Jake Wood was a bodybuilding fan long before he became the owner of Olympia

Many bodybuilding and fitness fans know Jake Wood as the owner of the Olympia. Thanks to the efforts of Wood and his team, Olympia has reached new levels of prestige, size and prominence. Jake Wood may be more aware of bodybuilding now, but he was aware of bodybuilding long before he bought the Olympia or even before he started Wings of Strength. He told Dennis James in a recent episode of The Threat Podcast that he got into sports when he played soccer as a teenager.

“I remember when I was 16, I was finally old enough to go to Don Peter’s gym in Reseda, California,” Wood said. "He was a bodybuilder in the 1960s. Popular, classic physique and sometimes a really hard head in the gym. He used to love to yell at me and other people if you didn't put away his weights."

Wood was original Training for football, but he would eventually train for the stage. Not only was he a fan of bodybuilding, he also took part in competitions.

“I did some very local, unsanctioned shows in Oregon in 1983 and 1984,” Wood said. He admitted that he didn't place as well as he wanted. The fact that he is 6 feet 6 inches tall may have been a factor in why he did not pursue this venture further.

"I was never a great bodybuilder. My torso was too long... and I have weird crooked legs," Wood joked. He would eventually stop competing due to family and work commitments.

Jake Wood was a fan of all things bodybuilding, but he is perhaps best associated with the women's side of the sport thanks to his efforts in founding and running Wings of Strength. His first attempt at promoting the division came at the 2009 Tampa Pro, where James actually won the Men's Open Show. Betty Pariso won that Women's bodybuilding competition.

"I've been looking for a way to promote bodybuilding shows for a few years. I didn't know how to do it. I tried talking to a few different people and I couldn't seem to get anywhere," Wood explained. “Then one day I heard about this guy named Tim Gardner, and he apparently needed some help because one of his divisions was canceled, namely Women's Bodybuilding. So I messaged him and he said, 'Yes, you can be a part of it.'"

This opportunity ultimately led to Wood starting his bodybuilding empire, culminating in the 2020 Olympia as well as the return of the original Ms. Olympia competition, bringing women's bodybuilding back to the forefront of the sport.

Wood and James talked about Wood's family business in the aircraft industry, his original weight set that included bowling balls and a bar, and more. This must-see interview is available on Muscle & Fitness YouTube Channel. Subscribe and turn on notifications to see every episode when it premieres each week.