Who is Gustavo Badell?
Puerto Rican IFBB professional bodybuilder Gustavo “The Freakin” “Rican” Having placed third at Mr. Olympia on many occasions, is recognized by many as one of the greatest professional bodybuilders of all time.
Short Career of Gustavo Badell
Gustavo Badell was an extremely active child who participated in several physical sports. Even though he particularly enjoyed boxing, he was too thin to make an impact.
He started lifting weights to increase his body bulk, and he swiftly grew bigger and stronger.
Gustavo won his first contest after training and learning the ropes for a while. Even though it was a junior show, he took first place overall, which allowed him to compete in the adult division the next year.
He won first place and the judges’ unanimous praise in this adult competition in 1997, earning himself a Pro Card in the process.
Gustavo went on to have a very prosperous international career after this victory. He won the Ironman Pro Invitational in 2005 and won two third-place trophies in Mr. Olympia.
Body Measurements of Gustavo Badell
| Full Name: Gustavo Badell |
| DATE OF BIRTH: 3, November 1972 |
| ERA: 1990, 2000, 2010 |
| PROFESSION: IFBB Professional Bodybuilder |
| NATIONALITY: Puerto Rican |
| AGE: 49 |
| HEIGHT: 5’8″ (172.5cm) |
| WEIGHT: 255 to 265 lbs (115.7 – 120.2kg) |
| ALIAS: The Freakin’ ‘Rican |
“Bodybuilding is harder than baseball. Baseball is about having a talent and playing a game. With bodybuilding, you have to train and diet and get enough sleep and take supplements and do cardio. Bodybuilding is not just a sport, it’s a lifestyle. You have to live it all the time.”
Accomplishments
Competitions
- 1991 Junior Caribbean Championships, the overall winner
- 1997 Caribbean Championships, overall winner (received pro card)
- 1997 World Amateur Championships Heavyweight, 10th
- 1998 Grand Prix Germany, 9th
- 1999 Grand Prix England, 17th
- 1999 Night of Champions, DNP
- 1999 World Pro Championships, 14th
- 2000 Ironman Pro Invitational, 18th
- 2000 Night of Champions, Did Not Place
- 2000 Toronto Pro Invitational, Did Not Place
- 2000 World Pro Championships, 11th
- 2001 Grand Prix England, Did Not Place
- 2001 Ironman Pro Invitational, 16th
- 2001 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 11th
- 2002 Ironman Pro Invitational, 13th
- 2002 Night of Champions, 10th
- 2002 Mr. Olympia, 24th
- 2002 Southwest Pro Cup, 6th
- 2002 Toronto Pro Invitational, 3rd
- 2004 Arnold Classic, 7th
- 2004 Ironman Pro Invitational, 3rd
- 2004 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 4th
- 2004 Show of Strength Pro Championship, 3rd
- 2004 Mr. Olympia, 3rd
- 2005 Arnold Classic, 3rd
- 2005 Ironman Pro Invitational, 1st
- 2005 Mr. Olympia, 3rd
- 2006 Arnold Classic, 4th
- 2006 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 1st
- 2006 Mr. Olympia, 6th
- 2007 Arnold Classic, 4th
- 2007 Mr. Olympia 8th
- 2008 Ironman Pro Invitational, 2nd
- 2008 Arnold Classic, 6th
- 2008 Mr. Olympia, 10th
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2009 IFBB Olympia, 13th
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2009 IFBB Atlantic City Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships, 1st
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2009 IFBB Arnold Classic, 11th
Biography of Gustavo Badell
Weightlifting Starts
Gustavo was born in Venezuela, but when he was 5 years old, his family relocated to Puerto Rico. Growing up, he always had a strong affinity for physical contact sports and had received extensive training in both boxing and kickboxing.
Despite his skill in the ring, he and his trainer saw that he was too thin. His trainer introduced him to weightlifting to build up Gustavo’s arms because they take a lot of punishment during fights.
He started weightlifting with the help of his friends when he was 15 years old. I had amazing genetics for bodybuilding, it turned out, as he swiftly gained a lot of weight to his astonishment.
People around him assumed he was a bodybuilder as he watched his improvement and began to read books about weightlifting and nutrition.
He decided to enter a junior competition since he enjoyed the attention and the process of growing muscle.
First Competition
The 1991 Junior Caribbean Bodybuilding Championships served as Gustavo’s debut bodybuilding event. He did a good job of preparing for the competition, and he easily defeated his younger rivals to win first place and overall.
He decided to make bodybuilding a significant part of his life after this triumph since it greatly boosted his confidence. He would give up boxing and devote all of his energy to pursuing this new passion.
Achieving His Pro Card
Gustavo would work out consistently for the next six years, maintain a healthy diet, and have the best physique of his life.
He competed on stage against the best in the region during the 1997 senior Caribbean Championships to establish himself once more.
To his surprise, he was able to take first place in this contest. He won first place and was given a trophy, but that wasn’t all.
At this competition, he also succeeded in getting his Pro Card, which allowed him to compete in IFBB competitions against the best in the world.
IFBB Competition
1998 saw Gustavo’s debut IFBB outing. He participated in the IFBB Grand Prix of Germany and finished a solid ninth in his debut competition.
After that, he received an invitation to take part in the 1999 “Night of Champions” competition, which was the forerunner of the current New York Pro.
He finished 14th at this show, and up until 2002, his performance was somewhat underwhelming. He received several “Did Not Place” rankings and finished only 24th at his first Mr. Olympia.
Friendly Counsel
Gustavo Badell started getting help from a professional bodybuilder friend named Milos Sarcev in 2002.
He started to place considerably better as they worked together on his workout regimen, diet, and posing. He placed sixth in the 2002 Southwest Pro Cup, which provided him a boost in self-assurance.
Gustavo placed third four times between 2002 and 2004 at prestigious events. He finished third at the 2002 Toronto Professional Invitational, 2004 Ironman Professional Invitational, 2004 Show of Strength Professional Championship, and 2004 Mr. Olympia.
Gustavo had a fantastic run throughout this period. He had finished in the top 3 at the most renowned competition in the world, winning a prize of $50,000 and an Olympia medal on top of that.
Excellent Results in 2005
2005 brought Gustavo Badell even more outstanding success. In the Arnold Classic, his first competition of the year, he placed third. He subsequently backed up this impressive performance with his finest career victory.
He finished first at the incredibly prestigious 2005 Ironman Pro Invitational after a lengthy and arduous competition cut.
By defeating opponents like Lee Priest, he established himself as a professional champion and a serious Mr. Olympia candidate.
He also displayed his abilities at the 2005 Olympia. He won the $55,000 prize and finished in a thrilling third place behind Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler.
Appears in the media
Around this period, Gustavo started to gain media attention. He was hailed as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time and a potential Olympia champion. Despite not having won an Olympia, he has established himself as a top IFBB champion.
Numerous articles about fitness and magazines have covered Gustavo. Due to his strong and masculine appearance, he was featured in the enduringly popular magazine FLEX and has continued to be a go-to man for supplement companies.
Training
Training Method
Everybody component should be worked out by Gustavo once a week. He doesn’t see the necessity to vary his training regimen throughout the year. He performs four sets of most of his workouts, aiming for a rep range of 12 to 15 with heavy weights per set.
Weekly Routine
Monday: Chest, biceps, and abs
- Incline presses
- Bench presses
- Machine vertical bench presses
- Flyes
- Dumbbell curls
- Standing barbell curls
- Preacher curls
- One-arm cable curls
- Standing cable curls
- Reverse curls
- Wrist curls
- Various ab exercises
Tuesday: Back, triceps, and abs
- Chins
- Pulldowns
- Barbell rows
- Dumbbell rows
- Lying extensions
- Dips
- Pushdowns
- Various ab exercises
Wednesday: Shoulders and abs
- Dumbbell presses
- Hammer Strength machine presses
- Dumbbell laterals
- Upright rows
- Rear-delt machine
- Dumbbell bent-over laterals
- Shrugs
- Various ab exercises
Thursday: Quads and hamstrings
- Front squats
- Squats
- Hack squats
- Leg presses
- Lunges
- Leg extensions
- Leg curls
- Deadlifts
Friday: Calves and abs
- Smith-machine standing calf raises
- Standing calf machine
- Seated calf raises
Hits abs four times a week and supersets with these exercises:
- Crunches
- Cable crunches
- Leg raises
- Cable serratus pulls
Nutrition of Gustavo Badell
Understanding Mistakes
Gustavo Badell didn’t understand the need for appropriate nutrition for bodybuilders when he was younger. Before competitions, he would consume an excessive amount of carbs and improper meals.
As a result, he was never able to obtain the flawless cut for which he became known.
Happily, he was surrounded by excellent people. He developed a diet that would enable him to achieve the body of his desires after gradually reading a lot of bodybuilding books.
“I’ve always had strict dietary rules because I want to succeed. I’m motivated! I never moan about my eating habits.
The Off-Season Diet
Gustavo consumes more complex carbs, such as potatoes, rice, and oats, during the off-season. Along with the traditional lean meats like chicken, turkey, and fish, he also includes a lot more red meat.
I have fewer carbohydrates and more chicken and fish before a competition. All of this is a part of my strategy to get better every time I participate.
Contest Meal Plan
Meal 1
- Whey Protein Shake
- 2 cups oatmeal
- 15 egg whites
- Water
Meal 2
- Whey protein shake
- 2 chicken breasts
- Steamed broccoli
Meal 3
- Whitefish
- Baked potato
- Steamed broccoli
Meal 4
- Whey Protein Shake
- 2 chicken breasts
- Steamed asparagus
Meal 5
- Steak
- Baked potato
- Steamed broccoli
- Before evening cardio
Meal 6
- Whey Protein Shake
- Whitefish
- Steamed broccoli
Meal 7
- 15 egg white whites
- Steamed broccoli
What lessons can we take away from Gustavo Badell?
Gustavo Badell was persistent. He didn’t perform well in a competitive event until the beginning of the 2000s. He was unfazed by this, nevertheless, and as a result of his unwavering drive to win, he finished third at Mr. Olympia.
His simple youthful aspiration was the source of all of his achievements. He studied the literature, picked up the tricks, and gave it his all. His tale serves as an example of how crucial having huge goals and putting in a lot of effort are in bodybuilding.