Among the IFBB legend, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s sons, Joseph Baena is seemingly the only one who takes a deep interest in the sport of bodybuilding. Following in his father’s footsteps, he has charted his road to being shredded. However, his journey has little to do with his seven-time Mr. Olympia father, and more about his own awakening. After getting cut off from school sports teams, he took up the challenge in college and eventually fell in love with training. 

In an interview with Coming Soon, Baena spoke about his wholesome journey to bodybuilding and more. He disclosed his prejudiced state in school as an overweight kid. However, his life changed after joining the swim team. Here’s what he said: 

Joseph Baena spills the beans on his bodybuilding career

The 25-year-old bodybuilder-turned-actor’s love for fitness is undoubted. Shedding light on the same, he was asked what actually led him to the sport, per sources. He narrated it as “a little bit of a story.” Baena stated that it all began as an overweight high school kid who kept getting rejected from the basketball and soccer teams. “I was really unhappy. I never got into sports and never went to the gym. So, I brought it upon myself to try out for these sports, lose weight, have fun, and train,” he said. 

Moreover, Baena got cut out of the soccer team for the second time during his sophomore year. Therefore, a friend urged him to join the swim team since no trials were needed. Yet, there was one simple setback – “The only obstacle there was being overweight, being a little chubby, and putting a speedo on.” Overcoming his hurdles, the actor was on an uphill battle to being fit. However, his efforts soon came to fruition. He revealed, “By the end of that season, I had lost a lot of fat, and I started seeing some definition in my muscle and a vein in my arm.” 

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The 6’0” athlete was elated to see his conditioned physique for the first time in his life. “I was on cloud nine, seeing little abs and lines I’d never seen before,” he added. In his freshman year of college, he gained his “freshman fifteen” pounds and stumbled upon weightlifting in his junior and senior years. Baena shared, “I fell in love with gaining muscle, building the physique, and targeting these different muscle groups. I fell in love with training.” But that was not it for the athlete. 

Joseph Baena has set his priorities on fitness

As reported by the sources, the star asserted that currently, he is more into weightlifting rather than bodybuilding. He calls it an evolution. Although he still “enjoys” the latter, Baena seems to be more focused on building a “more athletic physique” and not just focus on the aesthetic development of the body. 

“Whether it’s playing soccer or swimming, doing plyometric work, and trying to keep my joints healthy and not just being a muscle ball,” the 187-pound athlete declared. Apart from his personal struggles, Baena was also constantly compared with his legendary father and his mighty physique. 

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Baena’s transformation from an overweight underconfident kid to a charming shredded personality is praiseworthy. Moreover, he also enlightens his followers with frequent workout videos and tips on social media. What did you think of his bodybuilding journey? Tell us in the comments.