The Body Builders, Inc.

02/14/2026

Happy Valentines Day to all of you sweeties out there. 💘

02/02/2026

Gary “Skinny” Wagner — BBI member since 1985.
Retired from Akron Public Schools and now lives in South Carolina. Skinny made the trip up from SC for the farewell party.
This coming August it will be 3 years since his heart transplant.

https://youtu.be/lnVogOYp6V4

02/02/2026

Steve Nervo — BBI member since 1980.
Steve was one of the original members of the BBI powerlifting team and a longtime family friend. Steve currently is a firefighter for the Akron Fire Department.

Head over to our YouTube Channel to check out the full-length video!
https://youtu.be/r-MXA1tmISI

Be sure to Like * Share * Subscribe so you don't miss these videos!

02/02/2026

Philip Maynard was a BBI member for 30+ years.
He literally could have lived, worked and trained anywhere in the world, but he chose The Body Builders Gym.
He passed on this day, February 1st, 5 years ago.
Even after his passing, everyone at BBI respected him so much that his 3 lockers still remained untouched with things he taped in them.
There were also some photos of him on the bulletin board by the front counter. (So, if you didn't know, now you do)

Today we want to remember our friend Philip by sharing these photos with you. Additionally, if you have a few minutes to spare, we encourage you to watch this video of when he was the recipient of the 2018 H. Peter Burg Leadership Award honored by the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce.

This just gives you another example of the presence of family and community our gym provided to our members.

In remembrance of you Phil

https://vimeo.com/264324668?fl=pl&fe=sh

01/26/2026

Since the day you got your wings, none of us have been the same. 💔 1•26•23

We all miss you Angela.

We know you are watching us from above…and for some of us, STILL shaking your head at our shenanigans.

01/24/2026

On our post yesterday, BBI member Vinny Vercamen was nice enough to share these throw back photos in the comments section.

These are great, but what everyone REALLY wants to know is how and why Howard handcuffed you to the leg press in the leg room…

I guess they left you back there for a bit screaming “get me out”!!!
😂😂😂😂

01/23/2026

Earlier today we released another BBI memory video with David Hammond & Mark LaRose!
Be sure to check out this video on our You Tube channel, along with our other ones, if you happened to miss them!

More coming soon!

https://youtu.be/z9z-CHUIQm8

01/22/2026

Another BBI Memory video is live!!
Head over to our YouTube Channel to check out the full-length video!

Like * Share * Subscribe!!

https://youtu.be/z9z-CHUIQm8

Mark LaRose - BBI member since 1979.
Mark was a standout athlete at both Archbishop Hoban and University of Akron, and if you already didn't know, he was also Angela's cousin.

David Hammond - BBI member since 1980.
David grew up in an Akron/Summit County Children's Home. The home gifted him his membership when he turned 16. He credits Bodybuilders Gym for helping him through some troubled times and a 32-year career with the Akron Police Department.

01/07/2026

Fred Azar joined Body Builders Gym in July of 1979. He bought the gym in November of 2020 and owned it until the closure on October 28th, 2025.

Fred was a member from DAY ONE.

He had just won the Teen Ohio and then the Junior Ohio NPC bodybuilding championships.
His resume consisted of not only several bodybuilding titles but also multiple state championships in powerlifting - all while representing BBI.

His best lifts were:
760 squat
535 bench
740 deadlift

His presence filled the gym when he trained, competed and owned it.

This is only a 30 second teaser, head over to our YouTube Channel
to check out the full-length video!

Like * Share * Subscribe!!

Fred Azar joined Body Builders Gym in July of 1979. He bought the gym in November of 2020 and owned it until the closure on October 28th, 2025.Fred was a me...

01/01/2026

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

To the committed, the relentless, and those ready to forge a new legacy in 2026, we encourage you to enter this New Year with The Bodybuilers Gym mentality…

Pushing yourself to the absolute limit.

Training so hard core that every drop of sweat is an investment in the strongest version of yourself.

Power through those reps with cold hard discipline and by December 2026, your current max will be your new warm-up.

BBI is in your blood….Uphold that legacy, regardless of which physical location you now call home.





•Where the weak are killed and eaten
•Welcome to hell
•Is there any other place
•You know who we are
•We judge
•Kicking sand in your face since 1979 •Old school bodybuilding
•Powerlifting
•Crushing souls since 1979
•Hardcore-training

12/25/2025

Merry of Christmas to each and every one of you.
🎄💪🏻🎅🏻🏋🏼‍♂️🎁
We hope that you received more than lumps of coal in your stocking 😂

11/27/2025

"Home is people. Not a place." ~Robin Hobb

We are forever Thankful for our BBI family.
Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours.