He may have been blessed with huge potential, but Shawn Rhoden’s journey panned out harder than most.
Shawn’s potential was quickly established when he took first place in his debut competition, one that he simply entered on a whim. By his seventh competition, he had earned his pro card. And in just his second IFBB Professional competition, he managed to qualify for the Mr Olympia, where he almost managed to crack the top 10.
But although, his bodybuilding career may have seemed like a breeze from the outside, Shawn Rhoden’s life was never short of misfortune. During his career, he had to overcome multiple “career-ending” injuries, the tragic loss of his father, his biggest fan, which resulted in years caught in the throes of a drinking addiction as well as an abyss of depression and a long hiatus from bodybuilding.
But like champions do, Shawn overcame these hurdles and returned to the stage to prove to himself and all his critics that, indeed, he can achieve greatness. It wasn’t long before he returned to his physical peak and got back to competing with the world’s best bodybuilders.
The Beginning
Shawn “Flexatron” Rhoden was born in Jamaica in 1975 and grew up in the Caribbean nation with a mother and three brothers. His father worked in Washington, D.C. and frequently travelled between the United States and Jamaica in an effort to balance work and family.
Growing up in Jamaica, Shawn spent most of his early years on a soccer pitch. He dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player stating in an interview by Flex: “In Jamaica, I had never even seen a dumbbell,” he says, laughing. “I wanted to be the next Pele, the next Maradona. [Football] was the only sport I knew.”
Though this ambition soon changed 1990’s. At that time, his father had his fill of travelling back and forth. As a result, he decided to move the family to Washington D.C where his children could receive a better education and the whole family would have access to more opportunity.
In the beginning, when Rhoden settled in D.C., he continued to play soccer religiously throughout high school while also picking up competitive swimming along the way; mind you, he excelled in both. By the latter end of high school, Shawn still had little idea what bodybuilding was. This all changed when his cousin, John Lancaster, introduced him to weightlifting at 17 years old. Soon enough, Shawn saw the undeniable perks and began bodybuilding to complement soccer and swimming during the summer between his junior and senior years.
At first, Shawn disliked weightlifting. His first session resulted in his entire body aching the next day. He states “The next morning, I woke up and everything hurt.” The pain was so intense that it discouraged him from returning. But with persistence, his cousin persuaded him to continue training and that it would eventually get easier.
It was John once again who convinced Shawn to join his first teenage bodybuilding show. At the time, he was still a scrawny boy of 153 lbs, with little impressive on his physique apart from a ripped set of abs, and yet to his surprise, he won the competition. The win prompted him to enter more shows, and once again to his shock, he kept on winning.
In 1992, cousin John introduced Shawn to Yohnnie Shambourger, an experienced bodybuilder with three top-five Masters Olympia to his credit. Yohnnie instantly saw Rhoden’s potential and decided to become Shawn’s mentor teaching him everything he had learned during his career. Yohnnie went on to train Shawn for many years, and it wasn’t long before Shawn realized how much he enjoyed bodybuilding.
“[Bodybuilding] gives me a rush. Other sports are about teamwork, but bodybuilding, you get exactly as much out of it as you put into it.”
Trials in His Early Career
Despite his early triumphs, success did not come easy for Shawn. In 1993, he severely injured his right hand by cutting 9 tendons. The doctors advised him against bodybuilding, telling him he may never again have the hand flexibility to write or use a hammer, let alone lift weights. Shawn, however, was determined to pursue his career and worked hard to prove the doctors wrong. Thanks to his perseverance, the strength in his right hand returned allowing him to triumph in the Natural Eastern Classic competition held in New Jersey 14 months later.
Yet, the fates still wouldn’t grace him with their presence. In 1996, Shawn faced another challenge: a crippling back injury received while squatting over 500 lbs, once again putting his bodybuilding career in jeopardy. But similar to the first injury, Shawn persisted through rehab and returned back to the stage to take 2nd place at the Mid Atlantic Natural Bodybuilding Championship.
Soon after, Shawn managed to secure top 3 in one bodybuilding competition after another. He placed second in the 1999 Jantana Classics Light Heavyweight Division, third place in the same division of the NPC Team Universe Championships the same year, and second in the same competition two years later. He also won second place at the IFBB North American Bodybuilding Championship in 2001.
With a rapid rise in the bodybuilding world, in 2002 Shawn determined that the next year, 2003, would be the year he established himself as an IFBB pro. But before the year ended, while on the cusp of achieving his dream, a horrific setback occurred. His father was diagnosed with lung cancer and bravely lost the fight mere months later.
“Everything is everything, everything is 50/50 – what you put into it is what you get out of it.” – Shawn Rhoden’s Dad’s last message.
Shawn’s dad had been his biggest fan. His dad went to every competition he ever had, cheering him on and recording his son on a VHS tape to share with his friends. After his father passed, Shawn’s life began spiralling downwards toward depression and a need to resort to alcohol on a daily basis.
Soon after, Shawn gave up his promising bodybuilding career and switched to working with a flooring company designing kitchens. His drinking habits never slowed. In the interview with Flex he states, “In the span of six to eight months, I drank more alcohol than most people drink their entire lives.”
Eventually, Rhoden’s heavy binge drinking landed him in the hospital with liver, kidney, and urinary tract infection. After that incident, Shawn had a brain snap. He wanted to change his life and with the help of his friend, Leonore Caroll, he did. Shawn slowly but surely he overcame his drinking and pulled himself out of the abyss of long-term depression.
Returning to the Stage
In 2009, six years after his father’s tragic death, Shawn was pushed by another cousin, Mark Forrester, to come backstage at a bodybuilding show and help him prepare some of his clients.
While backstage, Shawn looked around and thought, “I could beat these guys. Give me a couple of months, and I could beat them.” This was undeniably a bold statement, considering he hadn’t bothered to lift a dumbbell for seven odd years, but with a only little push from his cousin Lancaster, the man responsible for introducing Shawn to bodybuilding in the first place and a motivational trip at the Arnold Classic in 2009, Shawn decided to do one more show at Team Universe, the last show he had been successful in, a mere eight months away.
From the outside looking in it was a seemingly impossible task to rebuild his body to the point where he could win a bodybuilding show. But this never phased him. Shawn was patient, taking it one day at a time. He relearned the habits he had developed in the past, and with hard-work, intensity and a significant amount of muscle memory, Shawn Rhoden did the impossible.
In fact, he did so well he made a last-minute decision to enter the North American Championships instead of waiting for Team Universe. To his surprise, and not to mention that of everyone else looking on, he won the heavyweight overall championship title finally earning his IFBB Pro card.
The Professional Career
In order to prepare for his first pro show, the Eurpoa Supershow, Shawn took one year off and targeted all his efforts towards sculpting his body. When the results came out he placed a disastrous 16th. Although this may seem quite low, especially to Shawn, to many this was an impressive feat considering how long he had been away from the sport and that this was his first Pro bodybuilding show.
Shawn used his disappointment as fuel to work harder. With the help of Dave Kalick, who implemented a nutritional program for Shawn, one year later, in 2011, Shawn returned to the same competition and took 3rd place. This placement earned him the opportunity to compete against the world’s top heavy weights at the Mr Olympia.
Determined to win, he worked even harder and earned 11th place at his Olympia debut, establishing himself as one of the world’s top professional bodybuilders. This achivement quickly got the attention of sponsors and landed him a contract with QNT USA.
In 2012, Shawn focused on revamping his training and diet. He solicited support from his manager, Oscar Gan, and signed on Chris Aceto to formulate a game plan. With their help, he won the IFBB Dallas Europa Supershow and achieved 3rd place at Mr. Olympia. Then he went on to win the British Grand Prix and Arnold Classic in Madrid. Unfortunately, he ended the year with a (disappointing according to Shawn) 2nd place finish at the Prague Pro.
In 2013, Shawn took on a number of commitments for his sponsor and began travelling around the world while securing 4th place at that year’s Olympia. The next year, 2014, Shawn placed second at the Arnold’s and earned another 3rd place finish at the Mr Olympia.
Currently Shawn is on the verge of achieving the ultimate bodybuilding goal, winning the Mr Olympia. There is no denying he is an amazing bodybuilder, but his undeterred fighting spirit and work ethic are the most impressive traits he brings to the sport.
Whether he wins the Mr Olympia or not, Shawn “Flexatron” Rhoden is already a champion. And his message to everyone is:
“To not give up on your dreams, however impossible they may seem. Dream to Believe.”
Competition History
1999 NPC Team Universe Championships – 3rd
2000 NPC Team Universe Championships – 4th
2001 NPC Team Universe Championships – 2nd
2009 NPC Delware Open Bodybuilding – 1st
2009 IFBB North American Championships – 1st (Pro)
2010 IFBB Dallas Europa Super Show – 16th
2011 IFBB Dallas Europa Super Show – 3rd
2011 Mr Olympia – 11th
2012 IFBB Flex Pro – 4th
2012 Arnold Classic – 8th
2012 NPC Dexter Jackson Classic – NP
2012 IFBB PBW Tampa Pro – 1st
2012 IFBB Dallas Europa Supershow – 1st
2012 Mr Olympia – 3rd
2012 IFBB Aarnold Classic Europe – 1st
2012 IFBB British Grand Prix – 1st
2012 IFBB EVL’s Prague Pro – 2nd
2013 Mr Olympia – 4th
2013 IFBB Arnold Classic Europe – 4th
2014 IFBB Arnold Classic – 2nd
2014 IFBB Australian Pro – 1st
2014 Mr Olympia – 3rd
2014 IFBB Arnold Classic Europe – 2nd
2014 Dubai Pro – 2nd
2014 EVL’s Prague Pro – 3rd
2014 IFBB San Marino Pro – 1st
* This list may not reflect all bodybuilding shows this athlete has participated in.
The post The Return And Rise Of The Flexatron: Shawn Rhoden’s Journey To The Olympia appeared first on No Time Wheysted.