What is the Natural Olympia?

January 10, 2024

Everything you need to know about the Natural Olympia and biggest event in natural bodybuilding.

The topic of steroids in bodybuilding remain hotly debated, sparking ongoing discussions about whether certain bodybuilders use enhancers or rely solely on their natural ability to build muscle mass and craft their physique. Performance-enhancing substances have made their way into the careers of both novice and seasoned bodybuilders, and it’s prominent in the IFBB Pro League. Take a look at the Mr. Olympia competitors, no matter what Olympia division, there are more than likely steroids involved in the building of those physiques. (1). This is why events like the Natural Olympia have gained prominence. In this post we’ll provide a comprehensive exploration of the Natural Olympia’s history.

Disclaimer: Generation Iron does not condone, nor have any opinions for or against the usage of steroids or performance enhancing drugs.

What is the Natural Olympia
Difference Between Natural Olympia and Mr. Olympia
Anti-Doping Measures
Natural Olympia Professional Divisions
Natural Olympia Wrap Up

What is the Natural Olympia?

The Natural Olympia is held by the INBA/PNBA, and this bodybuilding contest takes the testing of contestants seriously. Generation Iron has extensively covered the Natural Olympia and has worked closely with the owner, Denny Kakos on Generation Iron Natty 4 Life, a documentary featuring Mike O’Hearn on Natural Bodybuilding. The promoters strongly prohibits the use of steroids and other drugs that enhance performance. Organizers have also confirmed that the overall mission of the INBA/PNBA is to turn bodybuilding into a widely accepted Olympic sport.

While this competition is now global and has been held for over 40 years, it still has some way to go before it becomes mainstream — although it has been steadily growing. There are also similarities and differences between it and the actual IFBB Mr. Olympia.

Here is a look at the Natural Olympia history, its characteristics, and some of its contestants over the years.

History of the Natural Olympia

The Natural Olympia’s history has roots dating back to 1977. This was the year when Denny Kakos opened a spa, and to attract membership, he started holding bodybuilding competitions in his gym. 1977 was also when the bodybuilding movie Pumping Iron with Arnold Schwarzenegger kicked up more interest in the sport as a whole.

Humble Beginnings

The Natural Olympia started as a series of competitions in the gym of Denny Kakos. This eventually led to the California Natural Bodybuilding Championship. It was a huge success that Kakos got an “Innovation in Natural Bodybuilding” plaque from the NPC.

In that first competition, about 135 natural athletes showed up. This showed the popularity of bodybuilding in general at the time. It also stamped Denny Kakos as a great bodybuilding competition promoter.

Creation of a Professional League

The Natural Olympia wasn’t a thing until there was a professional league for natural bodybuilding. Kakos wanted more after successfully pushing and hosting the California Natural Bodybuilding Championship. So he pushed for an NPC Natural National Qualifier, and sadly this time, the NPC paid him no attention.

This led to searching for an association promoting quality natural competitions and awards. That association became the Amateur Bodybuilding Association (ABA), with Denny Kakos, Pete Samra, and Wally Boyko as founding members. The goal of this association was to serve natural athletes.

The ABA also focuses on avoiding discrimination against people. As a result, they came up with the very first bodybuilding classes for the physically challenged. This organization also keeps membership and contest registration fees affordable for athletes.

Then in 1990, Denny Kakos founded the Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA). This was to promote professional-level competitions for natural bodybuilders. The establishment of the PNBA meant that natural bodybuilders could turn Pro and compete for prizes.

After resounding success and growth, Denny Kakos expanded the PNBA by founding the International Natural Bodybuilding Association. The goal of this organization was to allow countries from all over the world to compete alongside unifying and standardizing the conditions of the sport. New Zealand is the first official country to join, and the PNBA and INBA promote shows in over 50 countries to this day.

The First Natural Olympia Show

The first Natural Olympia was held in Corinth, Greece 1998, with John Hansen becoming the first-ever Natural Olympia champ. This was a nod to the overall goal of making the competition an Olympic sport. (Remember that the Olympics have a history that dates back to ancient Greece.)

Difference Between Natural Olympia and Mr. Olympia

2022 Olympia Hadi Choopan — Hadi Choopan, Mr. Olympia

The Natural Olympia offers categories like the Men’s Open, Bikini, and Classic Physique, just like IFBB’s Mr Olympia. However, there are many big differences between both. For starters, the Natural Olympia isn’t as popular as the IFBB Mr. Olympia, and consequently, the prize money is smaller. For example, the 2022 Mr. Olympia champ Hadi Choopan brought in a whopping $400,000 in prize money, and the same with 2023 Mr. Olympia Derek Lunsford, while the Natural Olympia winners don’t usually exceed $10,000. Of course, Natural Olympia bans all forms of doping as well.

Natural Bodybuilding Divisions

As we’ve already mentioned, the main difference in divisions is that the Natural Olympia introduced division for physically challenged people. This division is split into seating and standing categories. The Natural Olympia also has other miscellaneous categories like the Men’s and Women’s Ink/Tattoo and the Evening Gown division.

Anti-Doping Measures

Another major difference between Natural Olympia and Mr. Olympia is the stringent testing protocol. All athletes undergo a drug test that aligns with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standards. WADA prohibits using anabolic agents, hormone modulators, and more (2).

While Mr. Olympia doesn’t necessarily condone the use of steroids, there are no strict protocols against it — it didn’t adopt the World Anti-Doping Code until 2003. Even with this, testing and protocols are shrouded in secrecy. Many popular bodybuilders like Dorian Yates and Ronnie Coleman admit to using performance-enhancing substances at some point in their careers, and it’s pretty rampant in the sport nowadays, with substances like insulin and human growth hormone making their way into the scene.

Generally, testing for Mr. Olympia seems random and is not conducted during the contest. In direct contrast, Natural Olympia not only conducts tests randomly, but they also do blood or urine tests on site. Those who fail this test get suspensions or a lifetime ban and end up on the Hall of Shame.

Natural Olympia Professional Divisions

Natural Olympia’s history of the pro division has competitors from over 60 countries. The primary winner of this show is the Men’s Bodybuilding Open division. Below are the categories for male and female athletes.

Past Men’s Open Winners

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Here’s a list of all the past Natural Olympia (Men’s Open) winners.

Michael Waddington (2023)
Tommi Thompson (2022)
Paul Krueger (2021)
Meshack Ochieng (2020)
Rob Terry (2017-2018)
Michael Waddington (2016)
Kiyoshi Moody (2009-2014)
Philip Ricardo Jr. (2007, 2008, 2015, 2019)
Warren Clampit (2006)
Komang Arnawa (2005)
Danny Chau (2004)
Rodney Hawthorne (2003)
Ron Wiliams (2002)
Keith Bullock (2001)
John Hansen (1998)

Natural Olympia Wrap Up

Overall, the Natural Olympia is a way for bodybuilders to do what they love, without the pressure of using performance enhancing drugs to do so. It is no secret that PEDs are prominent in leagues like the IFBB and NPC, but that lifestyle is not for everyone. So, the natural route is the way they go.

What do you think of the Natural Olympia?

References

Macho, J., Mudrak, J., & Slepicka, P. (2021). Enhancing the Self: Amateur Bodybuilders Making Sense of Experiences With Appearance and Performance-Enhancing Drugs. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 648467. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.648467
The World Anti Doping Agency. (2022, October) The Prohibited List. https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list