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Top 7 Hungarian Bodybuilders of All Time
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Bodybuilding today is a global sport with athletes from all over the world pumping iron — even in third world countries, where people cannot afford to go to the gym or spend the hundreds of dollars on fancy supplements.
Over the last 100 years bodybuilding has evolved greatly and so too have bodybuilders — in regards to their training methodologies and eating habits.
Read on to find out which 7 Hungarian bodybuilders we listed as the best of all time.
Mickey Hargitay
It’s safe to say that being athletic was in Mickey’s genes, with his father also being proactive in sports. Mickey was born on January 6, 1926, and brought up in Budapest, Hungary. In his early years, he was involved with acrobatic acts. Then he was introduced to the wondrous world of sports by his brother, later participating in speed skating competitions.
In skating he won multiple medals at the Middle European Championship in 1946. Mickey was also a talented football player.
Before entering bodybuilding, he worked as a carpenter and plumber. At that time, he performed a few acrobatic acts with his wife in the states.
One day, he came across a picture of Steve Reeves in a magazine, which inspired him to start bodybuilding. In 1955, he was accoladed with the title of NABBA Mr. Universe. A fun fact about Mickey is that he was the first person to receive the Joe Weider Lifetime Achievement Award. Later on, he ventured into show business along with his second wife.
Kálmán Szkalak
Kalman had to face a bumpy road when he was just a baby. He was born during the time of the Hungarian revolution and was forced to leave his native country. His family sought asylum in a refugee camp located in New Jersey, USA.
Kalman was considered the rising star in the golden era of bodybuilding; a time which gave birth to legends still remembered today, such as Arnold Schwarenegger, Franco Colombu, Frank Zane and more. You can see pictures of the classic physiques from this era here.
Szkalak’s career rocketed when he bagged the first place in the AAU Mr. Delaware competition in 1975. After that, he worked hard to keep growing and making himself better. His tremendous and widely envied physique helped him get first place in the AAU Mr. America (1976) and AAU Mr. USA (1977).
In 1977 he also competed in the Mr Universe (heavyweight division) in the USA. In that competition, he had a showdown with the famous Mike Mentzer during the posedown round. Kalman edged out Mike and was declared the winner, with his giant frame giving him the edge over ‘Mr Heavy Duty’. This was no mean feat, slaying one of the greatest bodybuilders to ever grace the sport.
The following year, Kalman participated in the IFBB Mr. Olympia and placed 5th. It was then he decided to shift his career to being a professional cyclist. He participates in numerous nationwide competitions.
Jenő Kiss
Jenő’s main goal was massthetics, rather than aesthetics — looking to build as much size as possible and outmuscle his competition. Jenő was born on February 10, 1972, and originally belongs to Budapest in Hungary. According to sources, he still resides in the capital.