The pressure on Arnold Schwarzenegger's son was immense heading into his bodybuilding debut. However, Joseph Baena lived up to the hype and then some at the NPC Natural Colorado State competition.

He officially participated in not one but three different categories at the natural bodybuilding contest on March 28. A day after the win, he posted "Mission Accomplished!" on Instagram.

The post had a carousel of images from the show, and Joseph Baena revealed where he placed in the different divisions.

• 1st at the Men’s Open Bodybuilding Heavy Weight Class
• 1st at Men’s Classic Physique True Novice
• 1st at Men’s Classic Physique Novice
• 2nd at Men’s Classic Physique Open Class C.

The bodybuilding community, including legends of the sport, responded to Baena's milestone in the comments. Phil Heath, who is tied with Arnold Schwarzenegger at seven Mr. Olympia wins, praised Baena, writing: “So awesome!!! Congratulations”.

Victor Martinez and the 2026 Arnold Classic Winner, Wisley Vissers, also congratulated Baena.

Joseph Baena's bodybuilding debut came at 28, exactly 10 years after his father's older than his father was when he won his first major contest.

The Austrian Oak won the 1965 Junior Mr. Europe at 18, just after leaving the Austrian Army. By the time he was 20, Arnie was already Mr. Universe. Then again, Baena's journey to glory hasn't been an easy one.

Joseph Baena once struggled with weight management

Over the years, the actor pursued his dream after years of struggling with body image issues. On July 18, 2025, Baena admitted that he wasn't fit or ripped in his teens.

“People sometimes forget that I used to be chubby in high school. I got cut from my basketball and soccer teams because I couldn’t keep up with the other kids," said Joseph Baena.

Swimming helped, and without the pressure of rejection, he was able to throw himself into it. It also helped him build confidence, stamina, and discipline. He also added that he had tried many sports since then.

Now, after his successful natural bodybuilding debut, the question is when or if the 28-year-old will compete again.

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi