He told Tony Doherty of NPC News Online about the injury after the show, and he made a point of not using it as an excuse.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to get the violin out and say, \u2018Oh, this was our prep because of this, this, and this,’\u201d Terry said. \u201cBut yeah, like seven weeks ago, I herniated my C5 disc in my neck.\u201d<\/p>\n
Six weeks just to reach the stage
\n![\"Ryan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Ryan-Terry-929x1024.jpg\"\/ "\\"Ryan")
Ryan Terry \/ Image via @ryanjterry<\/p>\n
Terry said the injury left him with a trapped nerve and a hard six weeks. He spent every day of them on treatment, from acupuncture and chiropractic work to ice baths, saunas and deep-tissue sessions, just to be able to stand on the Olympia stage.<\/p>\n
It changed how he saw himself. \u201cThe whole time it made me realize how resilient I can be and how much I want this,\u201d he said. At no point, he added, was he going to give up.<\/p>\n
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\u201cBy far the hardest lineup\u201d<\/p>\n
Terry said the lineup is why this title meant so much.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year was by far the hardest lineup, the most competitive, and it\u2019s the most I\u2019ve been pushed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He named Holden, Bilal, Brandon Hendrickson<\/a> and Edvan Palmeira<\/a> among the men who could have won it. Of every lineup he has faced since earning his pro card in 2013, he said, this was the toughest.<\/p>\n Men\u2019s Physique is decided at prejudging; the finals were not scored this year. Terry scored 5 (lowest wins), seven clear of Ali Bilal<\/a> on 12, with Kyron Holden<\/a> third on 13. Our 2026 Mr. Olympia scorecard explainer<\/a> covers how each division is scored.<\/p>\n Every place from eighth to first<\/p>\n This was Terry\u2019s 11th Olympia. He finished fourth on his debut in 2015 and second a year later, then spent the next several Olympias moving around the top eight before winning for the first time in 2023. Across those 11 shows he has finished in every position from first to eighth.<\/p>\n Get Fitter, Faster<\/p>\n Level Up Your Fitness: Join our \ud83d\udcaa strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!<\/p>\n He summed up the journey with a line he credited to Winston Churchill: \u201cJust don\u2019t quit.\u201d<\/p>\n For his son<\/p>\n The hardest part of this prep, Terry said, was not the neck. He missed his son\u2019s sixth birthday the week before the show.<\/p>\n \u201cI missed my son\u2019s birthday last week, which absolutely broke me,\u201d he said. \u201cSo I\u2019m proud to take that back to him.\u201d<\/p>\n His son was allowed to stay up for prejudging, and Terry said he has video of him screaming \u201cDaddy\u201d at the TV. Matching Buendia\u2019s four titles, he said, was a goal that once felt \u201cunfathomable.\u201d A fifth would give him the record outright.<\/p>\n Every placing and prize from the division is in our 2026 Men\u2019s Physique Olympia results<\/a>, every champion is on our Men\u2019s Physique Olympia winners list<\/a>, and his full contest history is on his athlete page<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you have any questions or need further clarification about this news, please leave a comment below<\/a>, and Tom will get back to you as soon as possible.<\/p>\n \n Follow FitnessVolt Also find us on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, X (Twitter)<\/a>, and YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n Tip: Signed in to Google? Tap Follow for instant updates.<\/p>\n Every division, every placing, and the score sheets from the 2026 Olympia.<\/p>\n
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