Gunter Schlierkamp: Phil Heath’s Biggest Mistake That Ended His Olympia Reign
Gunter Schlierkamp recounts the key advice he gave a young Phil Heath and how not following it led to his late stage downfall.
Genetically, some bodybuilders have bigger frames and some have smaller frames. Gunter Schlierkamp was a tall and wide-framed bodybuilder. It’s what allowed him to successfully carry such intense mass monster size. Phil Heath, on the other hand, is a small-framed bodybuilder. He’s shorter and simply doesn’t have the build to put on Ronnie Coleman kind of weight. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Gunter Schlierkamp reflects on advice he once gave Phil Heath about building muscle to fit your frame.
While discussing his picks for the best bodybuilders of all time, Gunter Schlierkamp mentions Phil Heath. He put’s him firmly at number six on his list behind the likes of Ronnie Coleman, Lee Haney, and Jay Cutler. But as Schlierkamp reflects on Phil Heath, he becomes excited and frustrated at the same time.
Gunter Schlierkamp recounts the very first time he ever saw Phil Heath. It was before he went pro and was training to compete and earn his pro card. Schlierkamp saw Heath from afar and was astounded. His jaw dropped. He was looking at a bodybuilder with one of the most impressive physiques he had ever seen. Schlierkamp made a point to meet Phil Heath and see him up close.
Gunter Schlierkamp urged Phil Heath to compete right away. He could win instantly and become a pro bodybuilder. Heath was playing the long game. He wanted to wait another year to really perfect his physique. Ultimately, Phil Heath did earn his pro card and the rest his history.
But Gunter Schlierkamp also remembers a piece of advice he gave Phil Heath during those early years. He told him to always remember to not “overload his frame.” By that, Schlierkamp was talking about how much muscle mass to put on to fit your genetic size. Schlierkamp believes it is all too common in the modern era of bodybuilding for athletes to chase size beyond their frame. At the end of the day, your genetic frame cannot change. It’s no use fighting against it. If you “overload” the frame, you’ll look blocky and less pleasing.
This is the exact mistake that Gunter Schlierkamp saw Phil Heath make later in his career. There’s no denying that Heath had a fantastic run and deserved all seven of his Mr. Olympia titles. That’s no easy feat. He’ll go down in history for that. But Schlierkamp believes there could have been more victories in his future.
Unfortunately, Phil Heath started adding on more size and “overloaded” his frame. He believes that is in part what caused the distended stomach issues in his later career. Schlierkamp can’t help but understand why Phil Heath eventually fell into this trap. Kai Greene rose up in the ranks with a bigger frame and much more muscle mass. He was the direct threat and rival to Heath. This kind of pressure most likely caused Heath to try and up his game and increase size.
Phil Heath is a bodybuilder who had a fantastic run and will certainly be considered a legend etched forever in bodybuilding history. But other bodybuilders who overload their frame might not have that kind of success. That’s why Gunter Schlierkamp wants to share his advice with everyone watching – consider your frame when building muscle mass. Don’t fall into the trap of mass monster obsession.
You can watch Gunter Schlierkamp’s full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
