 reps
- Reverse Triceps Pushups: 6 to 8 unweighted sets of 50 reps
Nutrition
Bill refused to utilize steroids even though he wanted to enhance the physique he had worked so hard to get.
Although he had tried utilizing supplements in the past, he preferred to be natural. He wanted to keep doing this since he was pleased with how hard he had worked to develop his physique.
Instead, Bill prioritized getting a lot of protein from natural sources, and it was said that he consumed up to 40 eggs each day.
He was able to swiftly recuperate from his strenuous exercises and keep on adding muscular mass.
However, Bill frequently needed money because he worked menial jobs and didn’t succeed financially in his bodybuilding profession.
Therefore, Bill would base his diet on reasonably priced choices like those that are stated below:
Daily Diet
- Eggs
- Bacon
- Steak
- Fish
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Whey Protein
Influences and Idols
At the height of his career, Bill trained at the legendary Gold’s Gym in California alongside well-known bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Bill was highly regarded by Arnold, who wrote the following about him after Bill passed away in 2016:
One of my favorite training partners was Bill Pettis. He had the largest arms I’ve ever seen, but his largest heart was even bigger. He will be missed by me.
This demonstrates that despite his decline in popularity, Bill was still regarded as a major figure in the bodybuilding profession.
His character will be severely missed because Muscle Beach no longer feels his presence.
What Bill Pettis Can Teach Us?
At the height of his success, Bill had the entire globe at his disposal. He had the opportunity to advance and achieve notable accomplishments along the road.
Though he undoubtedly had the potential, he didn’t quite get lucky as Arnold Schwarzenegger did.
Bill’s life was one of ups and downs, and in the end, the chances he passed up prevented his career from reaching its potential heights.
He didn’t always make the best decisions, but he will always be remembered as a loving and caring bodybuilding legend.
If Bill can teach us anything, it’s that our impact on others matters more than our wealth and notoriety.