Being a leader of one’s profession comes with much adulation, but even more pitfalls attempting to stay on top. This occurs especially in the realm of athletics, where the mental toll is only exacerbated by constantly pushing the body to its limits.
Not many know more about being on top, and about stress on the physical form, than seven-time Mr. Olympia champion bodybuilder Phil Heath. Faced with a crossroads in his athletic career after an end to his time on the basketball court, Heath was inspired by all-time greats like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jay Cutler to become a beast in the gym and the competitive ranks, but not without struggle. For a long time, his hulking frame hid a layer of vulnerability, one Heath finally was ready to share with the world in the new documentary Breaking Olympia.
Breaking Olympia, much like Heath’s seven Mr. Olympia titles, is an uncommon feat, being the rare documentary distributed by a major movie studio, Universal Pictures. Produced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s company Seven Bucks Productions and directed by Brett Harvey, the newly-released film chronicles the bodybuilder’s rise to superstardom and the surrounding ramifications of fame.
“They provided me an opportunity to really show Phil, not just Mr. Olympia,” Heath told the Daily Press during a media scrum at the famous Gold’s Gym in Venice, also attended by his friend and legendary actor Dolph Lundgren. “Everybody else was always [asking], tell us about what it’s like to be the champ, tell us about the protein [and] training. I’m like, yeah, that’s cool, but what about me? I’m not gonna always be that guy, and I also went through my levels of hardship [in] how I grew up … they were willing to capture that and really willing to offer me an opportunity to peel back those layers.”
Working alongside Harvey on the documentary was producer Adam Scorgie, and the crew was able to win over both Heath and wife Shurie by wanting to get “behind the human” who produced inhuman feats on stage.
“I had met Lou Ferrigno as a kid, me and my dad shared some moments [going] through these magazines [and] you’re like, ‘oh my God … is that even real? How do you get your back that big?’ So when Phil gave me this opportunity, and obviously seeing the great career he had established … I [said] ‘yeah, let’s do it,’” Scorgie added.
Before his all-time career in bodybuilding, there was Phil Heath the basketball player, who excelled in his native Seattle area at Rainier Beach High School, playing alongside future NBA star Jamal Crawford. Heath said that basketball in Seattle is “everything,” attracted to the sport because of the access to practice individually.
“I was always a stickler for self-improvement, and being able to finally get your shot right and hear a swish, you don’t get to hear that with football … with basketball, you can visually see the ball go through that net and hear it,” Heath said. “You can hear it go off the glass, you can hear it go around the rim … basketball really was just everything for me.”
The sport was Heath’s life, until it wasn’t. He saw his playing time diminish while attending the University of Denver, eventually coming to the conclusion that he needed a new endeavor. Heath noted that he understands what young athletes in team sports are going through, and that even if their dreams of big-time contracts and endorsements are cut short, they should focus on gratitude for the opportunity of getting a quality education and should ask questions about their future to coaches and peers.
“For all those athletes that are going through it, you got to remind yourself that you have s spark, you have light … you got to continue to work hard, no matter where you go, because you’re gonna get in the real world [and] be dealing with similar challenges,” he said. “And if you can … manage your emotions and your ability to communicate at 20 years old, or 18, once you get [to] 25-30, you’re going to be a great employee or entrepreneur … you’re going to be an asset, because [employers] need people that are highly aware of themselves.”
Growth of awareness and emotional intelligence came even while Heath was racking up consecutive Mr. Olympia crowns, the highest honor in bodybuilding. In Breaking Olympia, Heath speaks his raw emotions about losing his father to illness as well as various injuries that took him away from the number-one spot. He said that the documentary is a chance to speak out for other athletes who have to deal with emotions of depression, anger and frustration.
“There’s way too much of our love in there,” Scorgie added. “I’m crying on premiere days. We care about the subject, we care about the film, and I think that just resonates with the people we’re working with … they share themselves [because we’re] in the trenches with [them].”
In the trenches with the filmmakers were fellow icons of bodybuilding, such as Cutler and Ronnie Coleman, as well as box office breaker Johnson. Heath said that his peers were “open” to the project and he appreciated that they “actually cared enough” to pour themselves into a film despite not knowing the final outcome.
Another peer that cares for Heath is Schwarzenegger, with the superstar recognizing Heath’s accomplishments and building a bond. Heath’s seventh Mr. Olympia title in 2017 tied the Austrian Oak on the all-time champions list, and Heath spoke glowingly of the former California governor at the Gold’s Gym he still frequents in his 70s.
“I definitely realize who I’m tied with,” Heath said. “It’s just inspirational to be able to look at Arnold at his events and him know my name, but then also we can train together, we can hang out. He’s my muse … being around people like that, when you’re around greatness, it rubs off, and it’s rubbed off on me in many different ways. Watching his trajectory, it just lets you know that there are no limitations, just the ones in your mind.”
Breaking Olympia can be purchased through services like Prime Video, Fandango at Home and ROW8. For more information, visit the website here.