Joseph Baena, Arnold’s only son with Mildred Baena, is following in his father’s footsteps and working hard on his conditioning.
The 23-year-old amateur bodybuilder is showing a lot of promise in his developing physique, in doubt no part to the incredible genetics he inherited from his famous father. Joseph Baena shared some of his most recent workouts and attempts at poses with fans over Instagram this weekend, and they invited comparison to his father in his younger years. Although Baena isn’t an IFBB pro yet, there’s no telling what the future holds for this promising young athlete. You can check out the posts in full on Instagram below.
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Baena also got candid with fans about which parts of his fitness journey he’s found challenging and which parts have come naturally to him.
“For me shoulders have always been the hardest muscles to grow. I’ve learned that the only real way to grow them is by going all out and burning out till you can’t even lift your arms,” he captioned the second post.
He also revealed that “side chest of the 3/4 pose will always be [his] favorites.” Baena has yet to make his IFBB debut but he looks a lot like other bodybuilders from the Golden Era when his father was competing. A lot of fans were buzzing about the updates because they showed a return to a more natural type of physique that’s been off the central stage of the bodybuilding world for some time now. Mass monsters like Phil Heath have definitely been raking in all the awards these past few years but the truth about bodybuilding is that it evolves alongside aesthetic preferences. Fans think Baena’s Golden Era physique could signal a return to a type of natty building fans have been craving for awhile now.
Whether you prefer the natural V-taper of the bodybuilders of yesteryear or the hulking mass and vascularity of the current generation of bodybuilders, one thing’s for sure: the sport has changed a lot in just a few decades. There’s no telling what the sport will look like in another 10, 15 years given how different it looked as recently as 2005. Where would you like to see the sport go? This is definitely a hotly debated topic since performance-enhancing drugs have become an integral part of the sport. Bodybuilders are among only a handful of professional athletes who are not regularly drug tested when they are a part of a league or federation.
No one can say for certain what the sport will look like in the future. However, whatever direction it takes, it’s safe to say young Joseph Baena has the potential to become a superstar of the sport. With genetics that good, it’s almost criminal of him not to compete!
*All images and media courtesy of Instagram.
