We all are familiar with the more public aspects of an athlete’s life like competition, success, and fame. What we seldom come across in the world of personal struggles that are part and parcel of the lifestyle that takes a serious toll on longevity and health. Bodybuilder Cedric McMillan had to remain on the sidelines due to injuries and serious health complications over the last year. Recently, McMillan returned as a guest poser at the 2021 NPC Armed Forces Nationals.
The 2017 Arnold Classic winner had to pull out of Mr. Olympia 2020 and Arnold Classic 2021 due to lingering health issues. Concerns about his health and future in the sport had given rise to a lot of speculations. Following his posing routine, Cedric McMillan openly spoke about his struggles for the first time and shed light on the things that kept him on the sidelines for such a long time.
Cedric McMillan opens up about his health complications
Fans were excited to see Cedric McMillan at the Arnold Classic 2021 that was due to happen in Sept. 2021. However, McMillan pulled out of the competition when his doctors advised him against it. The 44-year-old openly spoke about the events that led to him pulling out.
“Back in July, I was almost dead… My wife was with me but I was outta here, seriously. But I didn’t see no white light. I don’t know if I was that close but looking at me from the outside, I was that close.” Cedric McMillan said.
McMillan revealed that he was in the hospital for three weeks and lost almost 30lbs in weight as a result. However, adamant about participating in the Arnold Classic 2021, McMillan spent the entire month of August trying to gain the weight back and prep for the competition against the doctor’s advice. Therefore, putting the body through an arduous training routine despite not being a hundred percent led to health issues and subsequent withdrawal from the competition.
Cedric McMillan claims that the Covid-19 virus can have long term effects on heart health
A fascinating yet slightly controversial aspect of Cedric McMillan’s interview was his claims about Covid-19 infection. McMillan contracted the virus in March 2020 and did not experience any immediate effects after recovering. However, he started experiencing some heart issues in April 2021 and attributed them to the lingering effects of the Covid-19 infection.
“There is something about the (Covid-19) virus. I don’t know the technology or the scientific words but the virus makes the protein levels spike in your heart and it makes us bodybuilders and fitness people particularly sensitive.”
“The virus, it can actually attack your heart. So if you went through the process, look, I got the virus in 2020 March, I didn’t start to have any issues until April 2021. It stayed on me for so long with the long-term effects on my heart.” Cedric McMillan claimed.
Cedric McMillan claims that it was the effect of Covid-19 infection on his heart that led to breathing difficulties. Cedric McMillan’s claims in this regard as not backed by scientific research or extensive data as of now. However, we are still learning about its long-term effects and the claims are worth considering.
Cedric McMillan’s advice to aspiring bodybuilders and those at the top of the sport
The near-death experience and long time away had to have given Cedric McMillan a new perspective towards life. While addressing fellow bodybuilders, McMillan said:
“To those service members and, you know, the guys and the ladies backstage that compete, when you get a chance, I guess I would say, sacrifice yourself to the people that love you. We give so much of ourselves to the gym, prep and work. So give yourself to your family and the people that love you while you’re still healthy and still have a chance. Umm, what you don’t want, is to be somewhere dead tired, or half dead and then you have no choice but to be with your family coz they gotta take care of you!”
An alarmingly large number of sportsmen struggle with financial and health issues past their athletic prime. Negligence towards creating income streams, or building alternate careers are some of the reasons that lead to the situation. McMillan’s thoughts should compel athletes to rethink their approach towards life outside of bodybuilding.
Courtesy of Nick Trigili’s YouTube channel Bodybuilding & Bullsh*t, you can watch the full video here:
