“It’s Actually Sad”: 7x Mr. Olympia Phil Heath Exposes the Dark Truth About Being a Bodybuilding Judge

There is more to the bodybuilding community than what appears on the surface. This is something that most eyes fail to capture. In a recent conversation, seven-time Mr. Olympia champion Phil Heath revealed the dark side of the bodybuilding world.

In a podcast appearance on the YouTube channel BRADLEY MARTYN’S RAW TALK CLIPS, Heath shared the backlash the Pro Judges faced off-stage. He also stated that judges are often criticized for their decisions. Phil Heath even said,” I would hate to be a judge right now because of social media.” Let’s know why the former Olympia champion doesn’t want to become a judge, despite all the respect they hold.

Privacy Challenges Faced by the Pro Judges

The evolution of social media in sports has come with major drawbacks. Fans spam the Pro Judges with hateful mail after the competitions. The seven-time Mr. Olympia explained, “It’s actually sad, man, because a lot of these guys are like, in their 60s, and these judges aren’t like driving Bentleys and sh*t; you know, I’m saying they’re just doing it for the love of it.” 

Phil Heath disclosed how judges used to share the hate mail they received from unhappy fans with him. In this social media world, people can easily find you if you’re a part of this sport and can stalk you easily. He stressed, “You can’t just go up to the Lakers facility and wait outside for, you know, you just can’t like they got security and stuff like you get your a*s kicked, you know, but like out here, like, no, they’ll find you at your gym, your store.”

Heath then delved into the challenges faced by judges while they were on stage during a competition. He shared how the judges have to sit for at least three hours and look at physiques. The 44-year-old former bodybuilder said, “You gotta have a trained eye to get it right 99.9% of the time. Sitting there for three hours, man, like, yeah, referees don’t get it, and they’re in the game.” The 44-year-old bodybuilder concluded by saying he’s not envious of any judge. 

Bodybuilding is not only a hard sport for judges; athletes also have their struggles in the pursuit of becoming the best out there. The seven-time Mr. Olympia, Phil Heath, recently also detailed the obstacles he faced while on the stage on a different podcast. 

Phil Heath longed for a personal break

On a podcast on the YouTube channel True Geordie, the 44-year-old former bodybuilder discussed the struggles he faced throughout his bodybuilding career. He said, “I just want to chill; I just want to hang out; I just want to know what it feels like to have a summer to myself. To hang out with my friends and I just want to know what it feels like to go to a birthday party, a kid’s party with my friends hold them up and play. I want to know what it feels like going on a summer vacation,” Heath confessed.

Read More: “Every Kid Wants His Father”: Phil Heath Laments About Living Away From His Biological Father

Heath explained that bodybuilding is a sport that requires a lot of time and focus, making it hard for you to focus on your personal life. He further admitted, “I just want to know what it feels like to be still and be able to cry about something that has been bothering me for years and that was unavailable to me, and I made it such a big deal that I just held it inside.”

After knowing the dark side, will you still consider starting your career in bodybuilding? Let us know in the comments.

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