Mr Olympia Expo

This was me & my fiancé’s 2^nd year attending the Mr. Olympia Expo! As always it was exciting, and filled with nothing but good energy from great people! This year was not as good as last years Mr. Olympia Expo, 2014, though. I felt as if they tried to tone it down, the floor wasn’t filled all the way and a lot of great athletes were not here this year, some really good brands also did not attend. Over all the experience is never disappointing! I encourage and recommend attending at least once in your life! it’s a really great experience, definitely.

you go to one fitness convention… you’ve been to them all. its A LOT of the same vendors you see at all the other fit expos except their booths are much bigger and more extravagant. plus you see more pro athletes and influencers in the fitness industry. we got free/​cheap tickets so i cant complain too much.
lots of samples… ugh…i was completely sampled-​out within 30 minutes of being there lol
i’d go again just to make a weekend trip out of it in vegas and see some of my fitness friends whom i dont get to see often.

I attended my first expo in 2007 so I can’t help that my previous attendance plays into this review for 2015. I believe the Expo tickets are $ 30 and parking is $ 10. So is it worth $ 40 a day or $ 50 for a weekend pass plus parking fees. That being said In previous years I would have said yes. But swag, samples and freebies given aren’t what they used to be and I am someone that actually uses product and this should be a great way to test out different product lines and add to my endless supply of lanyards, T-​shirts and shakers. Kidding! Add to that that every vendor wants your email address or proof from your phone that you like them on IG or FB making the lines much longer than they used to be. Another negative is the congestion caused by crowds waiting to see people like DLB, Kai, CT Fletcer, etc. And I’m a fan too but I wish the expo would better separate booths and lines for those appearances so the main aisles aren’t so crowded.
What I do love about the Expo is the ability to buy products from vendors that I would normally only have access to on line. There is usually a discount and of course no shipping cost. This is the place I always renew my yearly subscriptions to my favorite magazines for free and if you’re a shopper of GNC you can score the Gold card at this event for no cost. I also love that you can watch prelims in the back area and the competition events that take place like Kettlebell and Crossfit/​Powerhouse FX type events.

This was my first year checking out Olympia and it was awesome! I’m still a relative newbie to the fitness world since I just got into bodybuilding a little more than a year ago. As such, I only began learning about the various benefits of different supplements and taking them since the beginning of the year.
Since I did just start learning about supplements recently – for me, the samples, discounted products, and information provided by the various nutrition companies was the highlight of the expo. Yes, there is definitely plenty of free swag (see my photos), but there are also tons of great deals on apparel, bottles, supplements, etc. You can also get lots of great information provided by the reps if you talk to the right person. Yes, some are promo models hired just for the event but most work for the companies and/​or are athletes sponsored by the companies and can provide great insight.
On that note, if you’re like me and follow a number of fitness models on instagram for #fitspiration, many of them are athletes or ambassadors sponsored by companies at the expo and therefore will be at the booths of the companies they are sponsored by. Great photo opps and great opportunity to get some advice from your favorite bodybuilders! The ladies I got to meet and snap a photo with were all super friendly and humble.
By the time I found out about the event and decided to go (the Monday before), online ticket sales for the expo were closed so I had to purchase my tickets the day of. The line was pretty long but moved quickly, especially if you bring cash – the cash line to pay for tickets moved significantly faster than the credit card line. I went with my husband and we were charged $ 30 per person, no issues with that.
Overall, it was a fun experience and I will definitely go again!
TIPS:
1) Arrive EARLY. We got there around 10:15 (expo opens at 10 for general admission) and the main lot was already full with a line for tickets wrapping around outside (the line to buy tickets goes all the way upstairs).
2) Bring cash! Especially if you’re buying tickets the day of since the line is significantly shorter as noted. Also, a number of vendors/​most do accept CC but bringing cash will just speed things up for you.
3) Remember to sign up to the free muscle & fitness magazine subscriptions (2 per person) as soon as you get in! Those alone are worth more than your ticket costs!
4) Negotiate! You can usually get them to throw in something for free (protein bottle, tank top, t-​shirt, another product, etc.) or give you a better deal with any/​every purchase you make. The companies are there to promote their brand and products so they expect to give freebies and offer deals.
5) Stay to the end on the 2^nd/​last day if you can and look for last minute deals in the last ½ hour. Since most companies would rather not pack up their product to lug home, they may offer significant discounts. This is also where cash comes in handy yet again since they want to move the remaining product fast and may have packed up their CC machines. A little after 4:30 PM we were able to purchase 2 full size containers of both MRI Co-​H20 and MRI Surge, all for $ 5 each so $ 20 total for 4 full size products + they threw in a bottle of EO2 VMAX + 2 t-​shirts free! (
has EO2 VMAX for $ 28.63, Co-​H20 for $ 32.73, Surge for $ 17.99)

First time attendee and wow, waiting an hour and a half to get in to buy the tickets was insane in the 99 degree heat and direct sun. let us know it’s going to be outdoors so we can bring water. Others attending said they have never waited in the past so that’s too bad. Couldn’t order online and print our own tickets in the week before — why the will call? Have this all prepared ahead of time like a race if we need to wear the wrist bands and have teams ready to pass them out. Confusing inside with so many people in line for the freebies & didn’t get to half the booths. it was hard to walk through AND be able to watch the events. there were just too many people. Not sure what the pole dancing was all about — never saw that at the gym… Lots to do to be better for next year!

Last time visited 10 years ago, had ton of fun!!! This year, I had a free ticket from my gym, so I saved $ 30 entrance fee. Surprised that some folks had to pay $ 35, some had to pay $ 25. Overflown toilets, at the entrance wasn’t fun at all. Huge lines for freebies, stupid idea with signing on people on tablets, 99% was writing fake names and e-​mails. Quality and quantity of free stuff significantly dropped over the years and way below Arnold Classic. Power lifting competition should be one of center stage events, tons of folks love it and cheer it. No sale at Inzer, otomix & other vendors. It is cheaper to buy online with online coupon and free shipping:) When Olympia Expo moved from Mandalay Bay it started loosing it shine and honestly, become way behind Arnold Classic… sad, but true.

I found out about the Mr. Olympia expo back in 2009, and every year in September I make the 3+ hour drive to Vegas for a typical fun weekend & to come up on about 4 months worth of free workout supplements.
As far as that one negative review claiming they got charged $ 35 for tickets at the door I’m going to have to call BS. Every year I’ve been to this expo I got my tickets at the door & the price was as advertise at $ 20 or $ 25, as far as what kids get charged I don’t know.
A few tips for the expo, bring an empty back pack, you’ll need it after an hour of so to split up all the free stuff you got & to drop some of the weight out of the bags that you have. Parking, usually during this weekend I stay at the Rivera since it’s one of the cheapest hotel on the strip, & it’s also the closest to the expo besides LVH which is the hotel that host the olympia expo in their convention. The parking tower for the Rivera is free so I usually walk 5 minutes across the street instead of paying $ 10 or $ 15 to park my car in the sun. Last tip if you plan to go on Sunday go early take a break then go back an hour or two before the expo closes. Sometimes the vendors still have samples they get rid of & will give out more just so they don’t have to pay to ship them back & the same goes for the vendors selling items, sometimes they offer better discounts than they did earlier in the week just so they don’t have to take extra stuff back with them.

This is the second year in a row that we’ve attended this spectacle held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. What you’ll find here in mid-​September are lots of lunk heads, tanned skin, fake breasts, and a crush of people who line up to gawk at professional bodybuilders and stand in ridiculously long lines to snag loads of fitness freebies; myself and the b/​f are included in that crazy crowd. Olympia weekend is a huge event in the bodybuilding world and the expo is a big part of it. Supplement companies galore with the athletes they sponsor are present, as well as other booths that will sell you shaker bottles, gym wear, gym accessories, 6-​pack bags, and anything else associated with gains and the beast mode life. The expo also features competitions that include the Battle of the Bars, the Strongman Challenge, and a couple of fitness model searches.
Tickets at the door were $ 25 for one day, but you could also get a 3 day pass which cost $ 50 this year; buy online early to save time in line. If you go, I highly recommend going at least half an hour before the doors open and get in line to pay for your admission. We have gone on Fridays because we like to avoid the Saturday/​Sunday lunacy. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for the crush of people once you step inside. You should also do your homework and know which booths will be at the expo and get strategic about which ones you really want to spend your time waiting in line for; the list of exhibitors and a map are posted online at
. This year we chose to head straight to BodyBuilding.com’s booths even though their line was already snaking around many of the other vendors there. Since I was with the b/​f and our coach, we took turns waiting in line while the others walked around the rest of the expo and scoped out other booths, picked up samples, and met some of our fitness idols. I had time to visit the QuestBar booth and get some free bars plus other swag. I also successfully stalked one of my bodybuilding crushes and had a picture taken with him – #nerdalert. All that while the
line moved at a snail’s pace. This may seem nuts to you, but some people will get it. All I know is that there’s a 99.6% chance we’ll do it all again next year.

The first time I ever attended this expo was in 2013 and I had a VIP pass and didn’t know how to use it. (SMH). Part time I judge amatuer boxing so there was a many bouts to be judged for the 3 day show. I also just had foot surgery so I was hobbling around feeling like such a snail amongst the anxious crowd. I’ve always been a person to go to the gym, but I didn’t understand that particular level of fitness yet. In pain – all I wanted to do was just go home. When I think back on that now I could just kick myself. I had a free VIP pass to Mr. Olympia for each day and all I wanted to do was go HOME???
The hightlight of that experience was meeting Chael Sonnen. Thank God it was JUST BEFORE his verbal fiasco with Wanderlei Silva (I couldn’t run for my life post surgery). So I stood in that long ass line, my feet throbbing for Lortab and Chael signed his autograph for me! I mentioned to him how I told him I loved him on twitter (only cuz he’s cute) and he said thank you. Feeling pretty cool, I hobbled away and Chael said, «Wait a minute… come back. I think I DO remember that!»
Ughhh ohhhhhh… So sometimes I tend to say things on twitter to celebrities that are similar to a construction worker cat calling a female passerby – but who thinks they’ll remember, let alone EVER meet them?! Chael says, «I DO REMEMBER YOU, because no one has ever said stuff like that before.» Then he gave me hug! Phew! He didn’t kick my ass! (Or call security!) That day had me smiling for days.
Fast Forward to Mr. Olympia 2014:
I decided the year before that my friend and I were going ALL 3 days and collect as much stuff as we could. Unfortunately she sprained her ankle and couldn’t attend, so I went by myself. My gym didn’t have any boxing bouts to judge so no free pass this year. Although I wanted to go all 3 days, I only went Saturday. I arrived at noon and the place was PACKED! I didn’t have a strategy so I just stood in the first line I saw. From then on until closing I was just raking it in! Free protein, free protein chews, free pre workouts, free t-​shirts, free posters, free sample drinks… damn FREE EVERYTHING! It was so much fun, only this year I actually knew what I was collecting. Everything that was handed out – I actually needed! I even bought two coolers (one 8 meal, one 2 meal) for only $ 40! This event was amazing – not to mention the eye candy was great also. I’m not into BEEFY, VEINY men, but some of them were really hot. They didn’t seem over-​inflated. Just normal and fit.
My main motivation for this years attendance was to meet Sara Solomon. I am a fan of hers and I love her workouts. I even bought her pink BUDDY LEE inspired jump rope and use it in my garage weekly. After standing in line, partially starving, and ready to barf protein bars and shakes, I noticed it was 4:30pm. I beat it over to the BSN booth. I didn’t see her and I asked the other fitness celebrities where she went. I was gonna die if she left. Luckily she just went to the restroom, so when she came back this beefy fitness dude told her I was waiting for her. Sara smiled and told me to come to the front of the line and stand near the tables with her! WOW! YES! She signed her autograph, took a photo with me, and chatted with me for nearly 30 minutes about – whatever – including her jump rope. I was stoked! This is the second year I’ve met someone that I admire. (I stayed off of Twitter this time.)
By this time, the annoucement was made that Mr. Olympia was now closing and it was time to exit the convention center. Do you exit? HELL NO! That’s the time to scavange like a greedy vulture and look for more EXTRA EXTRA free stuff. It’s like back in the 90’s when the cassette/​CD ended — you never pressed EJECT… you keep it playing in hopes of a «secret hidden song» that wasn’t on the printed playlist. Well this is how Mr. Olympia is. YOU DO NOT LEAVE… you hang around and look for where the herd flocks too. It’s usually something good!
I’m waiting right now for the 2015 dates. I honestly liked attending this event alone, because I could move in and out of the crowds quicker. Plus, if you get someone who isn’t as motivated they may be a pussy and start whining about how their feet hurt, how hungry they are, or how they have to go to the bathroom. Damnit — come prepared with a DEPENDS diaper. There is no crying at Mr. Olympia! It’s survival of the fitest – literally! You won’t go home disappointed.

This was the 50 anniversary this year for Mr. Olympia and I have been attending since 2009, the place was pack.pack.pack, people from all over the world, so if you are into bodybuilding, fitness, working out, gaining weight or losing weight this would have been the place to be, all the competitions Mr. and Ms. Olympic, Figure, Fitness, Bikini, and men’s and women’s Physique Showdown on stage, vendors with free give away Items like tee shirt’s, poster’s, autographs photo’s, nutrition and energy Items, brand names supplements and vitamin’s, protein bar’s and drink’s, so many free products also for sell too, if you were unable to make it here… I have good news there will be an Special Broadcast Saturday Oct.25 5:30pm-7:00pm EDT on NBCSN of this great expo.

My buddy & I came to the expo for another year, this time around it’s the 50^th anniversary Olympiad, so we were excited & pumped. There were 4 of us coming to the events 4 yrs ago, now it’s down to 2 committed souls. I will keep on coming until I’m too old to make the 3 hr drive to Vegas.
Seems to me the Olympiad is getting bigger & better every year. The # of freebies, the # of vendors & the quality of their free supplements/​samples are astounding.
I upped my training 2 months prior to the Olympiad just so I can play the push-​up, pull-​up & other games in the expo to win stuff I don’t need, but to have the personal satisfaction that at 45 I still have what it takes.

I’ve been to this expo for the past 2 years. I always get excited when the expo is about to approach, usually around the end of September on fri/​sat.
This expo blows any other fitness expo I’ve been to (LA and OC) outta the water. Parking is only $ 10, super cheap compare to LA which I paid $ 25 for?! Tickets for the expo was $ 25 or $ 50 for both days. When you buy a ticket you also get a 1 year subscription of a fitness magazine of your selection so make sure you sign up for that!
When you walk through the door of the expo they hand you a giant black bag to put your free sample supplements you will getting. Yes you get free supplements they practically throw them at you. I got so many free samples I literally had to go back to my car twice cause my bags were getting too heavy to hold.
If you plan to buy supplements or fitness gear, it is at discounted price usually 2 for 1 and sometimes they will also throw in more goodies with that purchase like a shaker cup or sling bag.
The expo floor was packed but not that packed to the point where you’re rubbing of or pushing on someone’s sweaty back. I felt like the booth could be set up for traffic to flow better cause some of the lines was long and when you came to the front there was like 3 computers to put your email in before you get your goodies, really inefficient.
The bigger name booths (
, musclepharm, bsn, etc.) tend to have longer lines but they gave out better things like shaker cups, shirts, hats and stuff so it was worth the wait.
Overall this is an event I look forward to going all year and will be attending every Olympia til I die.

Shame on the organizers of the Expo! They advertised $ 25 admission at the door on their website. When we arrived, they were charging $ 35 per person, which we still would have paid. HOWEVER, we had our two young children with us (ages 2 and 4) and they insisted that we would have to pay $ 35 PER CHILD as well. They even were charging full admission price for infants in baby carriers! SHAME ON YOU, JOE WEIDER and anyone else who has a hand in FALSE ADVERTISING and price gouging. There is absolutely no justification for charging for infants and toddlers admission to this event. It is not as if they are taking up extra seating at an expo and they certainly cannot use or enjoy any of the nutrition product samples. Guess what? I am reporting these fraudsters to the FTC, Better Business Bureau and Nevada State Attorney General. We walked away on principle, so they lost out on our money. I hope that other parents who wanted to attend this farce did the same.