Boyer Coe is one of the outstanding athletes of the Golden Era of bodybuilding. Boyer is in competitive bodybuilding for almost four decades, from the 60’s to the 90’s. Following the path from the era of aesthetics of Frank Zane before the era of monsters, which opened Dorian Yates, Boyer always competed on an equal footing with the best athletes.
Boyer Coe was born on August 18, 1946 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. When he was 5 years old, a cultured magazine somehow got into their house. Young Boyer did not know how to read yet, however, he had enough illustrations to make his life choice. Later, at the age of 12, he found a Weider magazine with Doug Strohl on the cover. This made Boyer so impressed that he persuaded his parents to buy him athletic shells, which he had been practicing for several years in his garage.
It is worth noting that Boyer was born in a fairly athletic family and has an excellent heredity. His father and uncle were good boxers and played soccer well. About his uncle, Boyer recalls: “My uncle was an extremely gifted athlete, his body was the most symmetrical of all that I saw.” Boyer’s father also strikes with his physical data – at the age of 77 he was tightened 10 times!
After studying a little, Boyer reached the point where, at the age of 12, in the eyes of the astonished physical education teacher, he was drawn 47 times! Later, after growing up, Boyer learned that it was at that time an absolute record in pulling up and he was beaten only 10 years later! Although Boyer Coe then in the Guinness book of records did not hit, however his first success was very inspired. For 2 years noticeably strengthened, he continued his studies already in the gym in his hometown. The gym was dilapidated and cold in winter, only one dim bulb was lighted from it, but this did not bother the young man at all. At the age of 15, Boyer first learned about the existence of Steve Reeves and walked 10 km to a nearby town to watch the film “Heroic deeds” with his participation. Watching the movie completely turned the boy’s head, returning home, he locked himself in his room and lifted the bar until he collapsed with it on the floor. From this moment a serious “pitching” started. By the age of 17, Boyer Coe had already stuck a 190 kg barbell. When Boyer Coe was 18 years old, he entered college in Lafayette, Louisiana. Immediately after the receipt, he faced the question of choosing a gym. Nearby was the “Red Lerrile’s Gym“, whose owner, Red Lerrile, a former winner of the “Mr. America” contest, had a huge impact on Boyer’s sporting destiny. In this hall, under the leadership of Lerrile, Boyer Coe studied for 14 years, reaching the peak of his career at the IFBB. Later, he opened his own room in New Orleans.
At 19, Boyer Coe took part in his first tournament, “Mr. America” and took second place. The following year, he again went to the podium of the same competition, and he did not miss his chance, he won. After this victory, Boyer became a titled (albeit one title) professional, along with Arnold, Columbu, Zane, Dickerson and Oliva. By the way, in due time he made these athletes very nervous, because often for them the whole tournament boiled down to a single fight – with Boyer Coe. During his competitive career, he scored 15 professional victories and 11 amateur wins. His biggest victories came in 1981 – as many as 5 wins (Grand Prix Wales, Massachusetts, Belgium, Canada, World Cup). Competition “Mr. Olympia” Boyer stormed 11 times with the best result in 4th place, which he occupied three times, not counting the lighter categories, where he twice became the second. Completed his performances Boyer Coeon the “Master Olympia” 94 and 95 years.
In one of his interviews, Boyer says that the competitions were for him only a means of assessing his own progress, he was never upset over the defeat, considering that bodybuilding is a subjective sport. The opinion of the judges never mattered to him. “To be completely honest, I never listened to the opinion of any of the judges: if they put me first – well, if they did not do it, I just did not pay attention and went on with my business, because I realized that these guys themselves they did not know what they liked, they never stood on the stage, they did not pass the pre-competition training and diet, I remember standing on the stage, and the judges at that time laughed and joked, looking around, how they could then make a decision about my performance? In general, some of them Obtain the IFBB in the position of judge, if before they were simple distributors of food additives, “Weider”? Many of them do in the judging do not understand. “ But Boyer always listened to the opinion of some of his close friends who always objectively told him about his form.
Boyer Coe is a very purposeful and disciplined athlete, these qualities he owes from his father. Although his father believed that the main thing in life is education, later he wholeheartedly supported his son in training and helped to prepare for the first competition.
The method of Boyer training deserves special attention. It is striking that Boyer Coe came 40 years ago to the principles of training, which only in the 90’s went into bodybuilding and were considered the latest achievements of science. So, Boyer does not train for several days in a row, considering that for an experienced athlete this is an erroneous tactic. “We can train every day at the age of 20, there is still no serious force, and relatively small weights are used in pumping. In the later stages of the career, the weights become enormous, they over-strain the muscles and psyche, even if one or two of the muscle groups in the split complexes are limited. Want smooth, many years of progress, go to the schedule with one full day of rest between training.”
Also Boyer never trained on the generally accepted method of training the whole body 3 times a week. Boyer says: “Is it possible to imagine a normal pumping of legs with powerful squats 3 times a week? One of us professionals who did not realize in those days that this was utter stupidity, today retired, they completely exhausted themselves, both physically and spiritually “. Boyer Coe always gave the muscles a full rest, training every muscle group every 8 days. Perhaps such views on the training of Boyer formed under the influence of the ideas of Mike Mentzer, with whom they were on friendly terms, although such training schemes entered the practice of professionals much later. The main emphasis in his training, Boyer does on the negative phase of the movement, but not in the same way as recommended by Jones and Mentzer, because it requires the presence of several assistants nearby. At the end of the usual set, a couple of repetitions he performs “cheating” with a deliberate emphasis on negative subsidence.
Boyer Coe is a successful businessman, owner of a diet food store, a gym owner in New Orleans, co-organizer of a fitness program on the ESPN – American cable sports channel. For many years he also helped his brother-in-law to conduct business related to the insurance of exclusive cars. They founded this company together, and when the brother-in-law fell seriously ill, Boyer took the whole business into his own hands. After the death of hisbrother-in-law, Boyer remained the sole owner of the company.
Boyer Coe is still training. In his hair there is not a single gray hair, and by temperament and enthusiasm for iron, he can compete on an equal footing with young bodybuilders.
