Tag: Victor Martinez
Victor Martinez: How To Avoid Retaining Water Weight On Creatine
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Victor Martinez explains key tips on how to properly cycle creatine to avoid holding water weight.
Victor Martinez is an iconic long running pro bodybuilder who also featured in the original Generation Iron and has now started his own supplement company. To say he is knowledgeable about all things bodybuilding would be an understatement. While discussing about his supplement company, Superhero Labz, we asked him for some advice on creatine usage. In our latest GI Exclusive, Victor Martinez breaks down the key strategy to get the best results from creatine without retaining too much water.
Creatine is an amazing (and legal) supplement for packing on mass and muscle. It’s often one of the earlier supplements that serious lifters start to use. While it provides a wonderful boost to your gains, it also has a negative side effect. Over time, consistent usage can lead to retaining higher levels of water weight.
For casual lifters, this might not be a big deal. But for those who are looking to be shredded on top of all that muscle, this is a major problem. Double so for competitive bodybuilders. That’s why we turned to Victor Martinez for advice on how to best use creatine in your bodybuilding diet and supplementation.
Victor Martinez jokes at first – saying he could lie and recommend that lifters buy creatine monthly from his new company. But he honors transparency and trust. Which is why he admits that the supplement should be used on a cycle rather than non-stop consistently. Martinez relates to his own experience first using creatine, how it affected his body, and how he eventually adjusted to an optimized strategy.
Like nearly any lifter who starts using creatine, Victor Martinez saw immediate results. So long as you maintain training – creatine will help bulk you up with bigger muscle mass. It even helps provide the coveted pump during a particularly grueling session in the gym. But what Martinez quickly noticed was that the effects started bending more towards the negative. This happened approximately six to eight weeks into using creatine. He noticed that he was holding more and more water weight. He also noticed that he was no longer receiving the pump.
So he came off of creatine. The water weight diminished and he started feeling better again going into his training sessions. What Victor Martinez ultimately concluded, was that creatine needs to be cycled. That a bodybuilder should stop using the supplement about six to eight weeks in. Then come off the product and start again. Martinez took a three week break between using creatine. That seemed to keep everything in check.
Victor Martinez also suggests that a bodybuilder plan out their creatine cycles to match it up with peak week. He believes that if you are in the early stages of using creatine in the week of a competition – you’re in a good place. He’s stated he’s used creatine to hold water weight on purpose – to avoid looking completely flat Of course, it’s a delicate balance, you don’t want too much to make you look soft and puffy.
If you keep all of these tactics in mind, you’ll find creatine to be an extremely valuable weapon in your bodybuilding arsenal. You can watch Victor Martinez go into full detail about creatine cycling in our latest GI Exclusive interview above!
Victor Martinez’s Arnold Classic 2021 Predictions
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Victor Martinez breaks down the entire line up and makes predictions for the Arnold Classic 2021.
After a longer than usual wait, we are only a few days away from the Arnold Classic 2021! The event has been shortened to only one day with less divisions – but there are still some truly exceptional athletes to be excited about this weekend. That’s why we’ve turned to bodybuilding veteran Victor Martinez for his analysis of the line up. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Victor Martinez shares his analysis and predictions for the Arnold Classic 2021.
This year’s Arnold Classic is a special one. In a last minute decision, the winner of this competition also qualifies for this year’s Mr. Olympia. This might sound normal in any other year – but with the event taking place only two weeks before the Mr. Olympia, it can create a last minute wild card for the event. On top of this, we have some truly exceptional athletes, both old and new, hungry to show their best physiques yet.
We connected with Generation Iron alum Victor Martinez over video chat to go over the entire line up and get his predictions and thoughts on the Arnold Classic 2021. This interview was recorded shortly before the recent reported news that Roelly Winklaar will not be competing. Victor believed that Winklaar had a high chance of success. Despite Winklaar likely not being present, Martinez breaks down some other truly promising athletes who can take the crown.
Victor Martinez first touches on Iain Valliere, who has been on a roll with multiple wins over the course of this season. Martinez sees a lot of promise in the competitor, but also claims to have never seen someone peak three times in a year. Let alone four (with Valliere also competing in the Olympia after this weekend’s Arnold Classic). This casts a slight shadow of doubt for how he’ll fair this weekend.
Martinez is also extremely optimistic about Akim Williams at the Arnold Classic 2021. Williams has been on an upward trajectory over the past two years. Victor Martinez had the opportunity to see Williams recently – and what he saw impressed him. Martinez has high hopes for Williams at this event. He places Akim Williams as a possible top 3 contender.
Victor Martinez also shines a light on Justin Rodriguez and Nick Walker – two powerhouse athletes that can do big damage this weekend. Both competitors have shown incredible physiques – but this will be their first time competing against a bigger crop of the best athletes in the world. Both competitors are still on the younger side. It will be interesting to see how they stand up against the rest of the line up at the Arnold Classic 2021.
Then there’s William Bonac returning to defend his title at the Arnold Classic 2021. Bonac has always been a fan favorite and top tier athlete. He’s inched his way close to winning a Mr. Olympia title as well – but has yet to claim the Sandow trophy. From Victor Martinez’s perspective, the biggest challenge Bonac faces is his overall size. He’s a smaller bodybuilder compared to many in Men’s Open. In his quest for perfect conditioning he cannot afford to lose anymore weight. This is what threw him off at the Olympia 2020. If Bonac can keep his weight in check while also crushing his conditioning – he is still the man to beat for first place.
Victor Martinez goes into detail about other top athletes such as Steve Kuclo, Hassan Mostafa, and others. You can see Martinez’s full predictions for the Arnold Classic in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Victor Martinez Answers: Why He Left MHP And Started SuperHero Labz
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Victor Martinez opens up about staying off the competitive stage and focusing on his new supplement company SuperHero Labz.
Earlier in August 2021, Victor Martinez announced that he was leaving supplement company MHP after a long tenure as a sponsored athlete. The reason was to start his own supplement company – SuperHero Labz. We had a chance to reconnect with Martinez via video chat to go into detail about why he made this big change and what to expect from his new business endeavor. In our GI Exclusive interview, Victor Martinez explains why he left MHP and the mission statement for SuperHero Labz in an already oversaturated supplement market.
Victor Martinez had been a sponsored athlete for supplement company MHP for quite some time. So it came as a shock in the industry when it was announced he was leaving the company to start his own supplement business. His new company, SuperHero Labz, combines his love of superheroes (which inspired him to become a bodybuilder) with his fitness experience to make a series of quality products. We reconnected with Martinez to discuss what sparked such a sudden change and how he plans to overcome the oversaturated supplement industry.
Victor Martinez starts off by explaining he has no ill will towards MHP. He respects and appreciates his entire time working with them – but he felt now was the correct time to become the leader of his own business. The decision initially sprang from getting a pay decrease via MHP. Again, he does not hold this against them. In fact, he claims almost any other company would have completely dropped him. But due to loyalty they kept him on board.
Victor Martinez also doesn’t plan to compete in pro bodybuilding again anytime soon. This is largely due to being a father and wanting to dedicate time to his family. He points out that pro bodybuilding isn’t like other pro sports where you get paid for simply being on the team. You only get paid if you win – and he doesn’t feel prepared to fully focus on that while dedicating time to his family.
It was at this moment the stars aligned. He had been speaking with potential business partners on starting a supplement company. He pulled the trigger and SuperHero Labz was born. The artwork showcases the pop imagery of old school superhero comics. But Martinez wanted to ensure he wasn’t just showing fictional superhero characters on the bottles. Instead, he wanted to focus on the real world superheroes – hard working mothers, fathers, businessmen, fire fighters – and many other hard working individuals.
Victor Martinez points out that supplements are to help improve the body, make it stronger, and achieve goals. That’s the kind of superhero logic he’s infusing into the brand. Those whose who want to work hard, make a difference, and support families. SuperHero Labz supplements aim to help with those kind of goals through their products.
Even though Victor Martinez may not plan to compete anytime soon, you may notice his physique is still large and impressive. That’s because he wants to make sure that his products via SuperHero Labz are the right quality. He maintains his physique and uses the products he helps develop to ensure they are the best for bodybuilders and fitness athletes.
You can watch Victor Martinez go into more detail about his plan for supplement rollouts, how he aims to make them the best products on the market, and more in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
You can also check out SuperHero Labz at their official website right here.
Victor Martinez Defends Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Freedom Comments
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Victor Martinez reacts to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “Screw Your Freedom” comments.
Victor Martinez is a pro bodybuilder who is not afraid to speak his mind – but he’s also someone who likes to make sure he’s critically analyzed all the facts before he cements his opinion. That’s why he’s taken some time thinking over Arnold Schwarzenegger’s controversial freedom comments and the bodybuilding communities reaction to it. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Victor Martinez explains his defense of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s freedom comments.
On August 13th, 2021, an interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger went viral across the bodybuilding, strength sports, and fitness community. Speaking on CNN, Schwarzenegger stated, “Screw your freedom” in response to Americans who were anti-mask mandates. You can see his full statement here. Schwarzenegger was stressing, albeit aggressively, that community health was more important than individual freedom where dangerous consequences could be endured.
The bodybuilding, strength sports, and fitness community ignited with many making statements on social media condemning Schwarzenegger’s statement. Some pulled down posters. In the biggest move, supplement company RedCon1 pulled out of sponsoring the Arnold Classic 2021 set to occur on September 25th.
Last week, we were able to reconnect with Generation Iron alum and pro bodybuilder Victor Martinez. During our catch up, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s comments were brought up. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Martinez defended Schwarzenegger and his statements. He also weighed in on the bigger fitness community’s angry reaction to the statement.
“You don’t need to explain it to me. I saw it. I saw it one time. I saw it one time and for some reason, yes, I know what he said, you know – ‘Screw your freedom.’ That became the focus,” Victor Martinez states in our interview. He continues:
“…There’s certain things you say where you think you can say them and right now a lot of people are too soft. They’re too soft on words. They’re too soft on what they hear. They jump the gun on smallest thing that really is irrelevant to what the person really is. I mean, I think Arnold is more American than most Americans actually.”
Not only does he think that people as a whole have become too sensitive. He also thinks they are misinterperating what Schwarzenegger really meant when he stated, “Screw your freedom.” Martinez goes further to try and explain his viewpoint:
“He didn’t say screw your freedom like when America became free in 1776 on July 4th and they declared their freedom… that’s not the kind of freedom Arnold said you know. Be responsible with your freedom, you know? Yes you are free but that doesn’t mean be carelessly free, you know? Wear your mask.”
Ultimately, Victor Martinez still holds extreme respect for Arnold Schwarzenegger. He finds that he has not only given back to the bodybuilding community throughout his entire life – but he’s also given back to America since becoming a citizen. This is a trying time for many people across the world. It’s causing gut reactions and bold statements that might be a bit too black and white.
It seems that Victor Martinez is trying to see the grey and the nuance during these troubling times. He believes Arnold Schwarzenegger believes in freedom but he also believes in responsibility. Do you agree or still find Schwarzenegger’s comments a step too far?
You can watch Victor Martinez’s full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above and decide for yourself!
Victor Martinez Launches SuperHero Labz After Leaving MHP
Victor Martinez is entering a new phase of his career with a new supplement company.
It appears that things are changing for bodybuilding veteran Victor Martinez. The long time popular bodybuilder is entering a new phase of his career. Rather than stepping on stage solely as a competitor, Martinez is looking to get into a new sector of the bodybuilding sphere. That’s right, Martinez has decided to do some more work behind the scenes and has started a new supplement brand.
A long time ambassador for MHP, Victor Martinez had no skin in the game in regards to developing original supplements. Instead he was the face of the company and proudly represented MHP for many years. All that time he spent on under the respected supplement banner, Martinez cultivated his own knowledge on supplements and has decided to throw his hat into the ring. With his tons of experience and knowledge of bodybuilding, there’s no doubt that Martinez will provide some solid products.
New Supplement Brand
The new brand is named SuperHero Labz. The brand launched with a pretty strong opening campaign.
The news is here! We are finally able to announce bodybuilding legend Victor Martinez as an owner of SuperHero Labz. This is massive news considering Victor has been with his previous company nearly his entire bodybuilding career. Now he is taking the next step in his bodybuilding journey – creating a supplement company built for superheroes. SuperHero Labz is not your ordinary supplement company. You will see us at all the bodybuilding shows, in your favorite stores and supporting your favorite events. With Victor’s incredible connection to the bodybuilding world and our team of amazing individuals who do amazing things, superhero will be a household name very soon.
We have been waiting for this moment and are so excited to share the news with customers and Victor’s fans. Oh yeah – we are also running a 50% (YES FIFTY) sale on the entire store. On top of this, we have discounted bundles that give you more value than even 50% off. We want you all to try it before it’s sold out. Once Victor’s ebooks are released, the first customers will be gifted these for showing their support. You won’t be disappointed when you try any of our products from the delicious Muscle Food to the anti-crash preworkout
Premiere Products
The products SuperHero Labz will provide range from vitamins to pre-workout. The Pre-Workout Anti-Crash product is one of the premiere supplements:
“This pre workout is not made to overwhelm you with the jitters and give you a placebo effect. We don’t need to fill you with toxic stuff like that. What we need to do, though, is give you a preworkout that makes sure you are getting to your full potential. So, we created a formula that gives you a crazy pump and great focus. This preworkout is designed in such a way that you won’t have an awful crash or have to rush to the restroom in the middle of your workout. We never hide anything, so whatever you see on the bottle, you get. Our ingredients come from high line sources, so you will not have any crashing or disgusting side effects.”
A New Phase
Victor Martinez posted a long form video on his Instagram page. He explained his intentions and plans for the future, why he left MHP and why he decided to start SuperHero Labz.
New beginnings start with making big choices. Thank you everyone that stood by me all these years and continue on doing so.
It’s a new era for Victor Martinez and it appears to be a bright chapter in the making. The Generation Iron team is excited to see how far SuperHero Labz can go.
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
Victor Martinez’s Chest Workout | Training With Victor Martinez (Part 1)
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Victor Martinez’s in-depth chest day training guide.
Victor Martinez is an iconic pro bodybuilder and legend in the sport. He is considered by many to have one of the greatest physiques of the 2000s era of bodybuilders. In 2007, in a controversial decision, he nearly beat Jay Cutler for the Mr. Olympia title. That’s why we met up with Martinez at the Generation Iron Personal Training Gym for an epic workout. In this GI Exclusive, Victor Martinez breaks down in-depth tips to upgrade your chest day training session.
It’s easy enough to find a training routine online – but the real work comes in knowing the details. A list of exercises, sets, and reps is simply the most basic foundation for a successful workout. Knowing proper form, full movement, and specific tips can transform a workout from good to great. It’s what separates a “normal” in shape person from a shredded bodybuilder.
That’s why Victor Martinez met up with Vlad Yudin to go through the ultimate gauntlet of a workout. In part one of our training mini series with Martinez, he puts Vlad through the paces and shares important tips on how to optimize your routine. A workout sheet is one thing – but this video guide will give you play-by-play examples of how to actually perform like a pro bodybuilder.
Victor Martinez’s Chest Day Training Workout
To start, Victor Martinez stresses the important of warm up exercises. Many lifters might want to jump right into the heavy lifting – but warming up not only helps prevent injury, it can allow you to get the most out of your workout and push your muscles to exhaustion. Martinez suggests two warm up exercises with light weight that match the muscle group you’re about to train.
With the warmups out of the way, Victor Martinez decided to focus on three core exercises and break down how to best perform them. Below is the full breakdown of exercises, sets, and reps.
Exercises
Sets
Reps
Chest Press
4
15
Decline Dumbbell Press
4
15
Standing Cable Crossover Flyes
4
15
When it comes to weight, that’s impossible to recommend broadly. Each individual has different limits on how much weight to push. Ultimately, you want to lift enough weight to complete all three sets for each exercise. By the end of the final set for each – you should barely be able to finish. It may take trial and error to begin with – but you’ll ultimately find a sweet spot this will be more than enough to exhaust your muscles completely.
Chest Press (Machine)
For this exercise, Victor Martinez is using an old school chest press machine. He explains how the machine was inspired by football and emulates the kind of moves a linebacker would typically perform on the field. That’s why Martinez suggests sliding down on the seat to give your movements more of an upward momentum. You want to have explosive momentum pushing up, squeeze, and then slowly bring the weight back down in a controlled manner. Avoid locking out your elbows.
Decline Dumbbell Press
For the next exercise, Victor Martinez goes to the classic decline dumbbell press. He suggests that decline presses be done the older you get – as this muscle area tends to lose its fullness as you age. The decline press is also important to provide your chest a full and complete look. Martinez also suggests wide grip dips if you don’t have time to fully commit to a decline press. This also hits the wide areas of the chest.
Standing Cable Crossover Flyes
The final exercise in our Part 1 Victor Martinez workout is the Standing Cable Crossover Flyes. This exercise is a great finisher as it provides focused isolation on the chest. Martinez typically suggests splitting the reps of upper and then lower flyes to best hit the chest from all angles. He also warns of pulling to far back. While many believe this gives a fuller range of motion and a good stretch on the muscle, it can lead to injuring the rotator cuff.
Wrap Up
That about wraps up Part 1 of Victor Martinez’s upper body training routine. Next week, we’ll return to hit up the back in a new selection of exercises. Make sure to watch the GI Exclusive training video above to get complete play-by-play tips on each exercise. Soon you’ll transform your workout into a pro level routine.
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….
Victor Martinez Is Open To Rematch Jay Cutler In A Special “Exhibition” Show
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Victor Martinez would be more than happy to have a bodybuilding rematch with Jay Cutler.
Most bodybuilding fans know the infamous Olympia 2007 battle between Victor Martinez and Jay Cutler. Many believed that Martinez was a shoe-in to defeat Cutler and become the new Mr. Olympia. That ultimately didn’t happen. In a major upset, Cutler retained his champion. To this day many fans and even athletes believe Martinez should have won that show. Now all these years later and with the rise of “super fights” in boxing – could we one day see a rematch between them? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Victor Martinez opens the possibility of an exhibition rematch with Jay Cutler.
For Victor Martinez, his bodybuilding career didn’t go as expected. By 2007, he was one of the biggest threats to the Mr. Olympia title. The controversial loss to Jay Cutler still stands out as a big moment in bodybuilding history. After that, Martinez found himself incarcerated, which completely removed his ability to maintain his superior physique. His attempt to return was chronicled in the original Generation Iron in 2013.
Since then, Victor Martinez has had some ups and downs in the sport. He’s found some success on major bodybuilding competitions – but never came as close to Olympia victory as he did in 2007. Most recently, he hardly competes.
That’s why during our most recent interview, we asked him what his future plans are in and out of bodybuilding. He is a man who has started a few businesses in the past. He has an entrepreneurial spirit – and is eyeing a few options ahead. But what about in terms of competitive bodybuilding?
Victor Martinez admitted he has little reason to return to seriously competing. But there was one catch. He discussed how he would be open to rematching Jay Cutler. Not in a tried and true IFBB league show – but instead as a sort of super match. Something similar to the recent super fight between Logan Paul and Floyd Mayweather.
“Now I’ll tell you one thing. The only way I will compete is that if we do some Mayweather or Connor stuff.,” Victor Martinez states in our interview. He continues:
“Let’s say Jay Cutler says, ‘Vic I want to challenge you’ or say I want to challenge Jay. Let’s go for a one on one pay per view, you know, and make it American Idol type – let them choose the winner. Let’s collect funds Jay.”
At this point, the entire conversation is completely theoretical. There is no match being prepared and not even a clue if Jay Cutler would be interested. But one thing that’s important to note – is that Martinez states this is the only way he would compete again.
It seems whether or not this dream rematch will come true – that Victor Martinez has little interest in competing within the traditional IFBB path. He’s moved onto other future plans. Whether or not that would include a special battle against Jay Cutler… well, maybe it will become a reality if the fans make enough noise after his statement.
You can watch Jay Cutler discuss his future plans and his dream rematch against Jay Cutler in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Victor Martinez: Hunter Labrada Has The Mass Of Nick Walker & The Shape Of Blessing
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Victor Martinez critiques three of the biggest up and coming pro bodybuilders – Nick Walker, Blessing Awodibu, and Hunter Labrada.
In late 2020 and through the first half of 2021, three names have stood out as rising stars in the pro league. Those three athletes are Nick Walker, Hunter Labrada, and Blessing Awodibu. With a few pro shows under each of their belts, they have showcased extremely promising physiques. That’s why we’ve turned to veteran Victor Martinez for his analysis on these three bodybuilders – and what we can expect from them in the future. In our latest GI Exclusive, Victor Martinez discusses how Hunter Labrada hits the sweet spot of size and shape – standing out above Nick Walker and Blessing Awodibu.
Over the past few years, pro bodybuilding has been in a transitionary stage. We’ve had three different Mr. Olympia champions in three years. We’ve also seen a handful of new younger athletes rise into the spotlight. The torch is in the process of being passed – and a new generation of bodybuilders are ready to prove their worth.
Three standout athletes in particular are Nick Walker, Blessing Awodibu, and Hunter Labrada. Nick Walker just won first place at the New York Pro 2021, solidifying the hype surrounding his massive physique. Blessing Awodibu, while not winning any major competitions – remained in top placings with a threatening physique that simply needs some fine tuning.
Hunter Labrada has not yet competed in 2021, but his last appearances in 2020 caught a lot of attention. His aesthetic, conditioning reminded many of his father Lee Labrada. On top of that, he seems to be bringing in a more modern level of muscle mass. Will this make him a true contender to be a future Mr. Olympia champion?
We spoke with Victor Martinez during our video interview and asked him who he thought were the most interesting young bodybuilders rising in the ranks. Martinez gave immense praise to all three of these bodybuilders – but singled Hunter Labrada out as the one with most promise. The reason? He appears to hold the perfect combination of strengths between Nick Walker and Blessing Awodibu.
Victor Martinez had this to say about Hunter Labrada during our interview:
“Labrada has the mass of Nick and the shape of Blessing. He’s like an in between of both of them. Because Blessing has great shape, the mass, keeps dieting and it’s going down. Nick Walker is just staying massive but he doesn’t have the shape.”
Of course, time can change a lot of things. Victor Martinez’s comments were made just before the New York Pro 2021. While his opinion might still stand – Nick Walker’s win will certainly give him confidence to continue improving.
Big Ramy was a bodybuilder who many thought would never be able to find the right balance of size and conditioning. He ultimately proved them wrong. Nick Walker is too early in his career for anyone to make permanent assumptions. We’ve yet to see the full potential of his abilities – but as Big Ramy proved – either way incredible things can happen.
As it stands now, Hunter Labrada simply has the work ethic and the genetics to truly impress Victor Martinez. And he’s not alone. Many fans and fellow bodybuilders are surprised at just how on point Hunter Labrada has looked the past year. We can’t wait to see what kind of damage he can do when he next steps on stage.
You can watch Victor Martinez’ full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Victor Martinez Answers: Why Do People Criticize Phil Heath So Much?
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Victor Martinez reflects on the love/hate relationship many fans had with Phil Heath during his Olympia reign.
Phil Heath is one of the most winningest Olympia champions in the history of the sport. With seven Sandow trophies he ties Arnold Schwarzenegger and falls one victory behind Ronnie Coleman and Lee Haney. Yet despite this, Phil Heath often received a lot of public criticism. Towards the end of his Olympia streak, that criticism was aimed at his physique – particularly his stomach. But bodybuilding fans also seemed to love to hate on Phil overall as a champion. Many wanted to see him defeated. But why? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Victor Martinez explains why so many fans criticize Phil Heath.
We are still too close to Phil Heath’s reign as Mr. Olympia to know for sure how he will be seen in history. Certainly, he must be placed in the pantheon of greatest Olympia champions of all time at the very least. But what we do know is throughout his career, he faced a large amount of criticism from fans. He in many was was painted as a villain. The longer he continued to win Olympia, the stronger fans wanted to see him taken down.
But why is this? Was Ronnie Coleman seen as a villain during his eight year run as Mr. Olympia? Was Lee Haney? The reaction seems different. Perhaps that is partly because of social media elevating different kind of voices. Perhaps it’s because of Phil Heath’s being seen as a villain compared to Kai Greene in the original Generation Iron.
During our conversation with Victor Martinez, we had these thoughts on our mind, so we decided to ask him why he thought Phil Heath faced so much criticism. Martinez was a fellow competitor in the same era as Phil. He was also in Generation Iron alongside Phil. So perhaps he has a more direct insight into the public reaction to Phil.
Victor Martinez boils it down to one thing – Phil Heath’s major confidence. That confidence borderlines on cocky – which is an easy thing to villainize. Floyd Mayweather also received a lot of criticism despite being one of the greatest boxers of all time. This is likely due to his confident and cocky attitude.
Victor Martinez finds this unfortunate, as he believes that strong confidence is an important factor in a top tier athlete. Whether they telegraph it publicly or not – all great athletes believe deep down that they are the best in the world. Without the belief, they would hold themselves back. This would cause them to never become great. So that near delusional feeling of greatness needs to exist. It eventually makes it a self fulfilling prophecy – at least for a select few.
On top of this, Victor Martinez thinks that a cocky and confident personality helps make bodybuilding more exciting. He points towards the Olympia press conferences. They would be extremely boring, and sometimes are, if there was no drama. The Phil Heath vs Kai Greene rivalry made for some of the most entertaining press conferences in bodybuilding history. It’s good for the sport.
Ultimately, this kind of confidence and drama leads to fans being swept up in the excitement. The fans pick sides and, for some, they start to engage in the drama as well. Social media allows that to happen much more immediately and publicly. The fans who criticize Phil Heath – whether it’s due to his personality or the flaws in his physique – are swept up in the drama. They get emotional. They’re passionate about the sport and take it personal.
Does this make Phil Heath deserving of so much criticism perhaps even border lining on online abuse? Yes and no. Victor Martinez admits that this is all part of being a public figure. Sometimes it can go too far. Martinez believes that it’s not something that can be stopped. Instead, he hopes that someone like Phil understands how to personally deal with it and not become personally affected by the insults. Rather than fight back and try to get fans to shut up – it’s more important for someone like Phil to not be affected by the hate.
You can watch Victor Martinez go into more detail about the criticism of Phil Heath in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!