Written by Ron Harris
12 August 2020

 

PHIL-HEATH-WEEK-No.3 

 

 

Who The Hell Is Phil Heath? | Part 1

by Ron Harris

 

MD Presents Phil Heath Week

 

Phil Heath Will Compete in the 2020 Mr. Olympia

 

Daily Articles All Week Long!

 

 

Seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath’s announcement that he will compete in the 2020 Mr. Olympia “to handle some unfinished business” and win Sandow number eight sent shock waves through the bodybuilding universe and promises to make this December’s Olympia Weekend even more interesting. Not only are bodybuilding fans anxious to see the return of one of the industry’s most popular competitors, but if Phil Heath wins the 2020 Mr. Olympia it would be historic in that Phil would tie the record of eight Mr. Olympia wins held by Mr. Olympia legends Ronnie Coleman and Lee Haney. In honor of Phil’s return to the Mr. Olympia stage later this year, MD proudly presents Phil Heath Week – daily articles as a tribute to Phil. Each day, our staff looks back at Phil Heath’s illustrious career, along with some new perspectives on Phil’s return, exclusively on www.musculardevelopment.com

 

Most of you know that seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath is one of the greatest bodybuilders of our time and is viewed by many as among the best Mr. Olympia champions in the history of our sport. What you might not know is that Phil’s potential was so evident early in his career that he is among the few bodybuilders who was signed to an exclusive publishing contract while he was still an amateur. This happened shortly after his stunning overall win at the 2005 NPC Junior Nationals, and a couple of months before he turned pro at that year’s USA Championships. In early June 2005, I had the privilege of interviewing the then-unknown Phil for a now-defunct magazine. He was made their “Star Profile” of the month even though at that point, the biggest title he held was the NPC Colorado champion, and his Junior Nationals victory hadn’t even happened yet. That’s how obvious his potential was. Looking back at the interview over 15 years later is interesting, to say the least. Here are some of the highlights.

 

On his short- and long-term goals in bodybuilding:

 

“I want to win the overall at the USA or Nationals within the next couple of years, and at the same time learn as much about the business as possible. I want to stay humble and meet as many people in the industry as I can. I would also really like to become a role model and use bodybuilding to inspire people. In college, I used to do community service with inner-city youth, at-risk kids – and I know that a lot of them could use bodybuilding as a positive influence. I want to make a good living, and show the world that you don’t have to be 270 pounds to win shows and be marketable. I want to be a true professional and make a legitimate career out of bodybuilding.”

 

On bodybuilders he looked up to:

 

“Back in the day it was Flex and Shawn, mainly because I just couldn’t see myself getting as massive as Dorian or Nasser. But now my favorite bodybuilder is Jay Cutler. I met him a few times, and after the third time he became my mentor in the sport. We talk on the phone almost every day. We actually guest-posed together at the Northern Colorado this April. Jay is my favorite bodybuilder – not so much for his physique or his titles, but more for his business sense. I was a business major, after all, and he is someone who had an innate sense that a professional athlete is a product, and needs to be marketed as such. Those who understand that are the most successful in the industry. I bought Shawn Ray’s video, “Inside & Out,” and it doesn’t even have any training in it. It’s all about marketing and finding opportunities.”

 

On the spring 2005 mandate from the IFBB, announcing that distended bellies and synthol use would be marked down:

 

“The figures on bodybuilding trophies look perfect. They represent the ideal physique; perfectly symmetrical with little waists and round muscle bellies flowing from small joints. They sure don’t have distended bellies and weird lumps. It’s funny, in my first contest I beat a guy who had a bunch of synthol in his shoulders, but I had no idea until a judge told me about it. Guys tell me about all the steroids they take, and they don’t even look very good. As far as I’m concerned, bodybuilding doesn’t pay enough to risk your health for it. And going crazy with steroids won’t make up for bad genes.”

 

Earliest memory of a bodybuilder:

 

“I saw Arnold Schwarzenegger as a guest on ‘Oprah,’ and started watching his movies. He was so huge and ripped in movies like ‘Predator’ and ‘Twins.’ There was a scene in ‘Twins’ – he flexes his arm and rips the sleeve of his shirt wide open. Once I saw that, I said, ‘That’s it. I have to do that. I have to look like that.’”

 

Tomorrow: A few more choice quotes from Phil Heath back when he was just a state-level bodybuilding champ, hoping to make a career out of bodybuilding someday.

 

Ron Harris got his start in the bodybuilding industry during the eight years he worked in Los Angeles as Associate Producer for ESPN’s “American Muscle Magazine” show in the 1990s. Since 1992 he has published nearly 5,000 articles in bodybuilding and fitness magazines, making him the most prolific bodybuilding writer ever. Ron has been training since the age of 14 and competing as a bodybuilder since 1989. He lives with his wife and two children in the Boston area. Facebook Instagram

 

  

 

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