Steve Michalik Dead at 63! RIP!

**KTTraining** · 05-25-2012, 09:41 PM

How could any real Bodybuilder not love this gym .. they don't exist today . That's not to say those from the general population didn't train here .. the difference is that even they trained... For the most part , no one really sat around . Also , lots of athletes, Football players , ect trained there .

**Ironguru** · 05-26-2012, 03:08 AM

Very sad to hear this.....I wonder why he did it and I am looking forward to hearing that interview.

I was really inspired by his Intensity and Insanity stories that John D. wrote.

RIP Mr. America, this has been a rough year for the sport given now that Bob Kennedy and Steve Michalik has passed away.

**AussieMuscle** · 05-26-2012, 05:47 AM

Originally Posted by Curt James

Shit. Never know what's going on inside someone's head. :-(

Rest in peace.

Similar to Junior Seau. People should seek to speak with someone about their issues. No man is too big to put their hand up and seek help. We are human, shit will happen and everyone is here to support each other.

**Gymdawg** · 05-26-2012, 05:56 AM

Originally Posted by HeavyDutyGuy

Well working for Defendis will depress anyone. Still I'm shocked! The few times I spoke with Steve he was very positive and encouraging. I thank him for that. RIP Steve.

So True...

**hifrommike65** · 05-26-2012, 12:13 PM

http://www.nissansilvia.com/forums/i...owtopic=431324

If you haven't read Paul Solotaroff's 1990 Village Voice article about Steve, "The Power & the Gory," it is still cutting edge & hard to believe.

**Curt James** · 05-26-2012, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by hifrommike65

http://www.nissansilvia.com/forums/i...owtopic=431324

If you haven't read Paul Solotaroff's 1990 Village Voice article about Steve, "The Power & the Gory," it is still cutting edge & hard to believe.

http://forums.rxmuscle.com/showthrea...-hifrommike65)

**KTTraining** · 05-26-2012, 03:18 PM

No offense Mike, but that article is a sensationalized piece of garbage .

Anyone who met Steve after he sold, and got kicked out of the gym, met a completely different person . Even his workouts became ridiculous and made little to no sense . If you trained with him or in his gym before 1986 you saw the real Bodybuilder .

For a comparison I would bring up Mike Mentzer . Does a Bodybuilding board want to talk about or remember the Mentzer that basically bothered anyone that came into Golds for 3 session training deals where he would do absolutely nothing or do they want to discuss / reminisce about the great Bodybuilder with some innovative training ideas ?

Dave, if you want to interview someone that truly knew Steve back then , both inside and outside the gym then try to interview Gus from Bevs . Gus is a great guy and was with Steve all the time in the early to mid 80's. The gym was filled with camaraderi and Steve was in the zone, sorta speaking . He was always a passionate out spoken guy and maybe he added a little expression to his speaking, ect but after Americas everything, from his training to even the way he spoke became a circus act .

You wanna know who the guy that was supposed to be in the first Pumping Iron and was in the second , the guy that developed an incredible physique in the 70's early 80's , the guy that even accomplished professional Bodybuilders would come to the gym and discuss their training / prep with him ?

Of course he was always an eccentric guy.. tell me what person that is willing to sit in a gym all day and diet on tuna n chicken isn't . But after Americas he was not the Steve that made him a champion .... not even close ..

**masterschamp** · 05-26-2012, 03:20 PM

RIP, Steve............nothing more needs to be said.

Keith

**huge285** · 05-26-2012, 04:22 PM

Steve was an intense individual and was very polarizing........... i'd like to get to the bottom of why he felt the need to end his life. That's what the show will concentrate on.

**KTTraining** · 05-26-2012, 04:29 PM

From history everyone knows one of 3 things usually preceed suicide ; health problems , relationships problems and financial problems . I'm sure you will discover one or more of those associated to his death .

**swingslammer** · 05-26-2012, 05:04 PM

I think some guys just can't take it when it is finally "Over"? I REALLY wanted to be a Pro but there are some things that make me glad it never happened.....one is I know myself well enough to know I would not have known how to take life out of the spot light. Maybe Steve could see it was all over and he just didn't want to live out his final years a shell of his former self?

**Curt James** · 05-26-2012, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by KTTraining

after Americas he was not the Steve that made him a champion .... not even close ..

What changed?

Or, rather, what do you guess caused the change in Michalik?

**KTTraining** · 05-26-2012, 10:03 PM

Hey Curt , Sorry for the long post but it's hard to answer and I probably won't , haha .

That said, I have no idea why I just know what I saw . I was in both Americas and then the gym Steve went to after he got kicked out of Americas .

Yesterday , I read a post by someone that was close to him during the past decade and he described Steve's characteristics in the years up to this . Looking back I can say some of those were obvious when he sold the gym around 86 87 ish . A much larger, commercial gym ( health club) was opening up across the street and Steve new it . Since Americas was a hardcore gym and definitely didn't cater to the booming fitness industry , Steve knew he had to get rid of it fast . He sold this gym to a GREAT guy and real good bodybuilder ( Mr America) Andy Sivert for what would be considered a steal IF A HUGE COMMERCIAL GYM WASNT OPENING UP ACROSS THE STREET . Andy was about 21 or 22 years old and close with Steve , as Steve trained him for Teen nationals ( vs shawn Ray) and other shows . When Andy found out about this deception he kicked Steve out of the gym . I was the only person kept on to continue working there and like n respect Andy very much . That was a very tough spot to be in . Here Steve is basically being forced to sell his business , or go out of business and his Bodybuilding career is over ... Two things he loved . Who knows , but I would guess that would effect many people, right ?

When he went to the next Gym, which I was in as well, it seemed like he needed to exploit that reputation and regain that aura , and he did , in my opinion .

When I first met him ( from my perspective @ 15 years old) he was passionate .. confident , everyone in the gym knew him and respected him for his accomplishments ... I mean they are filming a movie that is part of a franchise that changed Bodybuilding in your gym and he is the focal point . They chose him . People can lessen that or his accomplishments as much as they want but it stands on its own . In the next Gym it seemed ( to me ) that he felt he needed to gain that back ... *** to me he didn't lose it *** and his personality changed and even his training approach . In Americas his workouts were everything you've read in Defendis' articles .... Later, when his Passion wasn't as strong his workouts became more circus like with less true real focus and intensity .. They were bizarre actually . Take the workouts John D writes about and remove the well thought out structure and planning , and add fake screams n moans and add a lot more useless machines and you get the 90's workouts .

I had a little fallen out w Steve in the early 90's but always respected him and appreciated the good things he did for me . I won't forget them . The man was amazing !!!! I don't think many who actually saw him when I did , or earlier, would disagree . I also like to remember people that were good to me for the positives not the negatives WE ALL HAVE .