Masters bodybuilding and fitness has been at the forefront of physique-based sports probably for the last 30 years. Masters competitors can range anywhere from over 35 years of age all the way up to I don’t know – 70 or 80 years old. Some have a road to the pro card, others do not but what really matters is that there are many bodybuilders that discover the stage well into their adulthood and even into their “old age.” But what is old age? That is so relative and so subjective.

As somebody that has covered Master’s Nationals and covered a number of masters level contests around the country, I can tell you that age really is just a number. It doesn’t really mean anything. And if you really want to get technical about it, muscle actually looks better when it’s older. Now there’s a difference between being older and getting into muscle and muscle maturity. I think anybody that knows what they’re talking about would tell you that, but it just so happens that when people start lifting later in life and develop a muscular physique they do tend to get that muscle maturity a little bit faster than competitors that are younger in age. It may not be scientific but it has been my experience based on doing hundreds, if not thousands, of interviews throughout the country.

Competitors that have maybe picked up the weights for about 5 or 10 years and started competing in their 40s and 50s have more mature musculature than guys that have started competing at 20 or 25 after 5 or 10 years. I know that sounds confusing but maybe reread it a couple of times until it makes sense because I assure you it does. The problem with masters physique-based sports is that the Masters Olympia has not had a very steady track record. It has gone through periods where it was held every year to where it is now where it is held every other year. But even aside from that, there were gaps of time where the title wasn’t even offered.

There are several pro masters shows, like the Masters Pro World which I have covered on a couple of occasions in Pittsburgh. There are also masters events throughout the country. There are pro qualifiers like the Masters Nationals and the Masters USA’s. The Masters USA’s is where legendary bodybuilder Marc “The Machine” Lobliner turned pro. Probably the biggest misconception is that earning a pro card in the Masters is easy. It’s anything but because you’re dealing with a series of individuals that have really put their all into getting that card. The problem is once they get the card what do they do with it? There aren’t a lot of shows that represent big titles.

The Master’s Pro world is the biggest one that comes to mind, but if you want to be the best in any division, regardless of age, you have to compete at the Olympia. This is why the Masters Olympia title is so important. When you are Mr or Ms Olympia in whichever physique-based division you compete in, you can actually market yourself as the best competitor in the world in that given division. It’s not just marketing, but it’s also about respect. You want to be able to say that you can go anywhere in the world and say you are the best. You can’t do that by winning the Arnold Classic, you can’t do that by winning the Master’s Pro World, you can only do that by winning an Olympia contest.

When it comes to the Olympia there is simply no greater title. There is no title that has more respect, more history, and more legitimacy. Now, the Olympia used to move around the world. For example, there was a year it was in Helsinki Finland, there was another year that it was in Pretoria, South Africa which is where Pumping Iron was filmed; other years it was in other places but primarily the Olympia has been in the United States. I would say the Olympia has been in the United States probably for more than 30 continuous years. But the Masters Olympia, at least the last couple Master Olympias, were held in Romania and the most recent one was held in Japan.

Now why on Earth would the Masters Olympia be held abroad when the Olympia Weekend is in Las Vegas, Nevada? Well that is because the Masters Olympia was promoted by someone besides Jake Wood. Even though Jake owns the Olympia, he did not directly promote the last Masters Olympia held in Japan. He did promote the Master’s Olympia held in Romania. At least I believe he did.

This past Master’s Olympia was also very controversial because a lot of the competitors  were not paid on time. That was not Jake’s fault. That was the promoter that had the licensing for the event in Japan. That promoter is no longer active with the Pro League so the chances of that happening again are slim to none. And don’t think for a second that they didn’t vet the hell out of that guy, but unfortunately sometimes even the people that look the most impressive on paper and who may have the best personalities, can fail. It’s just one of those things. But what’s important is that the event is in good hands and that ridiculousness will not repeat itself again. Moreover, a lot of the guys that competed at the Masters Olympia in 2025 were also of the opinion that it was not run properly. There were not enough advertisements, the audience was kind of scarce, it was just not a good look. Romania was fantastic, Japan not so much. But imagine wanting to compete at such an event and not being able to afford it? I mean when you think about it, there are a lot of expenses, from gear to food to lodging to airfare. Wouldn’t it be easier to compete at the Masters Olympia in the United States?

I think that Pittsburgh would be the most ideal location because it already has the Master’s Nationals and the Masters Pro World. Other people have suggested the Mile High City. I don’t see a problem with Denver, but I also don’t see a problem with Los Angeles or even a more exotic destination like Miami or Fort Lauderdale. I am a strong advocate of having the Masters Olympia somewhere in the continuous continental United States. This would save The athletes a tremendous amount of money in terms of airfare but also keep the contest in the United States.

This is not to say that other countries don’t matter, but there’s a reason that the Olympia Weekend has been in the United States for more than three decades. It’s because the lion’s share of bodybuilding competitors and fans live in this country. So why ask a competitor to fly across the Atlantic, or across the Pacific, or even farther away around the world? It doesn’t make any sense. Therefore, I am a big proponent of having the contest here in the United States. And what’s crazy is most of the competitors would probably agree with me. The reigning Masters Mr Olympia Dorian Haywood – I know for a fact – agrees with me because he has said so publicly!

The Masters Olympia has 10 divisions of masters physique-based athletes. It brings out a who’s who of the competition and they also in turn bring their fans. This includes their significant others, their families, and their friends. Most people are willing to fly somewhere in the continental United States to support their favorite bodybuilder, but who’s going to fly to Romania or Japan? Who has that kind of money? Not to mention the fact that that is a very time-consuming trip. You can’t just fly from Cleveland or Dallas to Romania or to Japan for a weekend. I mean you’re talking about the kind of trip that most people need a week or two in order to make. Who the hell is going to take two weeks off from work and day-to-day life to go watch a bodybuilding show? It almost seems like putting it in any of those distant locations is setting the contest up for failure from the get-go.

I understand that a lot of this has to do with business and finding the right investor, but my hope is that those that are in the driver’s seat at the Olympia seriously consider having the 2027 Masters Olympia in the United States. It’s about time that masters competitors can compete in the country in which most masters competitors live. But what say you? Should the Masters Olympia be in Nepal next year or Guyana or Mozambique? Or should it be in New Jersey or Texas, or South Florida?

As always, I hope you enjoyed reading my article here at IronMag. I look forward to reading your feedback in the comments. Please be sure to copy and paste a link to this article on all your social media feeds. It’s bound to generate lively conversation.

Author Bio:

Christian I. Duque is the owner of StrengthAddicts.com, a physique and strength website founded in 2008. He has worked for a number of bodybuilding websites, including RX Muscle and Muscular Development. Christian has written nearly 1,000 published articles for IronMag Blog, as well as articles for StrengthAddicts, RX Muscle, and others. By day, he is also a licensed attorney practicing in the areas of family law, immigration, and criminal defense.