NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal looks to be in better shape than the 3x Finals MVP was during his twilight seasons in the league, when injuries sapped his power. Now Shaq 2.0 is hitting the gym hard and delighting fans who love the new dedication. (It’s nice to think how his former teammate, the late great Kobe Bryant , would have loved this version of Dedicated Diesel!)
Shaq is enjoying showing off his honed and toned physique these days, and he is striking some serious Mr. Olympia poses to drive home the point that he’s doing the full circuit, not just working out the vanity muscles of choice.
Check out Shaq below and then compare the Big Fella with another fan of pumping iron.
For comparison that’s the world’s most famous bodybuilder — and movie star and former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger — striking plenty of his own Mr. Olympia poses. (Schwarzenegger, dubbed “The Austrian Oak”, won seven Mr. Olympia titles.)
Shaq has a bodybuilding role model in Schwarzenegger. It’s not the first time Shaq has followed Schwarzenegger’s footsteps either, though it’s worth noting that Arnold’s movie career has gone a little bit better than Shaq’s so far. (See: Kazaam.) Clearly the two have a lot in common: two large men of giant ambition and giant fame who both hit their stride when they arrived in Los Angeles. Who wins the flex-off? Remember, Shaq is just getting started…
