The biography, life, and accomplishments of Steve Kuclo
Steve Kuclo is an IFBB professional bodybuilder and firefighter from Plano, Texas (USA.) He’s made a name for himself through winning professional competitions, and standing on the Mr. Olympia stage 4 times.
Below is a complete breakdown of his profile, stats, biography, training, and diet regimens.
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Full Name: Steve “King Snake” Kuclo |
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| Weight | Height | Date Of Birth |
| 300 lbs. | 5’11” | 08/15/1985 |
| Division | Era | Nationality |
| Open | 2000, 2010 | American |
Biography
Growing up, Steve was amazingly enthusiastic about sports. He played baseball, hockey and football at school, loving every moment. He figured out how to become so skilled at hockey as a young athlete that he was put in the hockey hall of fame for his endeavors. Steve says that personal development was always his main goal, and it turned into an “addiction” as he entered adulthood.
Steve’s love for self-improvement in sports, allowed him to develop an interest in improving his body and becoming as strong as he could. Because of this, he began going to the gym in order to improve his ability in the hockey rink. As he spent more time in the gym, his love for bodybuilding grew naturally. He decided that he would try competing to see where the sport would take him.
Steve stepped on stage for the first time when he was only 28 years old. He managed to win the 2004 NPC ‘Capital City Classic’ teen class, coming 3rd in the overall Men’s Open division.
Steve winning made him obsessed with the sport. He would go on to win the Teen Nationals Heavyweight in 2004 and 2005, as well as the 2004 NPC Michigan Bodybuilding State Championships.
Steve was a successful bodybuilder, but he knew that he would need a day job to pay for his food and gym subscription. He joined the fire and rescue service when he was 21, with the intention to help people in his local community. Though it became hard to juggle long (sometimes 24 hour long) shifts, he believed that this career and his bodybuilding lifestyle complimented each other. The strength gains he made in the gym, were useful in his very physical firefighting role.
In the late 2000’s, Steve began to compete in full adult events, finding success at the 2008 and 2010 NPC Nationals, with 3rd place positions. In 2011, Steve tried for the third time to win the same competition in Las Vegas, USA. He trained extremely hard for the event, and managed to win easily.
Through doing so, he managed to claim his Pro Card, starting a career which would lead him all the way to the top.
The first professional contest he entered was the 2013 ‘Europa Super Show Men’s Open’ in Dallas. He figured out how to win this show and take the first place trophy home.
This wasn’t all he got following this event though. He also discovered that he had qualified for the 2013 Mr. Olympia contest. This was a dream that Steve had supported since he was a teen, so to be welcomed onto this stage with the best on the planet was an amazing opportunity.
He managed to place 14th at Olympia. His long training period paid off, and he could say that he was officially in the top level of bodybuilders on earth. He demonstrated his ability by winning the ‘Arnold Classic’ in Brazil a couple of months after the fact in 2014.
In 2015, Steve started working with the professional coach George Farah. He says that doing so “completely transformed” his physique.
George’s approach with Steve was to keep things basic. They worked hard on making small, but noticeable changes to Steve’s diet by introducing new foods and supplements where needed.
He managed to land a 2nd place trophy at the famous ‘Wings of Strength Texas Pro’, but unfortunately came in 16th at his third Mr. Olympia a few months later. Steve saw this as an opportunity to rebuild and prepare for the next years’ contests.
Steve goal was always to win the Olympia, and he attended the 2016 competition with an intention to beat his previous years 16th. He came 13th this time round, which was an improvement, but it was still nowhere near his 2014 9th place result.
Steve knew that it was only a matter of time before he would eventually be on the podium as a top placer. He viewed these years of training and competing as “self improvement”, the initial motivation which started him out on the bodybuilding path in the first place.
Training
Steve says “taking your body to new limits is not an easy or comfortable process.” His weekly split is a grueling 6 day marathon, with each day focused on a different area of the body.
- First Day: Quads
- Second Day: Chest
- Third Day: Back
- Fourth Day: Rest Day
- Fifth Day: Hams/Glutes
- Sixth Day: Arms
- Seventh Day: Shoulders
Quads
- Straight Bra Squat: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on 4th set
- Leg Press: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on 4th set
- Hack Squat: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Triple Drop Set on 4th set
- Led Extension: 9-10 reps
- Machine Squat: 9-10 reps
- Lunge: 9-10 reps for each leg
Chest
- Incline Barbell Press: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on 4th set
- Flat Hammer Press: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on 4th set
- Incline Dumbbell Fly: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on 4th set
- Hammer Incline: 9-10 reps
- Cable Fly: 9-10 reps
- Pec Dec Fly: 9-10 reps
Back
- Barbell Bentover Row: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on 4th set
- Lat Pulldown: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on 4th set
- Seated Low Cable Row: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
On 4th Set: Perform Power Partial and Triple Drop Set
- Hammer Strength Row: 9-10 reps
- V Bar Pulldown: 9-10 reps
- Dumbbell Pullover 9-10 reps
Hamstrings And Glutes
- Stiff Leg Barbell Deadlift: 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Triple Drop Set on the 3rd set
- Lying Leg Curl: 3 sets, 10-12 reps
Power partial and Triple Drop Set on the 3rd set
- Standing Single Leg Curl: 3 sets, 10-12 reps for each leg
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on the 3rd set
- Barbell Hip Thrust: 12-15 reps
- Abductor: 12-15 reps
- Abductor: 12-15 reps
Arms
Biceps
- Standing Wide Grip Curl: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on the 4th set
- Seated Incline Dumbbell Curl: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on the 4th set
- Preacher Curl: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on the 4th set
- Dumbbell Hammer Curl: 9-10 reps
- Reverse Curl: 9-10 reps
- Cable Curl: 9-10 reps
Triceps
- Close-Grip Bench Press: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on the 4th set
- Cable Rope Extension: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on 4th set
- Overhead Rope Extension: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on 4th set
- Dip: 9-10 reps
- Wide Pushdown: 9-10 reps
- Cable Rope Extension: 9-10 reps
Shoulders
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on 4th set
- Barbell Military Press: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on 4th set
- Machine Shoulder Press: 4 sets, 10-12 reps
Power Partial and Triple Drop Set on 4th set
- Rear Pec Dec Fly: 9-10 reps
- Cable Lateral Raise: 9-10 reps
- Rear Delt Rope Face Pull: 9-10 reps
Nutrition
Off-Season
First Meal
- 6 oz. of lean steak
- 2 whole eggs
- 1/2 cup of egg whites
- 1-cup spinach
- 5 cups oats
Second Meal
- 7 oz. of chicken, or lean ground turkey
- 2 cups of white rice
- 1 banana
Third Meal
- 7 oz. chicken or lean ground turkey
- 2 cups of white rice
- 1 apple
Fourth Meal
- 7 oz. chicken or lean ground turkey (cooked)
- 2 cups of rice (cooked)
- 1 cup pineapple
Fifth Meal
- 8 oz. salmon (cooked)
- 10 oz. sweet potato (cooked)
- Vegetable of choice
Sixth Meal
- 2 scoops
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 hand full of mixed nuts
- ½ cup low fat natural Greek yogurt
Cheat Meals
- 2-3 cheat meals per week including a variety of food from fast food burgers to pizza
Competition Diet
First Meal
- 5 cups egg whites
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 cups oats
- 2 slices Ezekiel bread
Second Meal
- 10 ounce fillet
- 12 ounce sweet potato
Third Meal
- 10 ounce chicken breast
- 2 cups rice
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
Fourth Meal
- 10 ounce chicken
- 2 cups rice
Fifth Meal
- 2 scoops whey protein isolate
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 5 cups oats all in a shake
Supplementation
While Steve uses his own supplements of choice, having a good supplementation routine is key in seeing gains. Whether that be a protein powder for growth and recovery, a pre-workout for those pumps and energy boosts, or a fat burner to help shed that stubborn fat, a quality supplement routine can work wonders for you. Also, be sure to look into top multivitamins, testosterone boosters, and intra-workout products to really enhance your health and performance.
Competition History
- 2004 NPC Capital City Classic, 1st Teen, Overall Men’s 3rd
- 2004 NPC Michigan Bodybuilding State Championships 1st place in the Teen, Teen Overall, 4th Place Men’s
- 2004 NPC Teen Nationals Heavyweight, 1st
- 2005 NPC Collegiate Nationals, 3rd
- 2005 NPC Michigan Championships Teen, 1st
- 2005 NPC Michigan Championships Heavy Weight, 5th
- 2005 Teen Nationals Heavy Weight, 1st
- 2007 North American Championships, 8th
- 2008 NPC Nationals,3rd
- 2009 NPC Nationals, 13th
- 2010 NPC Nationals, 3rd
- 2010 NPC USA Championships, 6th
- 2011 NPC USA, Men’s Overall 1st (pro card)
- 2013 Dallas Europa Super Show Men’s Open, 1st
- 2013 Mr. Olympia, 14th
- 2014 Arnold Classic Brazil, 1st
- 2014 Finland Pro, 2nd
- 2014 San Marino Pro, 7th
- 2014 EVLS Prague Pro, 5th
- 2014 Dubai Open, 4th
- 2014 Mr. Olympia, 9th
- 2015 Wings of Strength Texas Pro, 2nd
- 2015 Mr. Olympia, 16th
- 2015 IFBB Europa Phoenix, 6th
- 2015 IFBB EVL’s Prague Pro, 10th
- 2015 IFBB Arnold Classic Europe, 10th
- 2016 Mr. Olympia, 13th