When it comes to sports, you can't consider yourself a serious student or fan without seeing the pros in action. That said, I knew that before The Thor Challenge was complete, I'd have to see at least one bodybuilding competition in person. The World Series of bodybuilding is the Olympia contest. However, it takes place in the middle of September, right when I'll have to start putting the finishing touches on this little project. Luckily, the second largest sporting event after the Olympics is the 3-day Arnold Sports Festival, which is held every year in Columbus, Ohio. Its centerpiece is the Arnold Classic, whose winners have often gone on to become Olympia champions. I wasn't about to miss it. |
The great thing about the sport is that it is relatively young. As a result, and unlike music festivals or writers conferences, a convention of this size and magnitude brings the bodybuilding community's most recognizable faces together, both past and present. Knowing this going in, I came up with a plan . . .
In 1977, a documentary debuted called Pumping Iron, which follows Arnold Schwarzenegger as he attempts to defend his Olympia title. In it, we get to meet Arnold's workout buddy, Franco Columbu—who was crowned Mr. Olympia in 1981 and is said to have been, pound-for-pound, the strongest man who ever lived (which is difficult to dispute since he lifts a car in the film)—as well as Ed Corney, whom the Terminator himself considered the greatest poser to have graced the contest stage. | |
In 2013, the documentary Generation Iron premiered, a bookend to Pumping Iron. Like its predecessor, the film guides audiences through the trials and tribulations of Olympia contestants as they prepare for the competition of a lifetime. Among others, it stars two-time Arnold Classic winner Branch Warren; the first Japanese bodybuilder to compete in Mr. Olympia or the Arnold Classic, Hidetada Yamagishi; and Arnold Classic winner and Olympia runner-up, Victor Martinez.
The end result? I am now the proud owner of two signed chapters of bodybuilding history!
Amazingly, the weekend kept getting better . . .
Anyone who's watched Generation Iron knows that, although the reigning Olympia champ, Phil Heath, is featured in the film, the true star of the documentary is its underdog, Kai Greene. Greene is a colorful character in general, say nothing for the sport of bodybuilding: With his long braids, the five-time Arnold champion is prone to wax philosophic at a moment's notice and, when he isn't working out, he paints large canvases depicting the human form.
My wife and I are huge fans, so getting the opportunity to meet this larger-than-life figure was a privilege, but in typical Greene fashion, Kai flipped the tables on me . . .
Anyone who's watched Generation Iron knows that, although the reigning Olympia champ, Phil Heath, is featured in the film, the true star of the documentary is its underdog, Kai Greene. Greene is a colorful character in general, say nothing for the sport of bodybuilding: With his long braids, the five-time Arnold champion is prone to wax philosophic at a moment's notice and, when he isn't working out, he paints large canvases depicting the human form.
My wife and I are huge fans, so getting the opportunity to meet this larger-than-life figure was a privilege, but in typical Greene fashion, Kai flipped the tables on me . . .
After issuing his assistant a haggard look, he turned to me and said, "I want to know more about this. How can I contact you?" I was flattered and impressed. As a writer who's dealt with fans, I appreciated that he was taking the time to connect with me on a personal level, but I was speaking with the most popular figure in bodybuilding. I gave his assistant my contact information, yet accepted that this would likely be the last I'd hear from Kai.
I got a call from a friend the next day. He was literally screaming into the phone, demanding I check out Kai's Facebook page. I couldn't believe my eyes: Kai had put together a video montage of the most inspiring stories he'd heard over the course of the weekend and, wouldn't you know it, I'm in it!
Wowzers! It's as if the bodybuilding gods are blessing The Thor Challenge: First it was the best forearms in the business, Lee Priest, then four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, and now Kai Greene.
I got a call from a friend the next day. He was literally screaming into the phone, demanding I check out Kai's Facebook page. I couldn't believe my eyes: Kai had put together a video montage of the most inspiring stories he'd heard over the course of the weekend and, wouldn't you know it, I'm in it!
Wowzers! It's as if the bodybuilding gods are blessing The Thor Challenge: First it was the best forearms in the business, Lee Priest, then four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, and now Kai Greene.
And yet the weekend continued to get better . . .
That night I walked into the Battelle Grand Ballroom in the Greater Columbus Convention Center to watch my first bodybuilding competition—The Arnold Classic. Being new to the sport, I wouldn't have ordinarily entered the festival rooting for one athlete over the next, but I sat down with my fingers crossed for one Dallas McCarver.
There is much talk surrounding McCarver, and for good reason: He turned pro after only this third contest at the stunningly young age of 21. Now 25, many believe it is an inevitability that the 6'2", 300-lb. gentle giant will become Mr. Olympia one day. For me, this would be all grand and good if it weren't for the fact that Dallas, like myself, is a southerner. However, and unbeknownst to me, I was about to find out just how regionally close the two of us actually are.
The competition got underway and, as my wife and I swapped comments about the contestants, the man sitting next to me—having overhead that I was favoring McCarver—leaned over and asked, "What chances do you think our boy has?" I had no clue he wasn't speaking metaphorically . . . I was seated beside Dallas's father! He introduced me to his son's step mother and little sister, whom I recognized from a promotional video, before producing a baby picture of the behemoth onstage. As we continued to chat, I learned that Dallas had grown up only two hours from my hometown.
That night I walked into the Battelle Grand Ballroom in the Greater Columbus Convention Center to watch my first bodybuilding competition—The Arnold Classic. Being new to the sport, I wouldn't have ordinarily entered the festival rooting for one athlete over the next, but I sat down with my fingers crossed for one Dallas McCarver.
There is much talk surrounding McCarver, and for good reason: He turned pro after only this third contest at the stunningly young age of 21. Now 25, many believe it is an inevitability that the 6'2", 300-lb. gentle giant will become Mr. Olympia one day. For me, this would be all grand and good if it weren't for the fact that Dallas, like myself, is a southerner. However, and unbeknownst to me, I was about to find out just how regionally close the two of us actually are.
The competition got underway and, as my wife and I swapped comments about the contestants, the man sitting next to me—having overhead that I was favoring McCarver—leaned over and asked, "What chances do you think our boy has?" I had no clue he wasn't speaking metaphorically . . . I was seated beside Dallas's father! He introduced me to his son's step mother and little sister, whom I recognized from a promotional video, before producing a baby picture of the behemoth onstage. As we continued to chat, I learned that Dallas had grown up only two hours from my hometown.
Sadly, our boy didn't win, but he did take second place. I reassured the McCarver family that it was only a matter of time before Dallas not only won the Arnold Classic, but became Mr. Olympia.
The contest was over, but this wasn't the last I'd see of Team McCarver.
The next day I arrived at the convention center with the hope of meeting the guy they call "Big Country." Dallas arrived early and, as soon as he sat down, he looked up at me and asked, "You're the writer from Missouri, right? My dad talked about you over breakfast." I couldn't help but laugh because, in the South, regional affinity isn't taken lightly. I congratulated him, got his autograph and, as soon as I turned to leave, was met by the rest of the McCarver tribe.
The contest was over, but this wasn't the last I'd see of Team McCarver.
The next day I arrived at the convention center with the hope of meeting the guy they call "Big Country." Dallas arrived early and, as soon as he sat down, he looked up at me and asked, "You're the writer from Missouri, right? My dad talked about you over breakfast." I couldn't help but laugh because, in the South, regional affinity isn't taken lightly. I congratulated him, got his autograph and, as soon as I turned to leave, was met by the rest of the McCarver tribe.
What a weekend!
#ThorChallenge #BeYourOwnSuperhero #ArnoldClassic #Bodybuilding #ArnoldSportsFestival #PumpingIron #FrancoColumbu #EdCorney #GenerationIron #BranchWarren #HidetadaYamagishi #VictorMartinez #KaiGreene #ThoughtsBecomeThings #DynamikMuscle #DallasMcCarver #RedCon1 #BigCountry #CedricMcMillan #ArnoldSchwarzenegger #GreaterColumbusConventionCenter
https://primitivarum.weebly.com/thorchallengeblog
https://primitivarum.weebly.com/thorchallengeblog