With only six weeks to go before the best bodybuilders in the business take to the biggest stage of them all in Las Vegas, “The Olympia Prep Show,” part one, provided an essential insight into what it takes to strive for the coveted Sandow trophy. In the show, distributed as a live stream via Instagram, host Frank Sepe was joined by seven-time Mr. Olympia winner Phil Heath and three-time Arnold Classic winner, Kai Greene, and while these two warriors were once fierce rivals on the stage, the legendary duo have no beef with each other these days. In fact, they were only too happy to talk about the competitive mindset required to become a master of muscle.
Before part one of the Olympia Prep Show got underway, host Frank Sepe explained that his DM’s were exploding with flex fans wanting to know if Phil Heath and Kai Greene could co-exist during the popular live stream. “People are like, are they gonna fight?” explained Sepe of the tone of his DMs. “Why would we?” asked Heath, “I mean, we collectively have boosted the Olympia,” he added. Indeed, this rivalry probably peaked between 2012 to 2014, when “The Gift” forced “The Predator” into the Mr. Olympia runner-up position three times. But Greene can still boast a 2010 Arnold Classic win over Heath. “I’m glad to have Kai be a part of it,” said the seven-time Mr. ‘O’. “And with the Olympia going back to the Orleans, man, that’s pretty awesome because that’s where (Greene) and I used to have a lot of battles.”
Inside the Gym Warfare: Phil Heath Recalls Mind Games With Kai Greene
“I feel that Kai and I were some of the most competitive bodybuilders ever,” reflected Heath. “Not just great bodybuilders. I think to be an awesome bodybuilder, you have to be competitive.”
To explain his point, The Gift recalled a time when Greene’s competitiveness put seeds of doubt into his own efforts. “You know, I was training very, very hard.” Shared Heath. “I remember when we were getting ready for a show and (Greene) was on the step mill, and I’m over here training with Hany (Rambod) and I’m like, ‘He’s on this step mill all freaking night!”
Heath recalls that both men’s competitiveness turned into a situation where The Gift wondered, “Who’s gonna leave the gym first?”
For his part, Greene, explained that his competitiveness was fired up by watching those who came before him, like Frank Sepe himself. “I was a teenager standing there watching you on the stage dominating and destroying.”
Greene explained during the show that he would also look up to the likes Rodney St. Cloud, but at a certain point, he learned to stop being a fan, and start backing himself as a future star. “I think the sport helped me to discover and realize myself,” said the Predator.
The 2026 Olympia will take place Sept. 24-27. For more information click here.