During Sergio Oliva’s bodybuilding profession, he earned the nickname “The Myth” as a result of his unbelievable genetics and jaw-dropping physique. He was a 3-time Mr. Olympia winner and the one bodybuilder to beat Arnold Schwarzenegger in a Mr. Olympia competition.
Sergio Oliva was known for his amazing, aesthetically pleasing physique, formed by his broad shoulders and the smallest waist of any Mr. Olympia winner. We are going to break down Sergio Oliva’s workout routine so you may train similar to The Myth and see in case you can match his physique!
Who Is Sergio Oliva?
Sergio Oliva was originally born in Guantanamo, Cuba, where his weight training began. Nonetheless, Sergio didn’t start in bodybuilding but somewhat in Olympic weightlifting.
Reports claim that he could clean and jerk 400 lbs early in his training as a teen. This performance caught the attention of the federal government, who recruited him to compete within the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games held in Jamaica. That is where his life was dramatically modified. Nonetheless, it wasn’t through weight lifting but his desire to flee the brand new communist government that had formed.
With sheer determination and a robust will, Sergio and 65 other Cuban nationals, including his entire weightlifting team and security guards, made a daring escape from their sleeping quarters at nighttime. Their destination? The American Embassy. This daring move led to Sergio being granted political asylum and subsequently flown over to Miami, Florida, marking a latest chapter in his life.
He began working as a repairman and doing odd jobs to make ends meet. Nonetheless, he continued training but originally shifted to more of a powerlifting style. Again, one more Mr. Olympia who began in strength sports. Something to think about in case you’re just beginning to train!
Sergio began training with one other old-school bodybuilder, Bob Gajda. Bob Gajda introduced Sergio to bodybuilding exercises and various techniques. The remainder is history.
Sergio Oliva’s Bodybuilding Profession
Sergio entered his first bodybuilding competition in 1963 at Mr. Chicago, taking first place. He continued winning contests on the amateur level until he made his pro debut in 1966 at Mr. World.
From there, he continued winning title after title. He entered his first Mr. Olympia in 1966, placing 4th, which gave him the experience and knowledge he needed to perfect his physique. In 1967, he returned to the Mr. Olympia stage and grabbed the primary spot, winning the title.
He was known for his small waist, which measured just 27 inches, matched by arms measuring 22.5″ and a chest measuring 60″. When you’re not aware of Sergio Oliva, take a look at this reel. His proportions are madness.
In 1968, Sergio returned to his stage only to compete in one among the more strange Mr. Olympia competitions. Attributable to a plethora of reasons, Sergio Oliva ended up being the one competitor that night, meaning he obviously won again! A win’s a win, and you could possibly make the argument that he was in a position to show while others let other aspects come between their training. Regardless, it’s what it’s.
Nonetheless, he would make things very clear the next 12 months, as 1969 could also be Sergio’s clearest demonstration of dominance in bodybuilding. This was the 12 months he would go up against the “Austrian Oak,” Arnold Schwarzenegger, and win.
Here’s what Arnold said when he recalled first seeing Sergio backstage.
“He was so huge. He was so incredible. There was no way I could even consider beating him. But I’d been so greatly surprised by my first sight of Sergio Oliva that I believe I settled for second place before we walked out on the stage… I never prefer to admit defeat, but I believed Sergio was higher.”
Others had beaten Arnold before but never at Mr. Olympia. Now, this was Arnold’s first Mr. Olympia, but many will say this defeat really modified Arnold Schwarzeneager’s demeanor within the gym. He had been beaten and realized winning wasn’t a guarantee.
Regardless, that will be Sergio’s last Mr. Olympia win. He placed 2nd within the 1970 and 1972 competitions but lost each to Arnold Schwarzenegger. These competitions led to a ton of controversies, leading Sergio Oliva to start specializing in competing in other bodybuilding leagues, akin to NABBA and WBBG. He wouldn’t compete again within the IFBB for a complete of 12 years!
During this time, he dominated these other competitions, placing first in each one. He returned to Mr. Olympia in 1984 but had his worst performance, gaining an Eighth-place finish. He would repeat this in 1985, marking the top of his profession. A latest era of bodybuilding had arrived, and Oliva Sergio didn’t quite fit the bill, ending Sergio’s profession.
Although Sergio passed away in 2012, his son carries on his amazing genetics and competes within the Open Division. While he hasn’t seen the identical levels of success as his father (that are legendary), you may tell where his genetics got here from, and he’s a force to be reckoned with.
Sergio Oliva Workout Routine
Sergio’s bodybuilding profession spanned 20 years, meaning he used many greater than a single workout routine. So, we are going to concentrate on one among the more infamous routines.
Arthur Jones, the founding father of Nautilus machines, inspired Sergio Oilivia’s brutal training routine. Arthur Jones used a variety of training that will develop into generally known as HIT, or high-intensity training.
Essentially the most famous proponent of HIT training could be that of Mike Mentzer. Mike Mentzer would go on to win the heavyweight division of the 1979 Mr. Olympia competition, only to be beaten by Frank Zane for the general title.
The training program below wouldn’t be considered HIT training in its truest sense. Nonetheless, it does have similarities, akin to a small number of exercises done with ultra-high volume until complete muscle failure. Quite the opposite, one difference is that Sergio used machines and free weights while training under Arther Jones but went back to simply free weights after leaving.
On a side note, Sergio Oliva and Arthur Jones developed a detailed relationship, with Arthur seemingly being the one constant supporter. Arthur Jones notoriously sided with Sergio throughout the split between Sergio Oliva and the Weider Brothers.
One essential aspect is that Sergio Oliva uses supersets to coach some antagonistic muscles on this six-day workout routine. Mind you, a number of the movements have his weights to present you an idea of how they could look to you.
Monday – Chest & Chin-Ups
| EXERCISE | SETS | REPS |
| Bench Press (superset 1) | 7(add 20lb each set) | 8 |
| Chin-ups (superset 1) | 7 | 15/15/10/10/8/8/5 |
| DB Chest Flys (superset 2) | 5 | 15 |
| Dips (superset 2) | 5 | 15 |
Tuesday – Shoulders & Arms
| EXERCISE | SETS | REPS |
| DB Shoulder Press | 5 | 15 |
| Extending Heavy Curls | 5 | 5 |
| Scott Curls w/ EZ Curl Bar | 5 | 10 |
| Scott Curls w/ DB | 5 | 10 |
| Seated Triceps Pushdown (superset) | 5 | 5 |
| Standin Triceps Pushdown (superset) | 5 | 5 |
Wednesday – Abs & Legs
| EXERCISE | SETS | REPS |
| Sit-ups | 10 | 50 |
| Leg Raises | 5 | 20 |
| Side Bends w/ Bar Behind Neck | 5 | 200 |
| Barbell Squats | 5 (increase weight each set) | 5 |
| Standing Heel Raises | 10 | 8 |
Thursday – Chest & Back Workout
| EXERCISE | SETS | REPS |
| Bench Press | 7 (increase weight each set) | 5 |
| Press Behind Neck (superset) | 5 | 5 |
| Seated Row (superset) | 5 | |
| Seated Press w/ DB | 5 | 8 |
| Dips | 5 | 8 |
Friday – Back & Arms
| EXERCISE | SETS | REPS |
| Military Press | 3 | 5 |
| Extending Heavy Curls | 3 | 5 |
| French Curls | 3 | 5 |
| Scott Bench For Triceps (barbell) | 3 | 5 |
| Scott Bench For Triceps (DB) | 3 | 5 |
| Triceps Pushdown (cable) | 3 | 5 |
| Chin-up Behind the Neck | 5 | 5 |
| Torso Machine | 5 | 10 |
| Lat Pulldown | 5 | 10 |
Saturday – Abs & Legs
| EXERCISE | SETS | REPS |
| Sit-ups | 5 | 10 |
| Leg Raises | 5 | 10 |
| Side Bends w/ Bar Behind Neck | 5 | 50 |
| Barbell Squats | 8 (increasing weight) | 3/3/3/3/3/20/20/20 |
| Front Squats | 5 | 10 |
| Sitting Heel Raises | 5 | 5 |
Sergio Oliva’s Weight-reduction plan
Sergio Oliva’s weight loss program is one among the more odd ones in comparison with that of other old-school bodybuilders. This is probably going as a result of the conditions he was raised in while living in Cuba, as he didn’t have access to lots of money, nutrition education, or supplements. Some reports say he only ate one meal day by day (AKA OMAD) while in Cuba.
Well, when he moved to the USA, things modified. He worked 12-hour days, which earned him money in addition to various sponsored protein and supplements. That said, he seems to have just eaten what he wanted when he trained. Mind you, he was working a ton while training, so his total caloric burn will need to have been crazy high.
There’s pretty good evidence that he had a giant sweet tooth and loved pastries and sugary drinks. Aside from that, it does appear to be he would “eat clean” for a month or so before his competitions. Overall, plainly his weight loss program is one among those “simply because it really works for him, does not imply it’ll give you the results you want” types.
One interesting note is a story through which he followed Frank Zane’s weight loss program advice for his 1984 Mr. Olympia prep. Frank Zane was a meticulous eater whose weight loss program consisted of many fish and vegetables. Sergio reported never feeling satisfied and fatigued and confessed it was a mistake, which likely played a big role in his less-than-stellar Eighth-place finish.
Now, this does not make the Frank Zane weight loss program bad, either. It’s just a terrific illustration that different diets work well for various people. Further, don’t follow a weight loss program simply because your favorite bodybuilder follows it. Once we say that, it isn’t just lip service. It didn’t work out for Sergio, one among the best bodybuilders of all time.
Sergio Olvia And Controversy, The IFBB And The Weider’s Brothers
We’re not going to go deep into this as it will require a ton of backstory and history; nonetheless, it was a serious a part of Sergio Oliva’s bodybuilding history. Sergio had quite a few issues with the IFBB and the Weider brothers (Joe and Ben).
For instance, he claimed the AAU (American Athletic Union) was racist during his performance in Mr. America. While he earned the “Most Muscular” award, he wasn’t given first, which was believed to be because he “wasn’t American enough.”
He also had a serious falling out with IFBB and the Weider brothers, largely because he believed they were biased towards other lifters, namely Arnold. Again, we cannot go any deeper as you would wish to unpack lots of information to get a full picture of the situation with the intention to make an informed opinion. Nonetheless, it actually plays a serious role in his life and profession and deserves its own article.
What are Sergio Oliva’s Bodybuilding Titles?
- 1963 Mr. Chicago – 1st
- 1964 Mr. Illinois – 1st
- 1964 Mr America / AAU – seventh
- 1965 Junior Mr America / AAU – 2nd + “Most Muscular” trophy
- 1965 Mr America / AAU – 4th + “Most Muscular” trophy
- 1966 Junior Mr America / AAU – 1st + “Most Muscular” trophy
- 1966 Mr America / AAU – 2nd + “Most Muscular” trophy
- 1966 Mr World / IFBB – 1st within the “Tall” category + Overall Winner
- 1966 Mr Universe / IFBB – 1st
- 1966 Mr. Olympia / IFBB – 4th
- 1967 Mr. Olympia / IFBB – 1st
- 1967 Universe / IFBB – 1st overall
- 1968 Mr. Olympia / IFBB – 1st (uncontested)
- 1969 Mr. Olympia / IFBB – 1st
- 1970 Mr World / AAU (Pro) – 2nd within the “Tall” category
- 1970 Mr. Olympia / IFBB – 2nd
- 1971 Universe / NABBA (Pro) – 2nd within the “Tall” category
- 1972 Mr. Olympia / IFBB – 2nd
- 1972 Mr. Galaxy / WBBG – 1st
- 1973 Mr. Galaxy / WBBG – 1st
- 1974 Mr International / WBBG (Pro) – 1st
- 1975 Mr Olympus / WBBG – 1st
- 1976 Mr Olympus / WBBG – 1st
- 1977 Pro World Championships / WABBA – 1st
- 1978 Mr Olympus / WBBG – 1st
- 1980 Pro World Championships / WABBA – 1st
- 1980 Skilled World Cup / WABBA – 1st
- 1981 Skilled World Cup / WABBA – 1st
- 1984 Mr. Olympia / IFBB – Eighth
- 1984 Skilled Mid-States Championships / WABBA – 1st
- 1985 Mr. Olympia / IFBB – Eighth
Training Like Sergio Oliva “The Myth”
One thing that stands out after Sergio Oliva’s workout routine is he was simply born to be a bodybuilder. His techniques were relatively easy, and his weight loss program appeared to be what he was within the mood for. Nonetheless, he was the toughest employee within the gym and in life, with extreme levels of determination that grew from his early tribulations escaping the communist regime. This bled over into the burden room and allowed him to develop into among the best bodybuilders on the earth; many say even higher than Arnold.
When you think you may handle it, give his workout routine a go and see in case you could have kept up with Sergio Oliva “The Myth.”
