Bodybuilder Hunter Labrada has attacked his latest prep from all angles as he aims to earn his right to compete at the Mr. Olympia competition. In a recent interview with Hany Rambod shared on August 14, 2024, Hunter Labrada opened up on his plan for the season before discussing how his training, nutrition, and supplementation have changed since last year.
Instead of drinking most of his meals throughout the off-season, Hunter Labrada has made notable strides in the kitchen to ensure he brings his best physique possible in his next contest appearance. From incorporating more whole foods to focusing on a healthy gut microbiome, the Open star doesn’t want anything to hold him back from success as an IFBB Pro League star.
Hunter Labrada took sixth place at the 2023 Mr. Olympia show. However, he has yet to qualify for this year’s gathering but hopes to change that in just a few weeks. Labrada announced that he’s competing overseas in the 2024 Promuscle Italy Pro. And if he does pull off the victory, he hopes to carry that momentum into Las Vegas, Nevada for the organization’s 60th anniversary event.
Having displayed next-level mass while guest posing ahead of his next show, many fans believe we could see the best Hunter Labrada ever when he’s back on stage. The clock is ticking. With just a few more weeks until battling for his Olympia qualification, Labrada broke down his progress and outlook with bodybuilding coach Hany Rambod.
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Hunter Labrada Talks Nutrition Changes, Discusses PEDs That Cause Anxiety & Qualifying for Olympia in 2024
First and foremost, Labrada mentioned that he’s treating his next show like its the Mr. Olympia because without winning it, he won’t earn passage to the sport’s biggest event of the year.
“I have to qualify. I’m not qualified. So, Italy, go in there, and I’m not saying this just to say it, yeah, I know the Olympia is happening, but Italy is my Olympia right now. Plain and simple. There is no Olympia without Italy. That’s where the focus is right now.”
Although he doesn’t care for backup plans, Labrada mentioned the possibility of competing at the UK Pro if his Italy obligation doesn’t go well.
“I hate that word [backup plan] but there is one more qualifying show the following weekend in the UK. The UK Pro I think,” says Labrada. “Ben and I talked about that the other day. If they come out and the prize money is impressive and we’re already over there, yeah, it might be something to think about.”
“Outside of that, and it’s definitely a game-time decision with my body because the money is not worth a placing to me at the Olympia. I got goals this year for the Olympia. Winning another show before that, if it’s going to impact that, I’m not interested.”
According to the Men’s Open Pro, modifying his nutrition and gut health has been key to improving ahead of his next contest.
“The difference between last year and this year is I fixed my gut health. You know all of us Open Bodybuilders out there right, we’ve been pounding six meals a day for a decade right? It caught up to me,” shares Labrada.
He says his training, nutrition, and supplementation are all ‘upwards’ of 90 percent,’ which helped him carve out a more impressive physique.
“I’m not trying to pat myself on the back but for my training, my nutrition, and my supplementation to all be upwards of the 90 percents we were talking about, I feel like that was the biggest difference.
We’re removing that log book because it wasn’t giving me any extra percentages, if anything it was impacting my recovery negatively and impacting my mental status. It got to the point where two days before legs I’m like oh fuck I got to hack squat 12 plates a side.”
Labrada admits that certain performance-enhancing drugs can cause increased anxiety and implores athletes to find which compounds work best for them.
“First, I feel like people read what they see on the internet and then parrot it and put it into their heads that that’s what they feel. More than anything else, I do feel that way. That being said, there are some compounds in bodybuilding where increased anxiety is a hallmark of them.
That’s on you to see how your body reacts to it. What makes one person a psychopath another person can handle completely fine. It comes down to seeing what works for your body,” he shared.
If Hunter Labrada is successful in his bid to secure an Olympia qualification, he’ll have a stacked lineup of threats to deal with on stage. In addition to Derek Lunsford, Hadi Choopan, and Samson Dauda, Labrada will have to overpower 2024 New York Pro winner Nick Walker as well as three-time Texas Pro titleholder Andrew Jacked.
After Jacked showed up in Texas with more size and etched conditioning, many in the sport, including his coach Chris Aceto and judge Terrick El Guindy believe he stands a solid shot at bringing home the sport’s most coveted title.
Labrada has proven that he has the mass, Classic lines, and muscle separation to stand against the best. Should he take home gold in Italy on September 8, he’ll have the confidence and momentum needed to shake up the Open Bodybuilding lineup slated to battle this October.
RELATED: Lee Labrada & Hunter Labrada Share What To Eat for Pre-Workout Nutrition: “Keep It Simple”
Watch the full video from the Hany Rambod YouTube channel below:
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