Sadly, Casey Viator didn’t live long enough to see his inclusion on this honor roll. He died on Sept. 4, his 62nd birthday. Viator, who won the 1971 Mr. America at 19, was arguably the greatest teenage bodybuilder ever. He competed only sporadically after that, but he won three pro contests in 1980 and was third in the 1982 Mr. Olympia, shortly before retiring at 31.
Like Platz, he was a paragon of high-rep, high-intensity strength. These Viator lifts were purportedly witnessed by a journalist in a 1971 full-body workout: squat, 505 x 14; behind-the-neck press, 215 x 20; dips, 100 x 20; barbell curl, 200 x 20; and deadlift, 400 x 30. There’s photographic evidence of his using even greater weights in later years, though probably for fewer reps. By the standards of his era, Viator was considered a “mass monster.” The size he was then, 230 at 5'8", is no longer shocking, but the weights he used for 20 or more reps are still scary.
CASEY VIATOR'S CHEST WORKOUT
1. Bench Press: 2 sets of 20 reps with 350 pounds
2. Incline barbell press: 3 sets of 20 reps with 225 pounds
3. Parallel bar dips: 3 sets of 20 reps with 100 pounds
4. Cable crossover: 3 sets of 20 reps with 40 pounds
Check back tomorrow for another workout from the 10 Strongest Bodybuilders!
