Kai Greene facts for kids

Leslie Kai Greene (born July 12, 1975) is an American professional bodybuilder, actor, and artist. He is known by nicknames like "The Predator" and "The People’s Champ". Kai Greene is famous for his strong leg muscles and his artistic posing routines.

He finished second in the Mr. Olympia competition three times (2012, 2013, and 2014). He also won the Arnold Classic competition in 2009, 2010, and 2016. Kai Greene had a well-known rivalry with fellow bodybuilder Phil Heath. Many people consider him one of the best bodybuilders who never won the Mr. Olympia title. He has not competed since 2016, but he never officially said he was retiring.

Early life of Kai Greene

Kai Greene was born in Brooklyn, New York City, on July 12, 1975. From the age of six, he grew up in foster care and special homes in Brooklyn. His teachers noticed how quickly his body grew and developed. Because he sometimes had trouble in school, his seventh-grade English teacher encouraged him to try teenage bodybuilding. This helped him use his energy in a positive way.

Kai Greene's Bodybuilding Career

Starting Out in Bodybuilding

Kai Greene started bodybuilding full-time while working at a gym in New York. He began training seriously in 1996. He competed in the National Physique Committee (NPC) with the goal of joining the IFBB. He won the NPC Team Universe competition in 1999. After a break, he won it again in 2004, which allowed him to join the IFBB. In 2011, he won the New York Pro Championship.

Competing in Mr. Olympia

Kai Greene placed third at the 2011 Mr. Olympia competition. This allowed him to compete in the 2012 competition. He then finished second at Mr. Olympia in 2012, 2013, and 2014. Each time, he placed behind Phil Heath. Their competition was very popular. In 2014, their rivalry became famous for their intense moments on stage.

Kai Greene did not compete in the 2015 Mr. Olympia. Later, in a documentary, he explained why. He said he had started his own supplement company. This caused problems with his contract with the company that ran Mr. Olympia. Because of these contract issues, he was not able to sign up for the 2015 competition.

He won the 2016 Arnold Classic, which he had also won in 2009 and 2010. Kai Greene has not competed in bodybuilding since then. He was offered a special chance to compete in the 2017 Mr. Olympia without having to qualify, but he turned it down.

Bodybuilding Documentaries

Kai Greene has been featured in several documentaries.

• Overkill (2010) showed his training for his first Mr. Olympia in 2009.
• Redemption (2010) followed his training for the 2010 Arnold Classic.
• He also starred in Generation Iron (2013), which focused on the 2012 Mr. Olympia.
• He appeared in the sequels Generation Iron 2 (2017) and Generation Iron 3 (2018).
• Kai (2022) is his own documentary, telling his life story.

Training Technique

Kai Greene often talks about the "mind-muscle connection." He explained that this is the most important part of training. You build it by posing your muscles and paying attention to how they feel when you work them. Over time, your mind and muscles learn to communicate. He suggests practicing posing between sets. This helps your mind and muscles work together better.

Sponsors and Endorsements

Kai Greene has worked with several companies. He launched his own supplement brand called Dynamik Muscle in 2015. In 2016, he started a training program called The 5P. The name comes from his motto: "Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance." He is also sponsored by the sportswear company Ryderwear. They have created special clothing and shoes with his name. In 2020, he signed a deal with REDCON1, a sports supplement and clothing company.

Other Work by Kai Greene

Fashion Influence

Kai Greene's style has influenced fitness fashion. He helped make the hoodie popular for workouts. The hoodie became a symbol of his brand and ideas. His Kai Greene RWXKG Fleece Hoodie, especially in red, is a well-known item.

Acting Roles

In January 2017, Kai Greene signed with an acting agency. He played a character named Funshine in the second season of the Netflix sci-fi series Stranger Things (2017). He also appeared in the Indian action-thriller film Pogaru (2021).

Artistic Pursuits

Kai Greene is also an artist. He often creates self-portraits. He believes this helps him build his ideal body. In 2011, he showed some of his artwork to the public. He said that as a bodybuilder, he is like a sculptor. His body is his art medium. He sees his life and his art as creations he makes himself.

Podcasting

In November 2015, Kai Greene started co-hosting the Generation Iron podcast. He discussed different topics and answered fan questions. He later left this podcast. In October 2020, he began hosting his own podcast called Getting It Done.

Other Ventures

In 2021, Kai Greene became the face of a gaming cryptocurrency called Grapefruit Supercoin.

Contest history

See also

In Spanish: Kai Greene para niños