In a game of size, the largest man wins — until they don’t.
Last updated on October 11th, 2024
At some point, bodybuilders take it too far. That’s not us talking, that’s what four-time Mr. Olympia winner Jay Cutler thinks happened to Phil Heath at the Mr. Olympia.
- “We all get too big,” Cutler told freshman Olympia competitor Martin Fitzwater shortly before the 60th edition of bodybuilding’s most prestigious event. “Phil blew out his frame.”
Cutler, of course, isn’t a bodybuilding judge. He also lost to Heath in 2011; the first of “The Gift’s” seven consecutive wins until 2018. Regardless, Cutler knows a thing or two about what it takes to succeed at the “O.” The way he tells it, more isn’t always more.
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Why Phil Heath Stopped Winning the Mr. Olympia
Cutler invited Fitzwater onto his podcast, Cutlercast, on Oct. 4, 2024.The duo discussed bodybuilding’s climate, Fitzwater’s “dark horse” role in the Olympia, and the evolving standards of the Men’s Open division.
- Cutler: “Phil Heath arguably could’ve won his first [Olympia]. In ‘09 he got fifth, but six weeks out he looked unbelievable. 2011 was his best — if [Heath] never changed from that, I don’t think he could’ve been beaten.”
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“The Gift” had one of the strongest Olympia debuts ever. He placed third in 2008 behind Cutler and Sandow recipient Dexter “the Blade” Jackson. In ‘11, the year of his first win, Heath bagged an impeccable 10-point score card from the judges. Cutler, who came second, scored 20. In bodybuilding, the athlete with the lowest-point card wins.
- Cutler, cont.: “The reason Heath lost is because he was pushed to get bigger. He blew his frame out.”
Heath lost in 2018 to Shawn Rhoden. Had he won, Heath would’ve tied all-timers Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman for the most consecutive Olympia victories — a benchmark Rhoden denied him. Rhoden scored an impressive 13 points, while Heath slipped to 17 amid criticisms of a bulbous abdomen.
According to Cutler, Heath also added more muscle mass than his frame could aesthetically support, which diminished his presentation on stage.
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It’s exactly the sort of pitfall a fan may not consider, but that the pros are uniquely wary of. Heath is 5’9”; Fitzwater is 5’6”. Cutler closed by cautioning “the Martian” against over-prioritizing size:
- “Do not get too big .. your frame is going to cap out. I would tell Hadi [Choopan] and Derek [Lunsford] the same … Your structure is limited. I blew my frame out, Ronnie blew his frame out. Dexter [Jackson] was the only smart one.”
Jackson sniped the Olympia title from Cutler in ‘08; his first and only win after decades in the sport. But for Cutler, there was a silver lining. In regaining the top slot a year later, Cutler became the only bodybuilder in history to regain the Sandow trophy after losing on the Olympia stage.
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Featured Image: @philheath / Instagram
