Sergio Oliva "The Myth" at Arnold Sports Festival

I remember walking into the gym that I trained at in my competitive bodybuilding days in the 80's when the gym manager and Mr. Florida Eddie Nieves tells me "Hey look who's there your friend!" I had seen most of the top bodybuilders of the era yet I had never seen anyone that looked like that. I asked Eddie is that Sergio Oliva and Eddie just laughed? This was after his prime yet I now knew why they called him "The Myth." Photos did not do him justice. Sergio had the huge monstrous shoulders, tiny wrist, over 20 inch arms that were bigger than his head, a wasp waist and huge legs. That day we did not train much. We all just stared at him training and asked him questions in Spanish. Years later I saw him again in Westland Mall in Hialeah and everyone that walked the mall had to stop and stare at the Myth.

Oliva considered by many as the greatest bodybuilder ever was born in 1941 in Cuba. He was later an Olympic weight lifer and defected from Castro's Communist Cuba in 1960. He live in Florida for about a year then moved to Chicago and was a Police Officer for 25 years. He won the IFBB Mr. World and Universe. He was the 2nd Mr. Olympia winning it 3 times. He was the only man to ever beat Arnold in the Olympia. He also won the WBBG Mr. Olympus. He competed as a professional bodybuilder and won titles into his 40's. He acted in Spanish movies. I remember going to the movies to see him star in "Poder Negro" (Black Power.) In 1999 he was inducted into the Joe Weider IFBB Hall of Fame.

It was great to see Sergio at the Arnold Festival after so many years. We spoke in Spanish of his great bodybuilding days. I told him about Iggy a bodybuilder that worked out at Brodies Gym in Miami in the 70's that defected with him in 1960. He told me to say hello to him. I told him that i had not seen him since the early 80's. Iggy and Mr. America Jorge Navarette would always argue on who was the best bodybuilder of all times. Iggy's vote was for Sergio and Jorge was an Arnold fan. Even today people continue to have the argument. When he autographed a photo for me he told me that he was going to write what he writes only to his Cuban brothers "El Mito" (The Myth in Spanish.) In any language Sergio Oliva will always be El Mito the Myth.

Comments

[Jay]

I reckon Sergio was one of the all time greats. His powerful shoulders and monstrous triceps were in a class of their own, absolutely unparalleled. Kudos to him.

[sajad]

image

[Third Eye]

Man, he inspired even a character in Grappler Baki, a true myth!

[ganesh]

i love this photo

[Augydoggy]

What the hell happened to Sergio in the top photo??? Is he dying of cancer or something?

I know he's in his late sixties now, but in this photo he looks like a guy who never worked out in his life.

In contrast, I have seen some recent pics of Serge Nubret at age 70 who is still in great shape with 20-inch arms.

[RF]

Sergio's shape is at the moment much better than Serge Nubret's shape.looks arent eveything.

[dhia]

Sergio's shape is of a guy his age who might or might not be working out, but who is not taking any steroids at all. The old guys who still look in great shape are applaudable but the only way to have big muscles beyond a natural size, at 70 is to take synthetic Testosterone. The normal body does not produce such Testosterone amounts any more to maintain that level of musculature. Taking the drugs plus their muscle memory from the early bodybuilding days helps them have that shape if they train hard. I love the old school bodybuilders, and Sergio and Serge are simply legends.

[Luz Pena]

Es un orguyo saber que un Hispano haya alcanzado el titulo de Mr. Olimpia y de que se haya desarroyado en gran manera en el mundo del fisiculturismo.Un abrazo fuerte para serio Oliva!!

[Johnny G]

today Sergio looks like crap, like he never touched a weight as do most of the steroid era monsters(he is only in his 60's here) - is this what happens after the steroids are gone & forgotten - his shoulders look like a man in his later 80's - Steve Reeves looked unreal right before his death(74yrs old) and so did the true Golden Era of Bodybuilding(40's & 50's) pre steroids. Once steroids came into the picture and once these guys stopped using them they shrunk even more so if they were clean - Embarrassing is all I can say and yet we admire junkies !!!!!

[bollo]

So he doesn't look so good now, in his mid to late 60's? He is a legend and we have the pictures to prove it. To put it in better perspective, think of Sergio as any other older athlete that has achieved success in younger years and now is a retired, normal looking older guy. No one that has advanced in age can look like or have the same prowess as when they were in their prime. I believe Serge Nubret attempted it and sadly look what happened to him.

[Johnny G]

I know a ton of men in their 60's 70's and older who look better - you are not catching what I'm saying - When you look at Reeves and the guys who did not take part with the drugs is that it seems they stayed healthier looking longer then those who juiced - apparently you are a big Sergio fan, and so am I, but the facts are that later in life we all have to pay the piper so I rather be natural the a former juicer

[bollo]

I am not disagreeing with you JG; I am a natural bodybuilder pushing 60yrs old. There is always a price for glory and I'm sure many of the monsters of today will look quite average when they are older. That's the way life is. If you have seen the movie "Blade Runner" there is a very wise and telling saying in it that goes something like "the light that burns twice as bright lasts half as long. I firmly believe it's like that in all aspects of life. And, yes, I am a huge fan of Sergio and even met him once in 1971.

[ThomasG]

I have never seen a more impressive physique!

[Jesus Perez]

I was a member of Hialeah Gym back in the 80's and I had the privilege of meeting Sergio Oliva and his wife at the gym. Eddie Nieves who was the gym manager at the time, told me, look who's here today visiting us! Then when I looked over at the bench press, there was Sergio Oliva warming up on the bench with 4 plates on each side of the bar, totaling 405 pounds. I didn't approach Sergio until he was at the triceps machine, at that point, I asked Sergio if I could take pictures of him while he was training and he answered yes, he also added that "as long as I didn't interrupt his training,I could take all the pictures I wanted." That day I didn't train, I just stared at Sergio and followed him all around the gym looking at his huge physique and solid steel arms, he was amazing, like no one I had ever seen before. I took many photos of him, which I treasure in a photo album now days. Maybe I'll post them her on line, for the memories that we all love to remember him by. (Jesus)

[Gordon Hunsel]

Sergio Oliva is de best bodybuilder that ever lived on this planet. There is no other bodybuilder who could come even close to him. Read the comment of Arnold. Arnold said that Oliva whas way ahead (25 years)off his time. Today Oliva is in his late sixties. Who cares that he is way under his weight when he was competing. When we get older we shrink. That"s life. Gordon Hunsel

[Julio anta]

Jesus, I was there that day also. Please post the photos
Julio

[curt jones]

Shame on the detractors The Myth was and always will be the greatest when ANYONE GETS OLD THEY SHRINK.
Saw him compete in 87 at madison square gardens with lou and robby robinson when Lee haney won his first olympia what a show sergio brought the house down stepped to the podium and gave a speech to thunderous applause .
one of the highlights of my life I saw several legends that night will never forget let the haters hate the MYTH lives on!

[Ascerecromi]

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[RF Johns]

Here is the scientific proof that bodybuilders ignore all the time.By the mid 20's muscle cells and there are millions start dying off.You don't notice much until your 30's when you just can't maintain what you did no matter how you try even with steroids.That is why a bodybuilder must consider doing more for his heart and lungs and make sure his muscles have endurance plus some strength that will be stronger than others.One last thing work on your speed of movement because this is one area that goes quickly.

[RF Johns]

For more information go to www.drmirkin.com one of the founders of running and exercise movement for plain and correct advice that will help you stay healthy and active when you get older.

[brian buxton]

sergiow was far as i kow the first really gigantic bodybuilder , and steroids were around then among the hard core -
he looks pretty bad for his age , and its likly that the huge unnatural stress of extream bodybuilding is destructive in some ways -
however , it is not true that testosterone is needed for muscle growth - absolutly not so -
im on leupron theripuy for prostate cancer , - its a testosterone blocker , so no testosterone !!!
i started working out 7 mo ago after kne replacement and building up visibly by the week .
all the docs said i couldnt do - im doing with gusto , so dont buy into the testosterone replacement bunk , you only really need a very small amount and thats produced by the pituitary -
testosterone is big business and all bull crap -
and im 65 ,
steroids when young , such a foolish ambition ,

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