Who is Mike Quinn?
Mike Quinn, known as the “bad boy” of bodybuilding, was one of the sport’s most entertaining competitors in the 1980s and 1990s.
Mike Quinn was renowned in his prime for his swole and ripped body as well as his honesty and demeanor. He frequently discussed subjects like his use of steroids since he was never scared to speak his thoughts.
However, Mike’s life looked very different as he grew up. Being a young youngster, he was frequently bullied by older children in his area.
Here is his account:
Body Measurements of Mike Quinn
| Full Name: | Mike Quinn |
| HEIGHT: | 5’8″ (172.5cm) |
| WEIGHT: | 255 – 265lbs (115.7 – 120.2kg) |
| NATIONALITY: | American |
| PROFESSION: | Bodybuilder |
| ERA: | 1990, 1980 |
Accomplishments
Contest Record
1981
- AAU Mr. America, HeavyWeight, 10th place
- AAU Teen Mr. America, Heavyweight & Overall, 1st place
1982
- NPC Junior Nationals, HeavyWeight, 2nd place
- NPC Nationals, HeavyWeight, 7th place
1983
- NPC USA Championships, HeavyWeight, 4th place
1984
- AAU Mr. America, Medium, 3rd place
- NABBA Mr. Universe, Medium, 1st place
- NABBA World Championships, Medium, 2nd place
1986
- NPC Nationals HeavyWeight, 4th place
1987
- NPC USA Championships, Heavyweight & Overall, 1st place
- IFBB Detroit Pro Invitational, 4th place
1988
- England Grand Prix, IFBB, 5th place
- France Grand Prix, IFBB, 5th place
- Grand Prix Germany, IFBB, 4th place
- Italian Grand Prix, IFBB, 7th place
- Grand Prix Greece, IFBB, 4th place
- Grand Prix Spain, IFBB, 4th place
- IFBB Grand Prix US Pro, 5th place
- Mr. Olympia, 5th place
- IFBB World Pro Championships, 4th place
1989
- IFBB Grand Prix England, 7th place
- Finnish Grand Prix, 8th place
- IFBB Grand Prix Holland, 7th place
- Mr. Olympia, 7th place
1990
- IFBB Grand Prix Holland, 12th place
- Mr. Olympia, 11th place
1991
- WBF Grand Prix, 12th place
1993
- IFBB Night of Champions didn’t place
1994
- IFBB Night of Champions, 5th place
- Mr. Olympia didn’t place
- IFBB San Jose Pro Invitational, 11th place
1999
- IFBB Night of Champions didn’t place
- IFBB World Pro Championships, 17th place
Biography
Bullies And Fights
Mike Quinn was raised in Brockton, Massachusetts, where he was born. He frequently got into conflicts with other kids when he was younger.
However, the majority of the boys Mike battled were bigger than him; as a result, he was frequently tormented and helpless to stop it.
“I was raised in Brockton, Massachusetts, the birthplace of Marvin Hagler and Rocky Marciano. It is regarded as a fairly gritty city. I endured constant bullying and beatings until I was thirteen or fourteen years old.
However, Mike naturally grew bigger and stronger as he aged. This provided him the self-assurance he needed to fend off any bullies who tried to challenge him. Later, I beat the fuck out of anyone who had ever beat me up, as Mike put it.
Attentional Issues
Mike’s childhood problems weren’t limited to bullying. Additionally, he had mental illnesses including ADHD. Mike found it challenging to maintain his calm and attention while attending school as a result.
“I was an odd child; I suffered from nervousness. I was technically mentally ill. I also have ADHD. When I was a child, all the vaccines contained mercury, so I occasionally wonder if that had anything to do with it.
Beginning Of Training
When Mike was 13 years old, his first training session took place in the cellar of his house. Mike was invited to try out some weightlifting by his father, who had established a little gym in the basement.
Mike discovered that it was surprisingly simple to train because he was already naturally powerful. He stated:
“On my first day, I benched 220 pounds while playing around. I was a chubby, husky child, you know? I had boobs instead of pecs.
Moveable Gyms
Up to the age of 15, Mike trained at home before developing an interest in American football. He soon realized he had a natural talent for the game, but his 5’8″ height had him convinced he would never be good enough to play in the NFL.
Mike used bodybuilding as a natural therapy for his ADHD and rage issues, which is why he decided to remain with it.
Mike would go to the gym to work out for an additional two hours after every football session, which lasted two hours. He claims that because he enjoyed it, it wasn’t tiring for him.
Bodybuilding And Powerlifting
Later, Mike’s fascination with weightlifting inspired him to specialize in powerlifting.
Mike quickly understood, though, that powerlifting wasn’t his main love. When Mike was 18 years old, he was preparing for a powerlifting competition and was required to squat 550 pounds for 5 repetitions on that particular day.
Mike only completed 4 reps, which led him to exclaim, “Fuck this! I want to compete in bodybuilding!
Six weeks later, Mike competed in and won his first bodybuilding competition.
Early Competition
Mike gained the title of Teenage Mr. America after winning his first competition, the Teen Mr. Massachusetts.
These early successes increased Mike’s self-assurance. He said that he was “as good as most of the older people competing in the sport even as a youngster.”
London’s NABBA Universe
Mike finished third in the Mr. America competition in 1984. Shortly after, he won NABBA Universe London, joining the select group of bodybuilders that had previously won this competition, including Steve Reeves and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Getting A Pro
Mike’s career was well underway by 1987.
He turned pro bodybuilder that year after winning the USA Nationals.
Later Competitions
Mike began participating in prestigious shows all over the world a year after achieving Pro rank.
In reality, Mike’s career year with the most contests was 1988. In that year, he participated in nine competitions, some of which included:
- England Grand Prix, IFBB, 5th place
- Grand Prix Germany, IFBB, 4th place
In 1988, Mike also competed in his first Mr. Olympia, placing among the top 5 bodybuilders in the world.
Retirement
Mike participated in three performances in 1994. They were Mr. Olympia, the Night of Champions, and the IFBB San Jose Pro Invitational.
Mike then took a considerable gap from competing. He didn’t return to the stage until 1999 when he finished 17th in the IFBB World Pro Championships.
Since then, he has given up bodybuilding.
Mike’s Use Of Steroids
Mike Quinn never hid the fact that he used anabolic steroids. At the age of 18, his local doctor prescribed him steroids.
But according to Mike, he had never used these drugs to build muscle; rather, he had done so to maintain his muscle mass while dieting.
Training
Bodybuilding With Power
Throughout his bodybuilding career, Mike experimented with various training regimens. However, power-bodybuilding was by far his most successful strategy.
Mike used this training method, doing four days of intense training and then four days of easy exercise. He would take extra time off between sets on hard days to “stimulate testosterone release.”
Mike increased his reps and set rest duration on lighter days to boost his growth hormone levels.
Mike was able to recover from his intense training days and avoid muscle loss thanks to these short workouts. “Training consistently leads to a catabolic condition,” as Mike puts it.
Quickly Recurring, Intense
In addition to power-bodybuilding, Mike adored performing short, intensive workouts. He would perform a sequence of vigorous exercises followed by brief rest intervals.
He would perform barbell squats, bench presses, and overhead presses among other activities. According to Mike, these exercises laid the groundwork for the development of his physique.
Mike loved using heavy weights, but he never let the exercise impact his form. He stated: “Heavyweights with perfect form, not overtraining, and not letting my ego get in the way and damage myself are the keys to my method of training.” Michael Quinn
Workout For Mike’s Biceps And Back
In Mike’s back and biceps routine, “intensity, not duration” is the key.
“Throughout the years I’ve trained, people have noticed how well my lower lats have developed.
Many bodybuilders, in my opinion, fail to develop their lower lats because they draw the barbell or dumbbell too far into their chest during dumbbell rows and other lat workouts. I prefer to gravitate toward my lower-lat region instead.
He warms up his muscles by beginning the practice with a few sets of easy lat pulldowns. Mike then performs working sets that resemble this;
- Seated Cable Pulley, 4 sets of 10-12 reps
- Dumbbell Row, 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Dumbbell Pullovers, 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Alternating Dumbbell Curls, 4 sets of 8-12 reps
- Preacher Curls, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
- Concentration Curls, 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Cardio
Mike has always been a strong proponent of cardiac exercise for weight loss. He prepared for his show by doing aerobics.
The stationary bike was his go-to cardio workout equipment. Alternately, stair climbing To maximize fat loss on his days off from weightlifting, Mike would exercise for 45 minutes before breakfast.
“I’ve come to understand how important aerobics is to my program. Simply put, you need to do aerobics to get ripped. I used to exercise for an hour and a half every day.
I would divide the aerobics into two 45-minute sessions and do them immediately following my weight training. When muscle glycogen levels are depleted, the body starts to burn fat more quickly.
Sleep Days
Mike went through a time of intense preparation for his competitions. Without taking a break, he would train for several days straight. According to him, this resulted in overtraining signs including muscle loss.
Mike then decided to take a different tack. Before taking a day off, he began training two days in a row. He’d seen considerably better growth in his physique by giving his body a break every third day.
Mike claims that when he overtrained, his body entered a catabolic state (muscle-wasting). Mike’s muscles were able to catch up with his workouts when he increased his rest, though. As he put it
“I keep my body from entering a catabolic condition by alternating two training days with a rest day.”
Nutrition
Mike thinks that today’s bodybuilders place an undue emphasis on protein. According to him, 1 gram of protein is more than enough to help you gain muscle mass.
Additionally, he claims that too many people avoid carbohydrates, which are unhealthful for the body in his opinion.
Mike thinks that the best energy source is carbs. Before performances, he would frequently consume more carbohydrates to make his muscles look fuller. He consumed things like chicken, cheese, and avocados, which are rich in proteins and lipids.
Protein is oxidized by my body more quickly than carbohydrates.
I still require carbohydrates, though. In the past, I made the error of reducing my daily carb intake to 50–100 grams, which led to a reduction in both muscle mass and training intensity.
Diet For Contest Prep
Mike always ate in a caloric deficit before a performance to gradually reduce his body fat.
He consumed 2000 calories each day for the ten weeks before the competition. After doing this for three days, Mike would add 800 calories from protein and carbohydrates to “spark” his metabolism on the next day.
He would restart the process by cutting his calories back to 2000kcal on the fifth day.
Influences And Idols
Mike’s father was his initial source of bodybuilding inspiration. Mike watched his father work out in their little home gym when he was still a little boy.
Mike’s father, however, forbade him from working out with him because he was still too young to lift weights.
Mike wasn’t finally invited for his first workout with his father until he was 13 years old. From here, Mike could only go up from here.
My father decided it was time for me to start lifting when I was thirteen.
What could Mike Quinn Teach Us?
One characteristic of Mike Quinn made people either love him or despise him: his unrepentant honesty.
He was never afraid to express his opinions, and he frequently became angry when someone angered him. Because he had experienced being picked on as a child, he could not stand bullies.
Later on, Mike used weightlifting to express his rage and fury. He turned to bodybuilding as therapy. Mike’s enthusiasm for the activity developed with time, and he eventually turned professional.
From Mike’s narrative, we can learn a lot of things. However, the most crucial one is probably to always be true to who you are and never make excuses for it.
This may draw criticism, but it will also draw admirers who will value you for who you are.