On Episode 288 of The Menace Podcast, host Dennis James was joined by Chris Cormier and Hadi Choopan’s newest coach, Milos Sarcev. During the show, the man they call ‘The Mind’ provided some insight into how his client could hit the jackpot in Las Vegas at the 2026 Mr. Olympia final.
Hadi Choopan is making a comeback to the world of bodybuilding and is hoping to repeat his 2022 Mr Olympia victory by earning a second trophy at this year’s event. From 2023 to 2025, The Persian Wolf has come a close second, meaning that Choopan has trained successfully for years. To that end, Milos Sarcev explained that he would need to allow the Iranian to continue down his own path, while influencing certain factors that could make all the difference.
Milos Sarceb Reveal Key Changes That Could Win Mr. Olympia 2026
“Hadi loves carbs,” explained Sarcev, noting that most bodybuilding observers would assume that the Iranian must be on a constant regime of super-low carbohydrates to achieve the kind of conditioning that he hits on stage. Despite his love of carbs, The Mind also disclosed that Choopan doesn’t tend to add high amounts of cardio to his routine. Choopan has consistently treaded the competitive boards with a phenomenal physique, however, and so Sarcev has no desire to mess with the formula. The coach recalled that while he was working with Samson Dauda, Sarcev always felt that Choopan’s conditioning was the benchmark to shoot for.
At the 2024 Mr Olympia final, Dauda beat Choopan to take the title, but Sarcev said that there was just one point in it. “It’s that close,” he explained. The Mind also reflected that Choopan has placed higher than the current Mr Olympia, Derek Lunsford, meaning that he has a solid chance of victory in Sin City.
“(Hadi) is most feared for the reason of bringing that conditioning,” explained Sarcev. “And now, me as a coach, I’m gonna tell him, do your own thing, pretty much, you know?” Sarcev also illuded that even under Hany Rambod, Choopan likely trained mostly the way that he’d already been doing in previous years. Still, Sarcev does have a strategy to make some important changes.
What Is Milos Sarcev’s Plan for Hadi Choopan at Mr. Olympia 2026?
“I want to bring up those legs a little bit,” shared the coach. “I want to bring up, a little bit, chest.” But when it comes to his back, Sarcev says that Choopan is already where he needs to be. “I’m telling him: ‘You don’t need bigger, thicker, wider back,” he shared. “You just need ‘defined.’”
To dial into the detail of Choopan’s back, Sarcev says he is suggesting the movements that make the most of the “squeeze,” or muscle contraction. “You have, you know, a pull down, pull up move, you have a rowing move, you have a pullover, you have a deadlift.” With 17 weeks to go until bodybuilding’s most prestigious event, fans and critics are excited to see what the team of Hadi Choopan and Milos Sarcev can bring to the stage.
The Persian Wolf will get that chance to win his second Mr Olympia title between September 25 and 27, 2026, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. For more information, click here!
To watch episode 288 of The Menace Podcast in full and catch up on the latest bodybuilding news, see below.
