Who is Vince Taylor?
Former professional bodybuilder Vince Taylor hails from Florida in the United States. During his three-decade dominance in bodybuilding, he won 22 IFBB events, a record only surpassed by the famous Ronnie Coleman.
Short Career of Vince Taylor
Vince Taylor entered his first-ever tournament in 1983. His Pro Card came five years later. Following this, he went on a “rampage,” winning 24 of the 66 shows in which he competed between 1989 and 2002.
Vince, a legend in the sport of bodybuilding, ended his career in 2002 after finishing second at the Masters Olympia. His retirement didn’t last long, though, as he returned four years later and finished third at the Australian Pro at the age of 50.
One year later, after placing 10th at the 2007 Arnold Classic, Vince made his formal retirement.
Body Measurements of Vince Taylor
| Full Name: | Vince Taylor |
| DATE OF BIRTH: | 25 August 1956 |
| ERA: | 1980, 1990, 2000 |
| PROFESSION: | Professional Bodybuilder |
| NATIONALITY: | American |
| WEIGHT : | 235 – 245lbs (106.6 – 111.1kg) |
| HEIGHT: | 5’9″ (175cm) |
Accomplishments
Competitors In Bodybuilding
- 2007 Arnold Classic, 10th
- 2007 Australian Pro, 3rd
- 2006 Mr. Olympia – 11th
- 2006 Australian Pro – 3rd
- 2002 Masters Olympia – 2nd
- 2001 Masters Olympia – 1st
- 2000 Masters Olympia – 1st
- 1999 Masters Olympia – IFBB, 1st
- 1999 Arnold Classic – IFBB, 6th
- 1998 Arnold Classic – IFBB, 3rd
- 1998 Arnold Classic – IFBB, Masters, 1st
- 1998 Masters Arnold – IFBB, Winner
- 1997 Arnold Classic – IFBB, 5th
- 1997 Grand Prix Czech Republic – IFBB, 7th
- 1997 Grand Prix England – IFBB, 7th
- 1997 Grand Prix Finland – IFBB, 6th
- 1997 Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, 9th
- 1997 Grand Prix Hungary – IFBB, 9th
- 1997 Grand Prix Russia – IFBB, 6th
- 1997 Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, 8th
- 1997 Olympia – Masters – IFBB, Overall Winner
- 1997 Mr. Olympia – Masters – IFBB, Masters 40+, 1st
- 1996 Arnold Classic – IFBB, 4th
- 1996 Grand Prix Czech Republic – IFBB, 4th
- 1996 Grand Prix England – IFBB, 6th
- 1996 Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, 6th
- 1996 Grand Prix Russia – IFBB, 3rd
- 1996 Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, 6th
- 1996 Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, 7th
- 1996 Grand Prix Switzerland – IFBB, 5th
- 1996 Mr. Olympia – Masters – IFBB, Winner
- 1996 San Jose Pro Invitational – IFBB, 3rd
- 1995 Grand Prix England – IFBB, Winner
- 1995 Grand Prix France – IFBB, Winner
- 1995 Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, 2nd
- 1995 Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, 6th
- 1995 Grand Prix Russia – IFBB, 2nd
- 1995 Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, 2nd
- 1995 Grand Prix Ukraine – IFBB, Winner
- 1995 Houston Pro Invitational – IFBB, 2nd
- 1995 Niagara Falls Pro Invitational – IFBB, Winner
- 1995 Night of Champions – IFBB, 2nd
- 1995 Mr. Olympia – IFBB, 5th
- 1994 Arnold Classic – IFBB, 2nd
- 1994 Grand Prix France – IFBB, 2nd
- 1994 Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, 2nd
- 1994 Ironman Pro Invitational – IFBB, Winner
- 1993 Arnold Classic – IFBB, 3rd
- 1993 Grand Prix France – IFBB, 2nd
- 1993 Grand Prix Germany – IFBB, 2nd
- 1993 Ironman Pro Invitational – IFBB, 3rd
- 1993 San Jose Pro Invitational – IFBB, Winner
- 1992 Arnold Classic – IFBB, Winner
- 1992 Ironman Pro Invitational – IFBB, Winner
- 1992 Mr. Olympia – IFBB, 6th
- 1992 Pittsburgh Pro Invitational – IFBB, Winner
- 1991 Arnold Classic – IFBB, 3rd
- 1991 Grand Prix Denmark – IFBB, Winner
- 1991 Grand Prix England – IFBB, 2nd
- 1991 Grand Prix Finland – IFBB, Winner
- 1991 Grand Prix Italy – IFBB, Winner
- 1991 Grand Prix Spain – IFBB, Winner
- 1991 Grand Prix Switzerland – IFBB, Winner
- 1991 Ironman Pro Invitational – IFBB, 5th
- 1991 Mr. Olympia – IFBB, 3rd
- 1991 Pittsburgh Pro Invitational – IFBB, Winner
- 1989 Grand Prix England – IFBB, 2nd
- 1989 Grand Prix Finland – IFBB, 2nd
- 1989 Grand Prix Holland – IFBB, 4th
- 1989 Night of Champions – IFBB, Winner
- 1989 Mr. Olympia – IFBB, 3rd
- 1988 Nationals – NPC, Overall Winner
- 1988 Nationals – NPC, Light-HeavyWeight, 1st
- 1987 Mr. America – AAU, Medium, 1st
- 1987 Nationals – NPC, Light-HeavyWeight, 4th
- 1983 Mr. Berlin Heavy Weight – 1st
Biography
Vince’s Early Years
Before he began competing, Vince Taylor led a healthy and active lifestyle. He spent several years competing in sports like football before switching to bodybuilding after getting the “lifting bug.”
He had a strong base from years of participating in athletics, so it didn’t take him long to develop a body that was “stage-ready.”
As a result, Vince was able to start getting ready for his first bodybuilding competition in 1982 right away.
Car Accidents
One year later, in 1983, he participated in his first competition, Mr. Berlin. Unfortunately, he claimed that two tragic vehicle accidents he experienced on the way there had marred his memories of the competition.
Vince says this about the incident: “I tried to park in the lot behind a theater, but I was involved in a car accident right there. It happened just in front of the entryway, and although it only took the cops two minutes, it seemed much longer.
When the police arrived, we resolved the situation before driving away. About 150 feet later, we come to a crossroads and I glance over my shoulder before turning off, but the driver in front of me didn’t, so I hit him from behind. In less than seven minutes, there have been two accidents! Taylor, Vince
Vince arrived at his light-heavy category late due to the auto accident. He did, however, have the choice to compete in the heavier division against stronger opponents.
Without a choice, Vince entered the ring with other heavyweight contestants, miraculously defeating them all, and taking home the victory.
Card Pro
Vince went nearly four years off the stage after winning the 1983 Mr. Berlin to build the greatest body he could so he could compete in the nationals. He would get a Pro Card for winning there, enabling him to compete against the finest of the best.
After failing to lift the trophy as he planned at the 1987 Nationals, he came back in extraordinary shape one year later – this time “obliterating” the competition, and gaining his highly sought-after Pro Card.
Vince entered the renowned 1989 Mr. Olympia competition only a few months after winning the Nationals and finished an outstanding third.
Vince’s Golden Years
Vince competed in an astounding 66 professional events over the following 13 years, taking first or second place in several of them and winning 24 of them.
The “golden years” of Vince’s career could be summed up as the years between 1989 and 2002. He achieved a world record for the most IFBB victories in bodybuilding history during this time with 22. Later, Ronnie Coleman’s 26 victories for the IFBB broke this record.
Vince also established a record for the most Master’s Olympia triumphs ever with 5. Because of these feats, he forever cemented his name among the best bodybuilders in history.
Vince, though, wasn’t done yet.
Future Contests
After taking a brief break from bodybuilding in 2002, Vince returned four years later and, at the age of 50, finished third at the 2006 Australian Pro.
He participated in the Mr. Olympia that year and came in 11th place.
He placed third and tenth, respectively, in his last two professional competitions, the 2007 Australian Pro and the fiercely competitive 2007 Arnold Classic.
VHS tapes
In addition to bodybuilding, Vince made appearances in a variety of bodybuilding films and documentaries, including Getting Pumped, Beyond the Masters, and Vince Taylor’s Workout.
Training
When he was at his best, Vince trained in the gym six days a week, using Sundays as “shut down” days during which he took complete rest. He worked out twice daily, typically for an hour in the morning and two hours at night.
Vince always worked out twice a day, but he never set a time restriction for himself; depending on his objectives, he may work out for 45 minutes to three hours.
Vince’s weekly workouts were divided into push-pull sessions; on one day, he would train his chest, shoulders, and arms; on the other, he would train his legs and abs; and on the third day, he would train his back. He would then repeat the procedure once more.
“I’ve never been the kind of guy who does high powerlifting. I’ve always come at you from different angles. Most people try to claim that they use a lot of repeats.
This is untrue. I require a weight that will enable me to feel the muscles contract. Even if it seems clichéd, I have to feel the muscle contract.
Vince’s Triceps and Shoulders Workout
- Barbell behind the neck press, 5 sets of 6-12 reps
- Single-arm dumbbell lateral raises, 5 sets of 8 reps
- Standing lateral raises, 5 sets of 6-10 reps
- Close-grip pushdowns, 5 sets of 10-12 reps
- Single-arm reverse-grip cable extensions, 5 sets of 10-12 reps
- High pulley cable extensions, 5 sets of 8-12 reps
Nutrition
Even throughout his competition days, Vince never put too much of a restriction on his food since he wanted to live life to the fullest. “My diet has always been casual,” he explains. There has never been a strict diet involved.
Vince ate fewer meals each day than many bodybuilders do, along with two drinks for extra protein and calories. He stated, “Overall, I’m not a big food consumer, never have been, never would be,” when asked about his eating habits.
He would make things as straightforward as he could, keeping to a diet high in meats and eggs, which are rich in protein, and ingesting very few carbohydrates. Breakfast, which typically included bacon, eggs, and ketchup, was his major meal.
Some people may find this way of dieting “crazy,” but it has worked for Vince throughout the years; as he put it, his 22 IFBB titles “speak for themselves.”
What Vince Taylor Can Teach Us?
With his bodybuilding accomplishments, it’s reasonable to assume that Vince is one of the finest in his field in addition to being an accomplished athlete.
We should all be inspired by and aspire to his achievement in this very competitive sport. Even so, Vince never took bodybuilding too seriously since, in his own words, “What’s the point if you’re not having fun?”
He didn’t give much thought to what might happen in the future because he was having fun on stage and “living for the moment.” This frame of mind finally allowed him to continue competing for many years and secure his place in the annals of bodybuilding.