You are probably one of those who has come across the name Rich Piana several times but each time you keep wondering, “who was Rich Piana?” “What did he do?”
To answer, Rich Piana was a controversial bodybuilder and a consistent internet sensation. On August 10 2017, while having his hair cut by his girlfriend Chanel Jansen, Piana fainted at his house. He was quickly taken to an intensive care unit and put into a coma by medical professionals.
On the 17th of August, 2017, Jansen informed his followers that Piana still remained alive and thanked them for their support in a health update. However, eight days later on August 25, Rich Piana exited this world untimely at the age of 46. Aside from his athletic prowess, Rich Piana was well-known as a brand ambassador, influential figure, and motivator for many people in the fitness industry.
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Piana’s extraordinary physical prowess, openness to life's challenges, and confidence propelled him to stardom. Let's find out more about this sensational body builder as we trace his roots and highlight his impacts.
Biography of Rich Piana Bodybuilder
Richard "Rich" Piana was born on the 26th of September 1971. Rich, who was brought up in California, became fascinated with bodybuilding at the age of 9. He would accompany his mother to the gym so he could see her prepare for bodybuilding competitions.
Rich started weightlifting at the age of eleven and began training alone. He began participating in bodybuilding competitions four years later, at the age of fifteen. At the age of nineteen, Rich Piana had already amassed a number of titles, one of which was Mr. California.
For over twenty years, he was a regular competitor, winning events including the 2009 NPC Sacramento Pro and the 2009 Border States Classic Championships. Following his retirement from professional sports, Rich began to focus on his acting and business careers.
He became a prominent figure in the world of bodybuilding online and started making appearances in ads and TV programs devoted to the sport. He was in commercials and television series such as Scrubs and Ripley's Believe It or Not.
Here are most of his detailed records and achievements:
- Bench Press: 225kg (495lb) for 3 reps
- Squats: 265kg (585lb) for 2 reps
- Deadlifts: 265kg (585lb) for 1 reps
- Barbell Curl: 125kg (275lb) for 3 reps
- IFBB North American Championships - (1998)
- NPC USA Championships – 7th Position (1999)
- NPC USA Championships – 11th Position (2003)
- Sacramento Pro – 1st Position(2009)
- Border States Classic XXX Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships – 1st Position (2009)
- Border States Classic XXX Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships – 1st Position (2009)
- NPC California Championships - (2012)
Rich became an internet celebrity as photos and videos of his stunning good looks gained a global fan base. He created many enterprises after seeing the prospects presented themselves to him as a result of his meteoric climb to fame. A few examples are a clothing brand, a supplement manufacturing firm, and a meal prep delivery service.
As time went on, his enterprises flourished, and Rich rose to prominence as a leading figure in the bodybuilding industry. Rich Piana had his share of problems in his personal life, even if he was successful. The darker side of the bodybuilding profession was brought to light when he candidly addressed his struggles with mental health and substance addiction, and body image.
What Happened to Rich Piana?
After collapsing at his home in 2017, Rich Piana bodybuilder was put into a medically induced coma. Twenty testosterone vials were discovered in his residence after he passed out. The athlete admittedly used steroids for 27 years; he even went so far as to state in a YouTube video that juicing was essential to his career as a professional bodybuilder.
He spoke out against steroid use, having admitted that he had used the medication for over 30 years and even going so far as to state that it "can kill you." At the age of eighteen, Piana experimented with anabolic steroids for the first time, trying out the "test and deca" approach, which involves combining testosterone with deca durabolin, to gain muscle. During that first cycle, he scaled from 185 pounds to over 200 pounds in eight weeks, competed in a show, and won first place.
The bench press he could do increased from 315 pounds to 405 pounds once he began taking steroids. Sadly, he became overly dependent on these steroids. According to him, ‘‘I was hooked and I knew I was hooked. At this point, I knew this was all that mattered to me. I was going to be one of the top bodybuilders of the world and I was not going to stop.”
After his passing, an autopsy determined that the cause of his death was "unknown" at first since there were too many possible causes and toxicology results could not be determined. The autopsy report failed to find any evidence that Piana's drug usage was a contributing factor to his death.
The autopsy stated that the actual cause of his passing was largely due to his critical heart disease which his alleged illicit drug use contributed to. In addition to cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, the autopsy report for Piana revealed "coronary atherosclerosis," or the hardening of the arteries. According to these "significant" symptoms of heart illness, this mostly had a role in Piana's demise.
In a tribute, his estranged wife, Sara Piana stated: “Rich, I hope you feel better now in heaven and that you’re up there healthy, smiling & telling everyone, ‘How it is, being REAL & doing your thing.’ Rest In Peace my dear husband…You truly touched many people’s hearts and helped so many!!! It inspired me in many ways to see the huge impact you had on people all over the world.”
Final Thoughts
When it came to physical attributes, Rich Piana stood head and shoulders above many others. However, the bodybuilder had other admirable qualities beyond his muscular physique. Months and years passed by before people began to understand the impact of his improbable feat which revolutionized the bodybuilding industry.
Richard Piana is dead but lives on in the heart of many. He died as he lived; in a controversial and provocative manner. What killed Piana, how he died, and the morality of his actions are occasionally debated. But Rich wouldn't give a damn about any of that. As he simply and daringly puts it: “I'm just here to inspire and motivate and let everyone know that no matter who the fuck you are, you can accomplish whatever the fuck you want.” And he did indeed.
