Tag: 2023 Chicago Pro
Justin Shier Aims for Mr. Olympia Top 10 after Debut Pro Win at Chicago Pro
American bodybuilder Justin Shier marked his return to competition after taking a year off since his last outing. He came out on top of his pro debut at the 2023 Chicago Pro, earning an entry to the Mr. Olympia competition. In a recent appearance on The Mutant and The Mouth, Shier shared his experience of […]
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Blessing Awodibu Recaps 2023 Chicago Pro Showing w/ Bob Cicherillo: ‘I Was Soft, It Really Hurts’
Blessing Awodibu is aiming to rebound after failing to secure his Olympia qualification at the 2023 Chicago Pro, won by Justin Shier. In a recent YouTube video with Bob Cicherillo, Awodibu opened up about his lack of conditioning on stage and set his sights on the nearing Texas Pro.
Known for his boisterous personality, Blessing Awodibu quickly established himself as a legitimate contender in the IFBB Pro League. His narrow waist and aesthetic features guided him to success last year, where he commanded gold at two shows: the 2022 Indy Pro and the 2022 New York Pro. His first win secured him a qualification to last year’s Olympia, which would serve as his debut on the sport’s biggest stage.
Considering his success last year, Awodibu entered the Olympia contest last December brimming with confidence. Hours before competing, he stole the show at the Olympia Press Conference, where he and Nick Walker exchanged in a memorable back and forth.
However, on the Olympia stage, Blessing struggled against a historic lineup that featured several new threats such as Andrew Jacked, Samson Dauda, Michal Krizo, and Rafael Brandao. In the end, ‘The Boogieman’ placed outside of the top 15. And while he had hoped to lock down his passage to Olympia last weekend, fan-favorite Awodibu was unable to bring his best. As a result, he walked away in fourth place. To recap the experience, he joined athletes rep Bob Cicherillo.
Blessing Awodibu on 2023 Chicago Pro Performance: ‘I Was Soft, It Was a Really, Really Tough Prep’
Despite his status as a pre-contest favorite, Awodibu explained that outside pressures affected his ability to shred down for the competition.
“Came in as the pre-contest favorite, didn’t look like it went your way my friend, what happened out there man?” Bob Cicherillo asked.
“What happened out there, man? I mean, shit. I mean, I don’t know I couldn’t tell you, man. It was a really really tough prep man. Especially mentally and there was a lot on the line for me and a lot of pressure. It was a lot of pressure. And tonight, I was soft man, I was soft,” Blessing Awodibu shared.
“You looked big as a house, it looks like you put on some good muscle, meaning you were big, full, a lot of muscle, but just didn’t wring out that last bit of water,” said Cicherillo.
Awodibu revealed that he was ten pounds heavier than last year. Next, Awodibu announced his plans for the 2023 Texas Pro next month.
“Yes. That tightening wasn’t there. I was a little bit too wet. I just – I just got to figure it out man. I know when I do figure it out man it’s like – I feel like I’m in a whole different league. I just got to find that faith and that’s another one for me now. That’s two in a row. This should not be happening. This should not be happening.”
“Honestly I’m 10 pounds heavier, I thought it would have been a good thing,” said Awodibu. “I will figure it out guys. Because I know man, I deserve to be one of the best. When I miss like this, it really hurts. This should not be happening. You know, it’s bodybuilding, it’s a journey. You learn from these things and you can only get better as long as you keep moving.”
“We still got Texas,” said Awodibu.
In a separate Instagram post, Awodibu elaborated on his preparations and what went wrong.
“We nicely brought the body down from 306 to 276 keeping the fullness & roundness, the condition was definitely behind but honestly I was so damn excited with the way things were going until shit start to go iffy leading to Chicago.But right now I’m getting the wheels back on track with coach @cameron_cheek Road to O continues” Blessing Awodibu shared.
If Awodibu enters the upcoming Texas Pro, he’ll have plenty of top-tier talent to worry about. Defending 2022 Texas Pro champ Andrew Jacked will aim to earn his Olympia entry at this event. In addition, Hunter Labrada is slated to compete in Texas. He’s on a mission to redeem himself after falling to seventh place on the Mr. Olympia stage last year.
In addition to the above frontrunners, fans, and the bodybuilding community are excited to see mass monster Carlos Thomas Jr. make a splash on an IFBB Pro Open stage. While Carlos had to pull out of the New York Pro, he’s making it his mission to defeat Andrew Jacked and Hunter Labrada in Texas. The show takes place August 18-19.
As Bob Cicherillo suggested, Awodibu has clearly put on quality size. Should he manage to dial in his conditioning next month, with or without a coach, he’d be a definite title threat on the 2023 Texas Pro stage.
RELATED: Jay Cutler, Milos Sarcev Talk Hassan Mostafa & Blessing Awodibu’s Potential + Lack of Athletes Entering Shows
Watch the full video from the Voice of Bodybuilding YouTube channel below:
Published: 26 July, 2023 | 3:45 PM EDT
Blessing Awodibu Details 7,000-Calorie Diet, Talks Next Show & Life at 300-Lbs+
Blessing Awodibu’s strength is at an all-time high as he dials in preparations for his next outing. In a recent Muscular Development interview, Awodibu discussed an array of topics including his 7,000-calorie diet, bulking to 300 pounds, his competition plans, and his training strategy. In addition, he revealed his plans to compete at the 2023 Chicago Pro, Texas Pro, and Tampa Pro.
“I’m proud of my symmetry. I think I am pretty balanced. People get to talk about my legs when I’m off,” added Awodibu. “If I could buy leg muscles right now I’d fuc**ng buy it. I need more of everything.”
Men’s Bodybuilding star Awodibu is on a quest for redemption this year. He performed exceptionally well in 2022 under the guidance of his former coach, George Farah. Awodibu started off his season with a pair of victories at the Indy Pro and New York Pro. With momentum and a Mr. Olympia invitation, he pushed himself at the biggest event of the year.
The 2022 Mr. Olympia show was brimming with talent and new contenders such as Michal Krizo and Andrew Jacked emerged. Admittedly, Awodibu missed the mark and found himself outside of the top 15. Fans had hoped to see him perform in Ohio at the Arnold Classic, but he withdrew his name from the roster shortly after the list went public.
Blessing Awodibu / Instagram
Before starting his campaign for Olympia again, Awodibu shocked fans with the heaviest off-season physique update of his career. While he opted not to disclose his exact weight, it’s now evident that ‘The Boogieman’ was sporting a physique exceeding 300 pounds.
Blessing Awodibu Lays Out Contest Plans and 2023 Off-Season Strategy
Blessing Awodibu plans to make a splash in a few months by competing in three shows: the 2023 Chicago Pro, Texas Pro, and Tampa Pro. With that in mind, fans can expect to see him back on stage in less than two months from July 21-22 for the Chicago Pro.
“Those are not small shows [Chicago Pro, Tampa Pro, and Texas Pro],” said Awodibu. “I’m sure he’s [Hunter Labrada] has a chip on his shoulder. He’s got a lot to prove due to his Olympia. I’m sure he wasn’t happy with that as well. He’s got a lot to prove to the fans. I’m pumped to be able to stand next to him, especially in Tampa.”
These contests appear to be serving as popular destinations for Open talent this year. In 2022, Andrew won the Texas Pro. Jacked announced he would defend his title a few months ago. Hunter Labrada, who finished seventh at Mr. Olympia last December, has also decided to compete in Tampa and Texas.
According to Awodibu, this is the strongest he’s ever felt. He shared that he’s tipping the scale at over 300 pounds but feels healthy. In addition, he said he’s using fewer ‘super supplements’ than in past preps.
“We got up to about 301, honestly, that was rough man. I think a lot had to do with that because it was my very first time being that heavy you know. My joints hurt. My knee hurts. My performance sucked. Honestly. Lower back problems, this off-season, that’s not even a question. I feel fresh. It feels good. I’m not going to say I’m 100% I’m fuc**ng overweight, so you always going to get that but overall, my performance is good, it’s the strongest I’ve ever felt. I feel really healthy.”
“Exactly [I’m using less super supplements. This is one of the things… man, I’ve been so blessed, bro. I’m always grateful for all my mistakes and all my ups and downs because they make me better. YOu learn from these things. People don’t realize I’m still fresh in the game. This is my third year competing as a pro.”
Awodibu pointed to flatness as one of his biggest obstacles this year. As far as leg training is concerned, Awodibu said he’s eliminated heavy movements. He added that he’s training four times a week.
“I had a problem being flat on stage. Getting in shape is not a problem for me but holding that fullness, that roundness, and not being flat on stage, that is always my problem. Even when we won in Indy and New York, that was the flatter side of me.”
“I’m training three to four times a week. I’m two days on, two days off. One day on, one day off. So, those rest periods for me, they are absolutely key. When I’m in the gym everything is supersetting. Especially for my legs. We got away from all that heavy heavy heavy – that doesn’t work for me. I don’t have the body for it. I don’t have the knee.”
“I’ve brought my physique to another level. I mean, if you look at me now, the type of fullness and roundness I’m holding right now… I’ve never seen it before. It really excites me. I cannot wait to really showcase all this on stage.”
Awodibu Breaks Down 7,000-Calorie 2023 Off-Season Diet of 6 Meals
To maintain a physique of over 300 pounds, Awodibu is eating six meals a day with a 7,000-calorie intake.
“Right now we’re probably doing 6-7,000 calories. Meal one, we’ll start with 120 grams of oats, 100 grams of blueberry, and one banana. Two scoops of MuscleTech. Then we do three slices of Ezekiel bread laced with fuc*ing jam. Then, 200 grams of steak, two whole eggs, and egg whites.”
“Meal two, 350 grams of rice with 280 grams of salmon,” Awodibu added. “Post workout meal, another 400 grams of purple potato 280 grams of salmon, then after that, four would be 300 grams of rice, about 250 grams of steak. Then, I would have another 300 grams of rice, either chicken or I tend to switch it up sometimes shrimp. The last meal would be Greek yogurts, 300 grams, and two scoops of whey. Three slices of Ezekiel bread with peanut butter.”
While away from the stage, Awodibu has maintained a steady training schedule. His eccentric personality was on full display when he joined hands with fitness model Bakhar Nabieva for a quad-focused leg day workout.
With a lot to prove in 2023, Blessing Awodibu is attacking his progress from all angles to produce a more complete physique. Time will tell how he fares against other Men’s Open contenders at the 2023 Chicago Pro in late July.
You can watch the full video from Muscular Development below:
RELATED: Blessing Awodibu Escapes Serious Injury, Ready to Start The Growing Season
Published: 5 June, 2023 | 3:59 PM EDT