Sergio Oliva is one of those destined to engage in strength sports and rise to the highest steps of the podium. The famous bodybuilder was born in 1941 in Cuba on American Independence Day. This coincidence turned out to be significant. Now it’s difficult to say what influenced the athlete’s fate - the energy of the day, the magic of numbers or destiny, but the desire for fight and freedom became a key moment in his life.
As soon as Sergio grew up, he began going with his father to cut down sugar cane in Guanabacoa and helped around the house. Working with a machete did not pass without a trace. By the age of 15, the boy had turned into a well-built young man with developed biceps and broad shoulders. Among his peers, he stood out not only for his figure, but also for his strength.
On the advice of his father, after reaching the age of 16, he enlists in Batista's army. Although the young man was not suitable for military action by age, the authoritative word of his parent became decisive. After Fidel Castro's victory, the guy returned home. One day on the beach, Sergio accidentally meets a guy who offers to come to the club and watch how weightlifters train. From that moment on, the guy's life changed dramatically. What he saw impressed him so much that the future champion began to train along with everyone else.
Emigration to America
In 1961 he became the best bodybuilder in Cuba . The victory at the Pan American Games was the start of a dizzying career. After the competition, Oliva asked for political asylum at the US Embassy and moved to Miami, which he was incredibly happy about. After the coup in Cuba, it was dangerous to remain in the country. In the current situation, I had to think not about sports, but about surviving. In the early years, life as a Cuban immigrant was difficult. In order to somehow live, Sergio had to do hard work, which to a certain extent compensated for the lack of training.
Childhood and youth
The boy had a chance to gain strength since childhood. At first, Sergio Oliva worked diligently on large plantations where sugar cane grew, and while at school, he seriously took up barbells, starting with weightlifting .
At a young age, he was already a member of the Cuban combined , and a few years later he completely switched to bodybuilding, devoting the rest of his life to it. His muscles grew by leaps and bounds , only 6 months passed, and Sergio Oliva was already proud of his forms.
Sergio Oliva poses with other athletes
Useful acquaintances
In 1963, the guy migrates to Chicago. Having found himself among bodybuilders and getting acquainted with the programs of champions, the young bodybuilder realized that he was not ready to conquer the sports Olympus. He convinced himself that the rewards could wait, but for now he would gain experience from the professionals. Soon he meets Bob Gadja, the most popular bodybuilder in the state of Illinois. Bob saw great potential in Sergio and willingly took him under his wing. The calculation turned out to be correct. Systematic training and the professionalism of the mentor allowed us to make significant progress in a short time and increase our luxurious volume:
- with a height of 178 cm;
- biceps diameter was 54 cm;
- waist - 75 cm;
- thigh circumference was 73 cm;
- chest - 140 cm.
Sergio has built up fantastic volumes thanks to genetics, steroids, hard work and the will to win.
However, the relief of the arms was not detailed; the deltoids were inferior in development to the back and biceps and were lost against their background. In addition, Oliva did not know how to pose under the spotlights and emphasize his advantages, but this did not stop him from winning prizes year after year.
Anthropometric data Sergio Oliva
Sergio Oliva has fantastic performance, for which the athlete was nicknamed the Myth:
- height - 1 m 78 cm;
- weight during the competition - 102 kg;
- biceps girth - 54 cm;
- chest circumference - 140 cm;
- waist circumference - 75 cm;
- thigh circumference - 73 cm;
- shin thickness - 47 cm.
Photos of the famous athlete amaze with the relief of his muscles and the overall power of the build.
Sergio Oliva's weekly training program
The plan is based on a combination of exercises , short 5x5 supersets, and consistent loads on the whole body. The work used is 80 pound dumbbells and a 150 pound barbell.
- On Monday, Oliva pumped his chest. The program includes: bench presses, a complex of 5 types of swings and bends.
- On Tuesday I focused on the arms and shoulders. The athlete performed lifts, arm curls with different apparatus, and French presses.
- On Wednesday I worked on my abs, back and calves. To do this, he used: leg raises on the horizontal bar, squats, twists with bent legs, calf raises, side bends with a load on the neck.
- On Thursday, Sergio concentrated on his torso, back, and shoulders. The training included: overhead presses while standing and sitting, and push-ups on uneven bars.
- On Friday the emphasis was on the arms and back. In the complex: French press, barbell and dumbbell press with cheating on the Scott bench, pull-down of the block behind the head and chest.
- On Saturday, Oliva trained his abdominal muscles, back and legs. The block included: front squats with weight and other exercises from the program for Wednesday.
Escape from Liberty Island
In 1962, Oliva Sergio received second place of honor at the National Weightlifting Championship of Cuba, losing a small number of points to the leader, Alberto Rey Games Hernandez. But after the winner is injured, Sergio goes to represent his country at a competition in Jamaica. At the games, the athlete pulled off a completely unexpected trick: after waiting until the guards were distracted, the young bodybuilder escaped and went straight to the American consulate, where he asked for political asylum. Interesting fact: after some time, another 65 Cuban athletes performed the same trick, including the entire weightlifting team along with security.
On top of Olympus
A little later, he won all the main prizes he dreamed of. Who would have thought that an emigrant from Cuba in 1963 would receive the title “Mr. Chicago”, a year later he would become “Mr. Illinois”. These achievements allowed him to compete on equal terms with venerable bodybuilders and receive prestigious titles. At the peak of his career, Sergio had no equal. Main achievements:
- 1st place in 1966 for “Mr. World" and "Mr. Universe";
- 3 wins on “Mr. Olympia" - 1967 - 1969
- 1970 and 1971 — second positions at Olympia;
- winnings on “Mr. International".
After his first successes at prestigious tournaments, journalists called the athlete “invincible,” and after his three-time victory they gave him the nickname “Cuban Myth.”
| Year | Competitions | Place |
| 1966 | Mr. Olympia | 4 |
| 1967 | Mister Universe | 1 in the tall category |
| 1967 | Mister Universe | 1 |
| 1967 | Mr. Olympia | 1 |
| 1968 | Mr. Olympia | 1 |
| 1969 | Mr. Olympia | 1 |
| 1970 | Mr. Olympia | 2 |
| 1972 | Mr. Olympia | 2 |
| 1973 | Mister International | disqualified in the category up to 178 cm |
| 1984 | Mr. Olympia | 8 |
| 1985 | Mr. Olympia | 8 |
Friends and idols
Sergio was friends with such athletes as Dave Draper, Leroy Colbert, Chuck Sipes and Harold Poole. John Grimek was admired for his power and strength. (Grimek was a former professional weightlifter, an Olympic participant. He switched to bodybuilding, the base he received in weightlifting helped him surpass all his contemporaries in strength and muscle mass. Grimek won the title “Mr. Universe”). Steve Reeves was the standard of proportionality and symmetry for Sergio. Respected Leroy Colbert, he was very powerful and muscular.
Interesting story
As for 2nd place in 1970, according to bodybuilders, the issue is controversial . Sergio fought for the title with “Iron Arnie”. When the two of them remained on the stage, Schwarzenegger whispered something in his ear. As it turned out later , he said that they were both equal and it would be fair if they left the stage together. As soon as Oliva descended into the hall, Arnold took an advantageous angle and froze, waiting for a decision. Without waiting for the return of the reigning Mr. Olympia, the judges awarded the victory to Schwartz.
Sergio Oliva vs Bertil Fox
There is a funny story about Bertil Fox. He and Sergio were supposed to be competing and Bertil was in the bathroom in one of the toilets, Sergio knew he was there. You know, there's often a little gap where you can see outside the stand. Sergio took off his shirt and did a few poses in the mirror to check his form, he knew Bertil was watching. Sergio took part in this show and won, and no one saw Bertil after that! Apparently, Bertil had his own thoughts about the competition after meeting Sergio.
The further fate of the “Cuban Myth”
After the last victory, his career began to decline . Age and lack of motivation to fight for awards took its toll. Sports Everest was conquered three times, and his piggy bank was bursting with awards. From 1965 – 1985 he won 20 titles. And 70-80 years. Sergio also won awards at NABBA, WBBG and WABBA tournaments. In 1984-85 takes 8th position at Olympia two times in a row When the athlete realized that it was already difficult for him to compete with Colombo and Schwarzenegger, in 1985 he decided to make a career as a coach. In 2012, at the age of 72, Sergio Oliva died of kidney failure.
Biography of the Great Myth
Sergio Oliva appeared to the world as a little toddler on Liberty Island (Cuba) on July 4, 1941. In addition to him, the family raised 21 more children. At the age of 12, the teenager worked with his father on the vast sugar cane plantations in Guanabacoa, and at the age of 16, under his father’s instructions, he joined the ranks of Fulgencio Batista’s army. The boy did not have any documents, so the recruiting officer had to take Oliva Sr.’s word when his father confidently stated that his son was perfect for the fight against communism. The struggle for communism did not last long, communism won, and after Fidel Castro's landslide victory, Oliva returned home and left the army. After returning, the former soldier devoted some time to himself, spending days and nights on the local beach. It was then that Oliva met a man who invited the guy to the nearest weightlifting club. Already in the first 6 months of training, the guy built up significant muscle mass.
Decline of a career
In 1984, the 43-year-old athlete returned to the professional podium. Sergio took only eighth place, because he was up against younger and more experienced opponents, although the audience was indignant at the judges' decision. The performance of that day was remembered by many: Sergio brought his 4-week-old son to the podium and said: “It makes no difference what place I got. After all, even after 12 years, I am still the same Myth for you. And who knows, maybe I have the future Myth in my hands.”
After which the hall exploded with a storm of applause and applause. In 1985, Sergio again entered the professional podium, but received eighth place. After which the athlete finally stopped his career.
Family
The muscular athlete had two children. Sergio Oliva Jr. followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a professional bodybuilder. Many note that his son is very similar to his eminent father in muscle relief. Their hands are most similar, especially when Oliva Jr. performs his father’s signature “Victory Pose,” which is very difficult to perform.
Sergio Oliva's son went against his father when he took up bodybuilding. The famous athlete wanted his son to become an educated lawyer or doctor. But, at the behest of his heart and ironically, Oliva Jr. decided to conquer Olympia.
He is simply drawn to the podium, and this is understandable, because the young athlete has already been on it at the age of four weeks. This happened back in 1984, when Sergio Oliva returned to professional sports for his favorite Mr. Olympia competition. Having taken only eighth place, the man made a solemn speech, full of personal dignity and respect for the public. Lifting the tiny baby in his huge, muscular arms, Sergio Oliva, who is 178cm tall, uttered memorable words of wisdom: “It doesn’t matter whether I placed eighth, seventeenth or twentieth. The main thing is that I will always be a Myth. And now I am holding my son - the next Myth! The spectators who attended the competition were incredibly delighted with the behavior of the legendary bodybuilder. They expressed their admiration with bursts of applause and loud exclamations...
The family relationships of the famous athlete were difficult. According to reports from those around him, the man could fall into uncontrollable fits of rage. Four years after the events described at Mr. Olympia, the marriage between Sergio and his wife Arlene collapsed. In self-defense, as the female bodybuilder and bodybuilding coach herself stated, she shot at her husband, hitting him in the stomach.
The children lived with their divorced parents alternately, sometimes with their father, sometimes with their mother, and, most likely, there was not a very warm relationship between father and son. “He’s not generous with praise,” Sergio Oliva Jr. said briefly about the parent in 2007.
External links [edit]
- SERGIO OLIVA: Myth! Official website
- Sergio Oliva on IMDb
- Sergio Oliva Profile
- Gallery Sergio Oliva
- El Cubano que derrotó a Schwarzenegger
- SergioOlivaJr.com Official website of the son
- Exclusive interview with Sergio Oliva for Lexnews magazine in 2007
- Sergio Oliva - Myth and heart flutters! Article by Sergio Oliva at MuscleMecca 2013
| Mr. Olympia | ||
| Predecessor: Larry Scott | First (1967) | Successor: himself |
| Predecessor: himself | Second (1968) | Successor: himself |
| Predecessor: himself | Third (1969) | Succeeded by: Arnold Schwarzenegger |
| vthe Winners Mr. Olympia | |
| |
| Authoritative control |
|
Recommendations
- Oliva, Sergio; Marchant, Frank (2007). Sergio Oliva The Myth Building the Best
. Publishing house Gra. ISBN 0-9779040-1-6. - Wayne, Rick (1985). Muscle wars
. St Martin's Press. p. 257. ISBN 0-312-55353-6. - Wayne, Rick (1985). Muscle wars
. St Martin's Press. paragraph 95. ISBN 0-312-55353-6. - Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder by
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Douglas Kent Hall, published by Simon & Schuster 1977, page 97 ISBN 0-671-79748-4 - TOTAL RECALL by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Peter Petre, page 144 (Simon & Schuster 2012) [hereinafter “TOTAL REVIEW”]
- ALL RECALL, page 144
- ALL RECALL, page 128
- Robert Kennedy, bestselling author, editor and publisher of MuscleMag International; Sergio Oliva, Building the Ideal Physique by Sergio Oliva and Frank Marchante, Foreword (Gras Publishing Company, 2007)
- "Former Mr. Universe shot and killed by police in an argument with his wife." Chicago Tribune
. July 25, 1986. Retrieved June 20, 2015. - Black Power (1975) IMDb
- "Sergio Oliva is leaving." NPC news online. Retrieved 2012-11-13.
- Sergio Oliva The Myth, Building the Ideal Physique Sergio Oliva and Frank Marchante 2007, page 320 {published by Gras Publishing company}
New life
The first American city to welcome the fugitive was Miami, Florida, where Oliva settled after receiving citizenship. Sergio began making a living by repairing televisions. In 1963, the future champion moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he got a job in a steelmaking shop. Despite working a 10-12 hour day, the bodybuilder does not stop his training and trains for another 2-3 hours at a local gym. Such a busy schedule bears fruit, and soon Oliva is noticed by the famous local bodybuilder Bob Gaggia, who makes Sergio his student.
Losing streak
The following year, 1970, the future Californian governor, with a minimal margin of points, nevertheless took away the title of Mr. Olympia from Sergio. It was not possible to take revenge on Oliva in 1971, since due to participation in a competing competition, the International Bodybuilding Organization imposed a ban on the athlete’s performance. Although a year earlier, no claims were brought against Arnold Schwarzenegger, who made the same mistake. In 1972, the victory again went to the movie star, although they still say that the matter was unclean, because the judges were changed literally at the last minute.
In 1973, after being disqualified, Sergio Oliva left the arena of professional bodybuilders, accusing the organizers of the competition of bias. For twelve years, the athlete worked as a police officer in Chicago, and also engaged in coaching and participated in bodybuilding competitions organized by WBBG and WABBA.
Life after defeat
Active and strong Oliva Sergio decides to leave competition in Mr. Olympia, but does not leave professional sports. He continues to win various competitions and competitions, train young aspiring athletes, and also work in the police at the same time.
Sergio returns to international competition only at the age of forty-two, wanting to test himself. And, despite his decent age and young professional rivals, Oliva takes a well-deserved eighth place.
Professional victories
At the age of twenty-two, the young Cuban wins his first victory in the Mr. Young Chicagoland competition. They paid attention to him, they started talking about him as a talented bodybuilder, but this did not turn the head of the ambitious guy. Realizing that he has a lot to learn and a lot to achieve, Oliva Sergio continues to study even harder with his friend and teacher Bob Gaggia, without sparing himself or giving himself any concessions.
Fame and recognition are just around the corner. In 1965, the Cuban won the youth competition “Mr. America”, and just a year later he took second place in adult competitions and was awarded the title “Mr. World”.
In the legendary 1967, a recently little-known refugee from Cuba, and now a famous and renowned professional bodybuilder, becomes Mr. Universe, and also receives gold at the Mr. Olympia competition for three years in a row! Since then, Oliva Sergio has become the King of bodybuilding.
