For every professional bodybuilder, Mr. Olympia is the most significant competitive event of the season. Its winner is awarded the title of the best bodybuilder on the planet, and information about the champion goes down in history forever. In 2022, bodybuilder of Jamaican origin Shawn Rhoden managed to receive the golden Mr. Olympia statuette.
19 athletes from different countries of the world took part in the open weight category among men. The main reward of the tournament was a cash prize of $400,000. For 43-year-old Rodin, this was the first victory in such a prestigious competition of such a scale.
Mr. Olympia 2022 and 2022 video and description
Mr. Olympia is one of the most prestigious bodybuilding competitions. It is held under the auspices of the International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB).
Let's start with, perhaps, the most significant and last event, Mr. Olympia 2022. In the video you can see how it happened. And then we’ll look at everything in order. How it all began...
Video: Mr. Olympia 2022 - Brandon Curry
Shawn Rhoden - Awards and Achievements
- 2001 - silver medalist at NPC Team Universe Championships
- 2009 – winner of IFBB North American Championships and NPC Delaware Open Bodybuilding
- 2011 - bronze medalist IFBB Dallas Europa Super Show
- 2012 – winner of IFBB British Grand Prix, IFBB Arnold Classic Europe, IFBB Dallas Europa Supershow and IFBB PBW Tampa Pro
- 2012 - silver medalist at IFBB EVL's Prague Pro
- 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 - bronze medalist Mr. Olympia
- 2014 – winner of IFBB Australian Pro and IFBB San Marino Pro
- 2014 - silver medalist at IFBB Arnold Classic, Dubai Pro and IFBB Arnold Classic Europe
- 2014, 2015 - bronze medalist at EVL's Prague Pro
- 2016 - silver medalist Mr. Olympia
- 2016 - bronze medalist in Kuwait Pro Men's Bodybuilding
- 2019 - winner Mr. Olympia
Mr. Olympia - the beginning
The main significant bodybuilding in the 1960s were: there were Mr. America, Mr. World, Mr. Universe. The rules set by the IFBB, AAU and NABBA federations prohibited the winners of these tournaments from competing for victory again. This made it possible to avoid defeat in the tournament for champion status holders.
At the same time, since the champions did not stay long in the tournament, this gave the young people the opportunity to strive for victory and receive honorary titles. But for the champions this was the end of the competition; they no longer had the incentive to train and further develop their muscles.
It was decided to create a competition for the greats, thanks to which the greatest of the greats could emerge.
So, it was decided to add such a competition to the annual IFBB competition schedule.
On September 18, 1965, in addition to Mr. America and Mr. Universe, another tournament was held, where only the best of the two tournaments were admitted. The IFBB Board of Directors at that time had not yet determined the name of the tournament and announced a poll for a new name with the proposal “Mr. Olympic” (The final name “Mr. Olympia” was adopted in June 1965).
Participation in this tournament was possible only for the winners of the main bodybuilding tournaments “Mr. America”, “Mr. World”, “Mr. Universe”.
Today, the three winners of the past Olympia, as well as the winners of such prestigious competitions as the Arnold Classic, New York Pro, Australia Pro, Ironman Pro, and Grand Prix Hungary, are invited to the tournament.
First Mr. Olympia competition
It began on September 18, 1965 . The crowd burst into applause in anticipation of the legendary Larry Scott, this was the first Mr. Olympia tournament in history. Joe Weider noted that great athletes like Larry Scott had no future in bodybuilding and no new goals to strive for.
The Mr. Olympia tournament was supposed to help athletes earn money from competing among bodybuilding champions. Larry Scott that year and confirmed his title in 1966. In 1967, Larry announced that he would no longer participate in the tournament.
Mr. Olympia - new champions
In 1967, Sergio Oliva (known as "The Myth") won the third competition.
He was in very good shape. He was so good that he won in 1968 with virtually no competition.
However, Sergio's biggest challenge awaited him, and in 1969 the biggest rivalry in bodybuilding history began. Arnold Schwarzenegger claimed victory . Still, Sergio won for the third time in a row, but Arnold promised that this would not happen again.
Sports success
Lauralee had been working out in the gym for a year when she met her partner - he worked as a trainer in Montreal. The young man managed to awaken her ambition and made her think about participating in competitions in the bikini category.
It took the girl only 4 months of preparation to enter the first official competition in the bikini category.
The 2016 IFBB Canada Qualifier earned her the coveted PRO card. A couple of years later, the girl took 2nd place in the Miss Olympia Bikini competition. Moreover, this was Lauralee’s debut - her first professional performance.
Mr. Olympia 1970s
Both athletes trained hard over the next year, and in September 1970, Arnold won and became the third owner of the Mr. Olympia title. Arnold stated that he would hold the title until he stopped participating in the tournament; no one could defeat him.
In 1971, Arnold won again without much competition. For the first time, the show took place outside of New York, in Paris, a week after NABBA Mr. Universe in London.
In 1972, Olympia moved to Essen, Germany, where another epic battle unfolded between Sergio and Arnold. Disputes about that tournament continued for a long time. The decision was made by seven judges and by a decision of four to three, Arnold won again.
In 1973, the Olympia was held again in New York, Arnold won again. His opponents were Franco Colombo and Serge Nibre, and for him it was an easy victory, but the next year he was faced with a serious challenge associated with the emergence of Lou Ferigne in the professionals.
Having endured resistance from the 197 cm tall, 132 kg Lou Ferinho, Arnold received the 5th statuette. The show took place in New York at Madison Square Garden. Rumors began to spread that Arnold wanted to leave.
In 1975, the competition moved to South Africa and was forever captured in the film Pumping Iron.
Many of Arnold's loved ones understood that he was competing because the tournament was being filmed and this could give impetus to Arnold's film career. This competition was also easy for Arnold and Arnold immediately announced his resignation.
The 1976 Olympia was held in Columbus, Ohio, hosted by Arnold and Jim Lorimer. After 5 years of trying, Franco Colombo finally won the Mr. Olympia title. It was not an easy victory - his opponent was Frank Zane. After the match, Colombo announced his resignation.
The next year 1977 was Zane's year. In Columbus, he showed high quality muscles and repeated the victory in 1978, 1979 , proving that Mr. Olympia does not have to be big, but must have quality muscles. In 1980, Zane was going to win again, but because of Arnold's appearance, this Olympia became the most controversial in history.
Mr. Olympia 1980s
In 1980, the competition took place in Australia. Arnold was back in the film and some even thought he would be the Olympia TV commentator when they saw cameras with Arnold traveling to Australia. This year, Arnold took the podium and won his seventh Mr. Olympia title. It is still not clear why Arnold returned.
In 1981, Arnold again held the Olympia with Jim Lorimer in Columbus, he organized the return of his friend Franco Colombo, who became Mr. Olympia that year.
In 1982, the first Olympia was held in London, England. The winner was Chris Dickerson, who had been in second place the previous two years. Chris immediately announced his resignation.
In 1983, the competition returned to Germany, Munich, where the “lion of Lebanon” Samir Banout won. He fought against Mohammed Makkawi from Egypt and the newly arrived Lee Haney from the USA. Samir had everything he needed to win, but no one expected Lee Haney's breakthrough.
In 1984, New York City welcomed the largest crowd ever for an Olympia final (5,000), 4,200 spectators at the preliminary judging, and the largest prize for winning was $100,000. This Olympia also had the biggest winner in history - Lee Haney (at the competition he weighed 112 kg with a height of 180 cm). He was big, he was ripped, he was invincible.
In 1985, Mr. Olympia took place in Belgium. Haney was again in the lead, defending his title against Albert Beckles and Rich Gaspari. These two were the only ones that mattered to Lee Haney. Many people felt that Lee Haney was the best Mr. Olympia on stage at the 1986 Olympia. Lee won his third medal and set his sights on breaking Arnold's record.
In 1987, the Mr. Olympia tournament was held in Sweden, but the result did not change. Lee Haney was definitely a leader.
In 1988, the Olympia was held in his hometown of Los Angeles. The amphitheater was packed with 6,000 people coming to see if Lee Haney could continue his path to becoming the greatest Mr. Olympia ever. With the most prize money, $150,000, Haney won again for the fifth time. For the third year in a row, Rich Gaspari is second.
The following year, 1989 , greeted Olympia in Rome, Italy, on the Adriatic coast. This Olympia was a test for Lee Haney, who had to compete with athletes Lee Labrada and Vince Taylor.
For the first time, people doubted Haney's leadership and many believed he was simply lucky. Still, Lee Haney wins and becomes a six-time Mr. Olympia, like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Mr. Olympia 1990s
In 1990, 4,400 people packed Chicago's Erie Crown Theater. The prize pool was $200,000 for the first time as Haney decided to win for the seventh time. If 1989 was a tough year for Haney, he almost lost 1990. He was two points behind after two laps, but came alive in the lap posing to pass Lee Labrade and Shawn Ray. Haney was now a seven-time champion.
Orlando, Florida. The 1991 Olympia tournament was held here . Lee Haney was aiming for an eighth victory, but for the first time he faced the same height of 180 cm and 111 kg, Dorian Yates, “the beast from Britain”. Four points separated them after two laps, but Haney pulled away in laps 3 and 4 to claim the Mr. Olympia title for the eighth time.
In 1992, the Olympia was held in Helsinki, Finland. A new Mr. Olympia was expected as Lee Haney announced his retirement from the tournament with a record of 8 straight wins. The battle took place between the 1991 US champion, Kevin Levrone and Dorian Yates . But after the first round, Yates pulled away and won the tournament.
Mr. Olympia has been crowned , but has a new era begun?
Nothing could stop the amazing Yates in 1993 in Atlanta as he increased his weight to 117 kg. Even runner-up Flex Wheeler called him "unattainable." It seemed that Yates would hold the Olympia crown for a long time.
However, 1994 became a terrifying year. He seriously injured his left shoulder in March, tore his left quadriceps later that month, and tore his left biceps 9 weeks before the Olympia. Yates shed sweat and blood and nothing, not even injury, could stop him on the path to victory. He arrived in Atlanta to receive his third Sandow statuette, but Yates' invincibility was already in question.
In 1995, Dorian Yates returned to Atlanta to a sweeping victory with the best body of his years of competing. Second was Kevin Levrone, but there was a new threat weighing 123 kg Nasser El Sonbati. Yates wasn't the only Mr. Olympia on that stage that night. In a unique ceremony, for the first time, all nine Mr. Olympia titleholders took the stage to pay respects to the tournament's creator, Joe Weider.
In 1996, the Olympia was held in Chicago. In the Windy City, Yates cruised to victory against Shawn Ray and Kevin Levrone. This was the Briton's fifth victory, and as in 1994, doubts arose about his invincibility.
In 1997, Mr. Olympia arrived in Long Beach. The prize pool was $285,000, first place $110,000, and the bodybuilders were recognized as professional athletes in the full sense of the word.
Dorian Yates is set to become a six-time Mr. Olympia. Nasser El Sonbati was in his best form, but the judges declared Dorian Yates the winner, although there were opinions that Sonbati was better. An interesting battle between the athletes was expected, as Yates announced that he was going to get his seventh victory in 1998.
Most people didn't know that Dorian suffered a torn triceps a few months before the show. Being a solid champion, he said nothing and competed. After the competition he underwent surgery to repair the muscle, but this could prevent him from participating in 1998.
In 1998, the Olympia was held again in New York and a new Mr. Olympia was to be chosen. The new 10th Mr. Olympia was the 34-year-old largest police officer from Texas, Ronnie Coleman, with a height of 177 cm and a weight of 121 kg. Flex Wheeler was second.
On October 23, 1999, the Mr. Olympia tournament was held in Las Vegas. 5,000 spectators watched the incredible Ronnie Coleman win.
Mr. Olympia 2000s
In 2000 , Coleman performed at the Olympia in even better shape, with a large lead over the rest of the participants. Once again, Flex Wheeler and Kevin Levrone tied for second and third place.
2001 became a busier year for Ronnie Coleman. Jay Cutler appeared on the Olympia podium, winning the first two rounds. But Ronnie still snatched the victory, not wanting to admit that Cutler was in better physical shape.
In 2002 , Ronnie won again, beating Kevin Levrone and Gunter Schlierkampf.
In 2003, 39-year-old Coleman easily won his sixth victory. Both Jay and Kevin were far from him. Ronnie was the best, and according to many, Ronnie will be the champion for a long time. Chris Cormier pulled out of the competition due to illness.
In 2004, the Olympia format changed. AMI took control of Olympia and the new competition had 4 rounds. Ronnie Coleman again took first place, Jay Cutler took second. Jay vowed that in 2005 he would dethrone King Ron.
The 2005 Olympia was held at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas. Ronnie, at the age of 41, became Mr. Olympia for the eighth time and was close to breaking all bodybuilding records. The second is Jay Cutler again.
In 2006, Jay Cutler, weighing 130 kg and height 175 cm, nevertheless became Mr. Olympia.
In 2007, Cutler won again, although there was a lot of controversy about the fairness of his victory. Victor Martinez and Dexter Jackson were in very good shape that year.
In 2008, a new Mr. Olympia appeared - Dexter Jackson, who worked for a long time to achieve this, competing for 10 years in 47 tournaments. Although Dexter weighed 107 kg (14 kg less than Cutler), he won due to his ideal relief and proportions, beating Cutler by 7 points.
In 2009, the Olympia was again held in Las Vegas. An updated Jay Cutler appeared on the podium. And not only his hairstyle was updated, he worked hard on the quality of his muscles and became Mr. Olympia for the third time.
Results in Fitness category
Whitney Jones won the Fitness category.
View this post on Instagram
Posted by IFBB PRO WHITNEY JONES (@whitneyjones_ifbbpro)
Final top five:
- Whitney Jones - $50,000.
- Missy Truscott - $20,000.
- Oksana Grishina - $10,000.
- Ariel Khadr – $5,000.
- Jaclyn Baker - $4,000.
Mr. Olympia 2010s
In 2010 , Jay Cutler was again the winner, although the victory was not easy for him, because he competed with the new favorite Phil Heath, as he was called “The Gift”. Still, Jay won for the fourth time.
In 2011, a new, 13th Mr. Olympia emerged and it was Phil Heath. Over the past year, Phil has become even better, while Cutler remained in second place and gave way to the young champion. Phil was 31 years old.
In 2012, the highest title in the world of bodybuilding - Mr. Olympia - including a prize fund of a quarter of a million US dollars, was received by the current world champion Phil Heath . The hit wins for the second year in a row: the guy follows in the footsteps of the famous Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, as you know, repeatedly became Mr. Olympia.
year 2013 . The most prestigious world tournament among bodybuilders, Mr. Olympia, was held in Las Vegas from September 27 to 28.
The intrigue of the competition took place. Last year's tournament winner Phil Heath became a three-time Mr. Olympia. Breathing down the field, athletes such as Kai Greene, Branch Warren and forty-three-year-old veteran and 2008 tournament winner Dexter Jackson were left in the dust.
Video: Mr. Olympia 2013
year 2014 . The championship prize fund was $710,000. The winner was the American athlete Phil Heath, becoming a four-time winner of the competition.
2015 . Olympia took place from September 17 to 20 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. After the final comparison, the winner of the competition was determined. Once again it was Phil Heath.
2016 . 1st place - Phil Heath becomes a six-time winner. He gained a fair amount of weight in his legs and showed a good waistline on his stomach, unlike in previous competitions. And his arms and deltoids are rightfully considered one of the best in the history of bodybuilding. Phil Heath is consistently good, and there is simply no one to replace him.
2017 . Once again Phil Heath has no equal this year. He wins an unconditional victory over his rivals.
2018 . The 53rd Mr. Olympia 2018 tournament took place September 13-16, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Phil Heath has defended the Mr. Olympia title six times since 2011 This year he finished second to Shawn Rhoden. In an equal fight, Heath lost. Many experts believe that Phil Heath’s victory was not deservedly taken away. The judges have an opinion on this.
2019 . Brandon Curry is the new Olympia winner in 2022. Grueling training and genetics helped Brandon take this title. This year the prize fund for Mr. Alimpia was $1.4 million. This figure is a record for the competition.
Training process
Shawn Rhoden has used various muscle building methods and techniques throughout his career. His classes are usually strength training with different ways of increasing the intensity. For example, an athlete often resorts to drop sets, that is, he reduces the weight of the projectile and does not pause for more than 10 seconds between approaches.
In his winning interview, the bodybuilder admitted that adding volume to his pectoral muscles was a major part of his plan for the 2018 season. This group lagged significantly behind in its development compared to the powerful deltoids and required improvements.
The champion shared some of the secrets of his training programs.
First day (pectoral muscles):
- Crossover to the upper chest. According to Sean, it takes pressure off the shoulder joint and causes blood flow to the chest. 3 sets of 25 reps;
- Raising your arms with dumbbells while lying on a bench. The athlete places one foot slightly in front and the other behind for greater balance. The elbows are fixed in a slightly bent position and do not change their angle during the exercise. During the pinch at the top, Sean briefly squeezes the dumbbells to apply a lot of tension to the chest. 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions;
- Incline dumbbell bench press. The first two approaches are performed in the amount of 12-15 repetitions, then reduced to 8-12. Here the bodybuilder recommends that everyone find their own rhythm, because everyone’s body is unique. A total of 5 sets should be performed.
- Bench press. The shoulder blades should be brought together and the back straight. You should not fully straighten your arms, as this will shift the load from the chest to other muscle groups. Also, do not put the barbell on your chest in the final phase. 4 sets of 1 rep.
- Dips and push-ups with weights. Performed in superset order, that is, to failure. This is a finishing exercise for the pectoral muscles that should end the training day. It is recommended to do 3 sets of each type of push-up to the maximum.
Dips
Second day (back):
- Bent-over T-bar row. An exercise used to warm up the back muscles. Sean concentrates on stretching and his starting weights are not particularly heavy. Only the back should work here without the help of the biceps. 5 sets of 15 reps.
- One-arm dumbbell row. Your arm should move as close to your body as possible while performing this row. The back is straight, there is a natural arch in the lower back. Do 10 repetitions in 3-4 sets on each side.
- Deadlift. The feet should be completely flat, with the weight of the body distributed between the front of the foot and the heel. When performing, pull your shoulders back and chest forward. 8 repetitions in 5 sets.
- Vertical row in the Hammer simulator. During the movement, the chest should be placed against the supporting surface of the simulator; the position of the spine does not change. Lever deadlifts are done in 3 sets of 8-12 reps.
- Pulldown of a vertical block to the chest. The main thing is to hold the weight at the lowest point for a couple of seconds and shorten the wings as much as possible. Do 5 sets of 8-12 reps.
Vertical pull-down to the chest
Third day (legs):
- Leg extension in the simulator. Warm-up exercise, which is performed in three sets of 25 repetitions. Rest between sets for 60 seconds. This movement is designed to quickly get blood into the muscles and also increase your heart rate.
- Leg press in the simulator. Second warm-up exercise. It is done at a slow pace. 3 sets of 10 reps.
- Squat with a barbell. 3 sets of 8-12 reps.
- Squats in the Hack Squat machine. It is distinguished by its tilt at an angle of 45°. 3 sets of 10 reps.
- Lying leg curls in a lying machine. 3 sets of 25 reps.
- Deadlift with a barbell. The legs should be completely straight at the knees. The back remains straight, the tilt occurs due to the lower part of the lumbar region and the abduction of the pelvis. 3 sets of 15 reps.
Barbell deadlift
Day four (shoulders):
- Army bench press. 3 sets of 10 reps;
- Raising arms with dumbbells to the sides while standing. 4 sets of 8-12 reps.
- Raise dumbbells in front of you. 4 sets of 8-12 reps.
- Shrugs with a barbell. 3 sets of 10 reps.
Shrugs with a barbell
Day five (biceps and triceps):
- EZ barbell curl on a Scott bench. 4 sets of 12 reps.
- Seated concentrated biceps curls. 3 sets of 10 reps.
- Alternating dumbbell bicep curls on an incline bench. 3 sets of 10 reps.
- French Z-bar press. 5 sets of 8-12 reps.
- Arm extensions from the upper block. 5 sets of 8-12 reps.
- Dumbbell triceps press from behind the head. 5 sets of 8-12 reps.
Concentrated bicep curls
Shawn Rhoden regularly posts photos on Instagram and videos on his YouTube channel, where he describes each exercise in detail. Thus, the athlete works out 5 days a week. Weekends are reserved for recovery.
