During Episode 272 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis James welcomed Chris Cormier, Milos Sarcev, and a special guest, John Hansen. The veteran bodybuilder shared the significant adjustments he implemented in his training regimen as an older competitor to secure a prestigious Masters trophy in his age category.
Who Is John Hansen?
John Hansen embarked on his bodybuilding journey back in 1979, achieving remarkable success by claiming first place at the Natural Olympia competitions in both 1998 and 2012. In more recent developments, he earned his IFBB Pro card in 2025 by dominating the overall winner position in the Masters 60+ division at the Masters National Championships. Now, at the impressive age of 62, Hansen is gearing up to compete in professional shows, demonstrating that age is no barrier to excellence in the sport.
Hansen arrived at his July 19 victory looking exceptionally pumped and sharply defined. He revealed that he had strategically participated in three contests in rapid succession, with the prior events occurring on June 28 and July 4. “I competed in three shows consecutively, which allowed me to truly peak for the final one,” Hansen noted. Given his long history as a competitive bodybuilder starting from his teenage years, the podcast panel was eager to explore how his current training and preparation strategies differ now that he has crossed the 60-year milestone.
How Bodybuilding Prep Changes With Age
“Reflecting on your extensive competitive history, how does your preparation process today compare to what it was like 25 years ago? What key differences have you had to adopt?” inquired The Menace.
Hansen responded thoughtfully, “In my younger days, I always focused on bulking up substantially during the off-season.” He emphasized that as one ages, this approach becomes impractical. “When you’re older, aggressively bulking is no longer viable because the metabolic and physiological strain it imposes on the body outweighs any potential benefits.” Instead, he opted to maintain a lean physique year-round. Following his return to the competitive stage in 2024 after an eight-year hiatus, Hansen consistently kept himself in prime condition. “This continuity made prepping for the 2025 contests much smoother since I was already quite lean to begin with,” he explained.
Because he was nearly stage-ready about two to three weeks prior to his 2025 events, the peaking phase was far less demanding. “At that point, it’s mainly about filling out the muscles through targeted depletion and carb-loading techniques,” Hansen continued. “However, bulking heavily just doesn’t yield the same results as you age. Back when I was younger and started out quite skinny, bulking was essential to build the necessary mass. I’d pack on size in the off-season and then cut down for shows. But nowadays, that strategy simply doesn’t work effectively anymore.”
Beyond his triumphs on stage, Hansen has expanded his contributions to the bodybuilding community with the release of his latest book, Bodybuilding History: The 1970s, offering valuable insights into the sport’s evolution during that transformative decade.
