Geschatte leestijd: 11 minutenKai Greene is to many bodybuilders what Miyamoto Musashi is to many Japanese. “Who?” Musashi the legendary samurai and folk hero who devoted his entire life to the art of sword fighting. Physically, mentally, and spiritually, everything was subordinate to his goal of becoming Japan’s finest swordsman.
Kai Greene
This 100% dedication with body and mind to the do, the life path that must lead to your ultimate goal in life, is what attracts thousands of bodybuilders worldwide to Kai Greene. When you see Kai on the subway on the way to the gym with a book about anatomy in his hands and hear him philosophize with that calm, subdued voice, he reminds you of a monk, or the traveling student warriors who traveled through Japan with a sword, stick, and knapsack to perfect their martial arts. When you then see the sensational, unique posing routines he puts on stages and contrast it with the calm, introverted man you see during a workout or interviews, you know you’re dealing with a remarkable individual.
Biography of Kai Greene
Kai tells about his journey to becoming a professional bodybuilder on his Facebook page and website. Below is a free translation of this with some adjustments and additions from other sources.
Kai Greene was born on July 12, 1975, in Brooklyn, New York. He was placed out of home at the age of 6 due to a problematic home situation and lived during his childhood in various foster homes and shelters. In his own words, it was this environment that he tried to escape through weight training.
School wasn’t going well for him. His grades were lagging, and something needed to be done to prevent Kai from facing the future of an average black young man from a broken family in Brooklyn. He had an interest in visual arts and managed to combine it with building his body as a work of art. However, this wasn’t enough for his school results. A teacher who noticed Kai’s rapid physical growth pointed him towards the possibility of participating in a bodybuilding competition for teenagers. Comparing himself with others motivated him so much that, according to Kai, it caused the behavioral change that prevented him from disappearing into the depressing statistics of ghetto youth.
In this period, as Kai won many titles, his confidence grew until he once came in second and decided to disappear into the background for a while to achieve an unprecedented increase in muscle mass. He was introduced to 5th Avenue Gym, a small gym in a basement in Brooklyn where, according to Kai, the most impressive natural bodybuilders in the world trained. Here, he gained the initial knowledge that he would later need to compete against the greatest on stage. He became a professional for a naturals organization (bodybuilders who do not use steroids) before his 19th birthday, making him the youngest professional natural bodybuilder in the world.
He won everything within that organization and wanted to raise the bar in the summer of 1997 by becoming a professional for the IFBB, the worldwide bodybuilding association. However, he first had to qualify through their amateur organization, the NPC.
Within the NPC, he achieved varying success. As a natural, he wanted to win the Team Universe and obtain his pro card by then winning the Amateur World Championship. This failed twice until he won the heavyweight division and the overall title at the Team Universe in 1999 and was invited to the Amateur World Championship in Bratislava, Slovakia. Here, he placed 6th (he himself claims to have finished 4th, but this seems inaccurate). Despite this tremendous achievement, he was disappointed. He took another break to fully focus on building his body during this time.
Listening to critics made him doubt himself. He went back to school and resumed his passion for visual arts. He continued to train hard, but only for his own peace of mind.
In 2004, he was informed that winning the NPC Team Universe at that time also qualified as a professional qualification for the IFBB. Although he had been out of the competition circuit for 5 years, he decided to win the Team Universe title again and thus become a pro for the IFBB. He won both the heavyweight and overall classes by unanimous decision and finally turned professional.
In recent years, Kai has had only one goal: to win the Mr. Olympia! In 2011, he finished third behind Phil Heath and Jay Cutler.
2012 and 2013 will be known for the Mr. Olympia competition as a battle between Kai Greene and Phil Heath. Both times it was an exciting battle, but it was Phil who took home the Sandow trophy while Kai placed second.
Kai Greene in the Cast of Stranger Things 2
Kai Greene has a role in the second season of the series Stranger Things, now available on Netflix. Don’t worry, this piece contains hardly any spoilers.
‘Funshine’
It’s not like I needed any more reason to watch the second season of Stranger Things. I was pleasantly surprised this weekend that the entire season can be watched all at once instead of that nonsense of getting one episode per week. The surprise was much greater when in the opening scene a group of disguised individuals flees from the police in a van. Once in the van and stripped of the masks they wore, we see that multiple Arnold Classic winner Kai Greene is part of the group. If you still have doubts at the first second you see him, you get confirmation at the second second you see him.
However, the van disappears, literally, and with it, Kai’s role. For the time being, at least, because in episode 7 he has a larger role and we also get a name for his role; “Funshine”. If you’re wondering why he’s named after a Care Bear, it’s probably to underscore his gentle character in the series. And because it’s funny to name one of the most muscular people on earth after a Care Bear.
Compared to the story as a whole, Kai’s contribution is limited. Yet it’s nice to see him in this role. Yes, undoubtedly he was chosen partly because of his size. But Kai has been seriously focusing on acting for a while now. The acting lessons instead of an Olympia prep seem to be paying off. Kai’s acting is certainly much better than Arnold Schwarzenegger’s in his early roles (if you want to laugh, search on Youtube for ‘Hercules in New York’). Also much better than Dennis Wolf in his audition that we could see in Generation Iron (part 1). Okay, maybe that doesn’t say much.
Prior to this, I had only heard of Kai’s role in a Chinese action movie. That seemed mainly a case of type casting, Kai as a sort of final boss to be defeated by the hero. With his role in Stranger Things, small as it may be, Kai shows he can do more than that.
Bodybuilders Acting vs. Actors Building Their Bodies
I really hope he can make further strides with his acting. Hollywood has learned a lot from bodybuilders by now, and actors (with the right genes) don’t need to have had a life as a bodybuilder behind them at all. A few months of intensive personal training, a strict diet borrowed from bodybuilding competition prep, and some chemical help. It turns out to be enough for a physique that impresses most. So it’s tough to compete with pretty boys who have been acting since they were five and have taken a crash course in ‘building a six-pack’. Personally, I’m not very impressed with those quick-cook bodybuilders. So it would be great to see someone on screen again who shows what a truly impressive physique is. As far as I’m concerned, anyway.
Kai Greene and Posing
“The guest appearances where Kai Greene poses in extravagant clothing are ridiculous and do not belong on the bodybuilding stage.” According to Musclesportmag.com, which is supported by Shawn Ray and several fans.
Criticism of Kai Greene
That bodybuilding is a judged sport and that the jury consists of anyone with an opinion has been repeatedly evident in recent weeks. Last week, I wrote about the dispute between Phil Heath and Arnold Schwarzenegger about what the ideal bodybuilder should look like.
That same week, Musclesportmag.com criticized a guest appearance by Kai Greene at the Toronto Pro 2015.
We are going to come right out and say it instead of beating around the bush. Kai Greene‘s guest posing routine at the IFBB Toronto Pro was ridiculous and something that should not have been performed at a bodybuilding show. The Predator’s flamboyant outfit was plain and simply going too far….
This is supposed to be bodybuilding, not a follies version of “Magic Mike.”
“Kai wouldn’t need SM-like costumes at all.” “Wearing such phallic symbols has no place on a bodybuilding stage,” according to Musclesportmag.
Well-known bodybuilder and competition organizer Shawn Ray agrees, as evidenced by his reaction on the Muscular Development forum:
Promoters need to put a Stop to “Props” at Guest Posings. This is not what people Pay to see. It doesn’t justify the “Sadomasicistic” posing out fits unfit for kids and families to watch one of the sports elite & best built Pro’s
Later, he goes on to compare covering a bodybuilder’s body to a face model wearing a burqa.
If I could make a rough division of supporters and opponents of Kai’s performance, we mainly see “old school” fans opposed to him, while fans of the newer generation mainly support him. Although I consider myself an old school fan, I still support Kai.
“Give the people bread and circuses”
Firstly, from a commercial perspective. It’s like Phil Heath said in the discussion about bodybuilders being too big: The audience determines the success of the sport, and the audience has only grown. You can say, “Those new fans don’t understand anything,” but that doesn’t change the fact that the sport largely depends on them. It’s a bit like public broadcasters versus commercial networks. Do you impose a certain, self-chosen standard at the risk of losing viewers, or do you simply give people what they want even if you’re ashamed of the lack of quality?
Personally, I tend to think it’s wise to give the people what they want. It’s the fans who buy the supplements from companies that sponsor bodybuilders. It’s the fans who buy the magazines that feature bodybuilders, making them interesting for sponsors. Without the fans, there’s no sport, at least not in this form and size.
Times are changing, people’s attention spans are getting shorter while the offerings are increasing. We no longer have to wait for that monthly issue of a magazine from the U.S. to see a few bodybuilders who managed to get media attention. We see them every day on social media. It’s only logical that you try to distinguish yourself from the rest to stand out a little, no matter how good your physique is. Kai has a huge number of fans because of his character and appearance, and precisely because he is different. For the same reason, there are countless bodybuilding fans who can’t stand him.
Guest Appearance by Kai Greene
Ever been to a bodybuilding competition? It’s fantastic and incredibly fun to see people on stage who have worked incredibly hard for it. But after five hours of seeing one front double biceps after another, boredom can eventually creep in. Everything eventually gets boring, even the most enjoyable and beautiful things. Why else would you have hundreds of different categories on porn sites?
Last year at the Enercup, I found the guest appearances to be a welcome change. In one case, the bodybuilder giving the guest appearance wasn’t necessarily bigger than the competitors, but he distinguished himself through the artistry of his performance.
Kai wears these kinds of costumes during guest appearances when people have been watching mandatory poses all day. I think the controversy mainly arises here because, precisely due to his striking appearance, his performance often dominates the day and its media coverage. If you’ve had more than a hundred athletes on stage and it’s Kai, in his SM costume, who appears in the local media, that’s not necessarily representative of your event. On the other hand, a promoter is unlikely to complain about getting media attention. Moreover, you can assume that a promoter knows who they’re bringing in with Kai. So apparently, they have no problem inviting him.
Shawn Ray argues that bodybuilders should let promoters know in advance what their performance will look like so that the promoter isn’t surprised. However, if as a promoter you’re still surprised when Kai enters the stage in such an outfit, then you’ve been living under a rock on Mars for the last five years.
Kai the Artist
Formally, the free posing round during competitions is not scored and can unofficially only influence when the differences between candidates are so small that the audience’s preference influences the jury. This has been the case since 2009 when the IFBB announced new rules [2]. Kai has since been mentioned as one of the bodybuilders who still bothers to prepare a posing routine despite this. Perhaps too much effort, as complaints suggest.
Anyone who knows Kai a bit knows that he has an artistic background, and I think it’s that background that makes him still bother to prepare his routine when others don’t find it interesting. That might also be the reason he might be going a bit overboard with it. But isn’t it characteristic of a true artist not to be understood by his contemporaries?
As a photographer, I pretend to be able to somewhat understand his artistic considerations. If you ask me as a photographer what I prefer to shoot; a standard routine of mandatory poses or a routine like Kai’s including clothing and props, then I know! But then again, I find a provocatively dressed model more interesting than a nude one.
Live and Let Pose
Shawn wasn’t finished yet:
Your a Bodybuilder so just freaking do a posing routine showing off your Body not all the crazy Costume, Masks and BS that actually take away from what you worked your ass off to display.
This statement evokes conflicting feelings in me. You could also say to Beyoncé: “You’re a singer, stop with those sexy videos and stick to radio instead of TV and YouTube. After all, it’s about your voice!” Viewed in that light, I find Shawn’s argument nonsense. Her appearance, dance, and whole show add value, making the fans appreciate her singing even more.
On the other hand, one might wonder if anyone would have heard of Lady Gaga if she couldn’t rely on her adventures in styling*. In that regard, however, I think Kai has long proven that he can sing, so why is it so disturbing if he does it in a meat dress? “Live and let pose,” I say.
Is Kai Greene Gay?
Again, who cares if he’s gay. The reason I still want to say something about it is partly because it’s said that he will never win the Mr. Olympia because of this, and partly because it’s assumed for the wrong reasons that he is homosexual. Where does this story come from then? Google images of “Kai Greene grapefruit.” What you’ll see is a number of photos of Kai Greene poking a hole in a grapefruit with his finger and then putting his private parts in it. Besides that, you’ll see a couple of photos of Kai that you could, like the “grapefruit incident,” classify as homoerotic because generally (I assume) more gay men view such images than women.
Even aside from the fact that he could have chosen a watermelon instead to avoid reinforcing the image of bodybuilders with small genitalia, these kinds of images, in my opinion, say nothing about his sexual orientation and much more about his financial situation at the time. Kai is a street kid who never had it easy. He had no parents, but only himself to be accountable to. Add to that ingredients like a mega-muscled body and a porn industry where deviant sizes always find an audience (“muscle worship”), and you have the recipe for heterosexual bodybuilders appearing in homoerotic films or doing gay-themed photoshoots. Besides, heterosexuals can also have homosexual sex for financial reasons and it’s also a matter of taste.
Schwarzenegger also took nude photos, but of such a nature that most people would describe it more as artistic, while the conscious photos of Kai have a high Chippendale content. By no means a reason to immediately label the man as gay. However, it was also by no means smart for someone who wants to become the absolute number one in the ultimate poster-boy sport in a battle that has to be fought in the US.
How much does Kai Greene earn?
Not enough as far as I’m concerned when I wrote this article in 2012. Many people appreciate Kai’s Spartan mindset. Especially when you see him in the subway from basement apartment to basement gym and then compare him to, for example, Ronnie Coleman, who has 5 cars parked outside his detached house. This raised the question at the time whether he chose this sober lifestyle or whether he had no other financial options. Bodybuilding is not a goldmine. Guests who really make good money from bodybuilding have often won the Mr. Olympia once or several times and have been at the top for years, thus receiving nice sponsorship deals. However, it’s not like football where the entire world top lives in luxury.
So by estimation, Kai had won a few hundred thousand in prize money until July 2012. However, half of this until 2011 went to his former mentor, mentor, and training partner Oscar Ardon. Another large portion went to the taxman. If you then look at the costs of food, steroids (although often paid by sponsors), accommodation, travel expenses, etc., he wouldn’t even be able to make ends meet.
Thanks to his contract with supplement manufacturer MuscleMeds, the magazine Flex, and the many invitations for guest appearances, he still had something left, but not much. His sponsorship contract seemed much less lucrative than that of, for example, Phil Heath (even before he won the Mr. Olympia!).
However, in recent years, his personal finances are said to have improved due to winning larger titles and the contract with Flex. In 2013, Kai was able to buy a new home (reportedly worth $700,000) and a nice truck, so he will be doing financially better. Not surprising considering he has been seen as the only one for three years or more who can beat the current world number one.
In Generation Iron, he took the filmmakers to his old apartment in Brooklyn to continue showing the Spartan image.
Personal Details and Stats:
Name: Kai Greene
Date of Birth: July 12, 1976
Height: 1.76m
Competition Weight: 113kg
Off-season Weight: 127kg
Residence: Brooklyn, New York
Kai Greene’s Bodybuilding Career
- Shawn Ray Colorado Pro/Am Classic 2007 — 1st
- New York Pro 2008 — 1st
- Arnold Classic 2008 — 3rd
- Australian Pro Grand Prix 2009 – 1st
- Arnold Classic 2009 — 1st
- Mr Olympia 2009 — 4th
- Australian Pro Grand Prix 2010 – 1st
- Arnold Classic 2010 — 1st
- Mr Olympia 2010 — 7th
- New York Pro Show 2011 – 1st
- Mr Olympia 2011 — 3rd
- Sheru Classic 2011 – 3rd
- Mr Olympia 2012 — 2nd
- Sheru Classic 2012 — 2nd
Kai Greene – A Day in the Life
In the documentary A Day in the Life, by Flex Magazine, you see how Kai leads his daily life and what moves and motivates him.
