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Al Beckles is one of those names that will live forever. Hailing from the island nation of Barbados, Beckles competed at 55 at the Mr. Olympia, earning the moniker of \u201cThe Ageless Wonder.\u201d Al hit the gym well into his 80\u2019s and 90\u2019s, looking better than men half his age. Everyone was starstruck by this legend and it was well-deserved. I remember one video from not too long ago when he visited the Mecca of Bodybuilding, Gold\u2019s Gym Venice Beach, and he got mobbed. But it\u2019s not just about the number of fans who would come to chat with him, but it was also about the huge names. To see guys like Charles Glass starstruck was priceless. And starstruck they were, indeed!<\/p>\n
From his impressive contest record to all the magazine covers and articles written about him, it\u2019s pretty remarkable that this larger-than-life personality always stayed humbled and true to his roots. Beckles was also the quintessential blue collar athlete. And this is where so many people get it twisted. They believe bodybuilding is a sport all about vanity, where its adherents walk around full of themselves. While it is true that perfection (or as close to it) may be the goal, that\u2019s only when it comes to a physique. When it comes to the personality of the bodybuilder, that\u2019s an entirely separate can of worms. Al Beckles was a legend, but he never held his fanfare and accolades over the people who looked up to him.<\/p>\n
The Ageless Wonder was a role model. And that\u2019s not something you hear said about bodybuilders very often, today. Back in the Golden Era of Bodybuilding, bodybuilders were actually looked-up by society. This isn\u2019t because they subscribed to sound training and nutrition. It\u2019s because they were growing a sport that they didn\u2019t want to forever be in subcategory status. You had guys like Arnold, guys like Frank Zane, and guys like Beckles who knew what was required in order to grow a sport of muscle men in thongs to become one of the most sought-after disciplines in the strength and physique realms.<\/p>\n
Bodybuilding is something that movie stars like, it\u2019s something that professional wrestlers can\u2019t get enough of, it\u2019s something that musicians like. You might have a released multiplatinum album or you might have the leading role in this year\u2019s Blockbuster movie of the year, but you may find either one of these illustrious luminaries hanging around backstage at a bodybuilding competition. This is because the sport does have a certain allure to it, but it requires men and women who are going to actively promote its positive attributes. And you couldn\u2019t get a more positive of human being than the great Albert Beckles.<\/p>\n
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