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Chef Rush On Recent Bodybuilding Deaths: We Need To Avoid Taking A Turn For The Worse

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Chef Rush comments on the recent string of deaths in bodybuilding and the future of health in the sport.
Last month, there was an unfortunate and tragic string of deaths in the bodybuilding world. While each of these deaths were unrelated, it sparked an avalanche of comments about the state of health in the sport of bodybuilding. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Chef Rush reacts to the recent deaths and comments on the current state of health in bodybuilding.

Before diving in, we want to make it clear that the recent series of deaths in bodybuilding were not directly related. In fact, many of these deaths have not had a cause of passing revealed. Some seemed to be more directly related to contest prep while others just a coincidence. Chef Rush’s comments here are not a direct reaction to the cause of death but instead a expanded conversation about bodybuilding overall health triggered by these recent passings.
Chef Rush, like many passionate about the sport of bodybuilding, was heartbroken over the number of recent bodybuilding deaths in the sport. Many of these deaths were in individuals who were under the age of 50. Each individual passing was a tragic loss. But it’s also raised questions about the current state of health in bodybuilding. Has it become too dangerous? Are these deaths a direct result to the bodybuilding lifestyle?

Chef Rush cannot comment about exact supplements, or even drugs, that athletes may be doing. Rush may himself be a bodybuilder – but he’s not a competitor. He would rather not speculate about what substances modern bodybuilders are taking. Instead, he comments on the overall perception of health in bodybuilding and how it can affect the sport as a whole.
Chef Rush believes that the more deaths that plague the sport, the more negative media attention the sport will get. This kind of attention will diminish the opportunities the sport has. This, in a sense, has already happened. Mr. Olympia was once aired on television – but has since fallen off broadcast TV – most likely due to the reputation of PED use in the sport. If these young deaths end up becoming more consistent – Rush worries that the future of bodybuilding will become even smaller.

“One thing I will say on the flip side of it is. Is that reporting on the deaths in the industry… and in the last 30 or 60 days it was X amount,” Chef Rush states in our interview. He continues:
“The one thing that you don’t want to happen is that it takes a turn for the worse. Where people start in the media, and I mean big media, start looking at it and shun it and say ‘here’s what’s happening.’”
Chef Rush goes on to say that this kind of negative perception can also affect future generations. Either by losing interest or, even worse, generating interest in even more unhealthy practices. Rush claims that, even today, he will have 12 year old kids ask him what kind of steroids they should take. He’s shocked at how young they are aware of that kind of drug use. The PEDs should come second, or never at all, before questions on how to train and diet. The mentality of the younger generation may be skewed.
Of course, this is all anecdotal evidence. In a sport as niche as bodybuilding, there are no real studies done to see if bodybuilding is actually more or less healthy today than it was in the past. Are there more deaths happening? Or is social media just bringing more instant attention to it? These are questions that will likely never have comprehensive answers.
You can watch Chef Rush’s full comments on health in bodybuilding by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!