Gorilla Suit: My Adventures in Bodybuilding

by Bob Jackson-Paris and Bob Paris

Book Overview

My Adventures in Bodybuilding An honest, behind-the-scenes look at the world of professional bodybuilding by a former Mr America and Mr Universe. Explains what drives these athletes to push their... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312194587
• ISBN13: 9780312194581
• Release Date: October 1998
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Ex-Mr Universe Tells His Story -explosive and fascinating inside look at the bodybuilding industry

"Gorilla Suit" is the name Bob Paris gives his set of fabulous muscles. I really, REALLY enjoyed this book! We get the run down from Bob starting off as an awkward teenager finding the weights room in his high school gym, unused and dusty when he goes looking for a fan for a teacher. He lifts a few weights, likes the way he feels then starts training. From there we read about his trip to LA, to the 'big gyms' like World Gym and Gold's, where Arnie et al are working out. It is really is a rags to riches story, as when he first goes to LA he is sleeping in the back of his car. Bob Paris takes on the titles of Mr LA, Mr California right up to his dream title, Mr Universe, the same spot Arnold Schwartzenegger occupied. Most interesting in this book is Bob's struggle with Joe Weider -apparently the man, his companies and IFBB (international Federation of Body Building) were all inter-related and competitions quite political. Bodybuilders survived on endorsement contracts from supplement companies, and at the time Weider's companies had a monopoly on the industry and bodybuilders. Amazingly too, most bodybuilders took copious amounts of drugs and steroids, until I read this book I naively had no idea. And Bob's story is personal too, his struggle with the discipline of maintaining his 'gorilla suit', relationships and being true to himself in an industry that isn't -is fascinating. Definitely a keeper.

Very brilliant!

Bob Paris takes the chance to tell us his personal story as well as the evolution of the bodybuilding world in the last twenty years. "Gorilla suit" is a very well written autobiography, with an unusual sensitivity. Paris takes a boldly stance against some of the worst sides of bodybuilding, and he doesn't mince words against some of the people involved as well. The author tells us his life very candidly: his struggle against the odds to win his way in the competitions, the use of steroids, the people who tried to cheat him and the ones that helped him. I found in this book many thought-provoking passages, but in the same time the style is clean and easy to read. Bob Paris has been successful in life AND in bodybuilding with his own personal style.

Knowing the Truth Brings Respect

I have never really folllowed compeitive bodybuilding, but recently decided it was time to get in shape. In my quest to transform myself I founf this book written by Bob Paris, about his journey through competitive bodybuilding, and his eventual withdrawal from it. Reading his story I have to new found respect for the sport, and most of all for him, as he turned way from the body building establishment because of value conflicts. After reading this book, I'll never be able to look at a Weider product the same way.

This Suit ROCKS!

We've all had lives that sometimes are a bit different. Bob Paris has written about his, and how he was able to accomplish his achievements in his personal life as well as in the bodybuilding world. When it became clear that because of Bob's sexual preferance he would never be allowed to reign in the bodybuilding world, the man still had enough awareness of himself to not hide his beliefs. Yes, it cost him in the competitive world of sports but, as this book proves, it made him a better person for acknowledging his beliefs and not trying to hide them and become what everyone in the sport wanted him to be. So many have hidden what they believe. Paris had the guts (and he paid the cost) of not jumping on the bandwagon, but, instead, sticking with his beliefs for himself.

inspirational and great for making a come back

This book is great for those people trying to make a comeback in the world of weightlifting. Bob Paris describes his moods and feelings. I like the part when Bob as a teenager really want to work out to the point of making sacrifices. From sleeping in his car behind the gym because he had no money for rent to years later working out in his own personal gym with a grandeur view of the Pacific ocean. Bob is gay yet is a great book to read even though one may not approve of homosexuality. Bob is very descriptive of his early years as a teenager into weightlifting. His own story of finding an abondoned universal weightlifting apparatus in the gym storage room and his first attempts of lifting. Then years later when he was on the pro circuit the problems he encountered not only with drugs but the whole organization. I highly recommend this book for an inside view of bodybuilding and the tremendous discpline it takes to overcome all of the obstacles.