Frank Zane, a highly revered figure in bodybuilding, has an impressive legacy. With three Mr. Olympia titles under his belt, he was hailed as the King of Aesthetics. His career reached its pinnacle in 1977 when he secured the Mr. Olympia title in the under 200 lbs category. Despite retiring four decades ago, at the age of 80, Zane’s enthusiasm for bodybuilding and fitness continues to thrive, showcasing his enduring passion for the sport.

Social media sensation and bodybuilder Mike O’Hearn recently conducted an interview with Frank Zane. During the conversation, Zane disclosed a long-held regret he had regarding his focus on gaining size in bodybuilding. The interview took place on a podcast called “Frank Zane: Bodybuilding Weight Is Irrelevant – ‘Numbers Don’t Matter’ | The Mike O’Hearn Show.” Let’s delve into the details of their discussion.

Frank Zane regretted putting on weight

In the video, Mike engages in a discussion with Zane about the prevailing trend of weight gain in bodybuilding. Zane says, “I knew I could have been better because I was heavy. So I wanted to weigh 200 and I did and I was too smooth if I was 190, 194, I would have been much better.”

The video description reads, “The enormous shadow of Coleman has changed the way Men’s Open physiques look for decades now. However, we have also seen many bodybuilders chase that size and fail – due to a soft physique and lack of conditioning. In our latest episode of The Mike O’Hearn Show, golden era bodybuilding legend Frank Zane explains why he thinks the obsession with size has been a wrong turn for the sport.”

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Zane expresses regret for his decision to increase his weight to 200 lbs, as it resulted in his loss to Chris Dickerson in 1982. Zane believes that his weight gain was a contributing factor to his loss, as he stated, “If you can handle the weight, you’re going to grow that’s the bottom line.”

Zane appreciates his loss for his win in the next competition

In 1976, Zane was prepared to win Mr. Olympia, but Arnold Schwarzenegger’s training partner, Franco Columbu, won instead. Frank was still optimistic and saw this as an opportunity.

Zane explained, “After 1976, I realized you had to win Mr. Olympia ahead of time. Sure, Franco won, but I got so much attention I could now pull this off. I could say, ‘It’s my intention to win, and as a matter of fact, I’ve already won’.” He knew people liked his appearance and were confident.

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What do you think of Frank’s opinion on the video? Do you think gaining weight helps in bodybuilding? Tell us in the comments.