Mike O’Hearn sits down with Singer and actor James Maslow being both physically and mentally optimized in order to succeed in life.
James Maslow is a likely best known for being a singer in the boyband Big Time Rush and also starring in the Nickelodeon show of the same name. But he’s also exploding into the film industry with three new films being released in 2022. Not only that – but as he’s aged out of being a “child star” he’s put emphasis and energy in building a lean physique for leading man roles. He seems to have avoided the pitfalls of being a child star and maintained a stead and successful career into his young adult years. In our latest episode of The Mike O’Hearn Show, James Maslow talks with O’Hearn on how fitness and bodybuilding strategies helped him find success in the entertainment world. Presented by Generation Iron and Barbend.
James Maslow definitely falls into the same school of thought as Mike O’Hearn when it comes to not only fitness – but overall outlook on the world. Dedication, focus, and consistency are paramount towards leading a successful, happy, and healthy life. With Mike O’Hearn a few generations older than Maslow – he sees this kind of mindset incredibly encouraging – and rare – in today’s world.
In fact, O’Hearn finds it particularly impressive in James Maslow due to his career starting as a child star on Nickelodeon. It’s well documented that many child stars ultimately suffer many public struggles as they transition into a career as adults. Maslow, on the other hand, has transitioned with grace and avoided the pitfalls that we’ve seen in many other young stars.
James Maslow believes a big part of that has to due with his fitness regiment. Much like Mike O’Hearn, Maslow dedicated himself to fitness and bodybuilding at a very young age. He’s always considered dedicated work into health and fitness as the foundation for success and happiness in all arenas of life.
ABOVE: James Maslow showcasing his physique in the TubiTV movie – We Need To Talk.
James Maslow On The Importance Of Being Fit And Optimized
James Maslow believes that many average people in this world have never fully felt what it’s like to be truly healthy. This doesn’t mean that most of the world are unhealthy slobs. But it does mean that majority of people in this world suffer from often unseen subconscious limitations all stemming from a lack of optimized health.
“I think most people have never felt what it feels like to be optimized. Truly, people think they are healthy and a lot might be somewhat healthy and the workout… but they have burgers three or four times a week and they are like, ‘Whatever. I worked it off at the gym.’ There’s just this constant justification. They are not feeling or performing to their full potential. They’re not feeling their best.”
– James Maslow
James Maslow goes on to state that he understands this because he was once like that. For a short while, he believed he was young and invincible. That he could drink heavy and then “sweat it out in the gym” the next day. But once he started truly making fitness a priority – everything snapped into place. He realized just how far from feeling good he really was. In a way he could never fathom before he changed his lifestyle.
ABOVE: James Maslow stars in the upcoming feature film Wolf Hound.
The More Consistent Your Fitness, The Easier It Gets, The Younger You Feel
James Maslow goes on to explain that one his fitness and bodybuilding lifestyle became consistent, so much of the rest of his life became easier to bloom. His mental health improved and his focus on succeeding in other avenues outside of fitness grew.
Not only that – but he’s noticed that the older he gets the easier his training and diet regimen becomes. What feels more like a challenge and chore when you first start out for a year or two becomes second nature, more embraced, and suddenly the benefits are easier to obtain.
He looks toward the future to use a comparison. A fit person at 50 years old will feel such much more capable and younger than a person who never prioritized fitness at 50. Mike O’Hearn considers himself a testament to that fact. He was told that there was no way he can still be bodybuilding at a mass monster size over 50 years old. That the natural decay of the human body into older age won’t allow it. However, now well into his 50s, he’s still going strong and feels just as fit and capable as ever.
The myth that we cannot be functional and strong in older age is only due to a lack of focus on fitness. It’s a constant battle of the young. It’s human nature to assume you will live forever and that the things you do today will not matter because your youthful body is so resilient. But the truth is, if you can focus on fitness consistently at a young age – you will be much more capable, happy, and successful once you are over the hill.
Wrap Up
Mike O’Hearn sometimes worries that the younger generations of today don’t value the kind of hard work that he experience in his generation. While that might be simply a generational assumption – O’Hearn believes that James Maslow is a perfect example of what is possible when dedication to fitness becomes priority.
It’s not just health and longevity. It’s mental health and optimistic outlook. It’s easier to think happy when your body is running at an “optimal health setting” so to speak. While it may be impossible to prevent youth from being wasted on the young – James Maslow is a shining example of why bodybuilding and fitness matter beyond the “meathead” perception it has in the mainstream.
You can watch Mike O’Hearn’s full interview with James Maslow in our latest episode of The Mike O’Hearn Show. Make sure to watch new episodes every Friday only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network – or wherever podcasts are downloaded!