  NEWS
UPDATE: Sadly I must report that bodybuilder Ed van Amsterdam died
of a heart attack in July 2013.
Muscle
man, family man, police man ... Ed Van Amsterdam has done them all. Born in Amsterdam,
the Netherlands, Ed started working out and boxing at age 12 to combat bronchitis
he got cross country racing in the cold European winter. At 13 he became a Dutch
champion at racing cycling but it was weightlifting he got addicted to. He just
wanted to eat, sleep and train! He was very impressed when he say his first bodybuilding
contest. On his website he admits "I found it so unnaturally beautiful,
that I couldn't get it out of my mind ever since.
Eventually he graduated from
grade school and trade school and knew he would soon be forced by law to join the
military. He wouldn't be able to train anymore. What to do? Ed discovered if he
joined the Police Academy it would delay his having to join the military and he
could continue to weightlift. He had to study a lot but there was plenty of time
to work out, eat and sleep.At 17 he entered his first bodybuilding contest. He became
Dutch champion for juniors. Then he went on to Milan, Italy and became European
champion. His obsession increased and the more he worked out the less satisfied
he was!
When he graduated from the Police Academy
everyone was proud but his mother knew this was a bad move. Ed was too obsessed
with bodybuilding to do anything else. He considered overtime at work as a distraction
from his training. When he was supposed to be interrogating suspects he was eating
three lunches instead. Eventually he quit police work and realized his life long
dream: in 1999 he became an IFBB pro with a shot at the "Mr. Olympia"
contest.Meanwhile Ed had fallen in love with a woman he saw when he was working
as a doorman. It was love at first sight! That kind of thing usually burns
itself out but Ed and Deborah have been a couple ever since. They were married in
1997 and now have two children, a girl and a boy (see photo above).Ed's hobbies
include horseback riding and swimming. A major animal lover he also supports environmental
causes. He has a very well designed website that comes in two languages and
has many, many photos. |
