Trick early and build muscle later

advanced tricking building muscle

Phil Heath


Phil Heath is a pro bodybuilder who has won the Mr. Olympia contest twice. Before Phil began bodybuilding he weighed 185 lbs  and played basketball.

Phil Heath Young

Phil Heath started bodybuilding when he was 22 years old after basketball, and did his first bodybuilding show when he was 23.  Phil Heath became Mr. Olympia within 10 years of starting competitive bodybuilding.

Phil Heath 2003

All of this is important because I want you now to go find an example of a trickster who started tricking in his mid twenties who went on to become the best trickster.  (Or even remotely as good as the best tricksters.) Tricking late is much more difficult than building muscle late.  Thus, if your goal is to excel in both tricking and building muscle...

  • Don't worry about building muscle until you reach your twenties.  

  • Focus entirely on tricking and basic strength training before your twenties.


Don Youngblood (R.I.P.)


Don Youngblood, Bodybuilding, Masters Olympia

Don spent his youth building up his business empire and his own family.  He started bodybuilding when he was 34 years old as a "hobby".  (You know, just because he thought it might be fun?)   At 39 years old he entered his first bodybuilding contest. And at age 47 he placed 1st in the Master's Mr. Olympia.

Don Youngblood, Masters Olympia

There are a lot of good bodybuilders out there who started late.  That's one thing I like about body building, you can dabble in it later and do well for yourself.  Tricking is not like that, tricking is really hard to be really good at if you start when you're older.  So trick early and build muscle later.  For a more detailed timing recommendation for doing both tricking and building muscle well, read my page on When to start Acrobolix tricking.

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  • Rohit Singh on

    Great and motivational post but I think that phil heath is the great because he has seen the progress in such a short span of time which every bodybuilder dreamed off So great post buddy and keep up the good work


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