Even the best have to overcome adversity to achieve greatness.

A lot of people point to genetics as being the number one reason for creating champions in bodybuilding. When you look at a great champion like Phil Heath, more often than not one thought that comes to mind is that the man was blessed with some above average genetics. The fact that he competed in basketball at a pretty high level is testament to the fact that the man is a well rounded athlete. Those same genetics have brought him four Olympia titles. But it brings about the question: is it possible to be a champion without having the best genetics?

When you hear the name Arnold Schwarzenegger, many things come to mind; Olympia champion, multimillion dollar film star, politician. But I bet if you ask enough people you’d likely never hear the words “bad genetics” associated with the Austrian. Well don’t get us wrong, Arnold does have some pretty great genetics in his own right. However, if you take a closer look you’ll see that the man possessed below average leg definition, particularly in this calves. The Austrian Oak had to work tirelessly at building up the muscle group to its championship level stature.

But don’t just take our word for it. There’s someone else who shares our opinion on the subject. Check it out.

Arnold may have not had the best genetics, but despite that he pushed himself to the limit in order to overcome his shortcomings and become an all time bodybuilding great. Don’t let Genetics be an excuse to not push yourself to the heights of glory.

So what do you think? Do you need great genetics to be a bodybuilding champion? Let us know in the comments below be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Cover photo credit: MuscleMecca.com