Joe Baena possesses a classic bodybuilder’s physique. That’s no longer a matter of strict opinion, either. He’s got hardware to prove it.
On March 28, Baena—son of seven-time Mr. Olympia, former California governor, and revered actor Arnold Schwarzenegger—took home the top prize at the NPC Natural Colorado State bodybuilding competition, including the gold medal for Men’s Classic Physique. The “natural” part of the contest refers to the bodybuilders’ training methods, which is all natural, meaning without the aid of steroids, peptides, or other performance enhancers. Baena, who only decided to seriously pursue bodybuilding this year, obviously had the help of some legendary genes. But he also developed a juice-free training regimen that was accessible and fun to even his non-bodybuilder friends.
Pumping iron on the hallowed grounds of Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach, California—the same place his father got swole in the ’70s—Baena was able to sculpt a body that also recently earned him a pro card on the International Natural Bodybuilding Association circuit. (He’s also worked out with his famous father, something that meatheads everywhere are surely jealous of.) It’s been a whirlwind period for the 28-year-old, who also dabbles in real estate and cooking when he’s not dominating the gym. Baena took some time to tell us all about his protein-packed desserts, his feelings on the Make America Healthy Again movement, and where to get his favorite breakfast burrito in LA.
GQ: What have these few weeks been like for you? What does it feel like to go viral?
Joe Baena: I mean, it’s fun! But the main thing is doing something that was challenging and that was originally very scary for me. Competing in a bodybuilding competition was something that I had always feared, and bodybuilding’s always been something that I’ve loved. I’ve been very passionate about lifting weights, and posing, and all this kind of stuff for the last eight or so years since I started lifting. To actually step on stage, it’s nerve-wracking. You’re putting yourself on stage to get judged by not only the judges, but the crowd. Of course, with the family ties that play into the sport, there’s a lot more room for judgment. So it was super exciting to finally get over it, step on stage, compete, and do really well.
Bodybuilding is like its own art form. You’re building your own body, and putting the metaphorical clay on your body to build the shape and size that you want to present. There’s three categories in bodybuilding for men: physique, classic physique, and open bodybuilding. I competed in the classic physique, got first place in that one, and then also competed in open bodybuilding and got second place in that. There’s different criteria and different shapes that they’re looking for. The little nuances are fun to get into.
You’ve been interested in bodybuilding for a long time, but when did you decide, “OK, I actually want to do this now?”
The moment was New Year’s. I was making my new year’s resolutions, as I like to do, one or two days before New Year’s actually happens. I always sit down and write down: what do I want to accomplish next year? Bodybuilding is something that, like I mentioned, I had always loved. I’ve loved the sport, I’ve loved training, and I just thought to myself, I don’t want to let fear rule me. I want to take a risk, take a chance on myself, and follow something that I’m very passionate about. Take the risk, take the chance, work my ass off, and see how I do. I’m grateful that I took that chance and put the hours and the time and the discipline into it, because it ended up being a big thing for me.