Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son Joseph Baena wins bodybuilding competition

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Joseph Baena is stepping into the spotlight and the bodybuilding world in a big way.

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The 28-year-old son of Arnold Schwarzenegger made his debut at a bodybuilding competition in Denver on March 28, where he didn’t just compete — he dominated, reports E! News. It marked his first-ever contest, but you wouldn’t know it from the results.

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Impressive first showing

Baena walked away with multiple wins at the NPC Natural Colorado State Championships, according to the Independent. He took first place in the Men’s Open Bodybuilding Heavyweight Class, as well as top spots in Men’s Classic Physique True Novice categories. He also earned a second-place finish in the Men’s Classic Physique Open Class C.

After the event, Baena celebrated on Instagram, sharing photos of his tanned, muscular physique onstage, along with his medals. His caption kept things simple and triumphant: “Mission Accomplished!”

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Leading up to the competition

Baena gave followers a behind-the-scenes look at his preparation, including training sessions with his famous father, the Independent notes. In one post, he’s seen lifting heavy weights while Schwarzenegger stands nearby, offering guidance. Baena even referenced one of his dad’s iconic fitness mantras, writing, “You have to shock the muscles!” — a classic bodybuilding technique popularized by Schwarzenegger, per the Independent.

While the comparisons to his dad are inevitable, Baena is making it clear he’s putting in the work himself. According to E! News, Schwarzenegger’s legacy includes five Mr. Universe titles and seven Mr. Olympia wins, but Baena isn’t relying on genetics alone.

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“I’ve come to realize that the consistency is really the key to getting lean and not losing muscle only a couple days away,” he wrote on Instagram March 25.

What pushed him to change his body

In a July Instagram post, Baena reflected on his past, revealing he wasn’t always in peak shape.

“People sometimes forget that I used to be chubby in high school,” said the Gunner actor. He added that he was cut from both his basketball and soccer teams because he couldn’t keep up.

In a 2022 interview with People magazine, Baena opened up further about being bullied over his weight. He said he struggled throughout elementary and middle school and felt like an outsider at the start of high school. The bullying, he shared, often came from close friends, which made it even harder.

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“It was my closest friends that were the ones that bullied me the most,” he said, explaining that the experience motivated him to transform his body and mindset.

Secret affair

Baena is the son of Schwarzenegger and Mildred Patricia Baena, the family’s former housekeeper, per the Independent. His identity became public when he was 13, sparking intense media attention. Schwarzenegger later admitted to his then-wife, Maria Shriver, that he had fathered Baena during an affair, according to the Independent.

Recalling that moment in a 2022 interview with Men’s Health, Baena said he was pulled out of class as the news broke.

“We gotta go — everyone is finding out about you and who your father is,” his mother told him.

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