John was a legend. He was the name other guys dropped to gain credibility.
Sad news.
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Horrific news man. Feel so bad for his family.
JM was one of those guys who exuded warmth and humility. One of the reasons why you rarely if ever, read or heard a bad word about him.
Gonna smash out an absolutely brutal session at some point this week in his honour
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I’m devastated. I learned so much from him. I have to thank him so much. Rest in peace.
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Top guy. Intelligent, down to earth… Will be missed.
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Real shame, always came across a genuinely nice human on videos, writing whatever. Genuinely sad about this
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i first knew john with his articles published here in 2009. half of the exercises and techniques i use today are learnt from him. a humble, helpful and genuine guy. i feel sorry for his wife and kids. rest in peace john. i will miss you saying ‘’ allrighttt hi everybodyyy john meadows hereee ‘’ at the beginning of your youtube videos.
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Absolutely a tragedy. It’s hard to see anyone leave a family behind, but he truly seemed to be a good human being - the greatest thing to which any of us can aspire. He was active in the community (not just bodybuilding, but local), a family man, and genuinely seemed to care about others. I know he was very faithful, trust he is where he’s meant to be, and hope that his family can find peace soon. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for his wife and sons to see the world sad they lost a bodybuilder while they come to terms with losing a father and husband. Just a really sad scenario, as it would be with any of us.
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If he had to go in the end, the heart attack last year was a blessing. He got to live the last year of his life knowing every day was a gift. Hopefully this can remind us all of that.
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RIP… I never followed any of his programs but his youtube channel was a major reason I started lifting.
I have a hard time wrapping my head around how such a good person living such a good lifestyle could die so young
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One of saddest news I have heard in a while. Like many, John was such an inspiration. What a great teacher, communicator, and all around great representative for the sport. His humility, grace, transparency, and acceptance of different ways of doing things even though he had his own opinions and methods are simply things our modern day society needs to re-learn a bit.
The world needs more John Meadows. It is crushing when it loses such a valuable voice.
RIP
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Here is a specific gofundme setup for Mary and the boys.
I have lots of thoughts and things to say about him but right now I’m just sad and don’t feel like doing anything with this but being sad. I didn’t meet the man, but consumed enough of his content to feel like I knew him well. My favorite person in the fitness industry.
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Happy to see that Jeff is organizing this effort - he and John were among my favorite trainers to follow. I put a few dollars in the hat just now.
I threw down as well. Not as much as the 10k Jeff did but I’m sharing this with all my fitness friends for sure.
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He actually replied to my Youtube comments. More than anything he just seemed to be a kind and generous guy. That’s the real loss in today’s world.
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I always held out hope that I’d be able to meet The Mountain Dog at one of his trips to Bev’s Gym and I’m extremely regretful it never happened.
There’s a very small handful of bodybuilding coaches as influential as he’s been. You’ve got Gironda, Meadows, and maybe two or three other guys in the last 70 years reaching that level.
Of all the memorials, accolades, and praise being shared by his clients and colleagues, this one probably hit me hardest:
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I was hoping to at least see him in person at this year’s Olympia (it’s in Orlando again and I live an hour away). He totally revolutionized my thinking on “how-to” body build.
I can’t imagine what it’s like for his young boys. Hopefully they will come to appreciate his legacy in time and see that he lived for his family above all else.
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I have been a big fan of John’s for many years…read so many of his articles and watched tons of his videos. Never met him but he taught me so much and you could tell through his videos how good of a guy he was. The news definitely shocked me.
This was one of those celebrity deaths that left me momentarily stunned. It is a sad day for the bodybuilding community and truly tragic for his family and friends.
My only first-hand encounter with the man was at an Arnold expo some years ago. I was walking around on Friday morning, and I noted him standing casually in the aisle, talking shop with another body builder. I knew who he was, but hadn’t followed much of his content. Afterward, I learned he was a home town boy, from the Columbus area. That was kind of cool, since I now live near Columbus.
Later on, I did start watching his content, and thought it was very good. Straight-forward, focused on the advice, no ego or chest thumping or drama. Just good material. And through it, you could sense he was a positive, up-beat guy. The reaction I’m seeing to his death just tells me that assessment was spot on. It is unfortunate that he was taken at such a young age.
The best tribute I saw was put up by Mark Bell. It is just a bunch of excerpts from an interview with Mark Bell, where John talks about his life and his upbringing…
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RIP John. So many, many hours watching and reading his content. Great guy and as a dad myself, enjoyed seeing his kids content popping up in his vids. God bless his family and friends.
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