Who Is Nasser El Sonbaty?
IFBB professional bodybuilder Nasser “The Professor” El Sonbaty resided in Costa Mesa, California.
One of the largest and most symmetrical professional bodybuilders in history, he is still remembered today.
In 50% of the 66 competitions he competed in throughout his 16-year professional bodybuilding career, Nasser finished no lower than third.
He finished his career with a victory in the 1999 Arnold Classic. He also won six professional competitions and finished six times in the top five in Mr. Olympia.
Nasser was a skilled bodybuilder and a highly intelligent individual who was fluent in seven different languages.
Even though he thought professional bodybuilding competitions were frequently dishonest and manipulated, he remained passionate about the sport until his passing in 2013. Nasser’s tale is as follows:
Body Measurements Of Nasser El Sonbaty
| Full Name: | Nasser El Sonbaty |
| HEIGHT: | 5’11” (180cm) |
| WEIGHT: | 295 – 310lbs (133.8kg – 140.6kg) |
| NATIONALITY: | German Serbian and Egyptian |
| PROFESSION: | IFBB Professional Bodybuilder |
| ERA: | 1990, 2000 |
Accomplishments
Career
- Successful investor in commercial real estate
Competitions
- 1990 Finland Grand Prix, eighth
- 1993 French Grand Prix, third place
- 1993 Germany IFBB Grand Prix, third
- 6th in the 1994 IFBB Mr. Olympia
- IFBB Night of Champions II, 1994
- 1995 French Grand Prix, third place
- Also, in 1995 Germany IFBB Grand Prix, third
- 1995 IFBB Grand Prix, third place in Russia
- Also, in 1995 Spain IFBB Grand Prix, third
- 1995 IFBB Grand Prix Ukraine, second place
- Houston Pro Invitational, 1995, first place
- Night of Champions, 1995, first place
- Mr. Olympia, 1995, third place IFBB
- 1995 IFBB Grand Prix England, fourth place
- The Czech Republic won the IFBB Grand Prix in 1996.
- English Grand Prix in 1996, second place
- German Grand Prix in 1996, second place
- Russian Grand Prix of 1996, first place
- 1996 Spain IFBB Grand Prix, third
- 1996 Switzerland IFBB Grand Prix, first
- Mr. Olympia from 1996, IFBB, disqualified
- 2007 IFBB Arnold Classic, second place
- IFBB Grand Prix 1997: the Czech Republic, third
- 1997 IFBB Grand Prix in England, third place
- Fourth place in 1997 IFBB Grand Prix Finland
- German Grand Prix in 1997, second place
- 1997 Hungary Grand Prix, second place
- Third in the 1997 IFBB Grand Prix of Russia
- 1997 Spain IFBB Grand Prix, second
- 1997 IFBB Mr. Olympia, second place
- San Jose Pro Invitational, 1997, second place
- German Grand Prix in 1998, third place
- 3rd in 1998 IFBB Mr. Olympia
- 1998 IFBB Arnold Classic, second place
- 1999 England IFBB Grand Prix, sixth
- Joe Weider Pro World, 6th in 1999, IFBB
- 6th in the 1999 IFBB Mr. Olympia
- IFBB Arnold Classic, first place, 1999
- 2000 IFBB Mr. Olympia, fifth
- 9th in the 2001 IFBB Mr. Olympia
- 15th in the 2002 IFBB Mr. Olympia
- IFBB Arnold Classic, 10th in 2002
Biography
Short Career Of Nasser El Sonbaty 
Nasser was raised in Stuttgart, Germany, where he was born. He was raised in a multicultural environment because his mother was Serbian and his father was Egyptian.
He claims that he never had any intention of becoming a bodybuilder in the first place because he thought the bodybuilding aesthetic was disgusting.
Nasser chose to focus on soccer until he was 17 and became pretty proficient at it rather than strength-based sports. One day after a game, he and a friend entered the little gym next to the field.
To increase his strength for soccer, he started to “perform some leg presses and some leg extensions,” but after meeting a Hungarian weightlifter at the gym, he developed an interest in bodybuilding right away.
Building Your First Body
Nasser claimed that it took two years to make the switch from soccer to bodybuilding. He rapidly picked up more and more skills and started to study more about the sport, understanding that it was a terrific way to get stronger and look better.
Even though Nasser admitted he was a natural at weight lifting, he ultimately chose soccer throughout his bodybuilding career. He benched 85 kilograms at the age of 17, which was the perfect genetic foundation for him to do big things.
A workout
Nasser got more and more committed to learning about specific routines as his enthusiasm for the sport expanded.
He gained a lot of knowledge about the value of proportions and how to train different parts of the body to keep their size and thickness.
Along with this education, I started reading about nutrition and discovered how to eat like a bodybuilder. To prepare for his first junior show, he joined one of the top gyms in southern Germany.
Initial Bodybuilding Events
A state-wide junior competition served as the basis for Nasser’s maiden performance in 1985. He finished in a respectable sixth place, but the judges said he had the finest abs of all the young candidates.
He later remarked that “success is always a terrific motivator” about how these remarks provided him the assurance he required to continue.
At this point, Nasser’s father started to resist his interest in bodybuilding. He thought the sport was full of selfish, untalented males.
Nasser vehemently disagreed with this since he was only starting to see how difficult it was to succeed in the sport.
His father strengthened his anti-bodybuilding position while pursuing a degree in history, political science, and sociology at the University of Augsburg.
Nasser acknowledged the value of education but was aware that his father didn’t fully comprehend the sport he played.
Bodybuilding was a personal challenge for Nasser. He was never observed establishing acquaintances with other bodybuilders throughout his career. He saw it as an opportunity to work out alone with the weights.
Competition Success In Europe
Nasser was inspired to practice as hard as he could after his first junior victories in the late 1980s. At the 1990 IFBB Grand Prix in Helsinki, Finland, he made his professional debut.
He achieved a top 10 result in this show. Nasser accomplished much with his eighth-place finish, earning him his pro card and launching his professional career.
Departing For The USA
Nasser opted to go to the US after earning multiple podium places in Europe. He was aware that this was the location he needed to be in if he wanted to establish a reputation for himself in the bodybuilding community.
Nasser participated in the Mr. Olympia competition following a very lengthy and demanding preparation season. He got a contract for Joe Weider to continue competing in the US after placing sixth at this event in 1994.
His highest professional finish at this point in his career was second at the 1994 IFBB Night of Champions after signing the deal.
Nasser prepared for the 1995 IFBB Houston Pro Invitational after competing in another five IFBB Grand Prix events in Europe, all of which he won in the third position.
Nasser was able to win the competition with ease thanks to an amazing posing routine. He was thrilled with the outcome because this was his first professional first-place finish.
Nasser enjoyed participating and showing off his hard work to the audience at the performances, but he had little regard for the majority of the judges.
He thought that many of the main tournaments were rigged, and he thought that a few judges had tricked him in a few instances.
His second-place finish at the 1997 Mr. Olympia, in Nasser’s opinion, was the clearest indication of cheating. He said that everyone present at the competition understood he deserved to win. He said the following in an interview:
“I had a superior genetic makeup, stronger genetic make-up than the 1997 Mr. Olympia champion Dorian Yates, and even nicer-looking veins.
Unlike him, who had so many, many torn muscles, I did not have one. My physique was more balanced and significantly more symmetrical.
The fact that he knew he had lost out on millions of dollars in endorsement money was his biggest complaint about the defeat. According to him, if he had won the Olympia in 1997, he almost definitely would have continued to win it for a few more years and collected the sponsorship money.
When I consider all the missed endorsements and changes related to the Olympia title, I got robbed for at least USD 5 million, to give a modest estimate. I was seriously duped. I’ll never again have the same level of trust. The broken trust cannot be repaired.
Getting The Arnold Classic Victory
Nasser win largely multiple times during the 1990s, even though there were some problems with their judgment. His victory at the 1999 Arnold Classic in Ohio, USA, was arguably the most significant triumph of his career.
Coming in with a nicely cut body, he handily defeated competitors like Kevin Levrone, Jay Cutler, and Chris Cormier in this contest. His career’s high point, he savored the accomplishment he had worked so hard to achieve.
Possessing A Staph Infection
Nasser’s career was coming to an end, and he was also dealing with a Staph infection in his shoulder that almost killed him. He spent a lot of time in the hospital and had many operations to fix the problem.
At the time, there was a report that Nasser had given the muscle injection of Synthol to make it appear larger. He scoffed at this and claimed he didn’t need to apply anything to his shoulder because it looked so good.
Death
Nasser’s life was taken at the young age of 47. Kidney and heart problems led to his death while he was sleeping.
Although the exact cause of his passing was not disclosed, many have speculated that his use of anabolic drugs throughout his career may have contributed.
Nasser ultimately needed a heart transplant, but because he was not a candidate, he opted to spend his last moments with his family in Egypt.
Individuals would describe me as a warrior, but, in my opinion, very few people could have kept up with my program.
Training
Creating His Training Method
Nasser trained hard and frequently, emphasizing large exercises. He exercised vigorously both during the off-season and before competitions.
To keep the session brief and intense, he performed three to four movements for each body component, often working till muscle failure.
He used to include an additional exercise for each muscle group during his pre-contest training (the final three months before taking the stage).
Despite his diminished strength from dieting and lack of sleep, he increased the speed of his lifts as well. Nasser would mix supersets, drop sets, forced sets, and triple sets into the rep count.
Considering The Rep Range
Due to the pump it provided, Nasser used to place a lot of value on his high rep range.
He frequently included 20 to 25 reps each session for the lower body before reducing it progressively to 4 to 6 reps per set. He would limit his upper body reps to between 6 and 15.
Favorite Free Weights
Nasser consistently favored the use of free weight. Nasser El Sonbaty claimed that those who put their attention on machines could never develop a powerful physique since they didn’t push their muscles to the absolute maximum.
He would add at least one barbell movement for each muscle group to maintain as much size as he could. He claimed that the intense pain experienced during a barbell curl is the sensation that all bodybuilders should want.
Nasser El Sonbaty added that most people find it difficult to endure the discomfort of strenuous free weight exercises.
Since suffering is a necessary component of the sport, he thought that these individuals were ultimately not suited for the world of professional bodybuilding.
The Pyramid Basic
Additionally, Nasser applied Joe Weider’s “Pyramid Principal,” which he created (the Mr. Olympia creator.) He finished 15 repetitions with a lightweight, 12 repetitions with a heavier weight, and then another set of 6 to 8 repetitions with a heavier weight.
With the biggest weight he could lift, the fourth and final set would have consisted of four to six reps. Nasser thought that this was an excellent method for dissolving muscle fibers.
An Emphasis On Cardio
Nasser El left the gym after his 90-minute grueling sessions and immediately began his cardio.
He recognized that cardio was essential to maintain his heart healthy and aid in his cutting during the pre-contest phase whereas many bodybuilders completely avoid it.
Nasser El Sonbaty would perform a morning cardio workout on an empty stomach throughout the time leading up to a tournament. He reasoned that by doing this, since the body did not have glycogen stored, he could burn fat more quickly.
He typically followed a weightlifting session with a cardio workout in the off-season. Before heading home to prepare and eat again, he would jog or walk uphill on the treadmill throughout this session.
Training Protocol
Split
- 1st day: Arms
- Tuesday: Legs
- 3rd day: Rest
- Day 4: Return
- Day 5: Shoulders and chest
- Days 6 and 7: Rest
Chest
- (4 sets) Incline Dumbbell Press (6-10 reps)
- Flying Dumbbells on a Flat Bench (4 sets) (10 reps)
- Fly with Declined Dumbbells (4 sets) (6-10 reps)
- 4 sets of standing cable crossover (10 reps)
Shoulder
- 3 sets of seated dumbbell presses (6-12 reps)
- Three sets of bent-over lateral raises (6-12 reps)
- Three sets of one-arm side laterals (6-12 reps)
- 3 sets of standing barbell presses (6-12 reps)
Triceps
- three sets of one-arm dumbbell extensions (8-12 reps)
- Also, three sets of seated overhead cambered-bar extensions (8-12 reps)
- Three sets of rope presses (8-12 reps)
- Extensions for overhead rope (3 sets) (8-12 reps)
- three sets of two-arm dumbbell extensions (8-12 reps)
- Bench press with a small grip (3 sets) (8-12 reps)
Legs
- Leg stretches, three sets (20-6 reps)
- 4 sets of squats (15-6 reps)
- (4) sets of leg presses (20-6 reps)
- 3 sets of hack squats (20-6 reps)
- Four sets of lying leg curls (20-6 reps)
- Four sets of one single standing leg curls (20-6 reps)
“Neither do I have a favorite activity nor a favorite body part? Machines are preferred over free weights by everyone who is sincere since they are more practical, less painful for the muscles, demand less focus, and are generally safer.
However, if you want to see true gains, you must train hard and frequently, and you must always choose the exercises that you least like to do but that truly produce the best results. So engage in your least favorite exercise—free weights—and embrace the soreness!
“Work harder than anyone you know, and be fortunate enough to have the necessary DNA.”
Nutrition
Use Of Anabolic Steroids
Nasser was never shy about discussing his steroid use. He consistently insisted that despite the prevalence of drug use in professional bodybuilding, it still required the correct genetics and devotion from each champion.
Nasser El ultimately demonstrated the importance of genetic potential in addition to these medications. He began lifting 70 kg when he was in his mid-teens, giving him a great genetic base for the body he built.
Seasonal Offset Diet
Throughout his career, he maintained a rigid diet. He ate “crazy” amounts of food every day, dividing his diet over 6-7 meals, and maintained an off-season weight of as high as 330 lbs.
He also consumed a lot of carbohydrates throughout the off-season. On occasion, he would consume less protein because he occasionally became “sick” of eating meat. To make up for this difference, he would drastically increase his carbohydrate intake and would eat sweet potatoes, yams, and rice.
Diet before Contest
Nasser would ingest as much protein as he could before a competition. In one interview, he stated that his daily protein goal was to be approximately 600 grams.
In addition to eating a lot of eggs and lean foods such as ground beef, chicken, and turkey, he drank protein beverages.
A Menu Plan
Nasser always adopted a metabolic and scientific strategy. Here is his daily menu plan from 1999:
- Meal 1: Entire wheat toast, 10 egg whites, and 2 whole eggs.
- Meal 2: Protein smoothie and fruit (pre-workout).
- Also, Meal 3: A protein shake (post-workout)
- Meal 4: yams, brown rice, or 12 oz. chicken breast
- Meal 5: 12 ounces of steak, a salad, and yams
- Dinner 6–10 ounces of steak or cottage cheese
Standing in the sea, Nasser El Sonbaty exhibits his entire body, showcasing his enormous chest and deltoids.
Influences And Idols
In several interviews, Nasser stated that he had no sporting idols. He claims that bodybuilders would frequently refer to Arnold Schwarzenegger as if he were a deity, but he didn’t share their opinion.
He thought Arnold had a huge waist, sagging shoulders, and weak legs. Nasser was perplexed by the fact that he had never won a Mr. Olympia because he believed his body to be superior to Arnold’s in a lot of ways.
What Nasser El Sonbaty Teaches Us?
Nasser El Sonbaty has always viewed bodybuilding as a personal endeavor. He chose to tread the path by himself and make his way to the top while competing as a professional bodybuilder for more than ten years.
Nasser El was able to establish himself as one of the most reliable competitors in history thanks to his commitment to the game. He was very strict with his diet and consumed a ton of food, which allowed him to gain 300 pounds of muscle.
His untimely demise at the age of 47 will be remembered for his love of the game. He decided to keep taking part in a sport that he considered to be dishonest.
Who knows where you could go if you approach your fitness quest with the same amount of tenacity?