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Who Is Steve Cook?
Steve Cook is easily one the most popular figures in the entire bodybuilding & fitness industry. Although Steve first made waves by winning the Muscle & Fitness male model search in 2010 – his fame went through the roof when he made his way into the spotlight by winning the bodybuilding.com fit body contest that same year. Steve quickly became the face of the world’s biggest and most popular fitness website.
Steve Cook Stats
A lot of experts claim that there’s no better way to analyze an athlete’s natural bodybuilding status than by looking at their stats. Others would strongly disagree, but there’s no denying that stats such as height and weight can give us a good idea of where that person stands. Someone who is taller and has a larger frame will definitely carry more muscle than a shorter person. Sadly, there isn’t really any information out there regarding his specific measurements for legs, arms, chest, etc.
Age: 33 (December 10, 1983)
Height: 6’1 (185cm)
Competition Weight: Approximately 212 lbs. (96 kg) at the 2013 Mr. Olympia.
Athletic Background
A lot of people who follow Steve know that he has an extensive athletic background. Cook grew up in Boise Idaho and went on to play high school football at Centennial High. After graduation, he moved on to play for Dixie State while earning a degree in Biology and Psychology. His demanding schedule and intense training sessions helped shape both his incredible physique and unmatched work ethic.
Bodybuilding and Men’s Physique Trajectory
After making his mark by landing the Muscle & Fitness cover and becoming the face of bodybuilding.com, Steve decided to fully focus his efforts on bodybuilding. Most fans are familiar with Steve’s journey within the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB) but not all of them know where he got his start.
Before Cook was a common name within the NPC and IFBB in Men’s Physique, he actually competed as an open bodybuilder. In 2010, he won the heavyweight bodybuilding class at the Gold’s Classic Treasure Valley Natural Bodybuilding Championships. The year after (2011) he won his pro card in Men’s Physique at the NPC Junior Nationals.
Cook’s winning streak wasn’t about to end and he finished first at the 2012 IFBB Houston Pro which gave him an early qualification for the 2013 Mr. Olympia; the fan favorite finished in a respectable 8th place. He then came back in 2014 and won the Dallas Pro which opened his way to place 5th at that year’s Olympia competition.
Steve took a short break from competing and dedicated his time to trying out acting and doing other athletic activities such as cross-fit and even running a marathon. He also attended expos all over the world with his sponsor Optimum Nutrition and started a Youtube channel that has nearly reached a million subscribers as of February 2018. In 2017 he competed in the same competition as his girlfriend (Ms. Olympia 2016 Courtney King) and ended up taking 6th place at the 2017 IFBB Hawaii Pro.
Steve Cook and Optimum Nutrition
It’s impossible to talk about Optimum Nutrition without Steve Cook. Even though the company has been around for a very long time, their partnership with the popular fitness athlete increased their popularity. Young fans and aspiring bodybuilders would travel for hours just to get a glimpse of their favorite bodybuilding inspiration and purchase a tub of Optimum Whey.
A few months ago, speculation pointed to the fact that the partnership between Steve and Optimum had concluded. Cook confirmed that the relationship had ended on good terms and that both chose to go separate ways. Although fans were disappointed by this occurrence because of the implications of not seeing their role model at worldwide events – they understood that it was for the best.
Unrealized Classic Physique Potential
Since the Hawaii contest that Steve did just for fun, he decided to take another small break from competing and dedicate his time to opening a gym. As of January 2018, Steve brought Fitness Culture to life; an incredible gym located in Salt Lake Utah. This new endeavor would serve both as a financial investment and as a place for fans to meet and talk one-on-one with the man himself.
In November 2017 it was announced that Steve would return to the competitive stage with the help of bodybuilding guru Neil Hill. Although it’s not clear as to what his plans are or in what division he’s going to compete; it’s safe to say that he will probably return to Men’s Physique. Even though he will definitely do very well, we’re probably not the only ones that would like to see him compete in Classic Physique.
Steve’s height, symmetry, and proportions remind us of the golden era of bodybuilding. He also had a small role in the new bodybuilding documentary called Bigger that talks about the Weider Brothers. If classic bodybuilding were judged on looking like a bodybuilder from the 60s and 70s, there’s no doubt in our minds that Steve would be a contender for the title.
The thing about classic physique is that they judge it similarly to the open class; the only difference between the two divisions is basically the weight restriction. Even so, we think that Cook’s potential as a classic competitor is immense and he would do extremely well if he chooses to pursue it.
Is He Natural?
We know that Steve is a world famous fitness model that has done extremely well as both an amateur and a professional athlete. He has landed countless covers on prestigious health & fitness magazines and he’s made an enormous positive impact in bodybuilding. Cook has managed to help and inspire millions of people from all around the world and has greatly contributed to the sport of bodybuilding.
It’s commonly believed that it’s necessary to use anabolic steroids in order to win any major NPC or IFBB competition. This would lead most people to believe that Steve Cook could possibly use (or had used) a form of unnatural performance enhancement to get ready for a competition. But, let’s not forget that Steve turned pro when the division first began and when competitors were a lot smaller than they are today.
Even though it’s impossible to guess if Steve Cook has ever used any form of performance enhancement – there’s a chance that he’s natural. Steve has incredible genetics, an impressive football background, and an unmatched work ethic.
He is extremely smart and calculated with his diet and training, and he
knows when to slow down; which is extremely important for staying healthy and fresh within the sport.
Steve always hovers around the same body weight and you’ll never see his physique drastically change overnight. He reminds us a lot of the old school bodybuilders in the sense that he knows how to balance life and bodybuilding.
He always stays in shape and when it’s time to get down to business, he goes all out. At the end of the day, his beastly physique may not be achievable by most naturally – but it doesn’t mean that he didn’t build it that way.
Disclaimer: We do not own any of the images used in the article; they all belong and are courtesy of Steve Cook's social media.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Cook_(bodybuilder)
https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2013-olympia-mens-physique-athlete-steve-cook-preps-for-battle.html