Finnish-American Bodybuilder

Most Muscular

Liittynyt
25.2.2005
Viestejä
9
Paiva,

That is about the extent of my Finnish...

I am American bodybuilder with strong ties to Finland. I am 100% Finn which is becoming increasingly rare for someone whose parents were not born in your country.

My Finnish blood has blessed me with some good genetics which has allowed me to successfully compete on the United States NPC stage. Although I did not begin working out until I was 37, I have won several state bodybuilding titles plus two National NPC titles.

In 1998, at the age of 42 I won my weight class (bantamweight) in my first National show at the NPC USA Bodybuilding Championships. In 1999, I came in 2nd as a bantamweight in the NPC Nationals.

I competed last in 2003 and won as a Lightweight in the NPC Masters Nationals over 40 class.

Hopefully I can remain injury free and make a run for the over 50 class (perhaps as a middleweight) in 2006.

Although we share a past, I hope I can learn and contribute some in this forum although I do not read your language.

Randy Leppala
Maplewood, Minnesota

http://www.chadnicholls.net/gallery/leppala
 
Looking good with em finnish genetics :thumbs:
Really nice condition at your age and its great you have continued the "hobby" to such old age. Over 50 class sounds extreme :D hope you continue injury free
 
Päivää Randy and welcome!

You've come to the right site, because pakkotoisto is quite simply the largest and best bodybuilding/fitness/strength training related site (mostly) in Finnish. Some people (such as DJacobs) write in English though.

You've got excellent condition on those pictures! Do you have links to your competition pics? What kind of an athletic background do you have before competing in bodybuilding or even training in bodybuilding style? How do you train and eat nowadays? How have your training and eating evolved?

Kuuluisikohan tämä tuonne kilpailijoiden/kisakuvien ja uutisten osiolle? Translation: maybe this belongs to the section devoted to bodybuilding and fitness competitors, news and pictures? Just a quick note to the moderators Randy. :)
 
lol, started at 37!!!?!?!?
Your pictures are the proof that you can be in very good contition regardless of age.........
99,99% of men here would most likely to kill for body like yours.
 
Most Muscular sanoi:
Paiva,

That is about the extent of my Finnish...

I am American bodybuilder with strong ties to Finland. I am 100% Finn which is becoming increasingly rare for someone whose parents were not born in your country.

My Finnish blood has blessed me with some good genetics which has allowed me to successfully compete on the United States NPC stage. Although I did not begin working out until I was 37, I have won several state bodybuilding titles plus two National NPC titles.

In 1998, at the age of 42 I won my weight class (bantamweight) in my first National show at the NPC USA Bodybuilding Championships. In 1999, I came in 2nd as a bantamweight in the NPC Nationals.

I competed last in 2003 and won as a Lightweight in the NPC Masters Nationals over 40 class.

Hopefully I can remain injury free and make a run for the over 50 class (perhaps as a middleweight) in 2006.

Although we share a past, I hope I can learn and contribute some in this forum although I do not read your language.

Randy Leppala
Maplewood, Minnesota

http://www.chadnicholls.net/gallery/leppala
Click to expand...

You give us "old farts" some hope! :thumbs:
 
I remember when I bought my first ever Flex magazine (November 1998 issue with Mike Matarazzo on the cover), I read the contest report of the 1998 NPC USA Championships and what hit my eye was that the bantamweight class winner had a Finnish last name.

The conclusion of the interview went as follows:
"I don't think I'll be back to defend my title," he said. "It's too hard on the family. Maybe I'll compete again when I get to 50."
Click to expand...
In retrospect, as you took 2nd in your class in the Nationals the following year and won your class in the Masters Nationals in 2003, I'm glad you changed your mind. Then again, you never did defend that particular title. :)
 
Welcome bro! I´ve seen Your writings and comments on the Mayhem board...
 
I must also give my respects for your condition, you really have been blessed with good genetics if you really started when you were 37yo.

After five years of training you won at NPC?

You really have to have good training methods and a lot of motivation to pull something like that, and good luck to the 50+ series :)
 
Welcome to Finnish site! You are in great shape. I think these pictures gives a lot of motivation to training for the older guys, and they see it's never too late to start training. Maybe this is my new goal to look like that in my late fourties.. :D
 
Most Muscular sanoi:
Paiva,

That is about the extent of my Finnish...

I am American bodybuilder with strong ties to Finland. I am 100% Finn which is becoming increasingly rare for someone whose parents were not born in your country.

My Finnish blood has blessed me with some good genetics which has allowed me to successfully compete on the United States NPC stage. Although I did not begin working out until I was 37, I have won several state bodybuilding titles plus two National NPC titles.

In 1998, at the age of 42 I won my weight class (bantamweight) in my first National show at the NPC USA Bodybuilding Championships. In 1999, I came in 2nd as a bantamweight in the NPC Nationals.

I competed last in 2003 and won as a Lightweight in the NPC Masters Nationals over 40 class.

Hopefully I can remain injury free and make a run for the over 50 class (perhaps as a middleweight) in 2006.

Although we share a past, I hope I can learn and contribute some in this forum although I do not read your language.

Randy Leppala
Maplewood, Minnesota

http://www.chadnicholls.net/gallery/leppala
Click to expand...

Hey! You're the guy in bodybuilding forum. Most Muscular as nick there as well.

You look greate in this picture :P

Tricep pose

Odd coincidence :P
 
Hi Randy & welcome!

Looking awesome indeed, huge slabs of muscle in a nicely shaped body with low bodyfat%, simply put, impressive. I'd give my left testicle for a condition like yours (nah, maybe not a testicle since that would lower my testosterone levels ;) ).

You are right about the Finnish people's general genetics heritage, must have something to do with the fact that our grandparents (farmers and such) were familiarized to working really hard at a young age.
 
Holy crap, that's a very impressive physique you got there! Nice cannonball delts, I'd like some of those also... Also great job on doing those Jay Cutler faces on almost every pose. :D
 
Damn, you have great symmetry and tightness. Your most muscular pose is very aesthetical! :5:
 
Awesome condition with excellent development! It'd be nice if you shared your experiences with us. There are many talented athletes on this forum but your achievements are truly unequaled. Hopefully your message wasn't the last one we got to read.
 
Wow... thanks for all of the kind words!

iivili - There are pics taken on the same day of my competition in my signature link (MuscleMayhem.com) but none form on stage. Most were taken in 2003 (at 152 lbs - 5'-2") and a few from the 1998 USA (143 lbs).

Hulkki - I feel indeed honored that you would recall that quote from so long ago. You have to remember that those type of quotes are taken when you walk off of the stage and competeing again is one of the last things you're thinking about... all you want to do is eat normal again! But once in your blood the competitive juices start to flow again and you go out and try and do the best that you can.

Tahaton emissio, Tomi, and (liha)pyörykkä - Concerning my muscle structure... as I said, I've been very blessed with good (Finnish) genetics and have to give my grandparents all of the credit there. I don't do anything special for my abdominal training except strict diet and a few crunches. I never work them off season (even though I should). My shoulders and calves are my strong points, again with very little effort they grow. At times my shoulders can become to overpowering and tend to dwarf my chest development.

pexxi and Mev - Yes, I'm a regular contributor on both Muscle Mayhem and Bodybuilding.com. Although I'm not a massive poster, I do tend to read the boards every night and enjoy helping others achieve their goals.

Touu - My most muscular pose? Why do you think I chose this name? When I first started competing I hated the most muscular pose the most until I found the correct stance that brought out my strong points and hid my weaknesses... now it's become my signature pose.

As far as training goes, I started lifting heavy (Max-OT) type style during the summer of 2001 and grew like a weed until I suffered a pinched nerve in my neck in late November of 2001. Since then, I had several major relapses, one of which occurred halfway through my contest training for the 2003 Masters Nationals. In November of 2003 I had neck surgery to relieve the pressure on my nerve but time has taken it's toll on my body. The pinched nerve casued me to lose much of my strength and size on my left tricep and pec. I am slowly recovering and hope to be back somewhat to normal by this summer or fall when I can set my sights on 2006, God willing.

To date I have been drug free, except for the use of prohormones in the past, now they are also a controlled substance here so I have to make a decision on how I want to approach my future bodybuilding outing.

I am currently weighing about 185 and would like someday to get up to 200 lbs which would make me a very thick body. Wish me luck!

Randy Leppala
 
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