Who is Arash Rahbar?
Arash Rahbar is a professional Classic Physique competitor who is half Iranian and half American.
In addition to winning the 2016 New York Pro, he finished second in the 2016 Mr. Olympia Classic Men’s Physique competition.
Short Career of Arash Rahbar
Although Arash Rahbar has enjoyed rapid success, he didn’t enter the spotlight until he was 32 years old.
Arash was obsessed with bodybuilding for the majority of his childhood and looked up to legends like Arnold, Ronnie, and The Maryland Muscle Machine. He didn’t think his body was good enough to compete in bodybuilding, though.
In 2014, Arash decided that it was time to apply the spray tan. He took the first-place trophy home as he boldly entered the NPC Bev Francis Atlantic States arena.
The IFBB North American Championships were won by Arash in the same year, granting him professional status in the sport.
Every day, every week, every month, and every year, I try to get better.
Body Measurements of Arash Rahbar
| Full Name: Arash Rahbar |
| WEIGHT: 205 – 215lbs (88.5 – 93.0kg) |
| ERA: 2010 |
| PROFESSION: Classic Physique Professional Competitor |
| NATIONALITY: Iranian-American |
| HEIGHT : 5’11” (180cm) |
Accomplishments
Competitions
- 2016 IFBB Mr. Olympia Classic Men’s Physique, 2nd
- 2016 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro, 1st
- 2016 IFBB New York Pro, Classic Physique, 1st
- 2015 IFBB Puerto Rico Pro, 2nd
- 2015 IFBB New York Pro, 5th
- 2015 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro, 10th
- 2014 IFBB North American Championships, Men’s Physique Class D and Overall, 1st place
- 2014 NPC Bev Francis Atlantic States, Physique Men Class C, 1st place
Biography
History of Arash Rahbar
Arash claims that when he was 12 or 13 years old, he developed an interest in the bodybuilding lifestyle.
He would study photographs of ‘old-school’ bodybuilders and movie stars like Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Hulk Hogan, hoping to emulate their physiques when he grew up.
Arash would try with martial arts and other sports while lifting weights at home. He immediately increased in strength and size thanks to these exercises and his desire to build a great body.
“I researched legendary bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman, Dorian Yates, and Kevin Levrone. I researched every aspect of them, even their eating habits.
I was consuming six meals a day by the time I was in high school and lugging around a gallon of water.
Arash continued to eat and exercise like a bodybuilder even though he didn’t know anyone who competed or understood anything about professional bodybuilding; he felt as though it was in his blood.
Competitive Starts
As he entered his adolescent years, Arash claims he was aware of his desire to compete on a bodybuilding stage at some point, but he kept putting it off since he thought he was never prepared.
To get ready for his first show, Arash would study and investigate all he could discover on the subject of bodybuilding week after week. He claimed, “I kept delaying my competition debut because I was so hard on myself.”
Arash’s work and life took a turn for the better when he moved close to a well-known gym in New York.
Many of his pals who participated in the NPC Men’s Physique bodybuilding competitions were there when he went. Arash gained the confidence to eventually take the stage after often witnessing the contest.
Competitions
At the age of 32, Arash competed in his first competition in 2014. The wait was worthwhile because Arash not only triumphed in his first competition but also received his IFBB Pro card the same year.
Arash has since competed on the largest platforms around the globe. Including the 2016 Mr. Olympia Classic Physique, when he came close to taking home the bodybuilding sport’s top prize by only one position.
“I have always been extremely hard on myself. Some may even say too hard. Over the years I never looked at myself as better than those around me. I never considered myself ‘great.’ I knew I was good, but it was never enough.”
Training
Always keeping the weights heavy
Arash doesn’t gradually reduce the weights as the competition gets closer as other bodybuilders do. He claims he loves to maintain consistency in his workout routine, always sticking to big lifts, during both the off-season and the season.
I don’t think you should stop lifting weights, especially if you’re banging your back. (Arash Rahbar)
Cardio Importance
Although Arash thinks it’s fantastic that certain athletes can reduce body fat without practicing cardio, he thinks doing it is crucial for not only fat loss but also for overall wellness. It improves his stamina and maintains the health of his heart.
HIIT is his preferred kind of cardio (spin bike sprints, treadmill running, or sprinting outdoors). He claims that burning fat, is by far the best type of cardio.
Though exercising HIIT at low body fat levels can result in an injury, Arash switches back to more consistent methods of cardio when he is two or three weeks out from the competition.
Arash claims that the frequency of his cardio workouts entirely relies on his weight and contest objectives.
Nutrition
A Persian Meal
Persian cuisine is quite popular with Arash. Given its abundance of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates, he considers it to be among the healthiest foods on earth.
Arash, however, is not trying to trick anyone and claims that, just as with any other cuisine, there are both incredibly healthy and unhealthy ways to prepare food. Everything depends on how many calories are ingested each day and what kinds of foods are eaten.
However, the foundation of Arash’s diet is composed of things like chicken, steak, fish, ground beef, almonds, and Rosetta cheese. We eat chicken and rice around ten times a day, as Arash loves to say.
Arash suggests cutting out butter and vegetable oils from this diet because they contain harmful trans fats.
Macros and timing of the carbs
Arash consumes about 1.5 grams of protein every day per pound of lean body weight. He consumes about 200 grams of carbohydrates each day, maybe more during the off-season.
Arash doesn’t always precisely count his fat intake because he obtains fish oils and minor amounts of fat from his sources of protein and carbohydrates.
Arash is a firm believer in the benefits of carb timing and how it affects the body’s hormonal response.
According to him, slow carbohydrates can be ingested at any time of the day, but rapid carbohydrates, such as white rice, sugar, and other such foods, should only be consumed in the morning or right after exercise when the body’s glycogen stores are low.
Supplements Arash Rahbar Takes
- Alpha Lipoic Acid – Keeps glucose levels steady.
- Creatine – increased power output.
- BCAAs – feeds Arash’s muscles throughout the day; preventing muscle breakdown.
- L-Theanine – for post-workout relaxation.
- B-Complex – general health.
- Multi-Vitamin – Arash takes this to make sure he avoids any possible deficiencies.
- Vitamin C – for general health.
- Vitamin D3 – Arash takes this supplement only when he doesn’t get enough daily sunlight.
- Curcumin – fights inflammation in Arash’s body.
- NAC (N-Acetyl-Cysteine) – Same as Alpha Lipoic Acid.
- Pre-Workout – Keeps Arash’s energy levels high during the workout.
- Protein – helps build muscle mass.
Influences and Idols
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and Hulk Hogan were among of Arash’s earliest idols. Arash then started appreciating bodybuilders like Kevin Levrone, Ronnie Coleman, and Dorian Yates as he got deeper into the sport.
To be able to think clearly and quietly, you must set aside your anger, fear, worry, and stress. Decide in detail how you want the current situation to develop and what your desired outcome looks like.
You’ll wind up with something you don’t want or somewhere you don’t want to be if you don’t know what you want or where you want to go.
What can we infer about Arash Rahbar?
Even though Arash had always been attracted to professional bodybuilding, he spent years honing his skills in the gym before he decided to compete.
Arash obtained his IFBB Pro Card within a year of competing as a result of his persistence and commitment to getting his body to its peak condition before applying the spray tan.
Some people might not want to put in this kind of effort to accomplish a particular goal. But it’s always a good idea to consider cases like Arash’s and keep in mind that success takes time.
Although it is not an easy procedure, it is unquestionably rewarding for those who are prepared to put in the time and effort, like Arash Rahbar.
Being Consistent
This is Arash’s advice to everyone who is finding it difficult to remain committed to their journey to success;
“Bodybuilding is an art form, it takes patience, it takes sickening discipline, and it’s also a very repetitive sport. You’re doing the same thing all the time.
That’s why a lot of people doubt the process and change their diet and training techniques constantly, they’re thinking, ‘well, I’ve been doing this for 2-3 weeks and don’t notice any changes.’
You have to hang in there, put on a hoodie, go to the gym, train hard, and it will come.
It took me 15 years before I looked in the mirror and realized that I ‘stand out’ and that I didn’t look like the average guy in the gym; it didn’t happen overnight.” – Arash Rahbar