The Mr. Olympia is the highest attainable stage in bodybuilding. Yet, I wonder to what extent “The O” remains relevant. A painful question to ask as a fan, but necessary for the preservation of the sport.
“Mister who??
Imagine going to your local football club and asking them who won the national championship last year. How many of them will indicate they never watch football on TV? Maybe one in ten? How many avid amateur cyclists wouldn’t know who won the last Giro or Tour de France? Very few, I assume.
Then go to your local gym and approach the guys doing intensive strength training and ask who won the last Mr. Olympia. Chances are you’ll find similar ratios, and only a few will indicate they follow pro bodybuilding competitions.
That’s quite strange. Especially given the ever-increasing popularity of strength training. Somehow, millions worldwide are working hard every day to become more muscular and leaner, but comparatively very few follow the achievements of top bodybuilders.
This is evidenced by the fact that our coverage of the Mr. Olympia attracts relatively little attention each year. In this article, I will discuss some factors that, in my opinion, explain why many do not identify with the men who competed in Las Vegas last weekend for the highest prize in bodybuilding. I would even go so far as to say that pro bodybuilding, as we know it, will need to undergo several important changes to remain relevant.
The term “bodybuilding”
Firstly, it has something to do with the fact that many who engage in bodybuilding do not call it bodybuilding, let alone call themselves a bodybuilder. I have often written about the stigma of bodybuilding. The wrong perception that bodybuilding is definitively performed by mass monsters of 120+ kilos packed with steroids, growth hormones, insulin, and synthol as a dessert.
As described in those earlier articles, bodybuilding is any effort where you use a combination of muscle-building and fat-burning tactics in nutrition and training. Nothing more, nothing less. No one has ever said that bodybuilding means you have to transform yourself into a mutant.
Let He-man just be a cartoon
However, it’s not so strange that bodybuilding has this image. Since the 60s, the shapes of top bodybuilders have changed from a physique that almost every man aspires to, into a physique that many find appalling.
Personally, I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, it’s fantastic to see the muscle bundles from my beloved childhood cartoons on a living person. I have no idea to what extent characters like He-man, Thundercats, G.I. Joe, and later X-men have shaped my image of how a man should look. Therefore, I consider that my generation (born in 1976) might have an exaggeratedly masculine image of manhood.
On the other hand, I wonder if fantasy should just remain fantasy and reality the reality. For many, the idea of identifying with bodybuilders like Phil Heath and his competition last weekend is completely foreign. Once, skinny boys walked past a kiosk to be inspired by the covers of magazines like Muscular Development. “That’s how I want to look.”
I’m quite a fan of history, including the history of bodybuilding. Watching the Olympia brings back a certain nostalgia, thinking about the men who made the sport great. Men like Larry Scott, Sergio Oliva, Frank Zane, and of course Arnold Schwarzenegger. When we were there last year in Las Vegas, I thought about the legendary documentary “Pumping Iron” and the fact that I was there 40 years later. I think I was even more excited about the fact that I was in the same room as Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu than watching the top bodybuilders of the moment. Men from a time when you could somewhat imagine, rightly or wrongly, that you could look like that. A time when bodybuilding was still associated with health (despite the then-incipient use of steroids).
“Gut so big you could see it from the back”
And with that, we come to, in my opinion, the biggest problem of the Mr. Olympia and pro bodybuilding in general: It’s getting harder and harder to find it beautiful, even for me.
Mos Def describes in the song ‘Miss fat booty’ the extensive backside of a woman as: “Ass so fat you could see it from the front”
Nowadays, we see bodybuilders with such bloated bellies that you can still see them protruding when they’re turned away from you. Bodybuilders who have to suck in their stomachs during posing like someone with a beer belly does on a first date.
It seems we’ve reached the current maximum of muscle mass combined with a low fat percentage without the belly starting to protrude. The enormous amounts of food, growth hormone, and insulin these men seem to need to be the biggest, has an aesthetically very unpleasant side effect (apart from medical ones) that detracts from the popularity of the sport. I wonder to what extent this is inevitable as you’ve been in the game longer. Ronnie Coleman’s belly in his last years on stage was just embarrassing.
The ideal of bodybuilding was and still is to show the most beautiful physical version of a human being. This is, of course, very subjective, and there are therefore many different classes in terms of weight and physique goals. The top, the open class, should, however, be the highest achievable. The pinnacle of human physique.
No monopoly on muscle mass anymore
However, the Olympia will not be saved even if the federation eventually decides to rigorously tackle the entire class with different physical requirements. Or, in an extreme case, to drop it as they did with the women’s bodybuilding class.
For the ladies, the same problem existed, but magnified. There was almost no one left who found it beautiful, while the vast majority of people found it outright ugly. Even if you could muster respect for their dedication and appreciate how much effort that result cost. Meanwhile, the popularity of “lighter” classes increased, such as bikini fitness, and it was decided to give them more space.
Yet last year, I could see how little attention those ladies actually get in comparison. A large part of the contests was held in the same room where a large expo was taking place simultaneously. The men in the open class remain the main attraction in that respect. That’s what it all started with, to determine who of all those great champions in various federations was the best.
Fans of bodybuilders in lighter classes such as classic bodybuilding and men’s physique often do not care at all how their role models perform in competitions. They appreciate them for their physique and (online) image, not because of performances on stage.
Bodybuilding competitions, federations, and magazines no longer have a monopoly on muscular role models. You don’t have to win competitions anymore to appear in magazines and inspire skinny guys in a newspaper kiosk. Many Instagram models have a much larger reach than bodybuilders who perform well in competition. Lazar Angelov was a minor competition bodybuilder and never competed at a high level. Yet, he has more than twice as many followers on, for example, Instagram as seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath.
A painful conclusion is that we don’t really need Mr. Olympia to be inspired. Many do not see the top bodybuilders as role models. Social media offers a menu of shapes to take as an example. No idea what that means for the future of bodybuilding. It remains a sport and in every sport, you want to keep getting ‘better’. Telling bodybuilders to become smaller seems unnatural. You don’t ask a runner to run less fast either.
And you?
I have, in vain, tried not to make this a long discourse. Clearly, I’m still not sure what to make of this development. In conclusion, I would only like to ask for your opinion?
- Do you also watch a stuttering live feed in the middle of the night to watch the Mr. Olympia, or do you not care at all?
- Do you do intensive strength training yourself and take top bodybuilders as an example, or do you not see your experience of strength training and nutrition as bodybuilding at all?
- Jeff Seid or Phil Heath?
Preview Mr. Olympia 2017
Of course, I have to take into account that I find this year personally less exciting because I’m typing this sitting in my living room. Last year, after all, I was there in Las Vegas to experience the event live. It tastes different.
But even apart from personal experience, I find it more difficult to get excited about this edition of the Mr. Olympia. And I notice the same sentiment among others.
Mainly, this seems to come from the lack of competition for the first place. Since Kai Greene no longer participates in the Mr. Olympia, Phil Heath basically has free rein to conquer his 7th title. Personally, I see him doing that three more times to place the tenth Sandow statue in his trophy cabinet. He needs two more victories to match the record of Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman, but he has already indicated going for the ten titles. Phil could well say during yesterday’s press conference that “Kai doesn’t matter” and that it shows little respect for the present participants to talk about the absent Kai. However, this does not change the fact that it’s much less exciting for the audience.
When I got to see it live last year, it became even clearer why Phil stands lonely at the top. He appeared last during the pre-judging. Until then, the battle for the top 5 seemed quite exciting. However, when Phil took his first pose, my first reaction was: “It’s over and done”. It’s hard to describe what makes him better than the others; fantastic proportions, ridiculously full muscle bellies. Yes, his belly does bulge forward in an unguarded moment, but that’s apparently inevitable with the mass these gentlemen display nowadays.
Phil is still relatively young. He also trains smart and doesn’t need grueling workouts to achieve his best shape. The chance of him training himself to destruction like Dorian Yates and Coleman seems reasonably small. Then there’s the question of how long his body can withstand all the crap that goes into it, the high weight, the ridiculous amounts of food. However, I think his body will hold up for a few more years, where others with less talent will meet the man with the hammer sooner.
Bodybuilding is also politics. Therefore, I do take into account the possibility that the IFBB realizes that Phil is boring and relatively insignificant for the promotion of the sport for a six-time titleholder. As said, I’m not the only one with little expectation of this year, and the organization may fear a decline in the sport’s popularity with Phil as king.
I miss spectacle
However, you could say that this also applied to last year and that I indeed have a biased view because of the experience of being able to witness it in Las Vegas. However, last year there was one major attraction, the comeback of Kevin Levrone. A goosebump moment when he climbed onto the highest stage after 13 years of absence. Such a crowd pleaser is missing this year.
Loss of great talent
However, the big surprise last year was the young Dallas McCarver who seemingly out of nowhere secured a top 10 placement during his debut. “Who’s that?” we said when he came onto the stage. Afterwards, I described him as a great promise, and my attention this year was mainly on him.
Until at the end of last month it became known that the 26-year-old Dallas had died after choking on a meal. A very tragic event that now also takes away one of the few attractions of the Olympia.
Our boys
This year, therefore, I’m actually looking forward to one reason; to see how Roellie Winklaar and William Bonac will do. Last year they finished in a respective 6th and 5th place after an exciting mutual battle.
It would be fantastic if one of them could secure a top three placement, but the competition in the top 6 is fierce with men like Shawn Rhoden, Dexter Jackson, and Big Ramy.
Tonight (Las Vegas time) is the pre-judging, visible to us around 3 am via the live feed.
Mr Olympia 2017 result
Phil Heath has won the Mr. Olympia 2017 tonight, securing his seventh title. William Bonac finished in third place.
Phil Heath Mr. Olympia 2017
For the first time in years, I couldn’t watch live, not in Las Vegas, not on the couch. Later today, I’m heading to Almere for a long photoshoot for the online coaching app, so staying up all night didn’t seem wise. I’d rather get up early and quickly catch up on everything.
However, no shocking news from Las Vegas this morning upon waking. As expected, Phil Heath has won his seventh Mr. Olympia title. Thus, he equals the biggest name in bodybuilding, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Yet, the first cracks seem to be showing in this seemingly unbeatable champion.
As described in the preview, there was indeed doubt about his dominance this year. Based on the call outs, it was clear that the jury had a hard time deciding between Phil Heath, Big Ramy, and William Bonac.
Eventually, it was enough for Phil to win the title again, but the message was clear; the time we can automatically assume Phil will win is over.
Second place Big Ramy
No denying, this is the best version of Big Ramy we have ever seen
The phenomenon Mamdouh Elssbiay, better known as Big Ramy, achieved his best result ever last night. Big Ramy is known for his enormous mass. No doubt about who’s the biggest. The question, however, is to what extent Ramy manages to find the best balance between mass, conditioning, and symmetry.
I noticed that Phil seemed a lot more tense this year when he was left alone with Big Ramy on stage waiting for the redeeming words, again pronounced by The Rock, Dwayne Johnson. Once those were spoken, the relief on Phil was great, indicating he had significant doubts about his performance this year.
Honestly, the emotion Phil showed upon receiving the prize was beautiful to see. We often say Phil has no personality. Maybe we should see this Phil more often.
Third place William Bonac
William Bonac is here and he has arrived
That’s not an exaggeration by the reporters. Last night we saw the best version of William.
The most beautiful moment for me was when William Bonac received the bronze medal around his neck. Throughout the event, I heard the reporters mainly talk about Phil and Big Ramy. That’s why I find it beautiful to see how the relatively small William Bonac is chilling in between, while one by one big names like Dexter Jackson and Shawn Rhoden drop out.
The Ghanaian Dutchman was the world’s No. 3 bodybuilder last night, no small feat. With this performance, William also places himself in the top three of the best-performing Dutch Bodybuilders ever alongside Juliette Berman and Berry de Meij. Among the men, no Dutchman has performed better (Berry’s best result was also a third place in 1988).
William, congratulations and thank you for that beautiful routine!
Result Mr Olympia 2017:
1st Phil Heath – 7X Mr. Olympia!
2nd Mamdouh Elssbiay (Big Ramy)
3rd William Bonac
4th Dexter Jackson
5th Shawn Rhoden
6th Roelly Winklaar
7th Nathan DeAsha
8th Brandon Curry
9th Josh Lenartowicz
10th Cedric McMillan
Mr Olympia 2016 and the comeback of Kevin Levrone
This year’s Mr. Olympia is particularly about “the comeback” of Kevin Levrone. After 13 years of absence, this giant is stepping back onto the highest podium. And we are there!
Everyone loves a comeback. Comebacks are like a time capsule. They take you back to times you thought were already past. They give you a chance to relive old times or a second chance at a missed moment. Bodybuilding also knows such historic comebacks, like Sergio Oliva who, after leaving in 1972, returned to the IFBB in ’84 to stand again on the Olympia. But the most famous, of course, is Arnold who returned to the podium in 1980 after 6 years of absence.
Kevin Levrone
The Mr. Olympia of 2016 is also about such a comeback. On May 7th, Kevin Levrone announced that he would be on the Mr. Olympia stage again this year after 13 years of absence. Kevin Levrone received his pro license in 1991. Since then, he has participated in no fewer than 67 pro competitions, winning 23 of them. 18 times he finished second, including 4 times at the Olympia. He never won the biggest title, but he was also up against some of the biggest names in bodybuilding.
His first participation in the Olympia was on September 12, 1992. It was an important year for bodybuilding. The 8-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney had retired the year before, opening the door for a new champion. Kevin and Dorian were the last two on stage. Would the jury go for Kevin’s aesthetic shape or for the mass monster Yates, the first even Haney was afraid of? The jury chose mass and would continue to do so for years.
In the following years, Kevin had to compete against men like Shawn Ray and Flex Wheeler, none of whom managed to dethrone Dorian Yates. When Yates retired after winning his last title in ’97, the chance finally seemed there until Ronnie Coleman finished first at his second appearance at the Mr. Olympia and then did so seven years in a row. Kevin always made it difficult for Ronnie and finished (again) second twice. In 2003, he participated for the last time.
He never officially retired. A torn meniscus and acting aspirations (sounds familiar?) caused him to miss the next Olympia. And the following 12.
He’s back!
But now he’s back. In Pittsburgh, he announced that he would compete in the Olympia this year.
If I do it, then I do it right. CAT Scan, got back a few days ago. Doctors couldn’t believe how good it looked. ‘Perfect’. You have the body and bones of a 24-year-old’.
Everyone wonders how he will perform, and we’ve seen plenty of videos and photos of his physique already. I’ve deliberately not looked too much. Even actively looked away. Not good as an editor, of course, but seeing photos of him now is a bit like hearing the outcome of a game you’ve recorded. I want to see it with my own eyes. When we saw Kevin earlier this year at FIBO walking around, I still thought: “Cool, remember when……”. Not knowing he was about to announce his return. Not knowing we would also be there in Texas this year.
Now that I have the opportunity to experience it live, I want the real comeback experience. To still be able to feel a bit like it used to be when a bodybuilder could hide his shape for a year (which earned Yates the nickname “the Shadow”). When I talk to people about this year’s Olympia, they often ask first: “How do you think Kevin Levrone will do?”. Just over two weeks and then we’re in Vegas to find out and of course, tell you all about it.
Knock ‘m out L!
Sources:
- flexonline.com/videos/general-news/kevin-levrone-back
- musculardevelopment.com/contests/pittsburgh-pro/15167-kevin-levrone-olympia-comeback-officially-announced.html#.V8QKHpOLRsM
- bodybuilding.com/fun/other30.htm
Mr Olympia 2016 preview
Tonight we saw the big men in action during the pre-judging at Mr. Olympia 2016
This was the main reason for me to be here in Las Vegas. Of course, I enjoy watching the ladies, but it’s the men in the open class I’ve followed for years and now finally got to see live. A special year as written earlier due to the comeback of Kevin Levrone (after not being on stage for 13 years), but also because of the high expectations for “our boys” Roellie Winklaar and William Bonac.
Another reason to be here exactly this year is that the live stream is really crap, as evidenced by the many complaints from people worldwide who get to see nothing, a stuttering image, or bad sound. Shame that this has not been done by Bodybuilding.com since last year.
Today was the prejudging, tomorrow are the finals, and we will know the result. However, we did get a good indication of the contenders for a high placement.
Unfortunately, my pro camera was not allowed into the hall, so we could only take pictures with the camera Anne smuggled in, which couldn’t bridge the distance to the stage with its lens. Fortunately, however, we were allowed to use the images of Jeffrey Suijkerbuijk, who also managed to smuggle a camera inside and was sitting much closer to the stage to cheer on his friend William.
Goosebump moment
To keep the tension high, Kevin Levrone was one of the last to do his routine. When he was announced and stepped out of the wings at a painfully slow pace, it was truly a goosebump moment. Then, of course, the question is: “How was his shape?”
To be honest, it was immediately clear that he had no chance of finishing high. That doesn’t mean that the 52-year-old veteran didn’t perform a huge feat by bringing this shape to the stage. At least he had a form that rightfully put him there. Especially above the waist. As far as his legs were concerned, however, he clearly fell short of the competition in my opinion. This also became evident when he was only called forward during the third callout.
However, it didn’t spoil the fun for me. I had the chance to see one of bodybuilding’s legends live in action, after more than a decade of absence.
Roellie and William
We were thrilled when we heard the names of Roellie and William during the first callout. Could they have secured a top 5 position? A bit tricky to judge because they were then called back two more times in subsequent call outs, but that first callout is at least a good sign.
I personally found William’s “classic” shape super. From Roellie, I had personally hoped that he had managed to prevent the protruding belly seen in previous years. Especially in his arms, shoulders traps, he lived up to his nickname “the beast”. What a monster! But I would have found it nicer if the abdominal region had been better under control. Apparently, however, it was enough for the first callout and that was of course a very pleasant surprise.
Phil Heath
In that first callout, besides Roellie and William, were also Big Ramy, Shawn Rhoden, Dexter Jackson, and the current, five-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath.
I wrote in a preview that I thought his title might be taken from him this year. Personally, I saw Dexter Jackson as the best candidate for that. However, when Phil was called onto the stage last, I immediately thought: “Ok, it’s over and out. There stands Mr. Olympia 2016”. It was instantly clear again why this man is called “the gift”. From the callouts, it seems Phil Heath, Dexter Jackson, and Shawn Rhoden will divide the first three places, but personally, I have no doubt that the title will go to Phil again.
We’ll know tomorrow!
(photos: Jeffrey Suijkerbuijk)
Mr Olympia 2016 result
Phil Heath has just won the Mr. Olympia for the sixth time in a row. William Bonac put down his best performance with a fifth place.
Mr. Olympia 2016
Anne and I have just returned from the Las Vegas Convention Centre where we saw Phil Heath win his sixth Mr. Olympia title (and a check for $900,000). It was an evening full of highlights.
Where we found the atmosphere and setting around the prejudging somewhat disappointing last night, tonight we experienced the real Olympia atmosphere. The outcome was largely as I had predicted yesterday based on the prejudging. The battle for second and third place was between Dexter Jackson and Shawn Rhoden, although Big Ramy came back strong tonight and, judging by the booing in the hall, deserved a higher position than fourth place according to the audience. Shawn finished second and Dexter ended up in third place.
We had also expected the battle for fifth and sixth place to be between Roellie Winklaar and William Bonac who again went head-to-head tonight. It was clear that the jury had a hard time choosing the better of the two. A magnificent performance for William, putting down his best performance ever (last year eighth). The same applies to Roellie who climbs a place compared to last year. The audience also made itself heard massively and would have liked to see him finish higher.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
As said, we really experienced the Olympia atmosphere tonight. An almost full hall, an enthusiastic audience, and a few nice highlights. One of them was Kevin Levrone’s routine. Kevin actually didn’t belong to the top 10 bodybuilders who stood in the final, but still got his moment on stage. Out of respect for his previous achievements and the fact that he managed to bring this result to the stage after 13 years of absence (and to give the audience that couldn’t be present yesterday the chance to see him anyway). A standing ovation from the audience and another goosebump moment.
Now I’ve always said that there’s only one bodybuilder who can provoke groupie behavior in me and that’s of course Arnold Schwarzenegger. You can imagine how excited I was when the cameras during the posedown of the final five let their gaze glide along the first row and there Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu appeared in the image. The fact that I was in one room with these men, who with their performance in Pumping Iron, essentially put bodybuilding on the world map, made me (and Anne) quite excited. As I said, groupie behavior. I recently wrote a bodybuilding bucket list. Nr. 1 was “Meeting Arnold” nr. 2 was “Going to the Olympia”. So we can cross that off. Ok, technically we haven’t met him and couldn’t have been further away, but who cares.
The party was complete when Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson subsequently appeared on stage to express his appreciation for the sport of bodybuilding and to present the prizes. He also announced that Mr. Olympia 2017 will be broadcast by CBS Sports. A more suitable medium for such a big event than a stuttering live feed.
We noticed that people massively headed towards the exit within a second after the announcement of the results. Once outside, we knew why. Long lines for the taxis. By chance, I heard someone offer the option to go towards the Strip with a private bus, from where we could walk further to our hotel. Upon boarding, it turned out to be a party limo. A fitting end to a great evening!
This officially concludes our Vegas-Olympia adventure. Also check out the vlogs that Anne and I made. We hope we were able to give you a little taste of the Olympia atmosphere.
Mr. Olympia 2016 previews
Does Phil Heath take his sixth title, or does Kevin Levrone cause a sensation with his comeback? How will Roellie and William perform? Here are my predictions.
Vegas here we come!
Tuesday, Anne and I are off to Las Vegas to attend the Mr. Olympia 2016 live and of course to report back to you. I’ve wanted to go to the Mr. Olympia for years, and this year seems the perfect year to go. I mainly mean this because of the comeback of Kevin Levrone which I have extensively described. Another reason is that this year I seriously take into account a different winner than the current, five-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath.
In previous years, Phil Heath’s position seemed unassailable. From Kai Greene, many hoped, but few expected him to dethrone Phil. Now that Kai, like last year, is not participating, you would think Phil has less competition, but I think the competition this year is greater than ever. Literally.
Dexter Jackson
Dexter Jackson has been competing in the Mr. Olympia since 1999. 1999! He has finished in the top 6 since 2001. In 2008, he grabbed the title, making him the only other Mr. Olympia on stage next to Phil. Last year he finished second at 45 years of age.
‘The blade’ Dexter Jackson is known for his fantastic ‘conditioning’, his ability to be bone dry on stage. He uses his experience to his advantage while his body doesn’t seem to realize it’s been competing as a pro for 17 years.
This year, however, the veteran seems to bring something new to the stage. He made a guest appearance a few weeks ago. Unusual for him (and most bodybuilders) to show his shape so shortly beforehand. What he showed, however, will probably make Phil scratch his head. I can’t remember ever seeing a bigger Dexter Jackson. If Dexter manages to bring his conditioning along with this mass, Phil might have a tough time this year.
Kevin Levrone
The name on everyone’s lips, of course, is Kevin Levrone. How will the 52-year-old Levrone perform in his comeback after 13 years of absence? Kevin is confident himself that he stands a chance to win the title. He will certainly count on support from the present audience, even though we’re talking about a repeat or not.
In previous years, he focused exclusively on the Mr. Olympia and finished second behind Phil Heath. To what extent does he assess his chances better this year? Has he chosen to win again and simply avoid Phil this year?
Either way, if he’s not in Vegas, he won’t be in Dortmund. That would mean you won’t get to see the battle you actually want to see, whether it’s a repeat or not.
So, should you travel to Dortmund? I have no doubt that despite everything mentioned above, it will be a success.
Think, for instance, of the FIBO fans who travel to Cologne every year for a photo with pro bodybuilders. How great it is for them to actually see those men in action? Just to see them all at once in their competition shape instead of bulking as often during FIBO. For most Dutch people, Dortmund and Cologne will be a comparable distance.
Also, there will be a fitness expo around the competitions, so besides watching from the hall, there will be plenty of opportunities for encounters like at FIBO. I found it very pleasant at the Bodypower Expo in Birmingham to alternate between watching the competition and walking around the expo. Bodybuilding competitions, as enjoyable as they are, can often last quite a while. Moreover, everyone has their preferences for certain classes, so the variety can be very pleasant. We know this, of course, from competitions coupled with an expo in the Netherlands, but with the title and participants of the Olympia, we are talking about a different level. Men like Phil Heath, Dexter Jackson, Dennis Wolf, Shawn Rhoden, but also “our own” Roellie Winklaar and William Bonac. I definitely want to see that.
The Mr. Olympia Europe 2016 will take place on October 21 and 22.
