Under Pressure

My Reflections on Finishing Seventh at the Mr. Olympia— and What I Will Do to Break Into the Top Five.

- Nathan De Asha

 

- THIS WAS MY SECOND

Olympia, and it felt totally different from my first. Last year, nobody cared about me. I was unknown, so I could just enjoy it. This time there was pressure. Some people were rooting for me to do well; others wanted to see me fail. I had done a guest spot in Northern Ireland a few weeks earlier, and a few people told me I wasn’t in shape and was too far behind. I also put pressure on myself to do better.

When I arrived in Las Vegas, I was pleased with my progress. I had made the gains I wanted in my quads, hams, and back. People noticed them. Coming into the show, I was dry—but I wanted to bring that full look because it was the Olympia, where size counts.