The biography, life, and accomplishments of Keone Pearson
Keone Pearson is a former Classic Physique competitor that had done pretty good on the Mr. Olympia stage against competitors such as Chris Bumstead and Breon Ansley. However, in 2019, Keone made the switch to the 212 division, as he felt it was better for him, and the rest is history.
Below is a complete breakdown of Keone Pearson’s profile, stats, biography, training and diet regimens.
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Full Name: Keone Pearson (Men’s 212 Bodybuilder) |
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| Weight | Height | Date Of Birth |
| 205-210 lbs. | 5’6’’ | 2/23/1995 |
| Profession | Era | Nationality |
| Bodybuilder, Fitness Coach | 2010s, 2020 | American |
Keone Pearson Biography
Keone is less than a decade into his bodybuilding career, starting in just 2016, he quickly became the youngest IFBB Pro from Georgia just one year after stepping on stage for the first time. It is no doubt Keone Pearson’s drive, dedication, and discipline to one of the most grueling sports that you can participate in has helped him reach the top of his craft in a very short space of time.
Keone Pearson is originally from Warner Robins, Georgie, and was always active and fit growing up. Despite being in shape his entire life, it wasn’t until 2016 that he finally decided to take his passion for physical activity to the next level and step onto the competitive bodybuilding stage. Keone said; “Weightlifting has always been a part of my journey, but bodybuilding was something that was never planned. It just happened, so ever since I’ve been doing my thing.”
He was instilled with strong discipline and work ethic from a young age and that helped him out throughout his lifting career. Bodybuilding is not an easy sport as it requires you to really be all in, but Keone carried over his childhood discipline and work ethic habits over to his lifting, and eventually to his first bodybuilding show in 2016. He ended up taking 1st place at the NPC Lee Haney Games. It did not stop there, as just one year later, he took the NPC Junior USA Champion title, and in turn, took home his IFBB Pro Card.
After some dabbling in the Classic Physique Division, Keone switched to 212. And after spending a few years in the 212 Division, Keone is now a 212 Mr. Olympia winner.
It goes without saying that Keone has had some huge success in such a short space of time echoed through the online fitness industry. Keone is also a certified personal trainer and professional bodybuilding athlete that has had experience in multiple divisions, taking home plenty of titles.
Keone Pearson Competition History
- NPC Lee Haney Games 2016- 1st place (Men’s Bodybuilding)
- NPC Junior USA Championships 2017- 1st place (Classic Physique)
- IFBB Tampa Pro 2018- 2nd place (Classic Physique)
- Arnold Sports Festival 2019- 4th place (Classic Physique)
- New York Pro 2019- 1st Place (Classic Physique)
- Mr. Olympia 2019- 4th place (Classic Physique)
- Chicago Pro 2020- 1st Place (212 division)
- Mr. Olympia 2021- 14th Place (212 Division)
- Chicago Pro 2021- 1st Place (212 Division)
- Mr. Olympia 2022- 6th Place (212 Division)
- Tampa Pro 2022- 1st Place (212 Division)
- Texas Pro 2023- 1st Place (212 Division)
- Mr. Olympia 2023- 1st Place (212 Division)
Now as you can see, Keone Pearson is no stranger to the bodybuilding stage. He has competed in a great amount of bodybuilding shows since initially stepping on stage in 2016, solidifying himself as a seasoned competitor in less than a decade.
Keone Pearson 2023 Mr. Olympia
At the 2023 Mr. Olympia, Keone Pearson dethroned Shaun Clarida, also known as the “Giant Killer”, and many deemed the win controversial, stating that Shaun had better muscle mass and conditioning. However, the judges did their thing, and Keone secured the victory.
Perhaps it was his exceptional core control and incredibly small waist that sealed the deal for him. He is known for his unique abdominal separation, as his midsection appears to be blocky but each ab has spacing in between it, and many think that this is a downside to his physique. However, he pulls his midsection into a vacuum pose that truly accentuates the thickness and width of his lats, as well as making his legs appear to be the size of tree trunks, truly making his v-taper pop and dominate the stage.
Keone Pearson Height
Keone Pearson stands around 5’6″, which is the standard height for the 212 division. However, he packs on a great amount of muscle mass and his posing makes it so he appears much bigger than he actually is. For example, when he stands next to Shaun Clarida who is 5’2″, the way he opens up on his poses make it seem as though he is much bigger than Shaun.
Keone’s height is possibly the reason he switched from Classic Physique to 212, as it is harder for the shorter guys to compete with taller competitors like Chris Bumstead and Ramon Dino. However, Terrence Ruffin does pretty well agains them. But, the 212 Division allows for Keone to pack on a few extra pounds than he would be allowed in Classic.
How Much Does Keone Pearson Weigh?
That being said, Keone Pearson steps on stage around 207 pounds, coming in just five pounds under the 212 pound cap. When he competed in the Classic Physique Division, Keone had to meet a 180 pound weight cap, and struggled to do so. It got to the point where he had to sacrifice muscle just to make weight and compete in the Olympia, so it was then that he decided to move up to the 212 Division.
Full Interview with Keone Pearson: “Genetic Phenom”
Keone has been dubbed a “genetic phenom” and Generation Iron had the pleasure of chatting with him about what that meant and the weight that it carried. Check it out.
Training
The training of Keone Pearson is certainly unique and something to make note of. He uses moderate volume and a mix of compound and isolation exercises, making sure to incorporate a lot of time under tension for the muscle groups. Take a look at his chest exercise below.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Incline Dumbbell press | 4 | 8-12 |
| Incline Cable Fly | 3 | 12 |
| Cable Crossover | 3 | 12 |
| Machine Chest Press | 3 | 8-12 |
Diet and Nutrition
It is no doubt that diet plays a huge role in gaining and maintaining a physique like Keone’s. Let’s take a look at his contest prep diet.
Meal One
- Oats — 80 grams
- Whey Protein — 30 grams
- One Banana
- Ground Beef — 100 grams
Meal Two
- Diced Chicken Breast — 200 grams
- Jasmine rice — 75 gram
Pre-Workout Drink
- BCAAs and EAAs (Axe & Sledge: The Grind) — One Scoop (16 grams)
- Pre-workout powder (Axe & Sledge Hydraulic) — Two Scoops (20 grams)
- Pre-workout powder (Axe & Sledge Ignition Switch) — One Scoop (five grams)
- Sea salt for increased muscle pump
Meal Three
- Whey Isolate (Axe & Sledge Farm Fed) — 30 grams
- Diced Pineapple — 50 grams
- Jasmine Rice — 25 grams
- Lean Ground Beef — 200 grams
Meal Four
- Cream of Rice — 75 grams
- Diced Chicken — 200 grams
Meal Five
- Salmon (with skin) — 200 grams
- Red Potatoes (with skin and Adobo seasoning) — 200 grams
Meal Six
- Oats — 50 grams
- Whey Isolate — 30 grams
- Almond Butter — 30 grams
As you can see, Keone gets a great amount of protein, fat, and carbs in each day, making sure to hit his macros. There are not many cheat meals, and he stays on a strict diet, focusing on the “food is fuel” mentality.
Wrap Up
It appears that Keone Pearson is improving each year, making strides like no other ever since he hit the bodybuilding scene, which means he certainly could win the 212 Olympia again. He will be back in Vegas to defend his title in December! Do you think that Keone Pearson will be taking home another 212 title next year?
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
