“Art of Selfishness”: Veteran Bodybuilder Revealed the Untold Reality About the Sport in 2018

The legendary American bodybuilder Frank Zane had once called out all the bodybuilders, including himself. Once the 3x Mr. Olympia title winner did not hesitate when he revealed a truth about the sport. Is this what helped Zane beat the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Frank Zane, A.K.A. “The Chemist” in 2018 revealed some secrets of the sport in a YouTube Video.

Frank Zane gets candid about the bodybuilding community

Zane is one of the few bodybuilders who once beat Arnold Schwarzenegger to win the IFFB Universe title. Not just that, he was also famous for his incredible physique, which is considered one of the greatest in bodybuilding history.

His fans always wonder how the legendary bodybuilder keeps himself motivated and focused. The answer is rather simple. In 2018, in an interview with Escape Fitness, Zane confessed a dark truth about the sport and himself. During the interview, a retired Zane stated, “Bodybuilding is the art of selfishness. I mean, it’s all about you, all the time.”

Be it in the gym or on the stage, bodybuilders are always in a competitive environment. Hence, they have to place themselves first and think about their body. Zane mentions that distractions are always there, so it’s important to focus on the body and meditate. Zane also mentioned that he was thankful for his wife, who tolerated his self-obsession back then. However, Zane also ensured that this “selfishness” is temporary.

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He added, “But you know it changed, and it had the change that I think it has to change in everybody’s life sooner or later.” Although bodybuilders are “selfish” when it comes to winning, they have some best friendships off-the-stage, like Zane and Schwarzenegger’s.

How Zane and Schwarzenegger became bodybuilding “buddies”?

In 1968, the famous Frank Zane easily defeated a “fan-favorite” Schwarzenegger at the Mr. Universe competition. It was the duo’s first meet, and after losing the title, an angry Schwarzenegger had called Zane a “chicken“.

However, their on-stage rivalry never affected their off-stage friendship. Soon after the competition, the two shared a house in California, where they also trained together.

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Once, in a rare picture, Zane, Schwarzenegger, and their other bodybuilding friend Dave Draper were seen surfing together on the beach. The bodybuilders, who often seem intense and deeply invested in their training in most pictures, looked carefree and happy, hanging out with each other.