on episode 288 The Menace Podcast, Host Dennis James is joined by Chris Cormier and Hadi Chupan’s latest coach Milos Sarcev. During the show, the man they call ‘The Mind’ provided some insight into how his client could win the jackpot at the 2026 Mr. Olympia finals in Las Vegas.
Hadi Chupan is returning to the world of bodybuilding and is hoping to repeat his 2022 Mr. Olympia win by earning a second trophy at this year’s event. From 2023 to 2025, the Persian Wolf has dropped to second place, meaning Chupan has trained successfully for years. To that end, Milos Sarčev explained that he would have to allow the Iranians to proceed on their own path while influencing a few factors that could make all the difference.
Milos Sarseb reveals key changes that could make him win Mr. Olympia 2026
“Hadi loves carbs,” Sarasev explained, adding that most bodybuilding observers would assume that the Iranian must be on a constant diet of super-low carbohydrates to achieve the kind of conditioning he gets on stage. Despite his love for carbs, The Mind also revealed that Chupan does not incorporate a high amount of cardio into his routine. However, Chupan has consistently graced competitive boards with an amazing physique, and so Saracev has no desire to mess with the formula. The coach recalled that when he was working with Samson Dauda, Sarasev always felt that Chupan’s conditioning was the benchmark for shooting.
In the 2024 Mr. Olympia finals, Dauda defeated Chupan to win the title, but Sarasev said it was only worth one point. “It’s so close,” he explained. The Mind also reflected that Chupan placed above the current Mr. Olympia, Derek Lunsford, meaning he has a solid chance of victory in Sin City.
“(Hadi) is the most intimidating because of the conditioning he brings,” Saracev explained. “And now, as a coach, I would tell him, do your own thing, pretty much, you know?” Saracev also pointed out that even under Hany Rambaud, Chupan probably trained mostly in the same way as he had already been doing in previous years. Still, Sarsev has a strategy to make some important changes.
What plans does Milos Sarcev have for Hadi Chupan at Mr. Olympia 2026?
“I want to get those legs up a little bit,” the coach shared. “I want to bring up, a little bit, chest.” But when it comes to his back, Saracev says Chupan is already where he needs to be. “I’m telling her: ‘You don’t need a big, fat, wide back,'” he shared. “You just need to ‘define’.”
To get into detail about chupan back, Saracev says he’s suggesting activities that make the most use of “squeezing” or contraction of the muscles. “You know, you have the pull down, pull up move, you have the rowing move, you have the pullover, you have the deadlift.” With 17 weeks left until bodybuilding’s most prestigious event, fans and critics are excited to see what the team of Hadi Chupan and Milos Sarcev can bring to the stage.
The Persian Wolf will get a chance to win his second Mr. Olympia title at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas from September 25 to 27, 2026. Click here for more information!
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