Californian bodybuilder and YouTube star Kali Muscle, born Chuck Kirkendall, recently suffered a frightening health scare after collapsing while working out at a gym, highlighting the long-term effects of his past steroid use.
Recently, the 50-year-old bodybuilder faced another alarming health incident when he passed out while exercising at a California fitness center.
According to reports, he was rushed to a hospital, though the exact cause of the collapse has not been confirmed.
The incident raised further concern, given his previous heart attack in 2021 and long-term steroid use, serving as a reminder of the physical toll of both past choices and ongoing training.
Known for his larger-than-life personality and jaw-dropping physique, Kali has never shied away from discussing his experiences with anabolic steroids, and this incident has brought renewed attention to the risks involved.
Kali grew up severely undersized, weighing just 98 pounds as a teenager. After being benched for an entire football season, he decided to transform his body through extreme eating, force-feeding himself until he gained 40 pounds in 90 days.
The rapid growth helped him earn MVP honors in high school football and attracted recruiters from colleges nationwide.
Even as he continued to play at Fresno State, he excelled naturally, benching over 425 pounds and dominating workouts alongside teammates who were already using steroids.
Kali Muscle has repeatedly emphasized that he remained natural for much of his early athletic career and saw no need for steroids while already outperforming others.
It was only after his release from prison and exposure to competitive bodybuilding that Kali Muscle began using steroids. Seeing professional bodybuilders like Jay Cutler inspired him to take his training to the next level.
By 2008, he started his first steroid cycle with Sustanon. Though the injections were painful, Kali immediately noticed increased strength, gaining 20 pounds on the bench within weeks, followed by rapid muscle growth.
He went on to compete in 2009, winning the Orange County Classic Heavyweight division and placing highly in several other shows.
During his competitive years, Kali openly admitted to using a steroid stack that included 500 mg of testosterone per week, 400 mg of Trenbolone, Anadrol, Dianabol, and cutting agents such as Clenbuterol, T3, and Winstrol.
He studied steroids and nutrition intensively, cycling on and off to try to minimize health risks.
Despite his precautions, he experienced persistent water retention, swelling in his lower extremities, and high blood pressure—early warning signs he largely ignored.
Kali Muscle acknowledges that diet and lifestyle also played a role in his health challenges.
Years of poor nutrition, particularly during his 11 years in prison, left his body stressed long before he started using steroids. He recalls surviving on Top Ramen and white rice, unaware of the long-term effects on his heart and metabolism.
By the time he began using steroids at age 34, underlying cardiovascular damage may have already existed, and the chemicals only added strain.
In November 2021, Kali suffered a major heart attack caused by a complete blockage in his left coronary artery, requiring emergency surgery and the insertion of a stent to restore blood flow.
Reflecting on the incident, he said, “I didn’t care about my health, and I had a heart attack.” Steroid use also caused severe fertility issues; in 2018, doctors discovered he had zero sperm count.
After stopping all steroids and undergoing hormone therapy with HCG and Clomid, he was able to restore fertility and have twins with his wife.
Outside of bodybuilding, Kali Muscle has built a multi-faceted career. He is a YouTube content creator with nearly 4 million subscribers, producing videos on fitness, bodybuilding, training with limited equipment, Mukbangs, music, and lifestyle content.
He is also a personal trainer who offers online coaching, workout plans, and nutrition guidance.
In addition, he has acted in commercials for Taco Bell, GEICO, Snickers, and Honda, and appeared in music videos including Kendrick Lamar’s These Walls and Jamey Johnson’s country video.
His acting work also includes roles in TV films like Applebaum, the comedy The Big Shot, and appearances on series such as Raising Hope.
Today, Kali Muscle trains naturally and maintains healthy testosterone levels, although he credits steroids for helping him achieve rapid growth and dominance in bodybuilding.
He warns young athletes to avoid performance-enhancing drugs until their bodies are fully developed, emphasizing the risks to natural testosterone production, fertility, and heart health.
At the same time, he supports medically supervised testosterone replacement therapy for older adults with low levels.
Kali’s story is one of dramatic transformation, extraordinary success, and painful lessons learned.
