The new bodybuilding documentary titled Breaking Olympia: The Phil Heath Story will showcase the rise and dominance of the American professional bodybuilder, Phil Heath. It will come out on digital streaming services and VOD on March 26, 2024, from Universal Pictures Content Group.
Born on December 18, 1979, in Seattle, Washington, Phil Heath won the Mr. Olympia title a whopping seven times. This feat tied him with Arnold Schwarzenegger for the joint-second number of all-time Mr. Olympia wins. Interestingly, both Ronnie Coleman and Lee Haney have won this title eight times, making them joint-first-place holders of Mr. Olympia wins.
According to The Sun, Phil Heath won the prestigious title seven times in a row, from 2011 to 2017. In addition, he has won famous competitions such as the Sheru Classic and Arnold Classic Europe.
The official synopsis of Breaking Olympia: The Phil Heath Story reads, “Breaking Olympia: The Phil Heath Story is the definitive, never-before-told story of perhaps the greatest bodybuilder of all time, Phil Heath. Plagued by injuries that come with 18 years of physical and mental sacrifice, Heath stands on the edge of altering the face of bodybuilding history.”
It further reads, “Featuring contributions from Dwayne Johnson, Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, Kai Greene, Brandon Curry, Dexter Jackson, and many more, Breaking Olympia unveils the extraordinary life story of the 7-time Mr. Olympia champion, as he rises through the ranks and battles both the top bodybuilders and the scrutiny of the media, in his attempt to cement his legacy and become the greatest Mr. Olympia champion to ever walk the earth.”
The executive producers of the upcoming documentary are Dany Garcia, Erin Lardy, Nikki Cuff, Hiram Garcia, Brian Gewirtz, Kevin Hill, Jhod Cardinal, Shane Fennessey, Darren Benning, Sharon Young, Alex Benning and more.
When was the last time Phil Heath competed in the Mr. Olympia?
Phil Heath competed in the Mr. Olympia contest for the last time in 2020, in which he came third. The first position went to Mamdouh Elssbiay aka. Big Ramy, while Brandon Curry came second. Before 2020, Phil competed in the 2018 edition of the contest, where he came second, behind Shawn Rhoden. Unfortunately, Rhoden died in 2021 at the age of 46.
Recently, rumors surfaced online that the legendary bodybuilder was going to make a comeback in the 2024 Mr. Olympia. However, Heath crushed the rumors by posting a video on his Instagram profile and confirming that he had no intention to step on the stage this year. In the video, Phil said, “Everyone’s dying to know if yours truly will grace the bodybuilding stage. Once again, not this year. But this summer I do plan on looking as if I am doing one if that makes anyone happy, just going to let nature take its course. I’m sitting around 255 pounds right now. I’ve been a lot leaner and I feel like everything has been working really well.”
In response to this video, one of his followers commented that Phil was a smart bodybuilder and knew what he was doing. The comment said, “Phil Heath is a very smart Bodybuilder he knows what he is doing if plans for a comeback are on the table the time and the stage has to be right (note: last year Mr. Olympia was a mess for fans and athletes fix the schedule Mr. Olympia chairman)”.
Phil Heath began competing in bodybuilding in the year 2003. Interestingly, in high school, he was interested in basketball and even captained the basketball team. However, after high school, he attended the University of Denver, where he discovered his passion for lifting weights.
What is Phil Heath’s nickname?
Reports suggest the bodybuilding/lifting community nicknamed Phil Heath “The Gift”. Many believe that this nickname originated because of his supreme genetics. In 2019, Matt Weik had a conversation with Phil, where the bodybuilder opened up about his diet and training regiment during the off-season.
He stated, “During my off-season, my training is very heavy, as my weight is higher due to consuming high calories, especially in carbohydrates and fats. I try and make sure that I am gaining more strength and also size during my off-season as I truly believe that I stronger muscle is a bigger one.”
He further stated, “My diet is consistent with eating 4-5 meals per day, primarily from sources such as beef and chicken for proteins and white rice and white potato for carbs. I tend to eat out more during this time period as I enjoy a nice outing with my wife, family and friends.”
After revealing his off-season mantra, Phil also spoke about how his regime looked like when he was preparing for a competition. He explained how he took everything seriously and never became lazy.
Phil said, “My training during my prep is very intense as every workout dictates how I will appear on stage, so there are no days for being lazy. I literally train like there is no tomorrow, especially during a prep because I realize that everyone else is doing the same to be the champion.”
He continued, “My sets and reps do not change at all, as I believe that if I can train the same as I would during my off-season that I will retain more mass and acquire more separation and conditioning.”
Phil Heath is married to Shurie, with whom he tied the knot in 2017.
