On Sept. 28, 2022, Ferrigno shared a post on his Instagram where he’s holding his shirt up in a selfie to showcase his tight abs at the age of 70. As he writes in the caption of his post, Ferrigno is “proud” to be able to stay “dedicated” and in shape after “58 years” of training and competition.

 

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A post shared by Lou Ferrigno (@theofficiallouferrigno)

[Related: The Best Dumbbell Ab Workouts for a Stronger, Better-Looking Core]

As a bodybuilder, Ferrigno competed in some intermittent capacity over the course of two decades.

The first tentpole victory of his career was a breakout win in the 1973 International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Mr. America. That same year would see Ferrigno win the first of two straight IFBB Mr. Universe titles (1973-1974). He would later capture the 1974 IFBB Mr. International contest. Ferrigno made his Olympia debut at the 1974 Mr. Olympia, where he would finish in second to Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In 1975, documented in the classic bodybuilding film Pumping Iron, Ferrigno took home a third-place result behind Serge Nubret and the defending champion Schwarzenegger, respectively. From there, Ferrigno would not pose on an official bodybuilding stage again until he was in his early 40s during a 12th-place result at the 1992 Mr. Olympia. He would cap his career with a second-place finish in the Master’s division at the 1994 Olympia. That would be Ferrigno’s final bodybuilding competition before a formal retirement at the age of 43.

 

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A post shared by Lou Ferrigno (@theofficiallouferrigno)

[Related: Bodybuilding Legend Flex Wheeler Will Receive 2023 Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement Award]

Outside of the bodybuilding and fitness sphere, some might recognize Ferrigno for his long-time famous role as the green-skinned title character in CBS’s The Incredible Hulk from 1977-1982. The actor has since reprised his time as the Hulk in modern cameos in Marvel’s cinematic universe. In a further nod to his physique, Ferrigno also played the ripped Roman god Hercules in a 1983 live-action interpretation of the mythological figure. Ferrigno would play himself in a recurring part on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens and in the 2009 comedy I Love You, Man alongside actors Jason Segel and Paul Rudd.

According to IMDB, Ferrigno is still staying active in Hollywood and has 70 acting credits to his name at the time of this writing. He is currently filming the movie Hermit, where he plays the eponymous character.

For a bodybuilding and Hollywood legend like Ferrigno, it seems life never stops moving at warp speed.

Featured image: @theofficiallouferrigno on Instagram

The post Bodybuilding Legend Lou Ferrigno Keeps His Abs Ripped at 70-Years-Old appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

His wife noted that Pearl had recently overcome a serious bacterial infection, following a lawn mower accident that occurred in April. He was simultaneously battling Parkinson’s Disease, diagnosed in 2016, which his wife believes may have caused his death. (An official cause of death wasn’t announced.)

[Related: Bodybuilding Legend Jay Cutler Discusses Training Commitment In Retirement, Shares Volume Back Workout]

While serving with the United States Navy in the early 1950s, Pearl began strength training at Leo Stern’s Gym in San Diego. Stern would encourage Pearl to give competitive bodybuilding a try. After Pearl won the 1953 Mr. California, Mr. America, and Mr. Universe Amateur titles, the rest was history.

With a unique mass and strength, Pearl was a bodybuilding mainstay in the mid-20th century. For an intermittent part over almost two decades between 1952-1971, Pearl competed in 11 bodybuilding competitions, winning nine of them. In that time, Pearl won contests ranging from the 1952 Mr. San Diego to four Mr. Universe Pro contests, three overall titles and one in the Tall category (1956, 1961, 1967, 1971).

After enjoying his fruitful career, in 1978, Pearl stepped away from bodybuilding as an active competitor at the age of 48. To this day, only Edward Kawak (1982-1985, 1993) and Eddy Ellwood (1997-2001) have ever won more Mr. Universe competitions. Pearl is tied with fellow bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger (1968-1970) at three victories. 

Following Pearl’s bodybuilding career, he was a mentor, trainer, and training partner to nine Mr. America winners and 14 Mr. Universe champions. Among the more notable might be 1982 Mr. Olympia Chris Dickerson.

Eventually, Pearl became a successful fitness author, penning notable popular picks such as Keys To The INNER Universe (1979) and Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Men and Women (1986). According to the caption of the post on Pearl’s Facebook page, Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Men and Women has sold over 850,000 copies to date.

[Related: 7-Time 212 Olympia Champion, Flex Lewis, Retires From Competitive Bodybuilding]

In 2003, in conjunction with co-author Kim Scott, Pearl penned his autobiography entitled Beyond The Universe: The Bill Pearl Story. For his tremendous impact on bodybuilding. Pearl was awarded the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.

Here’s part of what Pearl’s wife had to say about her late husband’s passing on Facebook:

“All day yesterday, he [Bill Pearl] was fretting about his Facebook page and had me post a couple of things he had prepared,” Judy Pearl wrote. “He loved to share stories of other people’s triumphs and accomplishments.” 

Featured Image: Bill Pearl on Facebook

The post Mr. Universe and Bodybuilding Icon Bill Pearl Passes Away at 91 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.