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“You Know How F***ing Hard That Is?”: Phil Heath Explains How He Is Superior to Bodybuilding Greats Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronnie Coleman, and Lee Haney

Published 01/04/2023, 7:00 AM EST

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Phil Heath is among the greatest champions in the history of bodybuilding. From 2011 to 2017, the American dominated the Mr. Olympia stage. With seven wins, Heath matched bodybuilding pioneer Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s record. Only two bodybuilders, Ronnie Coleman and Lee Haney have won more titles than him. However, Heath still thinks he is superior to the all-time greats.

The seven-time Mr. Olympia appeared on episode #52 of the former Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler’s podcast. Heath joined hosts Cutler and Manager Matt for the entirety of the two and half hour long podcast. During the episode, the trio discussed many things. Around 40 minutes into their conversation, Heath explained what makes him superior to three of the greatest bodybuilders of all time.

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Phil Heath thinks the change in format gives him an edge

The seven-time Mr. Olympia compared himself with the greatest champions of the sport. He acknowledged their accomplishments and called them the “Mount Rushmore of Bodybuilding.” However, Heath also explained that, unlike past title holders, he won “two-day” shows. “You know how f***ing hard that is?” the former Mr. Olympia told Matt.

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“The icons… Ronnie (Coleman), Lee (Haney), Arnold (Schwarzenegger), they all won one day shows.” said the bodybuilding legend. He also explained that one of the toughest challenges a bodybuilder faces is to peak at the right time. If a bodybuilder doesn’t peak on the night of the show, he could lose the contest despite having a better physique for the rest of the year.

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Put yourself in my shoes and ask yourself how would you peak for two freaking days?” said Phil Heath. Shortly after a competitor peaks, their body becomes depleted. Health told Matt that Cutler knows how hard two-day shows are. Four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler defeated Ronnie Coleman and Phil Heath and has competed in both formats.

The former champion also thinks he was the most competitive Mr. Olympia

The former Mr. O champion, Phil Heath, thinks he was “The most competitive Mr. Olympia.” He also clarified his definition of being competitive. “When I’m talking about competitive… I’m saying making other people feel intimidated.” Heath said Schwarzenegger, Cutler, Coleman, and Yates were among the most competitive bodybuilders.

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The seven-time Mr. Olympia said, like Arnold Schwarzenegger, he also played mind games to dampen the confidence of his opponents. Heath said if his rivals, Kai Greene or Dexter Jackson, did a show, he would train harder in the gym.

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Watch this story – From Arnold Schwarzenegger to Ronnie Coleman, Here Are the Top Bodybuilders With the Best Nicknames

What do you think about Phil Heath’s statement? Do you feel the seven-time Mr. Olympia is better than Coleman, Schwarzenegger, and other greats?

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Written by:

Sagnik Bagchi

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Sagnik Bagchi is a US Sports writer for EssentiallySports. He has completed his Bachelor's and Master's in English Literature from the University of Calcutta. He has experience working as a freelance MMA writer for Sportskeeda.
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Edited by:

Simar Singh Wadhwa