Brandon Hendrickson is steadily on the rise.

IFBB Pro Brandon Hendrickson recently spoke with the Daily Herald about his sport and journey through it. Among his accomplishments are winning the Tampa Pro in 2015; taking fifth-place at the 2015 Mr. Olympia, first at the 2016 Arnold Classic, fourth at 2016 Mr. Olympia, third at 2017 Mr. Olympia; and first in the 2018 Hawaiian Pro show.

Although he played football, ran track, and wrestled in high school, Hendrickson said that he got into bodybuilding to improve his self-esteem.

“I was working full time as a hospitality manager at a hospital from 2010-2012 and I was getting made fun of a lot for being skinny at the time and finally had enough. I was unhappy and simply wanted better for myself.”

He said that his first competition at the NPC ‘Wings of Strength’ in Tinley Park in July of 2012, taught him more about the mental side of mental competition than anything else.

“I was very nervous because I wasn’t really sure what I was getting myself into. I kept reminding myself that I’ve been here before, with my background in modeling in college (at SIU), and I immediately started to feel more comfortable once I stepped on stage. I felt like I was made for this. I finished second out of nine guys in my division.”

He said that he is fortunate enough to structure his days around bodybuilding.

“Wake up and take vitamins, in the gym for cardio by 8 a.m. Do 50 minutes to an hour cardio plus 20 minutes abs. Come home, eat two meals and respond to emails. Go back to the gym to train for at least two hours, come back home and nap and eat two meals, and then go back at night for cardio.”

Brandon has been extremely active on the competition scene.

“I just competed at the Arnold Classic in March and placed third. The very next week I competed at the Hawaii Pro and took first place. After competition in Sacramento and Salt Lake City, then I will be taking time off to grow before competing for my fourth time at what we consider to be the Super Bowl of bodybuilding, Mr. Olympia, in September. A week after that, I’ll be at the Korea Pro in South Korea and then the Tokyo Pro show on Nov. 17.”

In the next few years he hopes to claim the Olympia title and open his own gym.

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