Joseph Baena, the youngest son of actor and former bodybuilding champion Arnold Schwarzenegger, finished fifth in his first professional bodybuilding competition.
Baena, 29, shared a video of his posing routine from the INBA PNBA Pro/Am World Cup in El Segundo. He also posted behind-the-scenes photos showing how competitors prepare for a contest and use stage techniques to make an impression on judges.
“The posing routine is my favorite part of the whole process,” Baena wrote on Instagram. “The artistry aspect of bodybuilding is what I think makes the sport so great. Building your body up to be statue-like and choreographing a routine that emulates and shows the aesthetic and beauty of the body.”
The event was organized by the International Natural Bodybuilding Association and the Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association. Baena competes in natural bodybuilding, which prohibits performance-enhancing drugs. His father, a seven-time Mr. Olympia winner, has spoken publicly about his past use of steroids.
Baena, whose mother is Mildred Baena, has regularly trained with Schwarzenegger at Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach. He made his amateur bodybuilding debut in March at the National Physique Committee Natural Colorado State Championships, where he took first place in three categories: men’s open bodybuilding heavyweight, men’s classic physique true novice and men’s classic physique novice.
In April, Baena won the Classic Physique division at the INBA Iron Gladiator competition in Corona. That result earned him a professional card, making him eligible to compete in the Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association, including at the Natural Olympia—the natural bodybuilding contest associated with the titles his father won.
Outside bodybuilding, Baena works as a luxury real estate agent. He also competed on Season 31 of “Dancing With the Stars” in 2022, finishing in 11th place after being eliminated five weeks into the season. He shares food-related content on his YouTube channel.
