Sergio Oliva – The Myth!
Sergio Oliva – The Myth and the focus of the second article in my Olympia Series! It’s a 2-parter, with Part 1 covering Sergio’s history, rivalry with Joe and Ben Weider, and featuring an early routine he used to prepare for his first Mr. Olympia contest. We’ll also look at his rivalry with Arnold. In Part 2, we’ll look at one of his more famous routines along with nutrition and supplement tips. Are you ready? Then let’s jump right in!
The Olympia Series – Sergio Oliva – The Myth – A Quick Recap
| Category | Core Strategy | Execution |
| The Routines | P.H.A. Bob Gadja Routine6-Day Training Split | Performed several circuits (or sequences) of 5 exercises.Workout on Days 1, 2, 3, repeat, rest on Day 7. |
| Set and Reps | Size | Oliva used reps ranging from 5 to 15 and heavy weight.He used higher reps on calves and up to 200 on abs, he also used supersets. |
| Intensity Technique | Heavy Weight, Supersets | Oliva used 200 lbs on curls, increased sets of squats 100 lbs at a time. |
| Tempo | Continuous Tension, Partial Reps | Oliva had joint problems so he relied on short reps, seldom performing a full rep. |
| Nutrition | High Calories | He worked a physically demanding job & trained for 2 hours, which demanded a high amount of calories. |
Sergio Oliva – The Myth and a 3-Time Mr. Olympia
3-Time Mr. Olympia Sergio Oliva – The Myth – was born in Guantanamo, Cuba, where he began his Olympic weightlifting career as a teenager.
Reports claim he was able to clean and jerk 300 lbs (some reports claim as much as 400) early in his training when he was a teenager. This apparently caught the attention of the Cuban government, who recruited him to compete in the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games which were held in Jamaica. However, Oliva had a strong desire to escape from the stranglehold of the communist Cuban government.
That desire led Oliva and 65 other Cuban nationals (including everyone on his weightlifting team) to make an escape from their sleeping quarters in the middle of the night. They went straight to the American Embassy. This was a bold move that led to Oliva being given political asylum. From that fearless escape, he ended up living in Chicago where he started a new chapter in his life.
He began working odd jobs as well as a repairman to make ends meet. And he continued training. By 1966, Oliva was working long hours at a grueling job at a foundry, and training at the Duncan YMCA alongside Bob Gajda (the 1966 AAU Mr. America). Gajda heavily influenced Oliva’s training by introducing Sergio to his unique Peripheral Heart Action (P.H.A.) training (more on this soon).
By this time, Oliva had entered and won several bodybuilding contests. He entered his first Mr. Olympia in 1966, placing 4th. In 1967, he returned to the Mr. Olympia stage and won his first title. He would go on to win it two more times (68 and 69, handing Arnold a rare defeat).
Among other things, Sergio was known for his small waist (it measured just 27 inches) and his insane arms, which measured 22.5″. One look at some of his arm poses, and you will understand why he is called The Myth.
Sergio Olvia, The IFBB, and Joe Weider
Sergio was no stranger to controversy and ultimately had numerous issues with the IFBB and both Joe Weider and his brother Ben. For those who may not know, Joe and Ben pretty much controlled bodybuilding back then. Joe through his “Weider Principles”, magazines, and supplements, plus the fact he would bring new talent into the IFBB. Ben controlled the competition end as head of the IFBB.
For example, Oliva claimed the AAU (American Athletic Union) was racist when he competed in the Mr. America. While he won the “Most Muscular” award, he didn’t win first place. He believed it was because he wasn’t “American enough.”
Sergio also had a major falling out with IFBB and Joe and Ben Weider. This was again because he believed they favored other lifters, namely Arnold. While he competed into the 80’s in both the IFBB and other federations, he never won the Mr. Olympia again, and he believed this was due to Weider’s influence. As a side note, he came in second to Arnold in the 70 and 72 Olympias, and then in 8th in the 84 and 85 Olympias.
Sergio and Arnold
Arnold has often talked about the first time he saw Sergio. It was at Arnold’s first Mr. Olympia contest in 1969. Sergio was already a 2-time winner and he was going for a third title. Oliva played mind-games with Arnold backstage before the contest, hiding his physique inside a long butcher’s coat. He kept calling Arnold “baby”. He took off his coat, hit a pose and said “Take a look at this, baby!” He had Arnold beat before they ever hit the stage.
That would be Sergio’s last Mr. O victory. As noted, he lost twice to Arnold (1970, and 1972). Arnold played some of the same mind games Sergio played on him – and they may have inched the wins in Arnold’s favor. For example, in 1970, he convinced Sergio he was ready to end the posedown and suggested leaving the stage, but when Sergio began to walk off, Arnold stayed and hit more poses. That made it seem like Sergio had given up while Arnold kept fighting. Despite all that, they had a mutual respect for each other. (1, 2)
Sergio Oliva’s Unique Training Style
Oliva had hyperflexible elbows and knees, meaning his elbow and knee joints could move well beyond the normal range of motion. This allowed him to stimulate more muscle by training through greater ranges of motion than an average lifter could do. Yet his joints were regularly overstretched, ending in joint strain.
According to Bob Gajda (his training partner in 1966), “he couldn’t lock out lifts because his elbows would dislocate or his knees would bend backward”. This forced Oliva away from weightlifting to focus on pure bodybuilding, and it also led to the use of partial reps, which became a trademark of his approach to training.
He developed this approach to avoid excessive stretching on his joints. He would limit his range of motion, sometimes performing only quarter reps. For example, he would lower his curls only until his forearms were parallel and stop there. Sometimes, he would do several quarter-range reps and then at the end of the set perform a single full rep.
He was also known for long yet fast paced workouts, often going as long as 2 hours. Oliva believed, as did many bodybuilders of that era (as well as many of today’s bodybuilders), in chasing the pump. His form could be called loose as he kept continuous tension on his target muscles while doing his best to spare his connective tissues.
Sergio’s Training Routines
If you do a search, you will see the same routine listed in numerous articles, and yes, it’s an important routine that I will cover. However, it was a routine Sergio did later in his career, after his Mr. Olympia wins. If you do a deeper search, you can find examples of a “P.H.A.” routine he did with Bod Gadja in preparation for his first Mr. Olympia contest in 1966. This is one of the routines that helped put him on the map.
What Is P.H.A.?
P.H.A., or Peripheral Heart Action, is basically a form of high-intensity circuit training designed to keep blood circulating rapidly across the entire body, thereby promoting whole-body pumps and optimizing your work capacity. (3)
How Does Peripheral Heart Action Training Promote Muscle Mass?
Besides promoting massive whole-body pumps, this approach promotes mass gains in two ways:
1. Mechanical Tension
The force exerted on your muscle fibers during a contraction.
2. Increased Endurance
You can train hard for a longer period of time.
Example Of The 1966 Oliva/Gajda P.H.A. Circuit System
This is an example of a P.H.A. workout Oliva and Gadja might have done. Unlike modern splits, they performed continuous “sequences” (circuits) targeting different muscle groups. These exercises are to be done one after another with zero rest between exercises (like “Giant Sets”). They would only rest for 1–2 minutes after completing a full sequence, repeating each sequence 4 to 5 times before moving to the next group of exercises.
Sequence 1: The Total-Body Primer
Repeat 4 to 5 times continuously before moving to Sequence 2.
- Olympic Clean and Jerk High Pulls — 5–8 reps
- Incline Barbell Bench Press — 8–10 reps
- Standing Calf Raises — 15–20 reps
- Weighted Abdominal Sit-ups — 20–30 reps
- Wide-Grip Chin-ups — 10–12 reps
Sequence 2: The Upper/Lower Shift
Repeat 4 to 5 times continuously before moving to Sequence 3.
- Flat Barbell Bench Press — 8 reps
- Barbell Back Squats — 10–12 reps (Kept moderately heavy but fast)
- Behind-the-Neck Lat Pulldowns — 10 reps
- Standing Military Press — 8–10 reps
- Hanging Leg Raises — 15 reps
Sequence 3: The Arm & Finishing Sequence
Repeat 4 times continuously.
- Standing Barbell Curls — 8–10 reps
- Parallel Bar Dips — 12–15 reps
- Bent-Over Barbell Rows — 8 reps
- Triceps Cable Pushdowns — 12 reps
- Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raises
— 10–12 reps
Of course, the weight you can use will be limited. In this case, it’s not about heavy weight.
An Example Of Oliva’s 6 Day Split
Now we move on to one of Sergio Oliva’s more famous routines, and it was inspired by none other than Arthur Jones, the founder of Nautilus machines. Arthur Jones used a style of training that would become known as HIT, or high-intensity training. Of course, the most famous proponent of HIT training was Mike Mentzer.
For me, the following routine would not be considered HIT in any sense. However, it does have similarities, such as performing exercises until complete muscle failure. Still, it’s a long way from the HIT style promoted by guys like Mentzer and Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates.
Sergio’s 6-Day Split Schedule
- Monday – Chest & Chin-Ups
- Tuesday – Shoulders & Arms
- Wednesday – Abs, Legs & Calves
- Thursday – Chest, Back & Shoulders
- Friday – Arms & Back
- Saturday – Abs & Legs
- Sunday – Complete Rest
Summary
That’s Part 1 of the second edition of the Olympia Series – Sergio Oliva – The Myth and a 3-time title holder. In this article, we looked at two very different routines that Sergio did during his bodybuilding career. In Part 2, I will cover a better known routine (The Routine!), plus cover nutritional and supplement tips. So jump to Part 2 and get going – but first, stop by illpumpyouup.com and check us out!
References:
- Arnold: Education of a Bodybuilder, p.97-107.
- https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/remembering-bodybuilding-legend-myth-sergio-oliva/
- https://physicalculturestudy.com/2018/01/22/bob-gajdas-peripheral-heart-action-pha-training/
By Jim Brewster