The Bulgarian bodybuilder and model rose to fame as online fitness became popular. Lazar Angelov was known for having refined abs and maintaining a rigorous training schedule to stay in shape. For a long time, he served as an inspiration to many, but he suddenly stopped training. What happened?
Who Is Lazar Angelov?
Lazar was born on September 2, 1984, in Sofia, Bulgaria and was a basketball player breaking into the bodybuilding scene.
He made his debut as a junior national basketball player at 16 years old and quickly advanced to professional level. Angelov played basketball for 10 seasons before bowing out due to a persistent knee injury.
The Bulgarian spent 18 months in the army and here he found his passion for bodybuilding. Following the end of his basketball career in 2006, he was keen to pursue this path.
How Did He Become Famous?
In 2006, Angelov competed in various bodybuilding tournaments, and never came home empty-handed. His well-balanced physique impressed even people who aren’t into the sport.
His charismatic personality has helped tens of thousands of people improve their appearances. In addition, Lazar has appeared in a number of advertisements, music videos, and men’s health magazines.
On YouTube, he also has 692,000 subscribers that watch his motivational content. He hasn’t uploaded in over two years, so his subs are slowly dwindling.
What Happened to Him?
Somewhere between late 2020 to early 2021, Lazar suddenly stopped training, leaving his followers confused. On January 5, 2021, he posted a video on his channel explaining his situation. Since then the video has received over 1.8 million views.
Apparently, he had to undergo knee and elbow surgeries, which kept him from exercising for a long period. The pain from tendonitis and arthritis became too much to handle and struggled with depression as a result.
The same people accusing Angelov of being an unnatural athlete claim steroid use is to blame for his injuries. They insist that using certain drugs can make cartilage and ligaments fragile.
What Is He Doing Now?
Angelov is still doing fine after leaving the spotlight. He weighed 102 kg after his operations, but went back to 90 kg after getting better. Though this isn’t the same as his competition form, he’s still doing great for recovery.
The 39 year-old has kept himself busy with the business side of fitness. He continues to train others, and reportedly opened a gym in Cairo, Egypt. And as for his relationship status, Lazar Angelov is single. Angelov has a net worth of $2 million, so at least he’s not struggling financially.
Is He a Natural Bodybuilder?
Lazar has spoken out against steroids, he claims to be natural, and that his looks were achieved through hard work. Looking at his body, many agree with his statements. But there are people debating that it’s nearly impossible to build such stature without the help of performance-enhancing drugs.
