Bodybuilder Logan Franklin ‘cried for three days’ after withdrawing from Olympia 2022 outlines 2023 return

Franklin is ready to move forward after his challenging decision.

Before the start of the annual Olympia, there is often a small spate of last-minute surprise withdrawals. One of the bodybuilders who surprisingly pulled out of the 2022 iteration was Classic Physique competitor Logan “The Texas Oak” Franklin. Perhaps best known for his Men’s Physique wins at the 2020 New York Pro and 2018 Tampa Pro, Franklin seemed like he was trying to build on a ninth-place finish at the 2020 Olympia. Instead, the athlete, disappointingly, had to step down from his potential second-place shot at the highest title in bodybuilding.

On January 31, 2023, Franklin discussed during an interview with Muscular Development the aftermath of his difficult decision to withdraw from the 2022 Olympics. While the athlete didn’t specifically disclose why he decided not to compete, he claimed he was already ready to move forward and try to make 2023 another productive year in his career.

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After coming close to the finish line for a full year of competition, Franklin shared that he was understandably shocked by his decision. Being so close to a high-profile sporting endeavor but ultimately not participating in it could be difficult for any competitive personality.

It made Franklin quite emotional.

“It was shit. The whole ordeal was very disappointing.” Franklin said. “After that, I cried for three days. I couldn’t stop crying just all the work that went into it when I think of the value of a whole year. … Putting all that work and effort into developing a routine that I was very excited to present and how I felt about my progress before the show. I was very disappointed and had to make this decision. But we have to make very difficult decisions to move forward in life.”

In the face of much murmuring about who might compete in the upcoming 2023 Arnold Classic, Franklin clarified that his next competitive appearance won’t be in Columbus, OH. It appears to be too quick a turnaround from his recent ventures that would not allow him to recover enough as he pleases.

“The Arnold [Classic] it’s just too close, I need to take a break,” Franklin explained. “Actually, I’ve only trained four times in the last five to six weeks. Going to the Arnold just wasn’t an option for me. After a full long year, I need to allow my body to rest. I’m not one of those guys who just do show after show and do it for years. This is how you let your body run down and eventually fall off. I want longevity.”

What lies ahead in the long term, Franklin noted he will now coach himself during his everyday training for the time being. He had previously worked with experienced coaches such as Miloš Šarčev. Franklin stated that he will be “backing on himself” on this journey as he works towards his return to competition at Texas Pro 2023 on August 19, 2023 in Irving, TX. For this Texas native, who came just short of the title of said competition in 2021, there may be no better place to show his hard work and bulk again.

It seems just the first step in his big ambitions this year.

“I plan to win that [2023] Texas Pro,” Franklin said. “It’s right here, not my hometown, but my home state, in Dallas. I lost that show by a point in 2021 so going back there and getting some redemption would be a good show. The [2023] Olympia will be 11 weeks after the Texas Pro and then I’ll do that [2023] Hawaii Pro on November 20th. It’s going to be two weeks after the Olympia, so basically all I can do is prepare for those three shows and knock them out, bam-bam.”

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Some athletes may need more time to recalibrate and figure out what’s next after they put their career plans on hold. This is because such decisions usually carry a lot of weight and can weigh on the mind. For Franklin, it looks like he’s already breaking down what happened sanely and is now ready to shine on stage once again.

Featured image: @logan_franklin on Instagram

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