Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay is a bodybuilding competitor known for his massive size and insane physique. This is his life story, competition history, diet, training regimen, and more.
Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay
(Bodybuilder)
Athlete Statistics
| Full Name: Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay | |||
| Weight | Height | Age | Date of Birth |
| 295-310lbslbs(133.8-140.6kg) | 5’9 (175 cm) | 37 years | September 16, 1984 |
| Nationality | Era | ||
| Egyptian | 2010 | ||
Early Life
Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay was born in a poor part of Alexandria, Egypt. When he grew up, he moved to Kuwait to work as a fisherman, which was something he learned growing up. It was here that Big Ramy decided one day to attend “Oxygen Gym” and begin bodybuilding.
Immediately, Big Ramy found success in the sport. It became clear from the start that he possessed a natural ability for the sport. Nevertheless, it took his friends to convince him to enter a tournament, and see how he could do as a professional.
Big Ramy would earn his Pro Card in just his second competition. He made his amateur debut with a first-place win at the 2012 Kuwait Golden Cup. Following this win, he turned around to compete at the Amateur Olympia, earning the first place, in addition to his Pro Card.
It seems that Elssbiay was off to an excellent start in his bodybuilding career. He also demonstrated massive growth in his first year of competition. When he showed up at his first show, he weighed 200lbs, however, he sits the scales at 286lb for the Amateur Olympia.
Big Ramy – Pro Bodybuilding Career
It would be the following year that Big Ramy would make his first appearance as a pro bodybuilder. Despite his limited experience, he would win his debut at the 2013 New York Pro Championships. Early in his pro career, and only three years into training, it was clear that Big Ramy was going to be a huge force in bodybuilding.
Immediately after this showing at the New York Pro, Elssbiay would attend his first Mr. Olympia competition. Again, defying that fact he was so inexperienced, he would earn a very respectable 8th place in the 2013 competition. This would only be the beginning for Big Ramy, as his placing would only improve from there. In 2014, Big Ramy would repeat the same shows he attended the previous year. This time he would improve his Olympia score to 7th place, along with another 1st place at the New York Pro.
However, the following year he would expand his experience at some other competitions. In 2015, he would attend the Arnold Classic in both Brazil and Europe, earning 1st and 4th respectively. In between these events, Ramy would also achieve his first top 5 finish at the 2015 Mr. Olympia competition, again demonstrating his clear improvements. Additionally, he would cap the year off with a 4th place showing at the 2015 EVLS Prague Pro.
The following year would see a similar trend, with more growth being demonstrated by the Egyptian. He would again have a step up in his Olympia placing, earning 4th place in 2016.. He also earned a notable first-place victory at the 2016 IFBB Kuwait Pro. Nevertheless, 2017 would see him achieve his best showings to date, with a massive 2nd place at the Olympia, before dropping to 6th the following year.
Big Ramy – Championships and Accomplishments
2012
- Kuwait Golden Cup – 1st
- Amateur Olympia – 1st
2013
- New York Pro Championship – 1st
- Mr. Olympia – 8th
2014
- New York Pro Championship – 1st
- Mr. Olympia – 7th
2015
- Arnold Classic Brazil – 1st
- Mr. Olympia – 5th
- Arnold Classic Europe – 4th
- EVLS Prague Pro – 2nd
2016
2017
2018
2020
2021
- 2021 Mr. Olympia – 1st
Big Ramy – Training Regimen
Back
Big Ramy does a lot of hard training for his back. He prefers to bounce between using free-weights and machines. Subsequently, he will do 8-15 reps for 4-5 sets of each back exercise, then decrease the reps as he sees fit. Moreover, he will push himself hard during these exercises, so he will wait to start the next set until his breathing and heart rate decrease.
Some of Big Ramy’s favorite back exercises include
- Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown
- Seated Cable Row
- Barbell or T Bar Row
Arms
Similar to the way he trains his back, Big Ramy pushes his arm training as hard as he can. He focuses on the form while using heavy weights for both bicep and tricep workouts. It is very important for him to maintain a proper position on each set, to avoid injury the best he can. His training routine for his arms is below:
Triceps
- Bar Pushdown – 4 sets/10-12 reps
- One Arm Dumbbell Extension – 4 sets/10-12 reps
- Rope Pushdown – 4 sets/12-15 reps
Biceps
- Hammer Curl – 4 sets/10-12 reps
- Preacher Curl – 4 sets/10-12 reps
- Rope Curl – 4 sets/12-15 reps
Legs
Big Ramy admits that his weakest muscle group is his legs. Due to this, he had to work hard on developing a routine to counteract this. Although his routine is rather basic, because of his genetic aptitude for bodybuilding, he sees big results. Here are some of his favorite leg exercises:
- Leg Extensions
- Squats
- Leg Presses
- Machine Squat
Big Ramy – Diet and Nutrition
This is Big Ramy’s approximate diet of around 3858 calories a day.
Meal One
- 12 egg whites
- 3 whole eggs
- 8 oz sweet potato
Meal Two
- 5 oz of rice
- 8 oz chicken breast
Meal Three
- Protein shake
Meal Four
- 4 whole eggs
- 8 oz sweet potato
Meal Five
- 8 oz chicken breast
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 cup sliced pineapple
Meal Six
- 10 oz salmon
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
Meal Seven
- 10 oz steak
- Green salad
Meal Eight
- Protein shake
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
Additional Information
Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay is one of the biggest examples of just how far natural talent can take you. More than that, he demonstrates that just because you may not have as much experience as others, that does not mean you can not be successful. He has been able to display a level of elite level bodybuilding since his introduction to the scene.
Big Ramy’s ability to put on size, coupled with his attention to detail has made him a terror for anybody sharing the stage with him. His well rounded physique has served him well, and has led him to greatness.
