Who is Bruce Randall?
American professional bodybuilder Bruce Randall became well-known in the late 1950s. He is renowned for his remarkable physical transformation, going from 401 pounds of lean muscle to 183 pounds.
Short Career of Bruce Randall
Bruce Randall began his bodybuilding career when he was 21 years old. Bruce began weightlifting while serving as a Marine at the Norfolk Naval Base to get bigger and stronger.
After noticing a gain in size, he developed a total obsession with bodybuilding. As a result of a series of events, Bruce decided to get as big as he could.
Bruce increased his weight by nearly 140 pounds in just 13 months, reaching 349 lbs. He kept putting on weight over the years, peaking in 1955 at 401 lbs.
After that, Bruce decided to drop all of his extra weight to develop a lean body, going from one extreme to the other. To “look at life from the opposite side of the weight picture,” as he put it.
With the help of his tight diet, Bruce lost 183 lbs in just 32 weeks. He continued from there to compete in bodybuilding, capping off his remarkable metamorphosis with a triumph at the 1959 Universe Pro.
Here is his account:
Body Measurements of Bruce Randall
| Full Name: | Bruce Randall |
| HEIGHT: | 6’2″ (188cm) |
| WEIGHT: | 215 – 225lbs (93.0 – 102.1kg) |
| NATIONALITY: | American |
| PROFESSION: | Professional Bodybuilder |
| ERA: | 1950, 1960 |
Accomplishments
Competition Background
- 1956: Mr. America, 13th AAU
- Mr. America, AAU, sixth place, 1957
- 1958 – Universe – Pro – Tall, 2nd place NABBA
- 1959: First place in the Universe for Tall NABBA
- Universe-Pro NABBA was the overall winner in 1959.
Biography
Beginnings Of Bruce’s Weight Training
American professional bodybuilder Bruce Randall was born in 1931. Bruce didn’t start getting into weightlifting until he was 21. He began working out in the gym at this time, finding inspiration to begin his bodybuilding adventure.
Bruce enlisted in the Marines as he entered his early twenties, where he furthered his passion for weightlifting.
Bruce received the meals he needed to grow swiftly in size and strength while serving in the Marines, along with the training tools he needed.
Bruce soon made joining the American football squad at his base his new objective. Bruce, though, needed to bulk up considerably to maintain his competitiveness on the football field.
Bruce decided to add an extra 25 pounds of weight to his 200-pound frame at this time.
To enhance his food consumption, Bruce said the following about how he gained weight at the time:
“Each time I sat down to a meal, I would take an additional chop, glass of milk, and a loaf of bread before leaving the table.” Bruce was right when he thought that by doing this at every meal, he would eventually gain weight.
Increasing The Bar
Bruce was able to reach his target weight of 225 pounds in just six weeks. Bruce decided to set the bar even higher after achieving his objective so rapidly and set out to gather as much bulk as he could.
Bruce’s ambition to play American football slowly waned as his interest in bodybuilding increased. Bruce eventually gave up the sport entirely and dedicated himself to weightlifting.
Unusual Training Techniques
At the beginning of his metamorphosis, Bruce had a unique workout routine. Other bodybuilders insisted that any “bulking” practice must include compound exercises, but Bruce originally gave his full attention to the arms.
Bruce exercised only his arms for the first few months of his “bulk,” performing barbell curls and triceps pushdowns virtually every day.
After a few months, Bruce noticed that this wasn’t producing the best results, so he changed to a full-body exercise program. This is how the exercise appeared;
- Bench Press with dumbbells: 3 x 5-8, 120 lbs.
- Bench Press with Declined Dumbbells, 3 × 5-8, 130 lbs.
- 3 × 5-8, 250 lb. Incline Barbell Press
- Hello, 3 times 3-5, 295 pounds.
Bruce added or substituted activities to train various body areas according to how he felt. To thoroughly recover, he also took a lot of time between sets. Bruce’s calorie-dense diet allowed him to gain strength and stature quickly.
A Significant Mass Gain
Bruce used to amaze the Marine cooks during his makeover with his ravenous hunger. He consumed roughly 15,000 calories altogether in four hefty meals each day. 28 fried eggs, two pints of milk, and two loaves of bread made up Bruce’s breakfast. He occasionally drank up to ten quarts of milk every day.
Bruce had about 350 lbs. on him when he left the Marines in 1954. That is, in just 14 months, he had put on around 140 pounds.
Bruce was still unsatisfied, though. He continued his training and nutrition on his own as a civilian while gaining weight. He nearly reached an amazing 400lbs in a few months.
Bruce’s larger frame helped him in the gym, enabling him to lift the following amounts of weight:
- Squat 680 pounds
- Deadlifting 770 pounds
- Bench Press: 375 lbs
Turning Around
When Bruce finally reached the peak of his “bulk” in the late summer of 1955, he weighed close to 410 lbs.
Bruce chose to take on a completely new challenge—to significantly reduce his body weight—because he felt that he had already achieved his original objective. To “look at life from the opposite side of the weight picture,” as Bruce put it.
Although it was a very challenging undertaking, Bruce was confident that, with the appropriate strategy, he would achieve his goal, just as he had with his prior objective of gaining weight. Bruce’s words are;
“Imagine a sculptor working on a statue. He uses his hammer and chisel to chip away at a large block of rock until the desired result is achieved.
Well, I was that large, awkward rock, and my diet, combined with dumbbells and barbells, served as my hammer and chisel.
Bruce started his largest makeover yet at 401 pounds.
Reorganizing His Exercise And Diet
Bruce reduced his morning breakfast from 28 fried eggs to two boiled eggs. In addition, he substituted veggies, almonds, steak, and low-fat milk for the majority of his other meals.
Bruce also mixed powdered milk into his skim milk to increase the amount of protein in his diet.
Bruce also fundamentally altered how he trained. Bruce changed from lifting 3-5 reps per set to 12-15 reps, for a total of around 15-20 sets per body area. Bruce worked out outside of the facility for hours, executing countless crunches.
Another Effortless Transformation
Early in the spring of 1956, Bruce succeeded in transforming himself. He lost almost 218 pounds while transitioning from 401 to 183 pounds of “rock-solid” muscle in just 32 weeks.
Without a doubt, Bruce’s remarkable bodybuilding transformation astounded everyone.
Mister Universe
After establishing a physique fit for a bodybuilding competition, Bruce decided to enter his first competition. He continued to participate in 1956, finishing 13th in the AAU Mr. America competition.
Bruce improved on his performance the following year, finishing sixth in the same competition, and then winning second place at the 1958 NABBA Universe Pro. His finest was yet to come, though.
Bruce shone on the bodybuilding stage in 1959. He participated in the Universe Pro that year once more, winning first place and establishing his professional status in the process.
Bruce completed one of the most amazing transformations in bodybuilding history with this triumph.
Death
On August 23, 2010, Bruce Randall passed away at the age of 79. He is remembered for his remarkable metamorphosis, which is still an accomplishment in bodybuilding that has not been surpassed.
Training
Arm-Centric Workout By Bruce Randall
When Bruce first started bodybuilding, he only worked on his arms. His daily schedule resembled this;
- 3 x 6–8 barbell curls weighing 110 lbs.
- 3 × 6-5, 50 lb. dumbbell concentration curls.
- 3 × 6-8, 70 lb. French Curls using a barbell
- 3 × 6-8, 35 lb. Bent Over Dumbbell Triceps Extensions
Over a gymnastics horse, perform three sets of six to eight incline bench dumbbell curls weighing 45 lbs.
Bruce worked out his arms every day because he thought they would heal more quickly than other muscle groups.
Because they are constantly in use, according to Bruce, “they seem to be able to recoup whole strength with just one night’s rest and are ready for more the following day.”
Bruce raised his weight by doing this regimen, going from 203 pounds to 225 pounds in just over a month. His arms grew from 16″ to 17,5″ in circumference throughout this time.
His Training Is Changing
Bruce realized it wasn’t a good idea to concentrate solely on his arms as his training continued. He changed his exercise routine as a result, concentrating on compound exercises. This is how the exercise appeared;
- Bench Press with Dumbbells, 3 × 5-8, 120 lbs.
- Bench Press with Declined Dumbbells, 3 × 5-8, 130 lbs.
- 3 × 5-8, 250 lb. Incline Barbell Press.
- Welcome – 3 x 3-5, 295 lbs.
In addition, Bruce added additional workouts for various body areas, depending on how he felt that day.
Squats
Bruce initially avoided squats in his leg workouts. He didn’t want to chance another injury after suffering a significant leg and ankle injury before beginning his bodybuilding career.
Bruce decided to see whether he could squat once again when his weight exceeded 245 lbs. It was found out that Bruce could squat 300 pounds with ease.
A few months later, Bruce pulled over 405 pounds in the barbell squat while weighing 280 pounds.
He persisted in strengthening his squats until he could eventually lift more than 680 pounds while performing the workout.
Heaviest Lifts
Bruce was performing great weightlifting feats in the gym by the time his weight hit 380 lbs. At the time, these were his private documents;
- 375 pounds for the military press
- 680-pound squat
- Greetings – 685 pounds (Bent knees, back parallel to the floor)
- Deadlift: 770 lbs.
- 228 pounds for a barbell curl
- Bench Press with Dumbbells: 2 reps with 220-pound dumbbells
- 482 pounds were bench pressed (with a 3-second pause on the chest)
- Decline Dumbbell Bench Press: one rep with 220-pound dumbbells
- 14 Front Squat: 1,320 lbs.
Getting Ready For Mr. Universe
Bruce made some major lifestyle adjustments when he started working out to lose weight. Bruce drastically altered his workout regimen in addition to restructuring his diet to hasten fat loss.
Bruce modified his training to lift lesser weights for 12–15 reps after previously using heavier weights for 3-5 reps.
His daily regimen, which lasted between three and seven hours per day, included over 20 workouts per body component in total. Unsurprisingly, Bruce had to maintain intense attention to get through his long training sessions.
“I want to bring up something that helped me and that I used in my regular workouts.
This workout involves running. I think it’s quite helpful, and it does wonders for the circumference of the hips, thighs, buttocks, and ankles. Brad Randall
Nutrition
Up to 401 pounds
Bruce had to drastically alter his diet to go from 200 pounds to 401 pounds. He began by progressively increasing how much food he consumed at each meal.
He gradually adapted to a high-calorie diet by adding an extra loaf of bread, piece of meat, or glass of milk to each of his meals.
In the end, Bruce’s eating habits led to him eating four substantial meals each day. He typically ate two loaves of bread, two quarts of milk, and 28 fried eggs for breakfast at 6:30.
Then, at 11:30 A.M., 4:30 P.M., and 9:30 P.M., he had his lunch, supper, and dinner. He took in more than 15,000 calories daily in total.
When Bruce’s weight hit 401 lbs, he decided to stop gaining weight. Bruce continued to follow this diet till that point.
The Journey Of Bruce Randall To Mr. Universe
Bruce had to drastically alter his nutrition in addition to his training program to be effective in his weight-loss journey.
After giving it some thought, Bruce concluded a gradual approach to dieting would be the best course of action. He specifically cut back on the amount of food with each meal.
Bruce also eliminated white rice, potatoes, and bread from his diet in favor of fruits and vegetables. According to Bruce, “I made sure I had a high intake of protein and plenty of fruits, green vegetables, and a generally decent, well-balanced diet.”
Here is an example of Bruce’s eating during this time;
- Breakfast – 2 boiled eggs, one pint of skim milk, one glass of orange juice, and an apple.
- Lunch – A salad with dates and nuts.
- Dinner – Round steak, two different vegetables, one quart of skim milk, and gelatin.
Bruce’s perseverance, consistency, and dedication eventually paid off. He lost an astounding 218 pounds of extra weight in a few months, which allowed him to compete for 1959 Mr. Universe with his sculpted body and ultimately take home the title.
Influences And Idols
Chief Petty Officer Walter Metzler was a bodybuilder who influenced Bruce Randall. Walter assisted Bruce in joining the base’s American football squad while he was a Marine.
Later, when Bruce started competing in bodybuilding, Walter assisted him with the fundamentals of weight training and dieting, preparing him for his arduous transforming path.
What Bruce Randall Teaches Us?
Bruce was not someone who accepted “mediocrity.” He stretched the limits of his physique, his job, and his life. He first put on almost 200 pounds of weight by working out hard and consuming more than 15,000 calories each day.
After that, he lost over 218 pounds and proceeded to even further lengths to achieve a Mr. Universe-winning figure.
Bruce can teach us this: With the appropriate attitude, you can achieve your goals, whether they are to grow muscle or reduce weight. The example of Bruce demonstrates that everything is possible if one has the desire.
Bruce demonstrated to us that nothing can stop you from accomplishing your goal once you’ve made a sincere commitment to it.