Defending Champion Hadi Choopan’s Workout, Diet and Preparation for the Upcoming Mr. Olympia 2023

The most prestigious annual contest in bodybuilding is right around the corner. The Olympia Weekend starts on November 2 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The best bodybuilders in the world are poised to take the stage and etch their names in the history books. However, the central attraction of the event remains the Mr. Olympia (Open division). While divisions like Classic Physique, Mens Physique, 212, and others have gained popularity, Open bodybuilding remains the main event.

Last year, the Iranian bodybuilder Hadi Choopan defeated longtime rival and defending champion Big Ramy. The Persian Wolf also fended off the underdog, who steamrolled his way to the runner-up position. However, this year, the competition is fiercer. Last year’s newcomers like Samson Dauda and Andrew Jacked have made massive strides. Hence, Hadi Choopan has his work cut out for him. Let’s take a look at how the Iranian bodybuilding icon is preparing to defend his crown.

Workout philosophy and FST-7

The 17th Mr. Olympia winner is incredibly disciplined and hard-working inside the gym. He is among the bodybuilders who prefer lifting very heavy in the gym. Much like Ronnie Coleman, Choopan is no stranger to 1000-pound hack squats. While the bodybuilding champion spends the majority of his time training in his home country, he flies out to train with Hany Rambod in person during his final prep. This year he has done the same. The 36-year-old started posting videos with rival Derek Lunsford, who also trains under Rambod, in early October.

However, there is more to Mr. Olympia’s regimen than training with heavy weights in the 8-12 rep range for 4-6 sets. As the star pupil of The Pro Creator Hany Rambod, Hadi Choopan utilized the FST-7 technique. FST is the abbreviation for Fascia Stretch Training. Meanwhile, seven represents the number of sets “performed usually as the final exercise for a target body part.” The multiple-time Olympia-winning coach founded this training method to attempt to boost the “production of anabolic hormones.” Rambod’s method is effective, as he has helped the likes of Phil Heath, Jay Cutler, Chris Bumstead, and now, Hadi Choopan, win the ultimate prize in bodybuilding.

Hadi Choopan’s Mr. Olympia Diet

To sustain his intense exercise regimen, Choopan consumes a balanced diet. Unlike many bodybuilders, Choopan hasn’t eliminated carbohydrates in favor of protein and fats. The former 212 division bodybuilder usually has six meals a day. For the first meal, Choopan has whole eggs, egg whites, and cream of rice. After his first training session, the defending champion has his second meal, containing two scoops of whey protein and a banana. For the third meal, the bodybuilder has chicken breast, baked sweet potatoes, and broccoli.

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The fourth meal consists of White fish with mustard, fried rice, and onions. The fifth meal contains red meat and brown rice pasta with marinara sauce. For the final meal of the day, the reigning Mr. Olympia has chicken breast, white rice, black beans, corn, and salad. These six meals add up to over 3,000 calories. During the bulking phase, Choopan increases his carb intake and might consume close to 4000 calories. For his final prep, Hadi Choopan works on enhancing his strengths.

The Persian Wolf’s final prep for Mr. Olympia

The 36-year-old Mr. Olympia has been perfecting his preparations for the Olympia stage for years. Choopan placed in the top five since first appearing on the Olympia stage in 2019. After winning the title, the Persian Wolf aims to keep it. For the final stretch, Hadi Choopan doesn’t make drastic changes to his workout regimen. The bodybuilder starts his training session with a thorough warmup session to ensure he doesn’t get injured. Choopan uses bodyweight variations of the weighted movements he plans to perform for a particular workout session.

Choopan divides his workouts according to muscle groups. Hence, the reigning champion combines muscle groups with the standard push-pull-legs exercise method. For example, Choopan trains back and biceps, predominantly through pull movements. The following day, he trains chest and trips, predominately with push movements. Finally, he trains his legs through push and pull movements. The champion trains other body parts like shoulders and abs as supplements to his standard workout split.

The hybrid approach, combined with the FST-7 technique and heavy weights resulted in an intense Olympia-winning prep. However, this year, Choopan seems to be lifting heavier than ever before. He has also astonished bodybuilding fans with his conditioning. While granite-like conditioning is among Choopan’s strengths, he has maintained it throughout the year. While some experts recently said staying so shredded might result in the Prsian Wolf peaking early, only time will tell if they are right.

A tougher challenge

While Hadi Choopan triumphed over rivals Big Ramy and Brandon Curry to earn the Olympia crown in 2022, the competitors have upgraded themselves. Samson Dauda dwarfs the 5’7″, 220 lbs Iranian champion with his 330 lbs frame. While Duada was a newcomer last year, this year, he’ll step on the stage as the 2023 Arnold Classic Champion. Drek Lunsford has also put on significant muscle since the 2022 Mr. Olympia. 

Hence, the defending champion will face bodybuilders who are now seasoned. Maybe that’s why the 36-year-old is lifting heavier and trying to get as shredded as humanly possible. Will he retain his crown? Only time will tell. 

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