Robby Robinson

Biography

Early years Robinson was born in Damascus, Georgia, and raised in Tallahassee, Florida. His mother was illiterate, and his father was a bootlegger who later abandoned his 14 children. Robinson attended Florida A&M University, where he competed in both football and track & field. While training for those sports he noticed his body's great responsiveness to weight training, which motivated him to enter his first bodybuilding competition. After competing in more than 300 amateur competitions, Robinson turned professional in 1975. By that year he was married with three children. He also appeared in a 1989 TV documentary, in the 1997 documentary Stand Tall, and (uncredited) in the 1976 film comedy Stay Hungry.

Post-retirement Robinson suffers from intermittent bouts of sickle cell crisis. These episodes tended to occur during contest preps, and became one of the reasons he decided to stop competing.

After a 26-year career, Robinson retired from professional bodybuilding at the age of 55. He has remained active in various ways, including as a personal trainer, lifestyle and bodybuilding coach, athlete, artist, and actor. As a published author, Robinson published his autobiography, The Black Prince, in 2013. Since his retirement in 2001, Robby has opposed steroid use in bodybuilding, saying that "it's taking away from the beauty of bodybuilding, the artistry of it." In 2016, aged 70, Robinson continued to make guest posing appearances and maintains a developed physique.

Publications The Black Prince: My Life in Bodybuilding; Muscle vs Hustle, self-published memoirs, 2013 Built DVD – Documentary on bodybuilding, training and health, including interviews with Robinson and workout techniques, 2006 Master Class with Robby Robinson DVD – featuring Robinson's Master Class on bodybuilding in Venice, California (with Natural Mr Britain Ian Duckett and biomechanic expert Dean Murray) The Black Prince 2: Diary of a Bodybuilder, self-published compilation of bodybuilding techniques, 2019 Robby Robinson Master Class Android App Robby Robinson Master Class iOS App

Major competition awards Robinson's competition awards have included the following: 2000 - Mr Olympia - Masters Over 50, 1st 1997 - Mr Olympia - Masters Over 50, 1st 1994 - Mr Olympia - Masters - IFBB, Winner 1991 - Musclefest Grand Prix - IFBB, Winner 1989 - World Pro Championships - IFBB, Winner 1988 - Niagara Falls Pro Invitational - IFBB, Winner 1987 - Mr Olympia - IFBB, 5th 1981 - Mr Universe - Pro - NABBA, Winner 1979 - Pittsburgh Pro Invitational - IFBB, Winner 1979 - Night of Champions - IFBB, Winner 1979 - Grand Prix New York - IFBB, Winner 1979 - Best in the World - IFBB, Professional, 1st 1978 - Professional World Cup - IFBB, Winner 1978 - Night of Champions - IFBB, Winner 1978 - Mr Olympia Heavyweight, 1st 1977 - Mr Olympia - IFBB, Tall, 1st 1976 - Mr Universe - IFBB, MiddleWeight, 1st 1976 - Mr Universe - IFBB, Overall Winner 1976 - Mr International - IFBB, Medium, 1st 1976 - Mr International - IFBB, Overall Winner 1975 - Mr Universe - IFBB, Medium, 1st 1975 - Mr World - IFBB, Medium, 1st 1975 - Mr World - IFBB, Overall Winner 1975 - Mr America - IFBB, Medium, 1st 1975 - Mr America - IFBB, Overall Winner