Baena took home the gold in the classic physique section at the 2026 INBA Iron Gladiator competition — his second ever as a rising bodybuilding star.

Joseph Baena wins second bodybuilding competition a week after debuting in dad Arnold Schwarzenegger’s footsteps

Baena took home the gold in the classic physique section at the 2026 INBA Iron Gladiator competition — his second ever as a rising bodybuilding star.

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

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April 5, 2026 6:34 p.m. ET

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Joseph Baena celebrates at the INBA Iron Gladiator Classic Physique competition in Corona, Calif., April 4. Credit:

Joseph Baena/Instagram

- Joseph Baena has won his second bodybuilding competition, after competing in and winning his first gold medal at the NPC Natural Colorado State Championships last weekend.

- Arnold Schwarzenegger's youngest son won the Classic Physique contest at the INBA Iron Gladiator competition in Corona, Calif., on Saturday.

- "Your new INBA Iron Gladiator Classic Physique Champion!" Baena wrote in a social media post celebrating his winning streak.

Joseph Baena's grand debut on the bodybuilding circuit just got grander.

A week after winning three titles at the NPC Natural Colorado State Championships, his first-ever bodybuilding competition, the youngest son of Arnold Schwarzenegger has added a flashy new medal to his budding collection.

Baena's second competition as a rising star in the bodybuilding world as resulted in another gold. He won the Classic Physique contest at the INBA Iron Gladiator competition in Corona, Calif. on Saturday.

"Your new INBA Iron Gladiator Classic Physique Champion!" Baena wrote in an Instagram post celebrating his victory, accompanied by several photos and videos of him posing on stage with a sword and gladiator-style helmet.

The 28-year-old athlete, whom Schwarzenegger shares with Mildred Patricia Baena, opened up about his "fitness journey" in a video shared to the INBA's official Instagram account on Saturday, before he won Classic Physique.

"I started swimming and lost a lot of the fat. It wasn't until my junior year of college, so about 10 years ago, or eight years ago, that I started lifting weights and fell in love with bodybuilding," he shared. "I fell in love with the sport and even watching, but this year with the overthinking and being afraid, it [was] time to commit and do a show."

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In his bodybuilding debut at the annual NPC Natural, Baena took home three titles: Men's Open Bodybuilding Heavy Weight Class champion, Classic Physique True Novice champion, and Classic Physique Novice champion. He also took home the silver medal in the Classic Physique Open Class C show.

The official account for Schwarzenegger's Arnold Sports Festival, another annual bodybuilder and strongman competition, reacted enthusiastically to Baena's post about his first win. It was no different on Saturday, when the account commented "Yes! Congratulations 💪👏" on Baena's post celebrating the INBA victory.

Joseph Baena and Arnold Schwarzenegger at the 'Fubar' season 2 premiere in Los Angeles.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Though Schwarzenegger did not attend either competition (he's been busy receiving an honorary doctorate from the U.K.'s Ulster University and attending the Arnold Classic U.K. competition, among other things), he did help his son prepare for his first big bodybuilding outings.

On March 24, the *Terminator *star and former governor of California was seen encouraging Baena while he pumped iron at the iconic Gold's Gym in Venice, Calif.

"You have to shock the muscles!" Baena wrote in the caption of a post sharing photos of Schwarzenegger's assist, a sweet homage to a fitness philosophy that's become a Schwarzenegger mantra.

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