Joseph Baena stepped into bodybuilding just like his father, Arnold Schwarzenegger, making his debut at the 2026 NPC Natural Colorado State Championships on March 28 in Denver. He competed across several divisions and earned three gold medals along with a silver.
Leading up to the event, Baena had hinted at his debut while training with his father, and it did not take long for that moment to arrive. Just days later, he stepped on stage and made an immediate impact, winning the Men’s Open Bodybuilding Heavyweight class, Men’s Classic Physique True Novice, and Men’s Classic Physique Novice. He also secured a second-place finish in the Men’s Classic Physique Open Class C.
There had been some curiosity about which direction Baena would take in bodybuilding, given that his physique suits both the Men’s Open and Classic Physique divisions. His performance at the 2026 NPC Natural Colorado State Championships showed his versatility, as he successfully competed and placed across multiple divisions in his very first outing.
Joseph Baena has previously talked about not wanting to live in his father’s shadow, but Arnold’s legacy is certainly an inspiration to him and many others around the world. On the other hand, Baena is sticking to natural bodybuilding, as he never felt like he needed to use steroids to achieve his physique.
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Related: Joseph Baena Flaunts Shredded Physique Update, Shares Push-Day Training Session
Joseph Baena’s bodybuilding debut got praise from some of the biggest names in the sport, including Phil Heath, Wesley Vissers, Johny Muenster, Hany Rambod, and Lee Priest. For his first show, he brought a very solid physique and showed he has real potential in bodybuilding.
Many people also noticed how much he looks like his father, Arnold Schwarzenegger. He has a balanced physique, and the similarity stood out even more when he hit some of Arnold’s classic poses on stage. Now that he has started competing, it will be interesting to see how far he can go in the sport.
Baena has also shared that he was a bit out of shape in high school, but he slowly changed that as he got more into training. Like his father, he is also working in acting and has appeared in movies and TV shows. So far, he has done a good job managing both his fitness and acting careers at the same time.
Related: Mike O’Hearn and Joseph Baena Train Arms w/ 2-Exercise Routine at Gold’s Gym Venice
The first thing that Joseph Baena did after the 2026 NPC Natural Colorado State Championships was treat himself to a large meal, marking a successful end to his first competitive bodybuilding experience. The community will undoubtedly be watching to see where Joseph Baena goes next, especially if he decides to pursue the sport at a higher level, since he has already established himself as a legitimate competitor with a bright future in the sport.
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