Kai Greene

For the soccer player, see Kai Greene (soccer).
Kai Greene
— Bodybuilder —

Greene at the 2009 IFBB Australia
Personal info
Nickname Mr. Getting It Done
The Predator
Born (1975-07-12) July 12, 1975
Brooklyn, New York, United States
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight 250–285 lbs (on-season)
290–310lbs (off-season)
Professional career
Pro-debut IFBB New York Pro, 2005
Best win Arnold Classic, 2009–2010 and 2016
Active Yes

Leslie Kai Greene[1] (born July 12, 1975), known professionally as Kai Greene or Kai L. Greene, is an American IFBB professional bodybuilder, personal trainer, artist, and actor. His most recent victory was the 2016 Arnold Classic. He came in 2nd place at the 2012, 2013, and 2014 Mr. Olympia competitions.

Early life

Greene was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. From the age of six, he was raised in foster care and residential treatment center placements.[2] According to his online biography, his rapid physical growth and development drew the attention of his seventh grade English teacher, and since his behavior in school was troublesome, he was introduced to teenage bodybuilding competitions.

Bodybuilding career

NPC

Greene became an enthusiastic bodybuilder, competing in the National Physique Committee (NPC) and aiming to move into the IFBB. He perceives his success in the NPC as mixed. Although he won the 1999 NPC Team Universe, he was disappointed and took a five-year break from competitions, before re-emerging in the 2004 NPC Team Universe contest, which he won again.[3] This victory qualified him for a career as an IFBB professional bodybuilder.

New York Pro & Mr. Olympia

In 2011, Greene began working with preparation coach George Farah and placed first in the 2011 New York Pro Championship. Greene's third place win at Mr. Olympia in 2011 qualified him for the 2012 contest in Las Vegas, so he did not compete at the 2012 New York Pro in order to focus on Mr. Olympia.

On September 29, 2012, he placed 2nd in the 2012 Mr. Olympia competition. On September 28, 2013, he again placed 2nd in the 2013 Mr. Olympia and again on September 20, 2014 for the 2014 Mr. Olympia competition in Las Vegas.[4]

He did not compete in the 2015 Olympia due to unknown circumstances. Per a statement he made, "There is a lot more going on behind the scenes, that I cannot discuss." Olympia officials denied any claims that he was banned from competing; they did, however, confirm that he did not register and was reminded several times since May. Greene did request an extension on the registration period in May, it was extended till July. He did not make this deadline either.[5]

On March 5, 2016, Greene won the 2016 Arnold Classic.

Documentaries

In 2009, Greene worked with director Mike Pulcinella to release Overkill which documented his preparation for his first appearance at the 2009 Olympia. In 2010, he teamed up with Pulcinella again to film the sequel Redemption, showcasing his training and philosophies for the 2010 Arnold Classic, which he won for the second year in a row. He features in the 2013 film Generation Iron, detailing the lead up to and events of the 2012 Mr. Olympia competition.

Sponsors and endorsements

Greene was sponsored by Flex. He launched his own supplement brand, Dynamik Muscle, in 2015. In May 2016 Greene launched his own training program called "The 5P".[6] The name is an acronym for Greene's motto: "Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance".[7]

Podcast

In November 2015, Greene and fitness model Krystal Lavenne began co-hosting a weekly podcast titled Generation Iron, in which they discuss various topics while answering questions sent in by fans.[8][9]

Technique

Greene has often discussed the "mind-muscle connection". In an article published by Flex as part of his Top Ten Big Back Principles, he explained, "The mind-muscle connection is the number one factor in training. You develop it over time by posing your muscle, and also by paying close attention to how your muscles feel when you work them. Eventually, you get to where your mind can read the feedback your muscles are providing, and your muscles can react to the stimulus your mind is providing. Practice posing between sets or anytime. And feel your muscles working throughout your sets. Eventually, your mind and muscles will speak the same language and communicate back and forth."[10]

Acting career

In November 2016, Greene travelled to the Chinese province of Guizhou to start filming for the martial arts film Crazy Fist, scheduled for release in 2018. Greene will play a villain who fights the protagonist in an arena during the film's opening sequence.[11]

Personal life

Greene is an avid artist who often creates self-portraits to help himself build and maintain his ideal physique.[12][13] In August 2011, he exhibited some of his work to the public; at the exhibition, he stated, "As a professional bodybuilder, I'm a master sculptor. The art show made me realize that I've always been an artist: my medium the human physique. My life is what I make it, just like the art I've produced on canvas and on stage. This art show makes this statement. I'm celebrating some personal accomplishments and my own artistic expression."[14]

A fetish video of Greene having sex with a grapefruit, produced by the gay-for-pay website MuscleHunks during Greene's early career, surfaced online in 2008.[15] Though Greene came from poverty and took the job to fund his bodybuilding career, it has often been cited as a potential reason for Greene never winning the Mr. Olympia contest, despite some bodybuilding fans believing him to be the rightful winner.[16][17] There is a widespread belief among bodybuilding fans that Greene will never win the contest due to its organizers distancing themselves from such acts to preserve their public image.[18][19]

Contest history

References

  1. ↑ Pinnacle Sports Media & Entertainment, Inc. v Greene. justia.com
  2. ↑ I AM MORE than an ARTIST. officialkaigreene.com
  3. ↑ "2004 NPC Team Universe Results". Bodybuilding.com. Bodybuilding.com. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  4. ↑ Norton, Layne (August 21, 2015) 2014 Olympia Weekend: Mr. Olympia Final Results. bodybuilding.com
  5. ↑ Kai Greene: Bodybuilder Banned From Mr. Olympia Competition, Could Lead To Major Rift In The Sport. Inquisitr.com. Retrieved on May 11, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Kai Greene Launches The 5P's Training and Diet Program". Ectomorph Bodybuilding | Skinny Yoked. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Kaigreene". the5p.com. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
  8. ↑ Audio « Play.It. .play.it. Retrieved on May 11, 2016.
  9. ↑ Podcast With Kai Greene: Listen to the Premiere Now!. Generation Iron. Retrieved on May 11, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Kai's 10 Big Back Principles | www.flexonline.com". americanmediainc.com. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
  11. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BM-T1kSBYN-/
  12. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-MzQGKwhXY
  13. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA9k5TvzPRw
  14. ↑ http://www.flexonline.com/general-news/art-kai-greene
  15. ↑ http://musclehunks.com/kai_greene.html - WARNING: PORNOGRAPHY
  16. ↑ http://bodybuilderinthailand.com/kai-greene-grapefruit/
  17. ↑ http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121372271
  18. ↑ http://thoughtcatalog.com/alfred-macdonald/2014/12/if-you-wouldnt-fck-a-grapefruit-for-money-i-dont-know-whats-wrong-with-you/
  19. ↑ http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=7266521
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