Gary Strydom is one of bodybuilding’s great what if stories — a 6’2 South African giant who conquered America, won on both sides of a federation war, and then walked away at his peak.
Born in South Africa in 1960, Strydom grew into a rare combination of size and shape. At his best he carried around 283 lbs on stage, with a small waist and a wide, full chest that made him look even bigger.
He is best remembered for two things: a brilliant late-1980s run through the IFBB pro circuit, and becoming the only champion in the short, wild history of Vince McMahon’s World Bodybuilding Federation (WBF).
Gary Strydom Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full name | Gary Strydom |
| Born | 1960, South Africa |
| Age in 2026 | 65-66 |
| Nationality | South African-born American |
| Height | 6’2 (188 cm) |
| Contest weight | 283 lbs (128 kg) |
| Off-season weight | 305 lbs (138 kg) |
| Arms | 22 in (56 cm) |
| Chest | 61 in (150 cm) |
| Waist | 32 in (81 cm) |
| Pro debut | 1987 Night of Champions (winner) |
| Best results | Night of Champions 1987, WBF Champion 1991 and 1992 |
| Mr. Olympia | 1 appearance – 5th place, 1988 |
| Known for | Crazee Wear clothing brand (founded 1989) |
Early Life in South Africa
Long before the bright lights of American bodybuilding, Strydom was a keen all-round sportsman in South Africa, playing rugby, swimming and running track.
He also served in the South African Army, where the discipline stuck with him for life. He rose from Private to Sergeant, then spent two more years working as an Army radar technician.
Training in the Army got him hooked on lifting. He read every bodybuilding magazine he could find, idolising the stars of the Golden Era – but almost all of them lived in America.
So he made the leap: a one-way ticket to the USA and $1,000 in his pocket, chasing a dream most people back home thought was crazy.
The Move to America and the Citizenship Fight
America was not kind at first. Strydom landed in Florida, slept rough some nights, and worked long days before training in the evenings.
His talent broke through fast. In 1983 he won the NPC Florida Championships as a junior heavyweight and overall champion – his very first show.
Then came a strange setback. He won the 1984 NPC USA Championships, yet was told he could not enter that year’s Nationals because he was not yet a US citizen.
He refused to quit. He applied for citizenship, trained harder than ever, and got his papers just one week before the 1986 Nationals – which he won, heavyweight and overall, earning his IFBB pro card.
Pro Breakthrough: Night of Champions and Mr. Olympia
Strydom’s pro debut could hardly have gone better: he won the 1987 Night of Champions outright, announcing himself as a genuine contender.
The following year he reached the sport’s biggest stage, the Mr. Olympia, and finished 5th in 1988 – still his only Olympia appearance, and a superb debut against the best in the world.
That Olympia field was ruled by Lee Haney, and Strydom’s top-five finish put him firmly in the elite of his era.
He kept the momentum going into 1989, a year that would define his career.
Photo: Gary Strydom Instagram
1989: Arnold Classic Bronze and a Grand Prix Rampage
At the inaugural Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio in 1989, Strydom took 3rd place behind winner Rich Gaspari – a result that still stands as his Arnold Classic record.
Note the geography here: that was the Ohio Arnold Classic. The Arnold Classic UK did not begin until 2021 in Birmingham, long after Strydom had retired, so he has no Arnold UK result – and any record claiming one would be wrong.
After Columbus he went on a tear through the 1989 Grand Prix circuit, winning in France, Australia (Melbourne) and Sweden, and finishing 2nd in Germany, Spain (twice) and at the World Pro Championships.
By the end of 1989 he had four IFBB pro wins to his name – and the biggest payday in bodybuilding was about to come calling.
The WBF Years: Bodybuilding’s Wildest Experiment
In 1991, wrestling promoter Vince McMahon launched the World Bodybuilding Federation, promising bodybuilders far bigger money and a TV-friendly, entertainment-style show.
Strydom signed up, reportedly on a lucrative multi-year deal, and Tom Platz – one of Strydom’s own idols – was among the federation’s directors.
Strydom won the first WBF Championship on June 15, 1991 in Atlantic City, beating Mike Christian and Berry de Mey. He defended the title on June 13, 1992 in Long Beach, California, ahead of Jim Quinn and Aaron Baker.
He remains the WBF’s only champion, because the federation folded in July 1992 after just two championships. Strydom himself later called the move a business decision – and said he had no regrets.
With the WBF gone, Strydom stepped away from the stage and built up his clothing brand, Crazee Wear, launched in 1989 and famous for its baggy, colourful gym pants.
Comebacks: 1996 and the 2006 Colorado Surprise
Strydom was not quite finished. He returned to the IFBB stage at the 1996 Night of Champions, finishing 12th, before stepping back again.
Then, a full decade later, came the real shock. In May 2006, aged 45-46, he emerged at the Colorado Pro Championships and took 7th place against men twenty years younger.
He skipped the New York Pro the following week, saying he wanted to fix a few things first – but that Colorado showing became his farewell contest, and it sealed his reputation as a timeless physique.
Photo: Gary Strydom Instagram
Gary Strydom Diet Plan
Strydom kept his eating famously simple: more or less the same foods all year round, with no dramatic off-season blow-up followed by a crash diet.
Instead he dieted slowly, over six to eight months, aiming to strip away fat gradually so that by show day there was nowhere for water to hide.
He also used a detailed water-manipulation protocol in the final stages of prep – technical, careful work that he credited for his crisp, dry stage condition.
No verified meal-by-meal diet sheet survives, so beware of any article printing an exact Strydom meal plan – his own accounts describe the approach, not a fixed menu.
Gary Strydom Workout Routine
In his prime, Strydom trained six days a week, often twice a day – mornings and evenings – built around basic, heavy lifts.
Squats, bench presses and bent-over rows were the backbone of his training, found through years of trial and error rather than fancy routines.
He warmed up light, then moved to heavy working sets with fewer reps – up to 30 sets for big muscle groups and 15-20 for smaller ones.
He was no fan of supersets, saying they diluted his focus, and preferred 25-rep sets on lighter days to keep the intensity up without losing concentration.
A typical prime-era split rotated legs, chest, back, shoulders and arms across the week, with deadlifts and upper back getting their own dedicated sessions.
Photo: Gary Strydom Instagram
Gary Strydom Contest Record (Verified)
| Year | Contest | Placing |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | NPC Florida Championships, Junior Heavyweight and Overall | 1st |
| 1984 | NPC USA Championships, Heavyweight | 1st |
| 1986 | NPC Nationals, Heavyweight and Overall | 1st |
| 1987 | IFBB Night of Champions | 1st |
| 1988 | Chicago Pro Invitational | 2nd |
| 1988 | Mr. Olympia | 5th |
| 1989 | Arnold Classic (Columbus, Ohio) | 3rd |
| 1989 | Grand Prix France | 1st |
| 1989 | Grand Prix Germany | 2nd |
| 1989 | Grand Prix Melbourne | 1st |
| 1989 | Grand Prix Spain | 2nd |
| 1989 | Grand Prix Spain (2) | 2nd |
| 1989 | Grand Prix Sweden | 1st |
| 1989 | World Pro Championships | 2nd |
| 1990 | Grand Prix England | 2nd |
| 1990 | Grand Prix Finland | 3rd |
| 1990 | Grand Prix France | 2nd |
| 1990 | Grand Prix Germany | 4th |
| 1990 | Grand Prix Italy | 3rd |
| 1990 | Houston Pro Invitational | 2nd |
| 1990 | Ironman Pro Invitational | 4th |
| 1991 | Night of Champions | Competed (no recorded placing) |
| 1991 | WBF Championship, Atlantic City | 1st |
| 1992 | WBF Championship, Long Beach | 1st |
| 1996 | Night of Champions | 12th |
| 2006 | Colorado Pro Championships | 7th |
In total: 4 IFBB pro wins, 2 WBF championships, 1 Mr. Olympia appearance – a record any bodybuilder would be proud of. For the full story of the show where he took bronze, see our Arnold Classic history.
Legacy
Strydom’s legacy is not just the titles. He showed that a tall, massive man could also be conditioned and shapely – and that a bodybuilder could bet on himself, cross to a rival federation, and still come out on top.
His Crazee Wear brand outlived his competitive career and became a cult gym-wear label of its era, while his 2006 comeback remains one of the most respected late-career returns in the sport.
Today he is remembered as the WBF’s one and only champion, a Night of Champions winner, and proof that the road from South Africa to bodybuilding’s biggest stages is open to anyone willing to work for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Gary Strydom in 2026?
He was born in 1960, so he is 65-66 years old in 2026. His exact birth date is not reliably confirmed, so only the year is stated here.
How tall is Gary Strydom and how much did he weigh?
He is 6’2 (188 cm). His contest weight was around 283 lbs (128 kg), rising to about 305 lbs (138 kg) in the off-season.
Did Gary Strydom ever win Mr. Olympia?
No. He competed at Mr. Olympia once, in 1988, finishing 5th. His biggest wins were the 1987 Night of Champions and the 1991 and 1992 WBF Championships.
What is Gary Strydom’s Arnold Classic record?
He placed 3rd at the 1989 Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio, behind winner Rich Gaspari. He never competed at the Arnold Classic UK, which only began in 2021.
Why did Gary Strydom join the WBF?
He has described it as a business move: a multi-year guaranteed deal paying far more than IFBB contracts of the time. He won both WBF Championships ever held, in 1991 and 1992, before the federation folded.
What is Crazee Wear?
Crazee Wear is the bodybuilding clothing brand Strydom launched in 1989, best known for its baggy, colourful pants that became a gym staple of the era.
When was Gary Strydom’s last competition?
His last recorded contest is the 2006 Colorado Pro Championships, where he finished 7th at age 45-46 – a decade after his 1996 Night of Champions return.