Who is John Meadows?
American professional bodybuilder and businessman John Meadows had a fascinating life story.
John currently enjoys a thriving career as an IFBB Pro bodybuilder and owner of a fitness business, but getting there wasn’t easy.
Short Career of John Meadows
John Meadows’s mother passed away when he was very young, and he never got to know his father growing up. John was now left in the care of his grandmother alone.
In 1999, after the unfortunate death of his grandma, John was left without a family to help him.
John continued to experience new challenges as the years passed. John experienced an unusual colon condition at the beginning of his bodybuilding career.
His colon ruptured after he had fought the illness for several months, almost killing him. Fortunately, John was swiftly transported to an emergency room, saving his life. After recuperating for several months, John was at last able to stand.
When John started bodybuilding again, he used the very challenges that nearly cost him his life as “fuel” to get stronger.
John has gone on to succeed as a bodybuilder, an entrepreneur, and an inspiration for many people all around the world ever since he recovered from colon surgery.
Body Measurements of John Meadows
| Full Name: John Meadows |
| YEAR OF DEATH: 2021 |
| ERA: 2010 |
| PROFESSION: Professional Bodybuilder, Entrepreneur |
| NATIONALITY: American |
| AGE: Mountain Dog |
| HEIGHT: 5’6″ (167.5cm) |
| WEIGHT: 215 – 225lbs (93.0 – 102.1kg) |
Accomplishments
Certifications
- Capital University BA in Health and Fitness Management.
- CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist)
- CISSN (Certified Sports Nutritionist from the International Society of Sports Nutrition)
Bodybuilding Competitions
1997
- NPC Physique Light Heavyweight, 2nd place
1998
- NPC Junior USA Light Heavyweight, 6th place
1999
- NPC Jan Tana Amateur Heavyweight & Overall, 1st place
- NPC USA Championships Heavyweight, 4th place
2000
- NPC USA Championships Heavyweight, 8th place
2001
- NPC Collegiate Nationals Heavyweight & Overall, 1st place
- NPC USA Championships Heavyweight, 13th place
2002
- NPC Eastern USA Championships Heavyweight, 3rd place
- NPC Nationals Heavyweight, 10th place
2004
- IFBB North American Bodybuilding Championships, Men’s Heavyweight, 4th place
2005
- USA Bodybuilding & Figure Championships, Men’s Heavyweight, 13th place
- Los Angeles Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships, Men’s Heavyweight, 4th place
2007
- IFBB North American Championships, Men Heavyweight, 16th place
2010
- IFBB North American Championships, Men’s Heavyweight, 12th place
2011
- North American Championships, IFBB Men’s Bodybuilding: Heavyweight, 9th place
2012
- North American Championships, IFBB Bodybuilding: Over 40 – Heavyweight, 2nd place
- North American Championships, IFBB Bodybuilding: Heavyweight, 7th place
- NPC Teen, Collegiate & Masters National Championships, Bodybuilding: Over 40 – Heavyweight, 2nd place
2013
- Masters National Championships, Bodybuilding: Masters Over 40 Super Heavyweight, 2nd place
- Masters National Championships, Bodybuilding: Masters Over 35 Super Heavyweight, 3rd place
2014
- NPC National Championships, Bodybuilding Heavyweight, 6th place
- Masters National Championships, Bodybuilding Masters Over 35 – Super Heavyweight, 2nd place
- Team Universe, Bodybuilding Over 40 Super Heavyweight, 4th place
2015
- NPC Universe, Bodybuilding Over 40 Overall, 1st place – Earned the Pro Card
- Wings of Strength Texas, Bodybuilding IFBB Pro 212, 5th place
- Tampa Pro, IFBB Pro 212, 3rd place
- Vancouver Pro, Bodybuilding IFBB Pro 212, 5th place
2016
- Wings of Strength Chicago Pro, IFBB Pro Men 212, 10th place
- Toronto Pro, IFBB Pro Men 212, 10th place
- Arnold Classic, IFBB Pro 212, 9th place
2017
- Muscle Mayhem Pro, IFBB Open Men, 14th place
Biography of John Meadows
John’s Difficult Birth Experience
On April 11th, 1972, John Meadows was born in a little Ohio hamlet close to Columbus. John’s childhood wasn’t a simple one.
John was raised by his old grandma because he didn’t know his father and his mother passed away when he was quite little.
We had a very low income because my grandmother worked as a cook at a restaurant.
John participated in several sports during his first years in school. Baseball, American football, track, and wrestling were a few of his passions.
As John stated, he was grateful and content to have his grandma and sports in his life despite not having the material possessions that many of his contemporaries enjoyed.
Bodybuilding’s Lowly Beginnings
John relocated to Columbus, Ohio, at the age of 13. When John lived in Columbus, he first learned about the bodybuilding way of life.
When he and his grandma were shopping one day, he spotted a fitness and bodybuilding magazine.
John found the muscular bodies he saw as he browsed the magazine to be fascinating. He stated, “My favorite sections were the kinesiology papers because they discussed muscle action using diagrams rather than photographs.
I believe that demonstrates my genuine interest in understanding how muscles function and how to get the most out of them.
John’s newfound enthusiasm quickly led him to begin weight training at the gym. He used to participate in school athletics which included weightlifting. As a result, he would work out at the gym before working out with his sports team.
First competitive experience
When John was 13 years old, he entered his first bodybuilding competition. It was the teen Mr. Buckeye competition, with three other contestants between the ages of 14 and 17.
John finished last that day since he was the youngest and least mature contender.
John describes the event as follows: “At 119 pounds, I placed fourth out of four. Apart from being warned not to drink any water for the previous day or two, I don’t remember how I prepared for it. I recall just occasionally having a few ice cubes. I had very nearly run out of liquid.
Death
John passed away “peacefully and unexpectedly” in August 2021 at his parents’ house. As of this writing, it is unknown what his official cause of death was or whether any of the health issues he had in the past were to blame.
His grandmother passed away
Although in good health, John’s grandma unexpectedly went away in her sleep in 1999. John was heartbroken by the incident because he missed his last opportunity to speak with his grandmother.
It was difficult since I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye, as John put it. She had nothing wrong with her; she had simply fallen asleep and wasn’t awake when I was shocked.
Near Death from Colon Disease
John continued to participate in bodybuilding competitions for several more years. Then, in 2005, John encountered still another challenge. John began experiencing strange stomach aches in the final two weeks before his competition.
The agony grew stronger and worse as time passed. John’s stomach would inflame and become excruciatingly uncomfortable after eating, to the point where he could no longer eat.
John, however, initially disregarded the signs, thinking they were solely brought on by stress from competing and consuming a lot of protein. However, even after the tournament ended, the discomfort continued.
John eventually had to visit a hospital to find out what was happening because the pain had grown so intolerable. John was found to have a rare and deadly colon condition after multiple tests.
John’s colon ruptured while he was receiving treatment, and he began to bleed to death. He was sent to the emergency room in a hurry, where the medical staff saved his life.
Surgery Aftermath
John underwent the procedure, which involved the removal of his entire colon.
According to John, “my entire colon was removed during the first initial surgery in September 2005, which saved my life. Numerous hernias that developed as a result of the surgery were resolved in 2007.
“I wouldn’t have lived if I hadn’t been in the hospital,” he added. Until doctors performed a biopsy, they were unable to determine what was wrong. It was a vascular condition in a specific vein in my colon’s sigmoid region.
Thankfully, John’s suffering ended after several months of rehabilitation. He started lifting weights again gradually, and then he started bodybuilding competitions.
John’s Comeback into Competitive Bodybuilding
After having colon surgery, John returned to bodybuilding competitions two years later. The 2007 IFBB North American Championships served as his return event, and he finished in 16th position there.
John’s goals in the sport expanded as his bodybuilding expertise grew. John started competing in the National Shows to advance his professional career. John would gain the coveted Pro Card by winning the competition.
Trying To Get His Pro Card
After 14 tries and years of competing, John eventually succeeded in obtaining the Pro Card. He won the overall championship of the 2015 NPC Universe, earning him the title of Professional.
John was ecstatic after finally succeeding in getting the Pro Card. It was emotional, he added, adding that several of my longtime friends were present and crying.
It was an incredible sensation after 16 years of attempting to get the card, and it will be very challenging to top it.
Years of Later Competition
John didn’t waste much time after winning the Pro Card because he was feeling well. In the same year, he made his professional debut by finishing in the top 5 at the Vancouver Pro.
John competed in yet another show a few weeks later. This time, he came in third at the Tampa Pro.
Recent Years of John Meadows
John continued to compete in the major bodybuilding competitions held throughout America, showing no signs of slowing down.
His main objective in recent years was to enter this particular competition as well as the prestigious Mr. Olympia.
John intended to stop competing in professional bodybuilding after he reached this objective.
Training of John Meadows
Training for John Meadow’s Back
John has discovered that high-intensity training produces the best results for his back after experimenting with various training methods for years.
He uses techniques like drop sets and forced reps to increase the intensity of his exercises.
These are John’s top picks for particular back exercises;
- Hammer row – Before starting this exercise, John makes sure to warm up first. After he’s done warming up, John will do 3 sets of 10 reps with a heavier weight. During the movement, he’ll focus on squeezing and contracting the muscle to maximize the intensity. After the last set, John will do one more drop-set with less weight, for as many reps as he can.
- One Arm Barbell Rows – In this exercise, John aims at doing 4 sets of 8 reps with heavy weight, and perfect form. He said, the 8th rep should be extremely challenging due to perfect form – this is how he knows if he’s doing it well.
- Pullovers – For this movement, John uses either dumbbells or a machine. He says it doesn’t matter which one he uses, as long as he lifts with enough intensity.
- Away Facing Lat Pulldowns – Here John does 4 sets of 10 reps. During the movement, he focuses on flexing his lats as hard as possible.
- Reverse Hypers – John does 10 reps for 3 sets in this exercise. Once again, he focuses on performing the movement with a controlled form.
- Rack Pulls – This exercise is one of John’s favorites for building thickness in his back. He doesn’t train with heavy weights here but instead focuses on doing controlled reps.
Leg Exercise Program
John prioritizes his form above all else, much like he does with his back conditioning. John won’t increase the weights until he has perfected the form.
His leg exercise looks like this;
- Standing single-leg, seated, or lying leg curl, 4 sets of 10 reps
- Adductor Machine, 4 sets of 10 reps
- Barbell Squat or Leg Press, 5-8 sets of 8-10 reps
- Hack Squat or Leg Extensions, 4 sets of 10-12 reps
- Smith Machine Stationary Lunge, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Stiff-leg Deadlift, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
Nutrition
Diet of John Meadows
- The best food comes from animals that have been fed their natural diet – According to John, foods such as grass-fed beef, wild salmon, and free-range eggs are all superior to their conventional counterparts due to their high omega-3 fat content. In other words, John will avoid any products from animals that aren’t pasture-raised.
- The correct ratio of fats with a special emphasis on saturated fats – Contrary to a common belief, John recommends eating saturated fats. He says these fats are vital for hormonal balance, and other key functions in the body. For this reason, he advocates eating foods such as grass-fed beef and wild-caught salmon, which are high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
- Fat-soluble vitamins and their role in endocrine function – John believes that the consumption of vitamins A, D, E, and K is extremely important for endocrine function and overall health. Moreover, he believes that by getting enough of these vitamins, he speeds up his fat loss.
- Keeping your liver healthy – John likes to take a few days off from training and dieting here and there to let his liver ‘catch up.’ He also takes supplements such as milk thistle to promote liver recovery.
- Supplements to manage glucose disposal – By taking supplements such as alpha-lipoic acid, John helps his body stabilize blood sugar levels. This, in turn, helps him lose fat more quickly.
Influences and Idols
John claims that Mary, his wife, has had the most impact on his life. She supported his life choices throughout his “ups” and “downs,” sticking beside him.
I couldn’t have done it without her, John says of his wife. She took care of everything for me while I was ill, got out of the hospital, and was too weak to care for myself, even private hygienic tasks I can’t discuss.
She will support me wholeheartedly if I declare I want to do something after we discuss it to make sure it is feasible.
She notices the look on my face when I’m struggling during the last three to four weeks of my diet and tells me to “just hang in there, it’s going to be worth it.” At that point, I need to hear that. (John Meadows)
What John Meadows can teach us?
The story of John teaches us to never lose faith, which is a straightforward lesson. On his journey to the top, John experienced numerous obstacles, but he never gave up. He believed that facing these challenges would make him stronger, which is exactly what happened.
Look no further than John Meadows’ story for inspiration if you need it at any time. He is a living example of how, despite the challenges in life, you can triumph and grow into your best self.