“I Call It the Curse”: 80-Year-Old Bodybuilding Legend Goes Brutally Honest About Why Most Bodybuilders Never Make It to the Top

3x, Mr. Olympia, Frank Zane is eager to share his expertise with the world and reflect back on his bodybuilding journey. Recently, he talked about why many privileged athletes couldn’t conquer the sport and how he chose to approach it. When asked what he thinks about natural talents, he made some bold revelations. 

Talking to Escape Fitness on YouTube, Zane shed light on the amount of hard work he put in to emerge as a champion. Besides that, he also iterated his outlook on the easygoing aspect of bodybuilders. Read on to know more.

Frank Zane speaks the truth

As per the interview, the 80-year-old enlightened his followers with his precious wisdom, as most would seek. He spoke on having athletic genetics, saying, “Well, yeah I call it the curse of potential.” He also insinuated that all those bodybuilders who were unable to attain greatness, simply because “everything comes too easy for them.”

The G.O.A.T. conjectured upon how the effortless and passive attitude of athletes might affect one’s career. “I think if things come too easy, you tend to become…relax a bit too much and not really take care of what needs to be done,” the 5’9” athlete stated. However, the IFBB Hall of Famer deliberated that life was tough on him, and that he had to work his way to stardom.

Read More: 80-Year-Old Frank Zane Shares the Secret to Building the Best Physique: Why Continuity and Discipline Trump Genetics

“Now things never came that easy for me, I had to work real hard,” he admitted. He never backed down from his pursuit and eventually, all came to fruition. Thus, Zane added, “So I was dedicated and I managed to get it all done.” Similarly, he put forward similar insights publicly in 2017.

Frank Zane’s approach to bodybuilding

As per a 2017 interview with Juiced Muscle, the icon once claimed that he was working as a full-time teacher when he won his foremost Mr. Olympia title. “Believe it or not, when I won the Olympia I was teaching full time,” he told. He was among the few bodybuilders who defeated the legend, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and ironically, he always had a backup plan. 

Moreover, Zane also highlighted a contrast between the current generation of bodybuilders to that of the past. He remarked, “And today they all want sponsorships. What’s a sponsorship? We didn’t have that, we just had to work.” 

Watch This Story: 8x Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman Disclosed the Amount of Money He Spent on Bodybuilding Competitions During His Career.

Frank Zane’s long exposure to the field has helped him derive the solid depth of knowledge that he tries to emphasize, often contesting the current scenarios. However, with evolving times and booming opportunities, athletes too have expanded their perceptions of the sport. Regardless, he shall remain a true legend, now and after.