Photo: SVTBoxer — CC BY-SA 4.0Source
Art Atwood
- December 27, 1973
- September 11, 2011
- 37 years
- heart attack
About Art Atwood
Art Atwood, 37, American bodybuilder, heart attack.
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Full Biography
|Arthur Dale Atwood (December 27, 1973 – September 11, 2011), known professionally as Art Atwood, was an American IFBB professional heavyweight bodybuilder.
Career
A native of Wisconsin, Atwood had his first NPC (National Physique Committee) competition in 2000, where he took first place in the super-heavyweight class of the Junior USA. His professional bodybuilding debut was the 2001 Toronto Pro, in which he took first place. His first IFBB Mr. Olympia came in 2002, where he placed 12th. After other various competitions he competed in the IFBB Night of Champions tournament of 2003, where he placed 7th. His first Arnold Classic was in 2005, where he placed 14th. He retired from stage competitions in 2006.
Atwood has been featured in many fitness and bodybuilding magazines, as well as appearing on the cover of RxMuscle magazine.
Contest history
- 2000 NPC Junior USA, Super-HeavyWeight, 1st and Overall
- 2000 NPC Nationals, Super-HeavyWeight, 14th
- 2000 NPC USA Championships, Super-HeavyWeight, 7th
- 2001 NPC Nationals, Super-HeavyWeight, 1st
- 2001 NPC USA Championships, Super-HeavyWeight, 3rd
- 2002 Grand Prix England, 7th
- 2002 Mr. Olympia, 12th
- 2002 Show of Strength Pro Championship, 12th
- 2002 Toronto Pro Invitational, 1st
- 2003 Grand Prix England, 7th
- 2003 Grand Prix Holland, 8th
- 2003 Grand Prix Hungary, 3rd
- 2003 Grand Prix Russia, 6th
- 2003 Night of Champions, 7th
- 2003 Mr. Olympia, 13th
- 2004 Florida Pro Xtreme Challenge, 5th
- 2004 Hungarian Pro Invitational, 8th
- 2004 Night of Champions, 9th
- 2004 Toronto Pro Invitational, 5th
- 2005 Arnold Classic, 14th
- 2005 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 10th
- 2006 Europa Super Show, 5th
- 2006 Montreal Pro, 7th
- 2006 Atlantic City Pro, 10th
Arrest
In May 2007, Atwood was pulled over by police, following a months long investigation into illegal steroid sales. Atwood was offered a deal by prosecutors, avoiding jail, and cooperating in Operation Raw Deal. The operation lead to arrests of more than 120 people in 2008, and authorities confiscated 11 million steroid doses.
Death
On Sunday, September 11, 2011, at about 2:30pm, Atwood was walking through the pool area of the condominium complex where he lived in Dallas, Texas, when he had a heart attack. Two residents who were at the pool saw him fall in and immediately pulled him out. They were able to revive him and call paramedics, but Atwood died at nearby Baylor Regional Medical Center Hospital in Plano, Texas, aged 37. The coroner's report showed that Atwood died of a massive heart attack. The report also states that Atwood had unknowingly suffered a minor heart attack about a month previously.
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Atwood
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 29, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Art Atwood's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what year was Art Atwood born?
- A.1975
- B.1978
- C.1973correct
- D.1970
Arthur Dale Atwood was born on December 27, 1973.
Source: Introduction
2.What was the native state of Art Atwood?
- A.Texas
- B.Wisconsincorrect
- C.California
- D.Florida
The biography identifies Art Atwood as a native of Wisconsin.
Source: Career section
3.Which competition marked the professional bodybuilding debut of Art Atwood in 2001?
- A.Night of Champions
- B.Toronto Procorrect
- C.Arnold Classic
- D.Mr. Olympia
Art Atwood's professional bodybuilding debut was the 2001 Toronto Pro, where he took first place.
Source: Career section
4.In what year did Art Atwood retire from stage competitions?
- A.2007
- B.2005
- C.2006correct
- D.2004
Art Atwood retired from stage competitions in 2006.
Source: Career section
5.Which magazine featured Art Atwood on its cover?
- A.Iron Man
- B.Flex
- C.RxMusclecorrect
- D.Muscle & Fitness
Art Atwood appeared on the cover of RxMuscle magazine.
Source: Career section
6.What was the result of Art Atwood's first IFBB Mr. Olympia appearance in 2002?
- A.7th
- B.14th
- C.10th
- D.12thcorrect
Art Atwood placed 12th at his first IFBB Mr. Olympia in 2002.
Source: Career section
7.What was the outcome for Art Atwood at the 2000 NPC Junior USA competition?
- A.7th place
- B.14th place
- C.1st placecorrect
- D.3rd place
Art Atwood took first place in the super-heavyweight class of the 2000 NPC Junior USA.
Source: Contest history
8.How many people were arrested in the operation that Art Atwood cooperated in?
- A.Over 500
- B.Less than 50
- C.More than 120correct
- D.About 80
Operation Raw Deal, in which Art Atwood cooperated, led to the arrests of more than 120 people in 2008.
Source: Arrest section
9.In what city did Art Atwood die?
- A.Toronto
- B.Milwaukee
- C.Planocorrect
- D.Dallas
Art Atwood died at Baylor Regional Medical Center Hospital in Plano, Texas.
Source: Death section
10.What was the official cause of death for Art Atwood according to the coroner?
- A.Respiratory failure
- B.Massive heart attackcorrect
- C.Drug overdose
- D.Car accident
The coroner's report showed that Art Atwood died of a massive heart attack.
Source: Death section
11.How old was Art Atwood at the time of his death?
- A.35
- B.40
- C.42
- D.37correct
Art Atwood died aged 37.
Source: Death section
12.Where was Art Atwood when he had his fatal heart attack?
- A.At his workplace
- B.In a gym
- C.At a competition
- D.At a pool areacorrect
Art Atwood was walking through the pool area of his condominium complex when he had a heart attack.
Source: Death section
13.When did Art Atwood first place in the 2001 NPC Nationals?
- A.2003
- B.2002
- C.2000
- D.2001correct
The contest history confirms Art Atwood placed 1st in the 2001 NPC Nationals.
Source: Contest history
14.What investigation was Art Atwood pulled over for in May 2007?
- A.Driving under the influence
- B.Illegal steroid salescorrect
- C.Public disturbance
- D.Tax evasion
In May 2007, police pulled over Art Atwood following an investigation into illegal steroid sales.
Source: Arrest section
15.Approximately how long before his death did Art Atwood suffer a minor heart attack?
- A.One monthcorrect
- B.One week
- C.Six months
- D.Three months
The coroner's report states Art Atwood had unknowingly suffered a minor heart attack about a month prior to his death.
Source: Death section
16.In what year did Art Atwood compete in his first Arnold Classic?
- A.2002
- B.2003
- C.2005correct
- D.2004
Art Atwood's first Arnold Classic was in 2005, where he placed 14th.
Source: Career section
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