Tag: Originals
Mike O’Hearn: The Foolproof Way To Stop Haters Online
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Mike O’Hearn details his tactics for not only avoiding hate online but also preventing it from affecting his mental state.
Bullying has always existed in the world. And it’s been a serious problem that can lead to painful mental health problems for victims. This has been exacerbated with the boom of online and social media. Instead of someone in your local community bullying you – it can be anyone from around the world. Not only that, it can be an army of voices. This can have serious consequences on your mental health. Public figures, such as celebrity bodybuilders, are beacons for attention. This also means being a beacon for bullying, hate, and vile comments. In our latest GI Exclusive, Mike O’Hearn shares his fool proof tips for stopping hate and how he avoids letting them get under his skin.
Mike O’Hearn is no stranger to hate online. Between the constant claims that he is lying about being natural and your general run of the mill online trolls – O’Hearn has had his fair share of hurtful comments lobbed at him. But you wouldn’t know that by speaking with him. Much like O’Hearn’s superhuman commitment to his training schedule for over 30 years, he rarely twitches when it comes to hate directed at him. What’s his secret?
During our recent conversation with Mike O’Hearn, we asked him his tactics with dealing with haters online. The information he shared is advice on two fronts – mental tactics for your own health and actionable tactics to prevent more hate in the future.
On the mental front, Mike O’Hearn urges anyone who faces online hate to realize that the people commenting are “below you.” What he means by that is – a bully is someone who feels the need to make petty comments at you. They are not someone you know. They are likely not someone you would respect. The mere fact that you, most likely, would not make such hateful comments online shows that you are in a better place than the hater. O’Hearn stresses that this must be remembered. People who are more powerful than you rarely would take the time to attack you in such a way.
That’s easier said than done of course. A barrage of hateful comments online can pierce even the strongest of minds. So it’s also important to not allow the hateful comments through. It’s sometimes frowned upon for public figures to police their comment sections. Blocking can be seen as a disingenuous gesture to hide the “truth” of their fanbase. Mike O’Hearn couldn’t disagree more.
O’Hearn opens up about how liberally he blocks people on his comment pages. Even for one slight offense – he and his team will block the user permanently. Why? Because it’s not the truth of his fanbase. Odds are they aren’t a fan at all. And why would he subject himself to reading such awful statements day in and day out? Mike O’Hearn believes that all people with any online presence should do the same. The cleaner you can keep your online pages – the happier you will be when interacting with your fans online.
At the end of the day, Mike O’Hearn makes it clear with a direct statement, “Trolls are complete losers.” That might not mean it’s easy to prevent them from getting under your skin. That’s why if you follow O’Hearn’s two tactics, you might create a new mindset in your relationship with not only your fans but yourself. Out of sight, out of mind.
You can watch Mike O’Hearn go into full detail about how he deals with hate and bullying online in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Guy Cisternino: Branch Warren Still Trains Today Harder Than 90% Of Pro Bodybuilders
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Guy Cisternino talks on how Branch Warren inspires him, the power of rivalries, and the new school bodybuilders rising in the ranks.
Guy Cisternino is a bodybuilder who believes in hardcore training. So it may come as no surprise that one of his biggest inspirational bodybuilders is Branch Warren. Branch is known for his insanely hardcore training – which you can witness in depth in the original Generation Iron film. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Guy Cisternino talks about training with Branch Warren today and how he still pushes harder than most active pro bodybuilders.
Guy Cisternino is a unique brand of pro bodybuilder. He likes to focus on the intensity of the sport – which is probably why he got into some social media hot water after a recent video went viral. That’s why we wanted to know who his biggest inspirations are that got him into bodybuilding. Cisternino named a few legendary athletes such as Kevin Levrone. But at the end of the day, the bodybuilder who still inspires him most to this day is Branch Warren.
Branch Warren no longer competes and has been retired for quite some time. That being said, he still maintains his massive physique and enjoys training in the gym. Not only that, but Branch still goes full hardcore on his sets even in retirement.
Guy Cisternino recounts how he just met up with Branch Warren recently for a training session. What was most refreshing to Cisternino is that Branch still trained like a beast. He has no reason to anymore other than personal enjoyment of the intensity of lifting. It’s a feeling that Cisternino can relate to.
Not only that, but he believes that Branch Warren trains harder than most pros today:
“As far as training and who still inspires me today, believe it or not, is Branch man. Because Branch is retired and he’s like – I was with Branch last week in Dallas and he just – he still trains like a fucking animal. Like I love it. He still trains retired harder than 90 percent of the pros.”
It’s a bold claim – but one that we wouldn’t doubt. Branch Warren often received criticism for training too hardcore. That he would bring himself too big a risk of injury and ruin his career. Perhaps it’s that kind of risk taking that Guy Cisternino misses in the modern crop of bodybuilders.
Speaking of modern bodybuilders, Guy Cisternino also touches on the recent rivalries cropping up in pro bodybuilding. He touches upon Blessing Awodibu and Nick Walker’s pre New York Pro beef. Cisternino also shares his thoughts on the overall new crop of bodybuilders and which ones are showing promise to become champions down the road.
You can watch his full comments on Branch Warren, rivalries, and new school bodybuilders in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Talking Huge With Craig Golias | EP 5: Muscle Worship and Highest Paid Bodybuilders
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Craig Golias talks about the biggest threats growing in the sport, the realities of muscle worship, and who are the highest paid bodybuilders today.
Welcome to another episode of Talking Huge – a weekly digital series in which Craig Golias talks in-depth with Vlad Yudin on the latest trending topics in bodybuilding. Raw, honest, and uncut – Craig Golias shares his opinions on all things bodybuilding. In this episode, Craig Golias talks about the most threatening bodybuilders rising in the ranks, debating the best coaches in bodybuilding, which bodybuilders make the most money today, and muscle worshiping.
Craig Golias is a bodybuilder with no filter – not necessarily to be controversial – but more so because he simply says what’s on his mind right away. That’s why this week’s topics go into some truly funny and shocking directions. He makes his guesses based on rumors for who are the highest paid bodybuilders today. He also gets open and honest about muscle worship in bodybuilding. He’s received many requests to pay him for muscle worship – and knows bodybuilders who have done it. It’s a wild ride of an episode – so let’s jump right in.
The Biggest Threats Rising In Bodybuilding
Vlad Yudin asks Craig Golias who he thinks are the most threatening athletes rising up in bodybuilding today. Straight after his big win at the Puerto Rico Pro – Craig has his eyes on Akim Williams. Craig believes that Akim is one of the few more accomplished bodybuilders who is actually improving – while many other of his ilk are getting worse. Akim also turned heads at the Mr. Olympia 2020 when he rose up to his highest placing of 6th.
Craig Golias also brings up Nick Walker – who has been building hype ever since he earned his pro card in 2020. Walker has been receiving favorable comparisons to the physique of Dorian Yates. He’s able to keep his waist small while also maintaining a massive physique overall. Craig Golias wouldn’t be surprised to see him become one of the most notable pros within this decade.
Who Is Making The Most Money Today?
After discussing a bit about athletes starting their own supplement lines – Vlad asked Craig who he thinks is making the most money in the sport today. Craig Golias can’t know for sure – but he’s heard rumors. Based on those rumors, he would guess that Chris Bumstead is probably the highest paid bodybuilder currently competing. Two Olympia wins certainly help – but he also has a massive, yet classic physique that works wonders for a wider variety of sponsorships.
Craig Golias also mentions another Canadian bodybuilder, Regan Grimes, as a potential athlete who brings in massive cash. Craig also mentions Brian Shaw. Though not a bodybuilder, he’s heard word that Shaw brings in some serious revenue.
Craig Golias: Muscle Worship In Bodybuilding Is Real
In our final topic, Vlad asks Craig Golias about muscle worship in bodybuilding. Muscle worship is a form of fetish where individuals get arosed by massive muscle. It’s been long rumored that bodybuilders can help supplement their funds by committing to muscle worship videos. But is this true?
Craig Golias admits it’s all true. Though he doesn’t know how many bodybuilders do it – he knows people who have. And Craig has received many requests to do muscle worship videos or scenarios. He claims the requests range from PG rated (just looking or touching muscle) to XXX rated with full on muscle-bound sex.
Wrap Up
There are far more topics discussed in this episode than we can cover in this article. You can watch Craig Golias and Vlad Yudin discuss other topics such as the best bodybuilding coaches in the sport, supplement companies, and how to grow a social media following. You can check it all out in the latest episode of Talking Huge above! Make sure to check out Talking Huge every week on Friday – only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network!
George Peterson Full Interview | Changing Divisions, Building A Wide Back, & More!
George Peterson is a bodybuilder with an incredible physique and an equally incredible journey throughout his bodybuilding career. Peterson started bodybuilding over 10 years ago, took a 5 year break, and then returned in the newly made Classic Physique division. Ultimately, he changed things up yet again and bumped up to the Men’s 212 division. His debut was in 2020.
That’s why we connected with George Peterson for a video interview to discuss his big switch in divisions and also go in-depth about his training, nutrition, and thoughts on trending topics in the sport. It was a long and insightful interview breaking down the intricacies of modern bodybuilding.
Over the past few months we’ve released multiple GI Exclusive segments from our interview with George Peterson. Now we’re releasing the full length interview including topics such as his switch from Classic Physique to Men’s 212, the secret to his wide back, how to build trust with a coach, and more.
Listen To Our George Peterson Interview On The Generation Iron Podcast
Our full length interviews are now also in podcast form! Subscribe to the Generation Iron Podcast for candid, full length interviews with the biggest names in bodybuilding, fitness, combat, and strength sports.
Listen to the full George Peterson interview here:
The Real Reason He Moved Up To Men’s 212 Bodybuilding
Not many bodybuilding fans may know this, but George Peterson did not start out as a Classic Physique bodybuilder. He started as a Men’s Open bodybuilder in 2008. He rose up through the amateur ranks and eventually started landing in the heavyweight class.
George Peterson wasn’t liking the way the massive amount of weight was affecting his aesthetic. He wasn’t happy with what he would have to do to continue succeeding in Open bodybuilding. So he quit. At the time both for himself and fans it seemed that this was a permanent stepping down from the sport.
It wasn’t until 2016 when the Classic Physique division was introduced that everything changed. He returned to the sport, won the 2016 Nationals overall, and then landed some spectacular placings as a Pro Classic Physique bodybuilder at the Arnold Classic and Olympia.
Then in a shocking move, he changed divisions again. This time to Men’s 212. We asked George Peterson why he decided to make that move considering he showed so much promise in Classic Physique. He admits that it was an extremely hard decision. Peterson is extremely passionate about Classic Physique. He likes that it allows for a wide variety of aesthetic types. He convinced himself that even though he carries more muscle than a lot of typical Classic Physique athletes, he still had the waist to showcase something special in the division.
But it seemed ultimately this just wasn’t true. His size kept getting in the way of being able to truly fit in with Classic Physique. Though he placed well, George Peterson describes having to cut 10 pounds during the final weeks of contest prep just to make weight. His body was growing and reacting in such a way – that he was constantly fighting against his size – not working with it.
On top of this, George Peterson believes his 3rd place Olympia finish was truly the best version of his physique under that weight limit. He couldn’t see a future where he improved anything further at that weight. Ultimately, he understood that he had to step up to a slightly higher limit under the Men’s 212.
It wasn’t an easy decision. He truly put his heart into Classic Physique. He still has a passionate place for it to this day. But he also understands the reality of his genetics and how his body works. His passion for weightlifting as a whole drives him to succeed in bodybuilding. He hopes that Men’s 212 will give him the opportunity to become a champion on his own terms.
George Peterson Shares His Secrets For A Wide Back
We asked George Peterson to share his tips for how to take your back to the next level. Peterson is well known for having one of the most impressive backs in the sport. So what kind of unique insights can he provide to help others chase the glory he’s obtained?
George Peterson was more than happy to share his tactic. He, in fact, shared it with a grin. He explains the key tactics that he has always done whenever working out on back day. It sounds simple – but it’s a focus on muscle movement and mind-muscle connection. It’s that special extra awareness with every rep that can make or break your progress from good back to supreme back.
George Peterson explains that with every single rep of every single back workout you perform. It’s important to stretch wide your chest as full as possible. That’s what George Peterson does. He makes sure that he widens his chest at the peak of each exercises movement. He wants to feel every single back muscle working to achieve each rep.
It doesn’t sound like much – but what is important is to be vigilant throughout the entire workout. It’s easy to go into auto pilot after months of training. Or perhaps, towards the end of your workout you are so exhausted that your mind wanders. George Peterson ensures that he takes his time to stretch full with every rep. It can’t be ignored. It has to be included through to the very end for every workout. Period.
Wrap Up
George Peterson is a powerhouse bodybuilder who is also open to going in-depth on some of the most vital topics in bodybuilding. That’s why you should check out the full GI Exclusive interview above! He shares his personal experience and tips for training, nutrition, and more.
Gunter Schlierkamp: Phil Heath’s Biggest Mistake That Ended His Olympia Reign
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Gunter Schlierkamp recounts the key advice he gave a young Phil Heath and how not following it led to his late stage downfall.
Genetically, some bodybuilders have bigger frames and some have smaller frames. Gunter Schlierkamp was a tall and wide-framed bodybuilder. It’s what allowed him to successfully carry such intense mass monster size. Phil Heath, on the other hand, is a small-framed bodybuilder. He’s shorter and simply doesn’t have the build to put on Ronnie Coleman kind of weight. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Gunter Schlierkamp reflects on advice he once gave Phil Heath about building muscle to fit your frame.
While discussing his picks for the best bodybuilders of all time, Gunter Schlierkamp mentions Phil Heath. He put’s him firmly at number six on his list behind the likes of Ronnie Coleman, Lee Haney, and Jay Cutler. But as Schlierkamp reflects on Phil Heath, he becomes excited and frustrated at the same time.
Gunter Schlierkamp recounts the very first time he ever saw Phil Heath. It was before he went pro and was training to compete and earn his pro card. Schlierkamp saw Heath from afar and was astounded. His jaw dropped. He was looking at a bodybuilder with one of the most impressive physiques he had ever seen. Schlierkamp made a point to meet Phil Heath and see him up close.
Gunter Schlierkamp urged Phil Heath to compete right away. He could win instantly and become a pro bodybuilder. Heath was playing the long game. He wanted to wait another year to really perfect his physique. Ultimately, Phil Heath did earn his pro card and the rest his history.
But Gunter Schlierkamp also remembers a piece of advice he gave Phil Heath during those early years. He told him to always remember to not “overload his frame.” By that, Schlierkamp was talking about how much muscle mass to put on to fit your genetic size. Schlierkamp believes it is all too common in the modern era of bodybuilding for athletes to chase size beyond their frame. At the end of the day, your genetic frame cannot change. It’s no use fighting against it. If you “overload” the frame, you’ll look blocky and less pleasing.
This is the exact mistake that Gunter Schlierkamp saw Phil Heath make later in his career. There’s no denying that Heath had a fantastic run and deserved all seven of his Mr. Olympia titles. That’s no easy feat. He’ll go down in history for that. But Schlierkamp believes there could have been more victories in his future.
Unfortunately, Phil Heath started adding on more size and “overloaded” his frame. He believes that is in part what caused the distended stomach issues in his later career. Schlierkamp can’t help but understand why Phil Heath eventually fell into this trap. Kai Greene rose up in the ranks with a bigger frame and much more muscle mass. He was the direct threat and rival to Heath. This kind of pressure most likely caused Heath to try and up his game and increase size.
Phil Heath is a bodybuilder who had a fantastic run and will certainly be considered a legend etched forever in bodybuilding history. But other bodybuilders who overload their frame might not have that kind of success. That’s why Gunter Schlierkamp wants to share his advice with everyone watching – consider your frame when building muscle mass. Don’t fall into the trap of mass monster obsession.
You can watch Gunter Schlierkamp’s full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
George Farah Answers: Are Fillers In Supplements Damaging Our Bodies?
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George Farah talks about switching to all natural ingredients and the potential dangers in supplement fillers.
George Farah has been a bodybuilder and trainer in the industry for a very long time now. With that amount of time and talent, he’s garnered a lot of respect from multiple generations of bodybuilders and fans. That’s why now, later in his life, he’s putting effort into his own supplement company with the hopes of changing out people view supplementation in bodybuilding. More specifically, he wants to get the message out there – stop allowing for filler in the supplements you buy. In our latest GI Exclusive, George Farah goes into detail about how filler in supplements might be affecting our bodies.
A year ago, we spoke with George Farah about his battle with cancer and eventual recovery. It was a moment that changed his life in more ways than one. A big factor that changed was how he viewed health and fitness. Farah had been a bodybuilder and later a guru for many decades of his life. His goal was to always help build and sculpt fantastic physiques. But that could come with potential health sacrifices. It seemed that Farah was starting to reconsider which sacrifices were worth it.
Fast forward to today and George Farah is still going strong with his new line of thinking. To go along with that new line of thinking, he started his own line of supplements. Surely he wants to make a successful business – but his inspiration was to help change the direction of supplements as a whole.
A big part of George Farah’s life change was determining what is healthy and what is not when it comes to consuming things into our body. Everyday ingredients like non-natural sugars could have very long term consequences on health. Many of us know sugar and corn starch is bad for us – but we consume it anyway. Part of the reason behind this is because these ingredients are in everything. Our society is built around convenience which comes with some not-so-healthy ingredients.
This is amplified when it comes to bodybuilding. Bodybuilders not only need to eat food to build muscle, they need to take a wide variety of supplement products to give them an edge towards success. But what exactly is in the supplements athletes consume?
There are certainly companies that provide healthy ingredients in their products. But for every good company there are three more bad ones just trying to cut costs and make money. Not all consumers do the research before buying. This is mostly because they believe the FDA would make sure all companies are playing by the rules.
But the rules keep changing every single year. And new substances are discovered that do not always catch wind in regulations until long after they are used by supplement companies. Once the FDA catches up, companies are already onto the next innovation. Again, this isn’t all companies – but certainly many are trying to focus on profits before anything else.
That’s where filler comes in. George Farah describes filler as a selection of compounds used to “fill” the supplement tub and give you your money’s worth. At their best, filler provide nothing to your body but make you feel like you’re consuming more. At their worst, they could potentially be harming our bodies.
The problem is there are not enough studies to really figure out what goes into filler and how it affects individuals over the long term. It’s almost impossible to keep up. With so many variables at play – it stays a consistent blind spot in the supplement world.
That’s why George Farah plays it safe, he only consumes supplements with all natural ingredients. It’s also what he focuses on for his own product line. He hopes that he can change the relationship bodybuilders have with supplements. As Farah has stated before, he believes that many extreme measures bodybuilders take today are unnecessary. That without them, and maybe a little extra hard work, the same results can be accomplished.
You can watch George Farah go into full detail about filler in supplements by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Victor Martinez: “I Don’t Trust Government. Period.”
Victor Martinez talks about living a year in a pandemic, if restrictions were effective or fair, and whether or not he trusts the new vaccines. The past year was a complicated and hard time for many people during the pandemic. This is true for nearly all walks of life – including the world of bodybuilding….
Samir Bannout: Insulin Works… But Is Ruining Modern Bodybuilding
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Samir Bannout talks on how insulin works in bodybuilding short term but ruins physiques (and health) long term.
One of the newer controversial substances to enter bodybuilding is insulin. A drug that offers benefits to those in need has been transformed into another tool for building muscle fast in the sport. Bodybuilding guru Milos Sarcev claims to have introduced the drug into bodybuilding and stands by its safety when used correctly. Others fear that it leads to major health issues and early deaths in the sport. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Samir Bannout goes in-depth about insulin, how it works, and why he thinks it is ruining modern bodybuilding.
Samir Bannout is seeing a trend in modern bodybuilding over the past few decades. To be fair, it’s a trend we’ve all been noticing for quite some time now. Competitive bodybuilding is becoming more and more about excessive muscle mass. Starting from Dorian Yates, to Ronnie Coleman, and jumping ahead to the current Olympia champion Big Ramy – a clear through line is seen. Pushing the limit on muscle mass is the goal of modern bodybuilding.
With such emphasis put on building mass as much and as fast as possible, new protocols with drugs have been concocted to optimize this goal. Insulin is one such drug that has grown in popularity. Insulin can provide faster muscle growth – but it can also have much more dire consequences when abused.
We asked Samir Bannout about his opinion on the direction of modern bodybuilding. What started as a conversation about excessive muscle mass turned into a deep dive into the abuse of insulin. Perhaps the two are connected. In Bannout’s mind, they are both tied together and have put a negative impact onto professional bodybuilding.
Samir Bannout argues that the focus on massive muscle above all else can lead to an impressive physique. But that physique will only last in the short term. He uses legendary champions like Dorian Yates and Ronnie Coleman as examples. Yes, they did both win multiple Mr. Olympia titles in the long term. Bannout isn’t arguing that. But what he does believe is that both of these athletes looked phenomenal the first two to three years as champion… then starts to look worse.
Ronnie Coleman, for example, eventually became an eight time Mr. Olympia champion. That’s the most ever recorded in the history of the sport (only tied with Lee Haney). That being said, most people find Coleman’s physique peak to be around 2001. After that, while he did continue to win – it was clear his physique never hit the same level again.
Now fast forward to today. Modern bodybuilders are still chasing that legendary massive physique of Ronnie Coleman. But now there are new drugs that promise to bring muscle growth even fast. Insulin has become, to some, a necessary element in becoming a larger than life bodybuilder. Much like the overall obsession with excessive muscle – this has Samir Bannout worried.
Samir Bannout doesn’t argue that the drug isn’t effective. It does indeed help build muscle as bodybuilders have been using it. But at what cost? Samir Bannout believes that even when used correctly, consistent use of insulin leads to short term success and long term failures. At worst, it can lead to serious health issues or even death. At it’s best, it will give you two or three years of an incredible physique… and then the quality starts to go down.
“It’s [insulin] a ruin for modern bodybuilding. It’s a ruin for bodybuilding,” Samir Bannout states in our interview. He continues:
“I mean look, now you look at guys like Chris Bumstead. He comes out and stay waisted, sharp, and tight. But those bigger guys who are using insulin on a regular basis. What happens? They may get lean in this area but… you are growing the visceral fat in the inner intestine. It’s imminent that you will have the bulgy fat stomach after a year or two. It may work the first year but as it goes on it will get worse and worse.”
Samir Bannout is no doctor. His statements here seem to be solely based on what he’s observing. He doesn’t know exactly who is and who isn’t using insulin. But he fears that it’s creating a shorter shelf life for bodybuilders. Both in terms of health and the longevity of an amazing physique.
You can watch Samir Bannout go into complete detail about mass muscle and insulin in bodybuilding by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Guy Cisternino: “An Open Olympia Would Never Lose To A Men’s 212 Olympia”
Guy Cisternino talks about Hadi Choopan and the differences between Men’s 212 and Men’s Open. Hadi Choopan shook up the bodybuilding world in 2019 when he transitioned from Men’s 212 to Men’s Open and competed at the Olympia. Not only that – he ended up finishing third place. This wasn’t a fluke either, in the…
Mike O’Hearn: How To Really Make Money In Bodybuilding
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Mike O’Hearn talks about his personal rise to success and shares tips on how to make money as a bodybuilder.
Love him or hate him, Mike O’Hearn is a successful bodybuilder who has made multiple TV appearances, graced the cover of dozens of magazines, and owns accomplished businesses. He took his passion for bodybuilding and turned it into life success. It’s often talks about how competitive bodybuilding in and of itself hardly provides enough funds to make a living. So how does one become a financially successful bodybuilder? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Mike O’Hearn details the key tactics for making money in bodybuilding.
During our latest video conversation with Mike O’Hearn, we asked him point blank – what advice would he give on how to make money in bodybuilding. He starts off with direct advice and then goes into his own past experiences as examples. His first advice – is to not copy other successful bodybuilders. If it worked for Ronnie Coleman, copying him will only make you a familiar version of that. You want to be original – that’s where real success comes in.
His second piece of advice is to “flip the bird to everybody.” What he means by this is to follow the beat of your own drum. This ties into his first tip. If others think you are breaking the mold too much and are too “weird” or “doing it wrong” – ignore them. True greatness is about breaking the mold. It’s about changing things. The status quo doesn’t make greatness – breaking it does.
Mike O’Hearn also touches on how the typical path to financial success has changed over the past few decades in bodybuilding. He describes how it used to be that you needed to win a big competition, then that got you interviews and TV appearances. If you took those appearances seriously and showed charisma – then you would get more opportunities and eventual sponsorships. Use that initial financial boost for more opportunities – work hard at them – and then suddenly you have a full and successful life.
Now Mike O’Hearn explains that the competition side of things is less important. With social media, you can focus first on your charisma, personality, uniqueness, and of course, your physique. If you get enough followers the opportunities will appear. Then you still have to work hard at those to turn it into a life of success.
Mike O’Hearn then dives into his past and his personal steps that led to his success. He claims that being one of 10 children made him realize the importance of money at a very young age. So when he started succeeding at bodybuilding – he put away all of his money rather than spend it on flashy items. This gave him a foundation for when the competitions stopped.
He then later met Arnold Schwarzenegger who advised him to use his savings to invest in real estate – that’s where the real money is. This is something Schwarzenegger himself did to help bolster his funds (besides, you know, the superstar acting). After O’Hearn did that – the rest is history. He continued to challenge himself and find new opportunities. With the money he had as a foundation he was able to take those risks and succeed long term.
Mike O’Hearn’s last piece of advice was probably the hardest one to swallow. At least for younger bodybuilders. He said that your 20s should be spent working your ass off so you have at least $100k in the bank by 30. He even said that’s on the low end. O’Hearn believes that too often young people spend their 20s having fun. It comes at the cost of building a financial foundation for success. Money later gives you less time in your life to grow that money. If you focus while you are young and have more energy – you can grow that money quicker.
They say that youth is wasted on the young. Mike O’Hearn seems to believe in that statement. But it seems O’Hearn was one of the few young men who decided to try and waste as little time as possible. It explains his intense work ethic with training and business to this day.
You can watch Mike O’Hearn’s full comments about money in bodybuilding by watching our latest GI exclusive interview segment above!