Alex Kinion - The Heart of a Champion
Alex Kinion is a man on a mission. When Alex looks back on his life, he sees what God had planned for him, although he could in no way have known it early on. He now understands that he was meant to minister, to teach, and to help others. Whether he is sharing the gospel, prevailing over bodybuilding competitions, singing soul-stirring track or spending time with his family and his beloved pets, he embraces his many callings.
Alex Kinion, 65
Alex, is a former Sergeant in the United States Air Force. He divides his time between being a minister for Houston, Texas prison system, a part-time Louis Armstrong impersonator and a bodybuilder. No matter how many hats Alex has worn in his 65 years on the planet, fitness has always been his number one priority. “It’s always been a love for me.” said Alex. “Fitness to me is a love it’s not a duty. Duty gets tired, but love endures forever.”
Alex first started lifting weights back in 1972. He had always been a tall, scrawny kid and thought that if he could add a little bit more muscle to his frame, he might improve his karate performance. According to Alex, after he started lifting weights, he saw his body begin to change. He started seeing the person he was meant to be, and soon enough, he ditched karate all together to focus on his newest love: bodybuilding.
“What certainly got me into bodybuilding was when Arnold Schwarzenegger won the 1975 Mr. Olympia, which became his last contest for his movie, “Pumping Iron,” said Alex. “ I looked at him and I stated ‘Man, I want to be like that.’ Several years later, I actually met him while he was promoting his book The Education of Bodybuilder in Atlanta, Georgia. He shook my hand and he told me ‘If you keep pumping iron, you’re gonna become a champion.’
Two years after meeting Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alex won every bodybuilding contest he competed in on the East Coast, becoming Mr. Virginia, Mr. Atlantic Coast, Mr. Northeast America, and Mr. Hercules. Alex wasn’t finished yet, now not even close. He set his eyes on a new goal, to become Mr. Olympia, similar to his hero.
Alex Kinion meeting Arnold Schwarzenegger
Alex soon realized that bodybuilding wasn’t totally what he had expected. “It turned into an unhappy awakening,” stated Alex. “I went out there, and it wasn’t like what I thought it’d be. Magazines show all of the glamour. However, when it comes to the world of drugs and substance abuse, that wasn’t my thing.” Taking steroids helps prevent muscle loss during the cutting stage, and it gave his fellow competitors an edge that Alex was not willing to sacrifice his morals for. Alex realized that he was not capable of competing with bodybuilders getting a bit extra help outside of the gym so in 1982, he retired from bodybuilding.
Twenty-nine years later, Alex decided to attend Texas State Championships to see what it was like out for older bodybuilders. After watching the Master’s Class opposition, Alex decided it was time to step back on stage and come out of retirement. In only six months, Alex went from 260 kilos to 220, and he has never felt better. He had shed the excess weight and had gotten back within the combating form. Alex said he looked better than he did when he won Mr. Virginia. People constantly asked him how old he was and were shocked to learn that Alex was pushing 60 and in better shape than most 20-year-olds. He saw this as a possibility to spread the word: You’re never too old to get in shape. Alex started what he refers to as a “Fitness Ministry”, mentoring each person who was interested in getting back in shape.
After nearly 30 years in retirements, Alex came back stronger than ever, taking third place at the Ronnie Coleman Classic, second place at The Texas Shredder and The Branch Warren Classic, and finally, first place at Dorian Yates Classic. Alex used every opposition as a lesson and attempted to come back stronger each time.
Photography by James Allen
Alex Kinion taking home 1st place at The 2012 Dorian Yates Classic
The champion mentality is what has helped him excel in everything he does. Whether it's singing “What a Wonderful World” to a crowd, showing a prison inmate that there is hope, or displaying off his physique on stage, Alex has never done anything halfway.
“I just like to do the best at whatever I do, and wherever that takes me, that’s fine with me,” said Alex. “I don’t have plans for my life, I just try to live life right, and make the best of my plans, whatever God has fit for me. Just let him guide me to the right thing, be the light to darkness, and a hope to hopelessness and be a spirit of encouragement and inspiration. I get joy out of that.”
Alex Kinion posing for a picture with Philip Dodsen (Owner of Aging Evolution), Rickey Rohus, 62 Master IFBB Pro, and Steve Taylor, 64 Master IFBB Pro.
