Talking Huge With Craig Golias | EP 24: Should Bodybuilders Downsize After Retirement?
Craig Golias, a man who loves being HUGE, muses about downsizing after retirement.
Welcome to another episode of Talking Huge – a weekly digital series in which Craig Golias talks in-depth with Vlad Yudin on the latest trending topics in bodybuilding. Raw, honest, and uncut – Craig Golias shares his opinions on all things bodybuilding. In this episode, Craig Golias reacts to Kai Greene’s possible downsizing and shares his thoughts on bodybuilder physiques post-retirement.
It’s been a while since we’ve been able to reconnect with Craig Golias, but he’s back and better than ever in a new episode of Talking Huge. After relaxing with some holiday and new years celebration – Craig is ready for some big changes in 2022. He’s already teased a new sponsorship and he briefly talks with us about getting a brand new custom car.
But the big topic we cover this week is the concept of downsizing in bodybuilding. More specifically, downsizing after retirement. Kai Greene recently made headlines as fans started to speculate that he was finally downsizing. Kai has not competed since 2016. But for many years after his unofficial retirement, Kai always maintained a massive and shredded physique.
Due to maintaining this size, nearly every single year since his retirement fans have speculated that he would make a surprise return. This has yet to happen. Now in recent video posts on his social media, fans are noticing that he looks slightly smaller. Is he actually downsizing? Or does he simply look “off” right now? We don’t really know at the moment – but as time passes we will certainly see.
Regardless of Kai Greene’s current status, downsizing after retirement is somewhat common. But it’s also somewhat controversial among fans. Even if a bodybuilding icon no longer competes – his or her physique is the biggest selling point to their brand. Some feel the need to maintain a massive physique to keep that brand sharp. Others simply love training so much that they refuse to downsize despite no longer competing.
On the other end, legends like Dorian Yates, Lee Haney, and Jay Cutler (to name a few) all noticeably downsized after retirement. Dorian has been extremely open on how downsizing is necessary for a healthy life post bodybuilding. Jay has also spoken out about how he disliked his massive size to win Olympia. He still carries big muscle, but nowhere near as big as his prime.
Craig Golias is a man who loves being huge above all else. He barely ever competed but has kept his weight near or above 300 pounds for majority of his adult life. More than a brand, being huge is a way of life for Craig. So what does he think about downsizing later in life?
Surprisingly, Craig Golias has actually slowed down his own growth in recent years. This is largely due to the nerve damage he suffers in his shoulder/arm area. But he has also become more responsible about his health. He’s not sure if this is just a temporary break before getting truly huge again – or perhaps the beginning of a new way of life.
But he’s not quite sure if he would downsize to the level of someone like Dorian Yates. He admits to having bigorexia, and will likely never be able to settle with a skinnier physique. However, he understands why some bodybuilders would choose to downsize. Its a personal choice, and health is a big factor in that choice. While fans might become disappointed, we must all also accept that nothing stays the same forever. And thankfully, there will always be new mass monsters rising in the ranks to fill the void left behind.
Wrap Up
You can check out the full conversation in the latest episode of Talking Huge above. Watch Craig go into full detail about downsizing, comment on Tony Huge’s recent health scare, and more. Make sure to check out Talking Huge every week on Friday – only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network!
