Talking Huge With Craig Golias | EP 3: Vegas New Mecca, Fitting On Plane, & Last Photo With Rich Piana
Craig Golias talks on how bodybuilders are swarming to Las Vegas, how to not overeat while bulking, and his relationship with the late Rich Piana
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 talks about Las Vegas becoming the new mecca of bodybuilding, his friendship with Rich Piana, how to not overeat while bulking, and his early days as an ectomorph.
While Craig Golias may have only had a short career as a competitive bodybuilder, he still love the sport and lifestyle passionately. During our time talking with Craig during this episode, he also recounts his very first time going to the Mr. Olympia competition as a fan. He also discusses his how much he enjoys going to the expo and meeting fans.
Are bodybuilders flocking to live in Las Vegas?
One of our main points of discussion this week is Las Vegas and how it’s suddenly booming with bodybuilding. It’s no secret that for decades the Mr. Olympia has been held in Las Vegas. Ironically, that has changed over the past two years due to COVID-19 – yet the bodybuilding culture seems to be thriving in Las Vegas regardless.
Craig Golias is one of those bodybuilders. He now lives in Las Vegas and hasn’t looked back. In fact, he despises California cities due to the immense traffic and expensive prices. According to Craig, he’s not alone. Many aspiring and pro bodybuilders are moving to Las Vegas. Not only that – but notable gyms are opening up in the area as well.
This combination of bodybuilding-focused gyms and bodybuilders seems to be early signs of a shift in the bodybuilding landscape. Will Las Vegas soon overshadow Los Angeles as the mecca of bodybuilding? Craig Golias believes so.
Vlad Yudin also discusses with Craig how a similar shift is happening on the east coast. Many bodybuilders and events have been moving to Florida. This was accelerated by the pandemic and the lax laws in the state. But this shift was happening even before COVID-19 consumed the world.
Craig Golias On Overeating And Life As An Ectomorph
The topic of bulking returns this week as Craig Golias gives advice on how to not overeat while trying to put on size. The key of course is to eat clean. But he also suggests that your tactics change depending on your current weight. If you are overweight and want to build muscle – Craig suggests focusing on dieting and cutting weight first. Drop the fat, then return to eating heavily – only this time with clean foods.
Craig Golias, while massive and nearly 300 pounds, was not a man who naturally carried weight during his younger years. In fact, he was skinny as twig. He describes himself as an ectomorph who could eat whatever he wanted without gaining weight.
So of course, when he decided to try and build massive muscle – he overindulged extremely. At first, this combined with training led to mostly muscle growth. But by the time he went from 150 pounds to 225 pounds, the weight gain started going from muscle to fat.
At the time, Craig Golias knew nothing about the protocols and tactics for being a successful bodybuilder. He was just playing it by ear and trying to emulate the physiques he saw in movies and magazines. For future generations – he warns against doing what he did at the start. The sooner you know about building muscle on a clean diet, the sooner you will find the kind of real bodybuilding success you are likely looking for.
Wrap Up
You can watch Craig Golias and Vlad Yudin discuss Las Vegas bodybuilding, Rich Piana, overeating, and how to build muscle as an ectomorph in our latest episode above. Make sure to check out Talking Huge every week on Friday – only on the Generation Iron Fitness Network!
