Meet the bodybuilder who has been using steroids for more than 30 YEARS and says he wouldn’t change a thing

RICH Piana’s business model is built around a simple three-word slogan:

Whatever it takes.

It’s the motto assigned

to his bodybuilding and supplement program and it’s the mantra by which

he lives his life.

For more than 30 years, Piana has injected his body with anabolic steroids.

Coupled with hard work and a ridiculous diet, the results are insane, as you

can see.

His goal has always been to be the best — whatever it takes. The winner of

bodybuilding competitions in Los Angeles in 2003 and Sacramento in 2009 has

accomplished plenty but he’s not ready to stop.

Unbelievably, he wants to get bigger and he’s sharing the journey-to-gigantic

with a loyal fan base in the millions.

The controversial figure, who

admitted in several video to years of steroid abuse, is undergoing an

entirely new transformation. He calls it “Bigger By The Day” and it’s as

scary as it sounds.

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This is what it consists of: A massive

steroid cycle, nine meals a day, a series of workouts not fit for the

average human being and, according

to one recent profile, “protein shakes big enough to drown a toddler

in”.

In a social media blitz across Facebook,

Instagram

and YouTube,

the 45-year-old has been sharing almost daily pictures and videos. A month

ago, on Day 76 of the program, he wrote that he was weighing in at 312

pounds (141.5kg) and that number was actually “down” on recent gains.

Among the captions were the words: “Monsters do exist.” They do indeed.

‘SCUM OF THE EARTH’



Instagram

For all his fans, Piana has his share of critics. Most say he shouldn’t be

promoting the use of steroids. On his Facebook page in the last week, visitors

have called him “a b****”, “a d***head bully”, “scum of the earth” and a

“steroid muching ****”.

Piana says they shouldn’t judge him because it’s his body and it’s his choice;

a choice he’s happy he made at the age of 18.

In a revealing video posted to YouTube, Piana explained how he uses great care

with steroids, how he understands the importance of “on/off cycles” and why

nobody in the competitive bodybuilding industry can compete without using

performance enhancing drugs.

“If you have the choice to stay natural or do steroids, stay natural. There’s

no reason to do steroids, you’re only hurting your body, you’re hurting

yourself,” he said.

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Facebook

“If you want to become a professional bodybuilder, guess what – you’re

probably going to have to f***in’ do ‘em. You’re not going to have a choice.”

He said that was “the boat I was in”.

“I was competing on stage and I was at a point where I was getting blown off

the stage if I wasn’t going to do steroids so I took that step and that’s

the road I chose and here I am.

“But you know what, I’m happy with everything I chose and happy with the way

everything went in my life. I’m completely happy with … deciding to take

steroids. My health is fine, everything’s good.”

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He said the secret to his success, one that has afforded him a

hugely-profitable clothing line and supplement business, is his honesty.

“Coming out, talking about steroids, just being straight up with people,” he

said in a recent video. “I think people trust me.”

His relationship with fans can be volatile. His most recent interaction made

news around the world after he repeatedly slapped a young bodybuilder who

reportedly has an intellectual disability.

Jason Genova, who has a sizeable YouTube following himself, got under Piana’s

skin when he asked his fans to attack Piana. They did, and according to

Piana himself, he and his wife received death threats.

Facebook

Facebook

When Genova and Piana came face-to-face at a meet-and-greet for bodybuilders

and fans, Piana was immediately confrontational.

“You kind of f*** with people’s social media, right?” Piana asked. “Do you

think that’s cool?”

Genova, clearly intimidated, responded: “No, it’s not cool.”

“So you’d never do that again,” he asked, before telling the fan he’s “gotta

do something back to you”.

“Can I slap you around a little bit on camera? Just to make us even?”

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After delivering no less than 12 slaps to Genova’s face, he asked if the young

man has learned his lesson. Clearly he had, but when the footage emerged,

Piana was slammed for his actions.

“Rich, you went full potato,” a user wrote on Piana’s Facebook page.

“Jason didn’t do anything besides a video. The kid is autistic and can’t even

clip his toenails by himself.”

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Piana said he did what he did because he was upset.

“He has caused so much damage and f***ed with so many people for NO reason,” he

wrote.

“His reasoning for attacking me was I never invited him to be an athlete on my

team? Well I didn’t even know who he was or never even seen a pic of him.”

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It’s all part of life in the spotlight for the man with millions of fans who

follow his every move. He knows that by sharing everything he has to take

the good with the bad.

Last year, Piana even shared his wedding video, In it, he was dressed in a

tank top tuxedo.

Piana visited Australia earlier this year and is on his way to the UK later

this month, another place his brand holds up.

He’s not shying away from his past, despite the criticism. He’ll almost

certainly share his future online, across every platform he can access. His

body and brand will continue to get bigger – Bigger By The Day – and the two

are inexorably linked.