I always knew that Starnes was a piece of shit, but to hear him, upon learning that his client’s bodybuilding career was over due to serious medical complications as a result of his “coaching,” didn’t offer any comfort, any sympathy, and compassion, but instead offered a different kind coaching, is completely disgusting. To call him qualified to be a life coach is laughable a beat and straight up insulting at worst.
How people can still work with him and defend him is beyond me.
FYI, your link brings up a paywall.
RIP to the young departed.
Here is a paywall-less version https://web.archive.org/web/20221207160730/ht...
I always knew that Starnes was a piece of shit, but to hear him, upon learning that his client’s bodybuilding career was over due to serious medical complications as a result of his “coaching,” didn’t offer any comfort, any sympathy, and compassion, but instead offered a different kind coaching, is completely disgusting. To call him qualified to be a life coach is laughable a beat and straight up insulting at worst.
How people can still work with him and defend him is beyond me.
That’s what worries me, Maria Liberman is a friend of mine and she’s decided to work with Shelby for the upcoming prep.
He brags about the women who have won, like it was all about him, but what about the ones who have died or, much less, placed last in their show? If he’s the reason these women win, then he should take responsibility for any outcome of his coaching.
That’s what worries me, Maria Liberman is a friend of mine and she’s decided to work with Shelby for the upcoming prep.
He brags about the women who have won, like it was all about him, but what about the ones who have died or, much less, placed last in their show? If he’s the reason these women win, then he should take responsibility for any outcome of his coaching.
Also, and saying this as a guy who is attracted to buff women, it’s weird that a male coach, even if it’s only online, ONLY takes women on as clients.
I read his explanation on why he does that, and it sounds like straight up bullshit.
FYI, why push one's body to the such extremities? Not a discouragement but a question.
Mental illness is probably a big factor.
Here is a paywall-less version https://web.archive.org/web/20221207160730/ht...
Thanks for this, Gatsby.
Mental illness is probably a big factor.
While body dysmorphia is rampant in bodybuilding (and other fitness disciplines,) I think it's inappropriate to link mental illness as a big factor towards why athletes push themselves to such extremities. Athletes by their nature are driven people (and you can say the same about artists, musicians, and really anybody that puts a lot of time and effort into a discipline or craft.) When you are a competitor, you are competing to be the very best, and that is what these bodybuilders are pushing themselves to. The competition is much more fiercer than it was decades ago (look at how much bigger and leaner bodybuilders have gotten compared to, say, the 80s.) It becomes an arms race: to be competitive and get a podium spot, much less win, you have to push yourself a lot harder. I say that as a competitor myself, and I think it's easy to tell who in this forum is into an athletic discipline and who isn't.
and blind faith in the coach
While they are adults, and at the end of the day are responsible for what they put in their bodies and what they do in the gym, Starnes absolutely has blood on his hands for all the bodybuilders that have died or gotten seriously injured under his watch. The relationship between an athlete and their coach is very important. If you can't trust your coach, then there's no point in working with them. As an athlete, you put faith that they are going to help guide you to success on the competition floor while keeping you healthy and preventing injury. And like I said before, it sounds like it's the people who aren't competitors who mention things like "blind faith in the coach."
Reading this reminds of Jada Beverly, who earlier this year decided to call it quits. She didn’t go into specifics on her IG, but had to listen to her body and she was dealing with a lot. So while ppl like me praise the Andrea Shaws, Sheena’s, and Hellie’s, not all women are responding the same, especially when they are moving into bodybuilding, which Jada did. During an interview, she said she wished she stayed in physique but was doing well and felt the move to bodybuilding would be great. At the end of the day, we appreciate these athletes but they are rushing there lives sadly. Since I’ve been a fan of FBBing, seeing women like Terri Harris and Tracy Hess die while in there primes was sad and shocking. From the steroid usage to pushing the limits, I only hope that some take a page from Jada and listen to there bodies. The return of women’s bodybuilding is awesome and we all look forward to those competing and the newcomers. But the extremes of the sport has taken many.
I always knew that Starnes was a piece of shit, but to hear him, upon learning that his client’s bodybuilding career was over due to serious medical complications as a result of his “coaching,” didn’t offer any comfort, any sympathy, and compassion, but instead offered a different kind coaching, is completely disgusting. To call him qualified to be a life coach is laughable a beat and straight up insulting at worst.
How people can still work with him and defend him is beyond me.
He's always had a shit physique too. Not that you need to look good to be a good coach, but it really seems odd that so many women want to work with a guy who never managed to build his own body into anything worthwhile.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations...
Many familiar cases to people who follow this industry, but I'm happy it's getting more mainstream attention.
Jodie Engle is profiled near the end as one of the "survivors" (her coach was Shelby Starnes).