Joseph Baena is continuing to follow Arnold Schwarzenegger’s path through bodybuilding, and his professional debut produced a top-five result. The 29-year-old son of the former action star placed fifth in the Classic Physique Open category, as reported [1] by Page Six.
The competition marked Baena’s Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association pro debut on Friday. His fifth-place finish added another achievement to his first year of competing.
Baena displayed his highly toned physique during the competition in El Segundo, California. Wearing only black underwear, he moved through a series of poses while appearing before the judges.
He later shared footage from the event with his followers on Instagram. Baena captioned the video, “First look at my posing routine from the PNBA World Cup .”
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The routine was set to music connected to a celebrated Western. Baena identified the song as “The Trio” from the 1966 Clint Eastwood classic “The Good The Bad & The Ugly” by Italian composer Ennio Morricone.
On Saturday, Baena posted another video reflecting on the competition and praising the “fantastic” event. His response made clear that the fifth place finish was a meaningful result in a year filled with bodybuilding milestones.
“I’m extremely proud of myself,” he said of placing fifth. “This is my first year competing.”
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Baena also explained that the experience gave him a clearer idea of his next steps. “I achieved the goal I sought out for, ” he added. “I know what I need to improve. I know what it takes to get better now.”
His competition run followed training sessions with Schwarzenegger earlier in the year. In March, Baena shared photographs from the gym with his father and captioned them, “You have to shock the muscles!”
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That same month, Baena won his first bodybuilding competition. He secured first place in multiple categories at the NPC Natural Colorado State competition, establishing a winning start to his first year onstage.
His victories there included the Men’s Open Bodybuilding Heavy Weight Class. He also took first place in the Men’s Classic Physique True Novice and Men’s Classic Physique Novice categories.
Baena followed that performance with another victory the next month. He came in first place at the International Natural Bodybuilding Association’s Iron Gladiator competition in Corona, California.
Those earlier wins led into his Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association appearance in El Segundo. Although he did not win the Classic Physique Open category, his fifth place finish fulfilled the goal he had set for his pro debut.
Schwarzenegger, 79, built his own celebrated record in bodybuilding. He won seven Mr. Olympia titles and five Mr. Universe titles before becoming known as an action star.
Schwarzenegger shares Baena with his former housekeeper, Mildred Baena. He also has four children with his ex wife, Maria Shriver: sons Patrick, 33, and Christopher, 29, along with daughters Katherine, 36, and Christina, 35.
In May 2023, a source who knows Schwarzenegger told Page Six that the actor and Baena “are very close.” The source also said Schwarzenegger’s children with Shriver do not have much of a relationship with their half sibling.
“But, to be honest, the other kids don’t love Joe,” the source said. “It’s a shame as he’s a really good kid, and Arnold has always treated him like all his other kids — very fairly. But for whatever reason, the other kids take [the affair] out on Joe.”