Tag: Berry De Mey
Berry De Mey Reveals The Industry Change That Brought Him Back To Bodybuilding
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After retiring from competing, Berry De Mey completely removed himself from the world of bodybuilding… until a big change brought him back.
These days, Berry De Mey is most notable as a coach and bodybuilding commentator/influencer compared to his prime competitive days. But his journey from competitive bodybuilder to coach is more complicated than most may know. In fact, De Mey had a period of his life where he left the bodybuilding world behind completely in favor of photography. What brought him back into the coach we know today? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Berry De Mey details the key change in the bodybuilding industry that brought him back to the sport.
Berry De Mey’s journey through bodybuilding is more complicated than most know. Though today he stands tall as a successful coach, online bodybuilding commentator, and IFBB Pro Hall of Famer – his journey contained many ups and downs. After some time competing in the IFBB Pro league, De Mey left in favor of Vince McMahon’s ill-fated WBF league. That failed after a very short tenure. Luckily, De Mey was allowed back into the IFBB Pro league once WBF ended.
Berry De Mey then competed for a few more years before retiring from the sport. Upon retiring, De Mey did something atypical for most elite competitors – he left the world of bodybuilding completely. He enrolled into a college to focus on photography – and believed that this would be his new life path.
As we know today, he eventually returned to the world of bodybuilding and made a name for himself as a coach. What happened? After studying photography, Berry De Mey went to the FIBO expo in Europe. This was a fitness expo that was quickly growing into one of the largest in the world. De Mey noticed a very encouraging change in the bodybuilding industry at that expo. Based on its size and the kind of folks who were expressing interest, it became clear that bodybuilding had hit mainstream culture.
Berry De Mey realized that bodybuilding mentality entered the more general fitness world. And fitness as a whole became more popular globally. For De Mey, this was a key indication that he could make a true living in bodybuilding – but in a more healthy way than pro competing. He could start his own coaching business that not only caters to competitors but also “average folk” looking to become more fit and healthy.
This all circles back around to Berry De Mey’s more recent comments on pro bodybuilding as a whole. He believes that the competitive side has become too dangerous with increasingly bigger and stronger doses of PEDs being used. But as natural bodybuilding leagues and the wider general fitness community shows us – there is a way to achieve incredible sculpted physiques without endangering your health to that degree.
De Mey has spoken out about the many too-soon deaths that hit our sport over the past year and a half. He’s spoken out about his worry of how the most massive physiques are being rewarded – such as Big Ramy and Nick Walker. These comments all tie into why he got back into bodybuilding and coaching in the first place. He believes a bodybuilding lifestyle can be healthy and enjoyed by all.
You can watch Berry De Mey’s full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Berry De Mey: “I’m A Living Example That Bodybuilding Can Be Really Healthy”
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Berry De Mey discusses health in bodybuilding and what he considers to be his biggest contribution to the sport.
Berry De Mey is a bodybuilder and coach who has not been afraid to speak his mind about the health of bodybuilding. He’s gone to social media numerous times to criticize the extreme lengths some modern bodybuilders are willing to take for success. De Mey warns that bodybuilders need to start taking further precautions to monitor their health. So it may come as no surprise that De Mey believes his greatest contribution to bodybuilding is tied to health in the sport. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Berry De Mey explains how he is living proof that pro bodybuilding can be healthy.
During our conversation with Berry De Mey, we topped off our interview by asking – what has been your greatest contribution to the sport of bodybuilding? De Mey’s answer focuses less on trophies and awards won and more on his legacy outside of pure competition. He considers his success in the sport to be “a living example that bodybuilding can be really healthy.”
What does he mean by that exactly? De Mey goes on to explain that he was able to build a massive and iconic physique while also focusing on maintaining his health. He’s proof that life doesn’t need to be cut short in order to become a pro bodybuilding success. De Mey worries that bodybuilders today believe there is only one dangerous path to becoming a champion. He hopes that the career he led and the guidance he provides as a coach will help nudge pro bodybuilding into a healthier direction. He’s a proof of concept.
Berry De Mey lays it out directly during our conversation:
“I’m really really convinced that my contribution today is that I can show, I started when I was like 16 years old and in a couple months I’m turning 60 years old. And I think my biggest contribution is that I’m a living example that bodybuilding can be really really healthy.”
De Mey continues by breaking down the biggest difference between healthier bodybuilding of earlier eras compared to bodybuilding today:
“I think the biggest thing is the consistency of the lifestyle… You see a lot of people, they peak for a competition, and they actually, a couple of weeks a year they are in shape and the rest of the year they are not in shape. Maybe in the old days that was different. You know, we were kind of in decent shape all year around. It all pays off now.”
His last comment in the above quote seems to imply that older bodybuilders today might not be living as long if they were following the tactics of modern bodybuilding. There’s now way to know that for sure. But Berry De Mey hopes that his existence in the sport and his continued guidance through coaching will make a difference.
It may be challenging to truly quantify the health statistics of pro bodybuilding compared to the average person – but Berry De Mey believes that bodybuilding could always be doing more to make things healthier.
You can watch Berry De Mey’s full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Berry De Mey Wants More Transparent Rules To Make Bodybuilding Less Subjective
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Berry De Mey believes there are rules that can be tweaked to make judging “easier” and “less subjective.”
Pro bodybuilding in the IFBB has a strict set of rules and criteria that all competitors must abide by. These are the guidelines that help a bodybuilder understand what their goals should be to earn victory at a competition. But ultimately, behind all of the rules remains some level of subjectivity. An “aesthetic” body and a “conditioned physique” can fall within the eye of the beholder (within reason). This leads to fans, experts, and even sometimes athletes to disagree with judges decisions. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Berry De Mey opens up on how he believes judging rules can be changed to help make pro bodybuilding less subjective.
Every sport has some element of subjectivity to it. There’s always a referee call that fans won’t agree with. And even times in sports with playback where a call is outright wrong – but the ref didn’t see the event from the right perspective. Some sports, like pro football allow for a flip on a ref’s call after playback. Others, like pro soccer, often don’t flip a ref’s call even if the video playback reveals error. To some degree, no sport can avoid subjectivity.
Bodybuilding faces this fact beyond those simple examples. Bodybuilding is about judging the look of a physique and not about scoring goals. This adds even more unavoidable subjectivity. But is it possible for the sport as we know it today to improve and avoid some of this pitfalls? Berry De Mey seems to think so. He thinks that the sport can always improve to help make the sport more transparent and, in some ways, remove more of the subjectivity from the sport.
To be clear, Berry De Mey doesn’t not fall into the camp of individuals who think that there are “politics” or conflicts of interest in the judging system. De Mey has never seen it himself and bodybuilding has given him an entire life and career. He’s grateful for it and sees no wrong-doing in the current set up of rules and judging.
That being said, because he is passionate about the sport, he is always open to seeing it improve. And while he has not experienced conflict of interest first hand – he’s also open to being somewhat naive to things happening behind the scenes. Or at the very least, he’s aware there are always some athletes or fans who disagree with the judges decision at a major pro bodybuilding show.
Berry De Mey isn’t oblivious. He’s aware there will always be a bodybuilder unhappy with the results. It’s because they want to win and believe in themselves and their accomplishments. But De Mey is also aware that sometimes, bodybuilders are legitimately unsure why they lost. He’s been experiencing this first hand as he coaches Tavi Castro – a phenomenal Classic Physique bodybuilder who has struggled to earn his pro card.
Of course, there is always the possibility, no matter how good an athlete is, that there’s someone better. But in Berry De Mey’s eyes, Tavi Castro clearly has a physique that deserves a pro card and a place to compete amongst the world’s best. He thinks this, alongside other athletes and fans somewhat consistently disagreeing with judges results – means something can be improved to bring more clarity to everyone involved in the sport.
Berry De Mey doesn’t go into any specific detail on what could be changed. But he clearly states that he thinks there are clear measures that can be taken to “make judging easy.” He uses the word “transparency” to describe such changes. It would seem that De Mey believes that more clear and detailed scoring rules will leave less room for doubt among the fanbase, athlete base, and everyone involved in bodybuilding.
There’s no way to remove the subjectivity of this sport. Bodybuilding has been and always will be about judging the visual look of the human body. That can never be full objective. Berry De Mey is aware of this – but believes the pursuit of further improving the judging criteria might help lead to happier athletes and fans. Do you agree?
You can watch Berry De Mey’s full comments on training Tavi Castro and the transparency of judging in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
INTERVIEW: Berry De Mey Is “Shocked” By The Amount Of Drugs Modern Bodybuilders Use
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Berry De Mey believes that modern bodybuilders take far higher doses of drugs than past eras of the sport.
The health of pro bodybuilding athletes has been a topic of major discussion this past year. Sparked by many untimely deaths of competitive bodybuilders – many experts, athletes, and fans have been making public statements about their concern over the health of the sport as a whole. Have we finally reached a tipping point in the risk vs reward of drug use in bodybuilding? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Berry De Mey explains his shock over the increase in doses and types of drugs modern bodybuilders use today.
Berry De Mey has been one of the more vocal bodybuilders speaking out about health in bodybuilding this past year. This has not only been sparked by the recent deaths in the sport – but also the physiques De Mey is seeing on stage. His reaction to the Arnold Classic 2021 earlier this year drew criticism. He has also clarified those statements in a previous interview with us – stating that “bodybuilding is becoming insane.”
We’re now pulling another segment from our conversation with Berry De Mey – this time focusing on the drug use prevalent in competitive bodybuilding today. Specifically De Mey shares his opinion on diuretics and insulin. He also speaks more broadly about the amount of drugs that athletes are taking during this era compared to his own. While he often clarifies that he is not a doctor – he finds himself worried about what he is seeing in the sport today.
While nearly all of the recent deaths this year have not announced official cause of death – many point towards diuretics as a possible cause. Especially for those that happened just before competitions. Diuretics are often used to dry out just before a competition – but accidentally overdosing on it can be extremely dangerous and possibly fatal. Victor Martinez just recently spoke with Generation Iron on his personal health scare involving diuretics before a show. Milos Sarcev did not want to go into specifics as he is not a medical professional – but he can confidently say it’s a dangerous drug used in the sport.
Berry De Mey also points out insulin as a very dangerous compound used by modern athletes. He admits that this was a drug available during his prime as well. He even sought it out as he wanted to do whatever he could to become the best. But his doctor refused to support insulin use – even when he was open about supporting use of other drugs such as steroids. This was enough for De Mey to avoid insulin – and looking back he’s happier for it.
But it’s less about one specific drug and more about the big picture. Berry De Mey believes that it’s an increased combination and higher doses of drugs that is the real issue. He claims to have seen lists of what young bodybuilders take today – and is “shocked” by what he sees.
“If I see some of the lists that they are all taking, I’m in shock,” Berry De Mey states in our interview. He continues:
“So of course yeah, diuretics is one of the things, but there is also a lot of other things that I am shocked about. Particularly in the amounts and the substances. The different kinds of substances.”
We then follow up asking him if he thinks that the amount of drugs taken today exceeds what he saw and used during his prime. He answered confidently and swiftly, “Most definitely.”
Ultimately, Berry De Mey understands the psychology of why this is happening. He was doing the same thing during his prime as a competitive bodybuilder. These athletes will always do whatever it takes to be the best – including many risks. The problem is that those risks are becoming increasingly bigger. De Mey can look back now in his older age and logically worry about the state of younger bodybuilders. But if he was young today – he’s sure that he would be part of the pack making these same decisions.
You can watch Berry De Mey’s full comments on diuretics, insulin, and overall drug use in bodybuilding by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Berry De Mey: Matt Mendenhall Was The Most Talented Bodybuilder That Ever Lived
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Berry De Mey sings praises of bodybuilder Matt Mendenhall… so why didn’t he ever go pro?
Berry De Mey is a former pro bodybuilder and currently a well respected bodybuilding coach. His evaluation of physiques and the sport as a whole carries a significant weight due to his knowledge and insight into bodybuilding excellence. So when he calls a competitor one of the most talented that ever lived – it’s an eye catching statement. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Berry De Mey explains why amateur bodybuilder Matt Mendenhall was one of the best bodybuilders of all time… and the likely reason he never went pro.
Beloved bodybuilder Matt Mendenhall sadly passed away earlier this year. He was a bodybuilder known for an immensely pleasing physique. But despite this, he never actually went pro in the sport. During our latest video conversation with Berry De Mey, Mendenhall’s name and memory were brought up. De Mey was quick to claim that, in his opinion, Mendenhall was one of the most talented bodybuilders that had ever lived. That’s a major statement – especially for a competitor who never ended up going pro.
So we asked Berry De Mey to speculate exactly why Matt Mendenhall never became a pro bodybuilder. If he was truly that talented, how could he have not made it into the elite ranks and at least tried to compete and win a Mr. Olympia? De Mey believes that, at the time, Mendenhall never brought in his conditioning enough to earn him a pro card. While his conditioning never came together, it was clear to De Mey that he could have gone the distance once he overcame that hurdle.
Berry De Mey had the pleasure of training with Matt Mendenhall for quite some time. During those training sessions, it became clear to De Mey that Mendenhall was a spectacular talent. Of course, hindsight is 20/20 – and looking back now, De Mey honestly believes that Mendenhall could have become an iconic and legendary pro in the sport. If he had only gotten that pro card, De Mey is confident that he would have become a Mr. Olympia champion.
Berry De Mey isn’t alone in this outlook of Matt Mendenhall. Over time, his name and physique had grown to legendary status despite never going pro. Upon his tragic passing, the bodybuilding community sent an outpour of tributes to the late great bodybuilder. A true testament to how memorable his talent was regardless of his status in the pro league. Perhaps in a different timeline – he would have been a Mr. Olympia great on the same level of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dorian Yates, Lee Haney, or Ronnie Coleman.
When discussing the greatest athletes of all time, it’s easy to focus on statistics such as championship wins. But the truth behind all sports is that there is simply not enough room for all great talent to reach ultimate victories. It’s part of the beauty behind competition. There are a variety of factors that can determine who rises to the top and who doesn’t. In life, there have always been well deserved beloved figures and at the same time unknown genius talents that never get recognized until much later.
That’s why it’s so encouraging to hear a respected name such as Berry De Mey speak to Matt Mendenhall’s legacy. He might not have statistically been the greatest bodybuilder of all time – but in the hearts of many, he was one of the most talented bodybuilders that ever lived.
You can watch Berry De Mey speak in full about Matt Mendenhall in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Berry De Mey Clarifies His Critical Comments: “Bodybuilding In Total Is Becoming Insane”
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Berry De Mey debates Vlad Yudin in deep analysis of his previous critical comments of modern bodybuilding physiques.
Berry De Mey found himself in some hot water when he made a post on Instagram criticizing modern bodybuilding physiques. His comments came immediately after the Arnold Classic and Nick Walker’s massive win. In the aftermath, a controversial barrage of comments flooded De Mey’s post. Some defending and many criticizing his take on modern bodybuilding. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Berry De Mey deeply explains and clarifies his comments criticizing bodybuilding physiques of today.
There’s nothing new about the old guard of bodybuilders criticizing the modern physiques of bodybuilding athletes currently competing. We’ve seen the likes of Dorian Yates, Ronnie Coleman, and more throw shade at the current state of bodybuilding. Now we can add former bodybuilder and now coach Berry De Mey into this category.
Berry De Mey took to Instagram swiftly after Nick Walker’s big Arnold Classic win. Though not directly pointed at Walker – De Mey had some critical words about the current state of the sport.
We had the opportunity to connect with Berry De Mey and discuss at length his comments about modern bodybuilding. More than can be explained in a simple Instagram post or in comments – the discussion and debate between Vlad Yudin and Berry De Mey goes into the deep details of De Mey’s criticism. De Mey has a particular criteria for what he thinks bodybuilding should look like – he doesn’t think the judges today are on that same page.
Berry De Mey admits that he is likely biased beyond his control. He believes if he was born into this era – he would see no problem with today’s physiques and push himself to the massive size we are seeing on the stage today. It’s the exact thing he did during his prime competing. The only difference is that the limit was far lower than it is today. That’s what worries him.
He understands that no single person or entity is to blame. But he thinks each passing generation of bodybuilders is pushing the limit of the human body further. With each new limit being crossed – the new normal becomes more dangerous and also less pleasing (to Berry De Mey’s eyes). His main criticism is that each passing decade focuses more on size and conditioning over lines and aesthetic. De Mey thinks aesthetic should be valued equally to size.
But Barry De Mey is at a loss on how to properly fix it – or even on how to fully express himself. He feels trapped in the same bias that all individuals in bodybuilding are. It’s impossible to escape the bias of your generation. When he tries to take a step back to the bigger macro picture – he becomes worried. If we are all unavoidably a victim of our own upbringing and bias – how can we fix the dangerous size that bodybuilders are pushing towards?
Ultimately, he traces the problems he sees with modern bodybuilding all the way back to the Golden Era. He finds the totality of bodybuilding to be too extreme.
“The reason that I’m saying this all is not about that I don’t like the aesthetic that much anymore. You know, it’s not about that result,” Berry De Mey states in our interview. He continues:
“I’m at the point willing to say not today, back in the day, same for me, that bodybuilding in total is becoming insane. Because what guys have to do today, what I would have done if I was an 18 year old kid today, so it’s not a finger to point, but bodybuilding in total has become insane.”
It’s interesting that Berry De Mey includes himself in this category. He admits that he would fall victim to the same trap if he was young and competing today. He goes on to say that he can’t blame one specific group, person, or entity. He doesn’t know who to blame. But he’s concerned – and he’s seeing more young bodybuilders dying or going to the hospital. He doesn’t know what it will take – but he hopes that something changes the sport of bodybuilding.
Do you agree with Berry De Mey? Watch his full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above and decide for yourself!
WATCH: Berry De Mey’s Olympia 2021 Predictions & Analysis
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Berry De Mey breaks down the Mr. Olympia 2021 lineup and makes his predictions.
Berry De Mey is a former pro bodybuilder and an iconic bodybuilding coach. That’s why with only a few days before the Mr. Olympia 2021, we connected with him to get his insight and analysis about the line up. This year is set to be one of the more competitive rosters we’ve seen in quite some time. A clash of the old and the new generations make for what is expected to be an intense and exciting show. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Berry De Mey makes his predictions for the Olympia 2021.
The pro bodybuilding world has been in somewhat of a transition over the past decade. The current generation is getting, well, older and young up-and-coming bodybuilders are starting to hone their skills into formidable opponents. That’s what makes this year’s Mr. Olympia so exciting. We have the likes of Hunter Labrada, Nick Walker, and Iain Valliere going up against veterans such as Big Ramy, William Bonac, and Brandon Curry.
This week, we connected with world famous bodybuilder and trainer Berry De Mey via video chat. With just a few days before this epic Olympia showdown, we asked for his thoughts on the lineup and his predictions for the Men’s Open division. Berry De Mey has his own criteria of what the ideal Men’s Open physique should look like. So he gives his personal opinion – and then a more objective analysis what to expect at Olympia 2021.
Berry De Mey doesn’t sugarcoat it. The hype is real, Big Ramy is a top contender for the Mr. Olympia as returning champion. The truth is that many of the competitors, no matter how much they try, can match Ramy’s size. So long as Ramy keeps up his conditioning and comes in slightly better than last year – he’s a shoe in for the first spot.
That being said, Berry De Mey personally favors bodybuilder Patrick Moore. He believes that Moore hits all of the marks of what he wishes all Men’s Open bodybuilders looked like. He wishes judging would appreciate that kind of aesthetic over mass and size. Rather than a compliment to it.
But this doesn’t mean Berry De Mey thinks Patrick Moore will win the Mr. Olympia 2021. He knows all change happens slow – and so long as most bodybuilders focus more on mass, Moore will look like an outlier in a way that hurts his chances rather than helps. He hopes to see Moore one day become the Olympia champion.
Berry De Mey also points out that there are a lot of hungry talented competitors rising in the ranks competing at the Olympia 2021. Veteran bodybuilders like Brandon Curry and William Bonac are not necessarily guaranteed top 3 spots. If Hunter Labrada, Hadi Choopan, and Nick Walker bring their best – they can overtake the top 5 positions knocking down former champion Brandon Curry into a lower spot.
All in all, this is to say that nothing is guaranteed at the Olympia 2021. This should be one of the more exciting years of the event in quite some time. Will Big Ramy cement himself as a reigning champion for years to come? Or will we have yet another new champion this year. We’ll soon find out this weekend.
You can watch Berry De Mey’s full analysis and breakdown of the Olympia 2021 in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!