Tag: Mr. Olympia
George Farah’s Honest Opinion On Phil Heath’s Olympia 2020 Comeback
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George Farah: “They put Phil Heath exactly where he belonged.”
Not too long ago, Phil Heath was the dominant champion with seven Mr. Olympia titles under his belt. He seemed unstoppable and many believed he would match, if not surpass, the 8x Olympia record set by both Ronnie Coleman and Lee Haney. In the end, this didn’t happen. Heath was dethroned in 2018 by Shaun Rhoden. He then took a year off. Many thought he may never return.
But with a sudden burst of excitement, Phil Heath announced he would make his comeback just one year later in 2020. He seemed more confident than ever and was laser focused on matching Ronnie Coleman’s and Lee Haney’s eight title wins. The drama was set. It seemed to be the ultimate comeback story. Except it wasn’t. Instead, Phil Heath seemed plagued by the same problems he held in 2018. He ultimately placed third at the Olympia 2020. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, we turn to legendary trainer George Farah for his honest opinion on Phil Heath’s comeback physique.
George Farah has been behind some of the most legendary pro bodybuilders in history. His name is known for a reason. He is noted as one of the most legendary bodybuilding coaches in the history of the sport. A bodybuilding coach that had the magic touch. That’s why we asked him for his honest analysis of Phil Heath’s physique during the 2020 Mr. Olympia. Was he better than his 2018 performance and simply outmatched by young blood? Or was he missing the mark in terms of expectations?
George Farah felt a little disappointed by the physique we ultimately saw on Phil Heath. this was largely due to the perceived rejuvenated energy of Phil Heath leading into the show. He seemed rested after a year off and ready to bring a physique more matched to his prime years. Perhaps it was just the narrative that drummed up excitement – but Farah truly believed we would see Phil Heath back in pitch perfect form.
George Farah didn’t see that on stage. Instead, he believes that Phil Heath still had the same problems he suffered from in 2018. Not only that, but his stomach, in Farah’s opinion, looked worse than ever before.
“It’s a little disappointing. Honestly, I can say I’m a little disappointed because… the way he talked I was like, ‘Oh my god this is going to be his show.’ He really made us all believe he is right on the money. And Phil never said anything like that and he didn’t deliver, you know? But then as soon as he came out I was like, ‘Oh my god his stomach is worse.’ He didn’t even not fix it. It looked worse.”
Farah made a point to mention that Heath is still one of the greatest of modern bodybuilding. In fact, his physique was still impressive compared to most on stage. That’s why ultimately, George Farah 100% agrees with the final score given to Heath.
“And I love Phil as a person. I’m just saying as a bodybuilder, they placed him exactly where he belonged. That’s why I feel… because he deserves some respect. Because he still ahs one of the best double biceps, glutes were in, striated hamstring, everything. But that stomach man. It just took a lot off his brilliance.”
It’s commonly known at this point that Phil Heath was dealing with a few surgeries over the years that was affecting his ability to bring in his stomach. Some fans even noticed a difference in the symmetry of his abs due to the surgery. Unfortunately, it seemed as if Phil’s prime was behind him. That is, unless he can bring out something shocking the next time he competes – if he decided to return again.
You can watch George Farah’s full comments on Phil Heath’s Olympia 2020 physique in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Samir Bannout’s Critical Analysis Of Big Ramy’s Olympia 2020 Physique
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Samir Bannout reacts to Big Ramy’s physique at the Mr. Olympia 2020.
Samir Bannout is a legend in the world of bodybuilding. A competitor with an incredible physique, he eventually solidified his status by becoming Mr. Olympia in 1983. With an incredible reputation and successful pedigree, we decided to ask Bannout about his thoughts on the Mr. Olympia 2020. More specifically, his reaction to Big Ramy’s physique and big win. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Samir Bannout critiques Big Ramy’s Olympia-winning physique.
After many years of ups and downs, Big Ramy finally won the Mr. Olympia in 2020. It was quite a rollercoaster of a journey – with some fans unsure if he was ever going to actually pull it off. Then everything clicked and Big Ramy showcased one of the greatest physiques of his career. It earned him the title of Mr. Olympia 2021.
True to his name, Big Ramy represents the modern look of pro bodybuilding. He has incredibly massive size – sometimes weighing close to 300 pounds on stage. This size had always been a push-pull aspect of his success. His mass monster look was reminiscent of Ronnie Coleman – but it also took away from his conditioning. This ultimately put him on a path of falling short at the Olympia for nearly a decade.
Samir Bannout recognizes this when analyzing Big Ramy’s latest showing that earned him the gold. According to Bannout, Ramy had so much massive size on him – that he was easily able to take off some points to work on conditioning without losing his freak factor. In fact, this is the element that Bannout believes was off all these years. Ramy didn’t have the confidence, or perhaps the guidance, to cut off some weight.
Samir Bannout has been watching Big Ramy’s career from the start. He’s even, in fact, had some one on one conversations with Ramy throughout the years. From what Bannout can gather, there was some element of disconnect between Ramy’s talent and his training in Kuwait.
There’s no denying that the Oxygen Gym crew can help transform bodybuilders into mass monsters worth noting. Brandon Curry struggled through his mid-career only to completely change gears upon moving to Kuwait. He eventually won the Mr. Olympia title for himself in 2019. The training in Kuwait helped Big Ramy in this way too – but when it came to the finish line – something was off.
“I think Ramy with his coach was saying… that they are going back to the old school way with Big Ramy,” Samir Bannout states in our interview. “When Ramy was in Kuwait, he was trying very hard with the Camel Crew and sometimes they weren’t on the same page.”
Samir Bannout goes on to say that trainers and coaches are not solely responsible for Big Ramy’s success or failure. Bannout praises Big Ramy’s work ethic and heart for the sport.
“Everybody wants to get the credit… but come on, Ramy is working very hard.” Bannout continues to say in our conversation. “All he needs is the minor tweaking to make him pop.”
There is no one right way to win a Mr. Olympia show. The road to success is different for each individual. Big Ramy simply took some time to find what works best for him. In 2020, Samir Bannout saw a bodybuilder in complete form. His size and conditioning finally met in the middle for a superior physique.
You can watch Samir Bannout’s full comments and analysis of Big Ramy in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Samir Bannout On Olympia 1984 Loss: “I Was Intentionally Robbed”
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After winning Mr. Olympia in 1983, Samir Bannout calls his loss in 1984 dirty and highway robbery.
Samir Bannout is a legendary bodybuilder who has the rare distinction of only winning the Mr. Olympia once. That puts him on a short list of pro bodybuilders including the likes of Dexter Jackson. This does not demean the accomplishment. Winning even one Mr. Olympia is a powerful feat. But why did Samir Bannout go from winning first place in 1984 down to sixth place the following year? According to Bannout, this was no accident or problem with his physique. It was an intentional plan to prevent him from victory. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Samir Bannout alleges how he was intentionally robbed out of winning the Mr. Olympia 1984.
Samir Bannout wants to make one thing clear when discussing his Mr. Olympia win and the fallout that came in the following years – he is not unhappy with his past career. Personally, Samir Bannout believes he should have won the Mr. Olympia in 1982. But he’s more than happy with the ultimate single Olympia win he got in 1983. He knows he cannot change the past.
The 1984 Mr. Olympia is a totally different story. Samir Bannout doesn’t simply believe that he should have won – he believes that he did in fact have the winning physique but was sabotaged by insiders in the league. Bannout reiterates that he has no ill will about the loss – but he also has no problem revealing what he believes to be the truth. He alleges that certain individuals intentionally altered the outcome of the Mr. Olympia 1984. This, according to Bannout, is main reason why he dropped down to sixth place.
During this segment of our conversation with Samir Bannout, we track his rise and eventual win at the Mr. Olympia 1983. We also track through his sudden drop off in the years that followed. Bannout discusses how he change up his tactics in order to go from 16th at the Mr. Olympia 1980 all the way to Olympia champion in 1983. He describes himself as trying too hard and creating a mental block on his progress. Once he realized “less is more” – he found a new path towards success.
Of course, that all came crashing down in 1984 when he suddenly dropped down to sixth place at the Mr. Olympia. While Bannout does not name names – he explains how specific individuals wanted to ruin Bannout’s reputation and prevent him from winning the Mr. Olympia again. This, according to Bannout, is the main reason he placed so much lower.
Samir Bannout points to photos of his physique as proof that he was better than a sixth place athlete. It was clear that Bannout and Lee Haney were neck and neck for first place. While Bannout does not completely line out exactly what happened – he implies that his close relationship with Joe Weider led to some jealously in the league. Those jealous individuals worked behind the scenes to take down Bannout as the then-current golden child of the sport.
You can watch Samir Bannout go into complete detail about his Mr. Olympia 1984 experience by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
Melle Mel: Shaun Clarida Had A Better Physique Than Big Ramy At Olympia 2020
Melle Mel explains why he believes Shaun Clarida was the best bodybuilder of the entire night at Olympia 2020.
Melle Mel previously stated in one of our interview segments that the quality of the Men’s Open bodybuilders were impressive but not ideal. By that he means that there was no Ronnie Coleman, Phil Heath, or Dorian Yates type of brilliance on display. In his mind, Big Ramy was no better than anyone in the top 10 at Olympia 2020. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Melle Mel goes a step further. He believes that Men’s 212 champion Shaun Clarida had a better physique than Big Ramy and anyone else on the Men’s Open stage.
Melle Mel loves bodybuilding but he falls into the camp of people who think Men’s Open has become too bloated with size. While he does enjoy the freak factor, he laments the loss of beauty in more conditioned and aesthetic physiques. Which is why he was happy for the creation of Classic Physique.
Somewhat ironically, it wasn’t the Classic Physique Olympia 2020 champion that stood out to him this past year. It was the Men’s 212 champion – Shaun Clarida. Known for his small height, Clarida was a Men’s 212 bodybuilder that often got overlooked. He proved the world that they should start paying attention with a truly career defining physique at Olympia 2020. He won and became champion.
Melle Mel believes that Shaun Clarida is the ideal phyisque that bodybuilders should all aspire towards. He goes as far to claim that if Clarida stood on stage next to Big Ramy – that Clarida would have won the Mr. Olympia overall. That’s how much Melle Mel was impressed by Clarida’s physique.
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Check out our GI Exclusive segment with Melle Mel above!
Of course, the sheer height and size difference would be a challenge for Clarida to overcome. But Melle Mel believes that size should not always matter. Bigger is not always better. He believes that Clarida should be able to stand side by side with Big Ramy – and fans and judges should be able to award Clarida victory regardless of his smaller size.
“Now had he stood beside Big Ramy, I guarantee you he would look better than Big Ramy,” Melle Mel states in our interview. He goes on, “He just wouldn’t be bigger. So you would probably overlook him. Absolutely he was in better conditioning than Big Ramy.”
The point Melle Mel seems to be making here is that it’s natural for us to overlook smaller stature people. Even if Clarida held a better conditioned physique – it would be less noticeable when an elephant is standing next to him. That being said, if it was possible to really let the crowd evaluate each of them honestly – Melle Mel thinks it’s clear that Clarida was superior in every single way.
There was a time in bodybuilding’s younger era, where the lightweight and heavyweight bodybuilders would ultimately battle on stage side by side for an overall winner. That has disappeared with the removal of traditional weight classes and the creation of divisions. Perhaps one day the IFBB and NPC can open up special crossover categories.
Imagine the Mr. Olympia standing next to the Men’s 212 Olympia and so on. Would it always be guaranteed that the Men’s Open competitor wins? Or would we have some surprise upsets? Melle Mel wants to believe that someone like Clarida can win overall – but we’ll never know unless these sort of crossover events are allowed to happen.
You can watch Melle Mel’s full comments on Shaun Clarida and Big Ramy in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Danny Hester: Chris Bumstead Won Olympia Due To Improvements But Not Perfection
Danny Hester believes that Chris Bumstead’s physique was very close to Breon Ansley – but it was his massive improvements that earned him the win.
Chris Bumstead vs Breon Ansley was one of the most hyped up battles of the Classic Physique Olympia 2020. Ultimately, Chris Bumstead solidified his status as champion with a second win. Surprisingly, Breon Ansley fell down to third place. But Danny Hester believes that Bumstead and Ansley’s physiques were actually very close in quality. What made the difference was Bumstead’s massive improvements since last year.
The same can be said of Terrence Ruffin, who slipped up into second ahead of Breon Ansley. These three competitors were neck and neck. It’s Danny Hester’s belief that comparisons to previous years and how much they each improved decided the ultimate placings. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Danny Hester explains how judges consistently reward improvements – and that’s the main reason Chris Bumstead won Olympia 2020.
Danny Hester wants to make one thing clear during our latest interview segment. When a bodybuilder competes on stage, they are being not only compared to the other competitors but also their past self. Pro bodybuilding and judges cannot help but be somewhat subjective. Despite scores and a set of guidelines to follow – judging a physique will always be skewed by subjective opinion.
That’s why there are multiple judges on the panel instead of just one. To help bring in a consensus among multiple perspectives. Danny Hester also believes that comparisons to previous competitions also helps keep the judges guided. That it’s an unwritten guiding principle with scoring. If a bodybuilder shows incredible improvement from one competition to the next – the judges take notice. That affects the overall score and placing.
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Watch our GI Exclusive segment with Danny Hester above!
Danny Hester doesn’t give his personal opinion on who had the best physique at the Classic Physique Olympia 2020. But he does suggest that the physique quality was very close between Chris Bumstead and Breon Ansley.
“Now even with the improvements, was it enough for him [Chris Bumstead] to beat Breon? That’s a whole different story,” Danny Hester states in our interview. While not confirmed -this seems to imply that Hester doesn’t view Bumstead’s physique as breakaway superior from Ansley.
He does understand, and truly believes, that Chris Bumstead won purely on his vast improvements. Hester himself gives Bumstead credit. He admits that the amount of improvements in Bumstead’s physique from the Olympia 2019 to 2020 was incredible. It’s hard for any pro bodybuilder to get that kind of improvement in one year. Bumstead pulled it off. The judges noticed. That gave Bumstead the edge.
Danny Hester relates this to his experience competing. He recalls a competition he competed in just three weeks before winning the Classic Olympia. He placed third due to feeling slightly sick on the night of the show. He was frustrated. So he worked extra hard in the final three weeks leading up to Olympia.
Ultimately, he won the Classic Physique Olympia. He thinks this is partially due to the extra effort he put in after feeling defeated. But he also thinks it’s because some of the same judges were at the earlier show and also judging at Olympia. They saw his improvements. They directly noticed how he changed. That helped him get an edge and win that year.
So what does that mean for Chris Bumstead going into 2021? There are always improvements to be made – but can he surprise with such vast improvements like the year before? And if he can’t will it be enough for him to stay on top? Only time will tell. Perhaps Breon Ansley will be the one to bring in improvements and get the edge.
You can watch Danny Hester go into more detail about his thoughts of the Classic Physique Olympia results by watching our latest GI Exclusive above!
Victor Martinez: If Big Ramy Focuses Too Much On Size He Can Lose To Brandon Curry
Victor Martinez shares his reaction to Big Ramy’s big win and what his future holds in the sport.
On December 19, 2020 Big Ramy won the Mr. Olympia. This was a long time coming after almost 10 years of struggling to live up to his potential. For seemingly the first time, everyone agreed he was far and above the winner. There was no controversy. No let down. Just a pure victory for a talented and beloved competitor. But what will his future hold? Will he become the next reigning champion for years to come? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Victor Martinez reacts to Big Ramy’s Olympia win and shares his thoughts for his future.
Victor Martinez is a pro bodybuilder who has been around in the sport for a few decades now. He is extremely passionate about bodybuilding. He’s started his own IFBB pro show and has competed consistently throughout the years. He’s also a man who is open and honest about his opinions in the sport.
That’s why when we had a chance to reconnect with Victor Martinez, we asked him for his thoughts on the Mr. Olympia 2020. More specifically, how he felt about Big Ramy’s win after years of hype and hope that he would become champion. Like many fans and experts – Martinez believes that pound for pound Big Ramy deserved the win.
But we wanted to know how this could potentially change upcoming Olympia competitions. And what the future will hold for Big Ramy. Will he be yet another one and done winner? Or will he bring upon us the next long time reigning champion? And will others now focus more on size to keep up with his massive physique? Much like how Ronnie Coleman inspired and permanently altered the culture of the sport.
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Check out our GI Exclusive segment with Victor Martinez above!
Victor Martinez believes that it will be hard for anyone to defeat Big Ramy in future shows. But there’s one catch. That’s only if Ramy can maintain his conditioning with each new year. In the past, Ramy has struggled with balancing his size and conditioning at the same time. He nailed it in 2020 – but one year of perfection does not make a guarantee for the future.
Victor Martinez points out that Big Ramy’s strength is in the duality of his size and conditioning. If he can keep both on point, there’s no one currently competing who can beat him. But the past has also shown us that Big Ramy has not been consistent. There’s a chance that 2020 was a turning point for Ramy and that his future is bright. There’s also a chance that he will regress back to his inconsistencies.
This is the point that Victor Martinez drives home. When a bodybuilder is so known for his massive size (even compared to most mass monsters in the sport), it can be easy to focus too much on size and lose grasp of conditioning. If that happens again, Martinez believes that someone like Brandon Curry or even Phil Heath can return to become champion again.
Basically – Big Ramy’s future success is not guaranteed. 2021 will be a proving ground of sorts. Will he prove that his improvements are more consistent and permanent for the coming years? Or will he ultimately fall back on his inconsistencies? There’s no way to know. Victor Martinez acknowledges this and simply hopes that Big Ramy doesn’t succumb to his size.
You can watch Victor Martinez’s full comments on Big Ramy’s Olympia win and future in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
Samir Bannout: Arnold Schwarzenegger Won Olympia 1980 Because Of His Name
Samir Bannout’s First Hand Account Of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Controversial Olympia 1980 Win
One of the most controversial Mr. Olympia competitions in history was in 1980. It was the year that Arnold Schwarzenegger decided to compete last minute after stepping away from the sport. He ended up winning first place and his 7th Olympia trophy. Many fans believed that it was an unearned win fueled by his rising Hollywood fame. It was an infamous moment in pro bodybuilding history. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Samir Bannout shares his first hand account both back stage and on stage of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Olympia 1980 win.
Samir Bannout is a bodybuilding legend in his own right. He is a Mr. Olympia champion and considered by many to have one of the greatest physiques of all time. He was also present at the 1980 Mr. Olympia competition. We sat down with Samir via video chat for our latest GI Exclusive interview. During that conversation, we asked him to reflect on his first hand account of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s return and the drama that ensued at Mr. Olympia 1980.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Secret Competition Prep
Samir Bannout notes that the first thing he remembers I seeing Arnold Schwarzenegger in the gym about a month before the Mr. Olympia. While Arnold did not confirm anything, Samir could tell from the nature of his training that he was preparing to compete again. In fact, he was not completely surprised when Arnold eventually announced he would appear at the Mr. Olympia. It seems that perhaps it wasn’t as last minute a decision as many believe. Simply a surprise to the public.
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Check out our latest GI Exclusive segment with Samir Bannout above!
The Press Conference Aggression
Samir Bannout goes on to describe the press conference before the Mr. Olympia. This is where the drama started to build up. Samir recalls Arnold Schwarzenegger saying some harsh words – particularly to Mike Mentzer. This wasn’t particularly off character for Arnold – who was always cocky as part of his bodybuilding persona. But due to his sudden appearance last minute at this specific competition – the cocky trash talk was received a little differently.
Mike Mentzer became so angry from the press conference comments that he and Arnold Schwarzenegger physically attacked each other. The rest of the athletes and staff had to pull Mike and Arnold apart. That’s how heated things were before the actual competition even started. Of course, this didn’t bode well for what was to come.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Controversial Olympia Win
Arnold Schwarzenegger ultimately was crowned the winner of the Mr. Olympia 1980. This decision was so poorly received that Frank Zane threw his trophy to the ground and multiple athletes stormed off stage. It was clear that many disagreed with the judges decision.
So what about Samir Bannout? Did he disagree with the call? He makes it clear in our conversation that he felt Arnold Schwarzenegger did not deserve to win the Mr. Olympia 1980. In fact, while he does not have confirmation, he has heard many rumors from trusted friends in the industry. Rumors that imply that Arnold Schwarzenegger received help from the judges due to his rising star in Hollywood.
There are those who thought perhaps Arnold was scored more favorably because of how much power he held as a celebrity. Or alternatively, he was so beloved that the judges scored more on Arnold the icon rather than his conditioning.
“Yeah of course so many people got pissed off and I also believe they have the right to get mad,” Samir Bannout states in our interview. He continues:
“I think the assumption was then… do I know exactly what happened or why did Arnold win? Sometimes you have to remember, Arnold had a lot of fans. And he’s Arnold. Everyone looked up to Arnold. And so, I heard that some of the judges loved Arnold. Loved him as Arnold. They didn’t care about his conditioning that day. They voted for him as Arnold and that’s not right. Me personally if my brother was on stage, doesn’t deserve to win, I wouldn’t let him win.”
Samir Bannout makes a point to state he has no proof of this. It’s a rumor he has heard from enough people to trust in the topic. That’s a testament to just how controversial Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1980 victory was. While all of these claims may simply be one day proven false – it’s the optics that led to such fervor.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s last minute entry, his conditioning being off compared to his prime, and his rising fame outside of bodybuilding all created an atmosphere ripe for conspiracy theories and unhappy fans.
We may never know the truth behind what exactly happened or if there was truly foul play. But Samir Bannout’s recounting of the Olympia 1980 is wonderfully entertaining and insightful. It provides a behind the scenes oral history of a very infamous and dramatic moment in bodybuilding history.
You can watch Samir Bannout go into full detail about the 1980 Mr. Olympia by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview above!
IFBB Mr. Olympia Weekend Will Be Postponed This This Year.
IFBB Mr. Olympia Weekend Will Be Postponed This This Year. There has been much speculation as to whether or not the Mr. Olympia 2020 would be rescheduled or even worse cancelled. With many major events around the world already pushing back dates that were meant to be held this fall and winter – it seemed…
Mr. Olympia Contest Final Competitors List For 2019
After a full season of contests that have taken place around the world, we finally know who will be moving on to compete for the title of 2019 Mr. Olympia. The 2019 Olympia Weekend will be taking place September 12-15 and the two-day contest will take place at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada….
2019 Mr. Olympia Qualified Competitors list
2019 Mr. Olympia Qualified Competitors list: Shawn Rhoden (USA) Phil Heath (USA) Roelly Winklaar (Curacao) William Bonac (Netherlands) Brandon Curry (USA) Dexter Jackson (USA) Clarence De Vis (Belgium) Maxx Charles (USA) Point System: Cedric McMillan (USA), 16 Luke Sandoe (UK), 14 Nathan de Asha (UK), 8 Lucas Osladil (Czech Republic), 7 Pavel Beran (Czech Republic), 6…