When Max Amsden steps on stage, he looks like any other dedicated bodybuilding competitor — tanned, shredded, and smiling under the bright lights. But among the tan and posing trunks, a closer look also reveals Amsden’s dialysis catheter attached to his abdomen.
You see, despite following his dream and competing on the stage, Amsden is also living with end-stage kidney failure and spends 9 hours every night hooked up to a dialysis machine.
Yet that hasn’t stopped him from doing what most healthy people wouldn’t dare — competing in back-to-back bodybuilding shows, including one of the biggest amateur stages in the world.
A respiratory therapist by profession, Max shared his story with followers online earlier this year, introducing himself in one video by saying: “Okay, so, I don’t know if you know who I am, but my name is Max, and I am in end-stage kidney failure and require dialysis every night. I also have a gigantic golden dream that I want to be the first ever bodybuilder to do a show while on dialysis.”
It’s a goal that has already begun inspiring thousands.
In the space of just a few months, Amsden’s journey from hospital wards to the gym to the competition stage has drawn widespread attention on social media. His Instagram following has exploded from a few hundred to more than 8,000, with another 4,000 on TikTok. His message — that discipline and passion can thrive even through serious illness — is resonating deeply across the fitness world and inspiring countless others.
Max also uses his growing platform to not only share his bodybuilding journey, but also how his lives and trains day-to-day with kidney failure.
Amsden made his competitive debut at the 2025 NPC Ace of Stage Championships, where he stunned the audience by taking home multiple medals:
- 1st place Classic Physique Open B
- 1st place Hero Division
- 2nd place Novice and True Novice
Despite competing with a peritoneal dialysis catheter attached to his abdomen, he refused to let it hold him back. Just four days later, he took things even further — stepping on stage again at the Amateur Olympia, one of the toughest amateur bodybuilding contests on the calendar.
Standing under the bright lights in front of a packed crowd, Amsden placed 15th overall — an extraordinary feat considering that just hours before, he had been tethered to a dialysis machine.
“Not only did I compete in my first-ever bodybuilding show, I placed well enough that I went on and competed at the Amateur Olympia, which is a national-level show four days later,” Amsden reflected in an Instagram video after the shows. “For a guy in kidney failure, I think that’s pretty good. I am not complaining. But first and foremost, I have to say thank you to everybody who has helped me along this way.”
He went on to thank his family, coach, friends, and sponsors, adding: “I can’t wait to see where we go from here. We’re just beginning.”
Amsden was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure and now undergoes peritoneal dialysis every night, requiring a permanent catheter for access. But even with that limitation, he’s managed to train, diet, and compete alongside some of the best amateur athletes in the Classic Physique division — a category dominated by elite names like Ramon “Dino” Queiroz, Terrence Ruffin, Mike Sommerfeld, and Josema Munoz.
Max’s story has quickly gained traction among fellow competitors and fans alike. Many in the bodybuilding community have shared their admiration for his perseverance, calling him an example of what true strength looks like. Additionally, his comment sections have become full of one message: “NO EXCUSES!”
If Max can do it, then you can too.
Other athletes know the challenges all too well. Classic Physique competitor Fabiony Sylvain famously stepped on the Olympia stage in 2024 while battling colon cancer, while Men’s Physique standout Jeremy Potvin has previously spoken publicly about managing stage 1 kidney failure.
Amsden’s story now stands alongside theirs — a testament to resilience in a sport often defined by aesthetics, but rooted in grit and discipline.
Despite the daily toll of dialysis, Amsden is already planning his next steps. In September, he shared the news that he is just weeks away from receiving a kidney transplant — a life-changing milestone that was met with overwhelming support from his followers.
But even with that hope on the horizon, he remains focused on what he’s already achieved. However, as Max said himself: “This is just the beginning!”
We wish Max all the best on both his health and bodybuilding journeys.
Featured image credit: Instagram/@therookielifter
