IFBB Men’s Open division bodybuilder Hunter Labrada’s Olympia journey has been a whirlwind. His debut at the most prestigious bodybuilding competition in 2020 culminated in an eighth-place finish. He followed with a remarkable leap to fourth at the 2021 Mr. Olympia. While 2022 saw him slip to seventh, he ascended to sixth in 2023.
Labrada took an extended off-season after the 2024 Olympia to address areas for improvement. He will compete at the 2024 Italy Pro on Sept. 8, 2024, to qualify for his fifth-consecutive Olympia showdown should he secure gold.
In a podcast with coach Hany Rambod, Labrada shared insights into his training and diet adjustments during the off-season to achieve peak condition for the 2024 Italy Pro.
Labrada intends to streamline the 2025 competitive season, aiming to compete in multiple shows within a condensed 20-week period. He believes this strategy will maximize his success and lay a strong foundation for the upcoming year.
Last year, we were in prep for 35 to 35 weeks; my body doesn’t like it.
[Related: How Bodybuilders Lee Labrada & Rich Gaspari Build Muscle After 60]
Nutrition Changes
Labrada disclosed his diagnosis of leaky gut syndrome, candida overgrowth, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) during his 2023 Olympia prep. To address these issues, he adopted a low-FODMAP diet for three months. FODMAPs — fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols — are carbohydrates that can be challenging to digest. Individuals with digestive problems often find relief by reducing their intake of these specific carbohydrates.
Labrada highlights that this new nutrition strategy yielded the most remarkable transformation in his physique for the 2024 season.
The difference between this year and last is that I fixed my gut health.
The 32-year-old Labrada underscores the pivotal role of eliminating garlic and onions from his diet in his physique transformation. He attributes this change to directly addressing the bacteria responsible for his SIBO and leaky gut syndrome.
Labrada improves his gut health by taking Revive GI+ (a gut health supplement), apple cider vinegar, psyllium husk, lemon juice, and 20 grams of glutamine.
“I have done this every morning since the Olympia…that’s made a world of difference in healing the intestinal lining and setting my stomach,” said Labrada.
Training Change
Labrada shared that instead of focusing on achieving specific weight and repetition targets for each exercise, he prioritizes training through his full range of motion.
“At the end of the day, we are not powerlifters…it’s all about how we look on stage, which is a byproduct of how well we contract the muscle during an exercise,” Labrada explained.
Should Labrada fall short at the 2024 Italy Pro, the UK Pro on Sept. 14-15, 2024, is his final opportunity to qualify for the 2024 Olympia before the Sept. 15 deadline.
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Featured image: @hunterlabrada on Instagram
