Dennis Tinerino Bio and Contest History

Dennis Tinerino and Bill Pearl gave a joint seminar in Canberra, ACT, Australia on Bill Pearl’s 51st birthday, on October 31st, 1981. This was one of the last guest posing appearances made by Bill. The total joint posing time came to approx 8 mins.

This seminar was recorded a matter of days after Dennis had won the 1981 Professional Mr. Universe in Sydney. Accordingly he was in sensational shape for his guest posing at the conclusion of the seminar.

The seminar was controversial in its day for its openness, as both men speak the truth. Bill Pearl and Dennis Tinerino are always worth listening to. Some of the comments by Dennis about the 1980 and 1981 Olympias, the politics of pro bodybuilding and on other bodybuilders are quite amazing. Especially his comments on Franco Columbu! Dennis referred to the 1981 Olympia in particular where he made his famously controversial statement regarding Franco…that he had seen better legs on a rocking chair!

In their seminar they cover such subjects as diet advice, nutrition versus drugs, training philosophy for bodybuilders and athletes, bodybuilding politics, contest preparation, sleep, pain barriers, injuries and much more. All serious bodybuilder will be fascinated by the information given jointly by BILL and DENNIS in this no-holds-barred master class seminar.

Dennis made a great start to his career when he won the Teen Mr. America, Mr. Atlantic Coast, Mr East Coast, and Mr. Brooklyn contests in 1964, and finished second to Arnold Schwarzenegger at the Mr. Universe contest in 1967 at the age of 21.  When his latter competition days, he established the Dennis Tinerino Ministries based in Beverly Hills in 1979, becoming an international evangelist. In 2006 he authored the book Super Size Your Faith.

DENNIS TINERINO loved competing and had a long and distinguished career. He passed away from cancer on May 7th, 2010 aged 64. He had the rare distinction of having won an Overall NABBA Amateur Mr. Universe, won his class twice in the Pro NABBA Mr. Universe, won the IFBB Pro Universe and also competed in the Mr. Olympia 6 times. I had the privilege of filming Dennis twice at the NABBA Pro Universe and in 2 of his Olympia appearances.

The 1983 edition of The Gold’s Gym Book of Bodybuilding cited him as “one of the most successful bodybuilders of the past decade or two”. He is an inductee of the National Fitness Hall of Fame, AAU Hall of Fame, IFBB Hall of Fame, Oldetime Barbell & Strongmen Hall of Fame and National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.

Dennis Tinerino Photo Gallery

Dennis Tinerino Contest History
Height 6’0.5″
Contest Weight 220lbs
Born Dec. 23, 1945 Brooklyn, NY

1964
Mr Atlantic Coast – AAU, Winner
Mr East Coast – AAU, Winner
Teen Mr America – AAU, Most Muscular, 2nd
Teen Mr America – AAU, 3rd

1965
Mr America – AAU, 9th
Junior Mr America – AAU, 3rd
Junior Mr USA – AAU, Winner
Mr North America – AAU, Winner
Teen Mr America – AAU, Winner
Teen Mr America – AAU, Most Muscular, 1st
Mr USA – AAU, Most Muscular, 3rd
Mr USA – AAU, 2nd

1966
Mr America – AAU, 6th
Mr America – AAU, Most Muscular, 3rd
Junior Mr America – AAU, 6th
Mr USA – AAU, Winner
Mr USA – AAU, Most Muscular, 1st

1967
Mr America – AAU, Winner
Mr America – AAU, Most Muscular, 1st
Junior Mr America – AAU, Most Muscular, 1st
Junior Mr America – AAU, Winner
Mr Universe – NABBA, Tall, 2nd

1968
Mr Universe – NABBA, Tall, 1st
Mr Universe – NABBA, Overall Winner

1969
Universe – Pro – NABBA, Tall, 2nd

1970
Pro Mr America – WBBG, 2nd

1971
Mr World – IFBB, Tall, 1st
Pro Mr World – WBBG, 3rd

1972
Universe – Pro – NABBA, Tall, 1st

1973
Universe – Pro – NABBA, Tall, 1st
Mr World – IFBB, Tall, 2nd

1975
Universe – Pro – IFBB, Disqualified
World Pro Championships – IFBB, HeavyWeight, 1st
World Pro Championships – IFBB, Overall Winner

1977
Olympia – IFBB, HeavyWeight, 3rd
Olympia – IFBB, 6th

1978
Natural Mr America – NBA, Professional, 1st
Night of Champions – IFBB, 6th
Olympia – IFBB, HeavyWeight, 4th
Olympia – IFBB, 9th

1979
Best in the World – IFBB, Professional, 4th
Canada Diamond Pro Cup – IFBB, 4th
Canada Pro Cup – IFBB, 6th
Grand Prix Pennsylvania – IFBB, 4th
Grand Prix Vancouver – IFBB, 4th
Olympia – IFBB, HeavyWeight, 2nd

1980
Canada Pro Cup – IFBB, 3rd
Olympia – IFBB, 8th

1981
Grand Prix World Cup – IFBB, 5th
Olympia – IFBB, 7th
Professional World Cup – IFBB, 5th
Universe – Pro – IFBB, Winner
World Pro Championships – IFBB, Winner

1982
Olympia – IFBB, 14th