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The Question: The Olympia is getting closer. Bodybuilding fans having been waiting, and are now going crazy over the event. It's time to make some picks! Who do you think will win the 2005 Mr. Olympia? Why? What do you think the top 10 will look like? Why do you put them in this order? Who do you believe will make the biggest improvement? Who do you think is the most under-rated competitor that could surprise people this year? Bonus Question: How do you feel about the Mr. Olympia contest? Do you get excited for this time of year, like football fans when the Superbowl comes around, or do you not really care? Show off your knowledge to the world! The Winners:
2nd place - 50 in store credit. 3rd place - 25 in store credit. To use your credit, e-mail Will @ will@bodybuilding.com for more info.
The Olympia is the ultimate display of the human physique. Athletes push themselves to the limit of physical endeavor and beyond in an attempt to realize their dream - that of taking home the coveted Sandow statuette; the trophy that comes with becoming the new Mr. Olympia. Throughout the years there have only ever been 10 Mr. Olympia winners. It has been decades since a champion was dethroned and in these past 20 years alone there have only been 3 winners; the record holding Lee Haney, the mass monster that was Dorian Yates and the current undefeated champion, big Ronnie Coleman. Does this indicate a tendency for champions to be created and stay on their throne as long as their body will allow? A deeper political aspect? A certain staleness in the judging? Or a lack of competition? Probably a mixture of each. However I believe that the 2005 Olympia will be one of the most hotly contended competitions for years. The question is will the 40th anniversary Olympia be a time for change and the emergence of new blood or a time for continuity and tradition? Only time will tell.
1966 - Larry Scott 1967 - Sergio Oliva 1968 - Sergio Oliva 1969 - Sergio Oliva 1970 - Arnold Schwarzenegger 1971 - Arnold Schwarzenegger 1972 - Arnold Schwarzenegger 1973 - Arnold Schwarzenegger 1974 - Arnold Schwarzenegger 1975 - Arnold Schwarzenegger 1976 - Franco Columbu 1977 - Frank Zane 1978 - Frank Zane 1979 - Frank Zane 1980 - Arnold Schwarzenegger 1981 - Franco Columbu 1982 - Chris Dickerson 1983 - Samir Bannout 1984 - Lee Haney 1985 - Lee Haney 1986 - Lee Haney 1987 - Lee Haney 1988 - Lee Haney 1989 - Lee Haney 1990 - Lee Haney 1991 - Lee Haney 1992 - Dorian Yates 1993 - Dorian Yates 1994 - Dorian Yates 1995 - Dorian Yates 1996 - Dorian Yates 1997 - Dorian Yates 1998 - Ronnie Coleman 1998 - Ronnie Coleman 2000 - Ronnie Coleman 2001 - Ronnie Coleman 2002 - Ronnie Coleman 2003 - Ronnie Coleman 2004 - Ronnie Coleman 2005 - ???? As you can see, only 10 people have ever taken a Sandow home. What implications may have on this year's competition? This could be the point at which Ronnie Coleman is dethroned and a new Mr. Olympia is crowned - after all, it is a significant year in Olympia history with it being the events 40th anniversary. Maybe a shake up is due at the Olympia? Or maybe continuity and tradition will prevail?
Before we can predict anything we must first of all look at who's qualified for this year's competition. Below is a list of the qualifying competitors in alphabetical order along with their country and their route of qualification.
 List Of Competitors From www.2005olympia.com.Unfortunately I fear that there is more to becoming Mr. Olympia than just your physique. While Ronnie Coleman started as a truly worthy champion in more recent years he has been criticized for his shear size and particularly the distension of his belly. This is a feature of growth hormone abuse and not only does it openly indicate steroid use, it also detracts from his streamlining and aesthetic appeal. Yet he's still managed to hold on to his title for seven consecutive years. Whether this is due to behind the scenes politics or a recent propensity to give the title to the biggest man on stage is unknown, but things may change. This year the judging criteria of Mr. Olympia have included a clamp down on distended bellies and an emphasis on aesthetics and symmetry. If these rules are enforced to the letter, Ronnie Coleman will have to do a lot of work to maintain his hold on the title.
"The multiple winners we have seen are a sheer reflection of the lack of rotation of opinions and the people who are judging this show"
Shawn Ray
Bodybuilding.com Interview
However, this rule has been in place for many years. It is nothing new that aesthetics and symmetry should be at the forefront; however it is unusual that in the build-up to an Olympia these criteria have been emphasized as much as they have been. In the past an aesthetically weak Dorian Yates won the 1996 Olympia in the middle of his reign against superior competition. It seems that tradition and continuity counts for a lot. This is only exemplified further with the fact that there have only been 3 winners in the past 20 years.
Taking all of this into account my predictions for Mr. Olympia 2005 are:
"I just want to be the best bodybuilder that I can be as long as I can be. If it includes breaking Lee Haney's record then that is something I would cherish more than anything in the world."
Ronnie Coleman
Bodybuilding.com Interview
Ronnie's record speaks for itself. It seems that Ronnie Coleman is destined to equal Lee Haney's record, if not better it. Unlike Dorian Yates before him, Ronnie's body seems to be holding up well in terms of injury and he personally shows no signs of wanting to quit. Ronnie has the best back in the business and he has been untouchable in this respect. His legs are another massive strength, with not many coming close in this regard.
 Click To Enlarge.Ronnie's Record Speaks For Itself. The 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 & 2004 Olympia. He is also a veteran of the business and will come into the Olympia weekend with perfect conditioning. I don't think the fact that he will be the oldest competitor on stage will go against him at all. In terms of weaknesses, as stated earlier, Ronnie has had a huge problem with his gut in the past. It ruins his symmetry and smacks of GH abuse. However, that hasn't stopped him in the past and I don't think it will get in his way in the future.
"On August 3rd, 1991, I began my journey towards becoming the best...on October 15th 2005 I will arrive at my destiny."
Jay Cutler
Official Website There is certainly no doubt in Jay Cutler's mind that he will be taking the Sandow from Ronnie this year. In terms of shear size Jay comes a close second to Ronnie Coleman, but without the hugely distended belly. Jay's major weakness when placed side by side with Ronnie is his back. Although he has great upper back development he lacks the middle and low back he needs to challenge Coleman's all round physique.
 Click To Enlarge. Jay's Major Weakness. At the 2001 Olympia Jay Cutler seemingly came out of nowhere to push Ronnie to the edge of defeat. Jay took second and has been right behind Ronnie ever since. Unfortunately I think that's where he'll stay, for this year at least.
"It would be great to be Mr. Olympia, but I can't say 'I'm going to win' or 'I'm going to be in the top five'... I just want to always get better and show everyone how good I can be. I don't want to get bigger, just always getting better"
Gustavo Badell
Official Website Gustavo hasn't let himself fall into the super-mass game that Ronnie and Jay are playing and I fear it will cost him somewhat, but the development of what he has is extremely impressive.
 Click To Enlarge. Gustavo Badell, "It Would Be Great To Be Mr. Olympia." Under Milos Sarcev's guidance Gustavo Badell came into the 2005 Ironman up to 15 lbs heavier than last year, dry and cut. He is in the best shape of his life and has a lot of experience, both his own and that of Milos, to draw upon and help him come into Mr. Olympia with near perfect conditioning. If Gustavo can time his peak right I predict a great Olympia for him.
"I am not the type of a person that someone could just doubt me and I will sit there and take that. I will show everyone exactly who I am and what I am made of, how hard I can work, how good a competitor I will be..."
Chris Cormier
Bodybuilding.com Interview Chris Cormier is one of the most controversial characters in bodybuilding. Removing himself from the controversy of being caught with needles and steroids at an airport, under investigation for domestic violence and known for his partying lifestyle, Chris Cormier has focused the last few years on his family and his career. I think this focus will pay off in terms of Olympia placing. Chris Cormier has the ability to come in to a show in great condition with little to no water retention. He has great symmetry and a great aesthetic appeal.
 Click To Enlarge. Great Symmetry & Aesthetic Appeal. I terms of his Mr. Olympia conditioning I don't think there will any problems whatsoever, the last few years of his career have shown this with one Pro 1st place (2005 San Francisco Pro) and five 2nd places (2005 Arnold Classic, 2004 Arnold Classic, 2004 Grand Prix England, 2004 Grand Prix Australia, 2004 Grand Prix Holland) in the last 2 years alone.
Mustafa has had some health scares in recent times, something which many have attributed to the abuse of diuretics pre-contest. However, Mustafa has a great all round physique. He manages to come in full and dry almost every show with an extremely impressive body. However there is a bit issue with consistency when it comes to Mustafa. Most would agree that he is seldom placed as high as he should be with his awesome quads, his awesome overall mass and the fact that he can come in with great conditioning if he needs to. However, his placing has been all over the place. In the past 2 years alone he has placed:
If he can get his conditioning down perfectly (which I believe he can under the guidance of Milos) I think he has a good chance of making top 5.
Alex Fedorov is the youngest competitor this year, and the only Mr. Olympia competitor to be under the age of 30. As such he has a lot of potential. He finished second to Ronnie Coleman at the Russian Grand Prix last November, which will be a boost to his confidence. Ultimately, Fedorov is the new boy on the scene. He has the size and potentially the conditioning to, but needs to come into the Olympia weekend spot on. He is untested at Olympia level, having never competed in the Olympia before. I think his mass may help him sneak into the top 10 if his conditioning is perfect. Unfortunately he doesn't have the experience to do serious damage and should be looking at this Olympia appearance as a platform from which to mount a serious challenge in the future.
Dennis James has a great chance of making it well into the top 10 this year. He has the size to help him advance in the placing, including great symmetry and aesthetics. His official pictures from 7 weeks out indicate fantastic conditioning and I have no doubt that he'll come into Olympia dry and full. He certainly has the contest pedigree to come in on form. His legs have fantastic development, particularly his hamstrings, but little is being shown of his leg development pre-Olympia. He has a great back development which will help his cause. He was placed 7th in the Olympia 2001, and although he looks fuller this time round I don't think he's done enough to warrant a higher placing.
 Click To Enlarge. Dennis @ The 2002 Show Of Strength.
Always a fan favorite, Lee Priest probably automatically wins the title of 'Fan's Mr. Olympia'! Lee Priest has consistently squeezed into top 10 for several years and he will undoubtedly be looking to better this result. In terms of strengths his arms are probably the best out there. They are both full and proportionally developed, so there is not much competition in this regard. However, Lee Priest has had a problem with consistency when it comes to competition. Past Olympia showings have him in top 10 and even top 6 condition, all destroyed by an awful 15th place at the 2003 Olympia. With all of his previous experience Lee Priest should come into the 2005 on top of his game in terms of dryness and fullness. There is every reason that he will be near perfect condition wise. Unfortunately I think that there are too many competitors with better overall development and basically more shear mass for Lee Priest to do serious damage this year, but I certainly hope he proves me wrong.
 Click To Enlarge. Lee @ 2004 San Francisco Pro Show.
Kris Dim certainly isn't anywhere near the size of the mass monsters that will be surrounding him on stage come Olympia 2005, and I think that will work to his advantage. Dim has a tiny little waste, something that may just work to his advantage if the rules are enforced this year like they should be. His v-taper is awesome, but this comes through the sacrifice of shear mass - something which will hold him back this year. There are too many around him with the size and experience to keep him from placing up there. His leg development is weak compared to the others he'll be on stage with. If Dim can come in with great conditioning I think he'll get himself into the top 10 simply based on his aesthetic appeal, great lines and awesome symmetry.
Darrem Charles can have outstanding conditioning when he works on it. In terms of competition, he is well accomplished having several Pro wins in the past few years (including the Toronto Pro, Florida Pro, IFBB Maximus Pro and the SW Pro Cup). He is a man that knows how to come in on point.
 Click To Enlarge. Darrem @ The 2004 NOC. Darrem Charles' weakness is his size. He is another person to suffer against the era of the mass monster. He has some great symmetry and aesthetic appeal but not the mass to be a serious contender. If he can come in with great conditioning so I think he'll match his placing at the 2004 Olympia and come in at a solid #10.
I hope that the one person with the biggest improvement will be the same person that will come to surprise many this year; Mustafa Mohammad. In terms of physique, Mustafa has one of the best around in my opinion. He has great overall development with no one discernable weak point. His downfall has always been his conditioning. Mustafa will benefit tremendously from the guidance of Milos Sarcev both in terms of training and conditioning and if they are both on top of their game I predict big things for Mustafa. If not, Mustafa will yet again fall by the wayside as a victim of poor preparation and insufficient presentation. Another competitor set to step up this year is Kris Dim. Dim looks awesome already but needs to bring up weak points for the future. While I don't predict Kris Dim will do much damage to the front runners this time the experience he gains from his first Mr. Olympia will be invaluable for the future. He's definitely one to look out for in years to come.
This is the first Mr. Olympia I have ever been interested in. Pro bodybuilding has essentially zero coverage in the UK and as such it is not something that I have ever been exposed to. However, as I have developed my knowledge of bodybuilding in general so too has Pro competition become increasingly more interesting to me. Without a doubt this year's Mr. Olympia will be hotly contested and is already being hyped as one of the closest competitions in history. This no doubt adds to the excitement. Unfortunately I'm yet to find anywhere in the UK which will the airing the event so I will have to keep up to date with news online. For this reason alone Mr. Olympia doesn't really come close to the football (soccer) World Cup, Ashes cricket or Olympic Games in my book. I'm sure that if I ever got the chance to see an Olympia event live I would quickly change my mind though! Nevertheless, I am very exciting in seeing exactly how Olympia 2005 will pan out... Thank you for reading.
It's that time of year again - near the end of summer when the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding contest comes. This competition most definitely goes unnoticed by the majority of common people who have no connection to the bodybuilding world. Unlike the Super Bowl or Stanley Cup, the Mr. Olympia competition doesn't get aired on big networks and usually goes by without even being reported in the newspaper. Anyone who is into bodybuilding knows about the competition and anticipates its coming anxiously. The talk in the gym suddenly changes from "Hey, what's your bench now?" to "Hey do you think this Jay Cutler is going to win this time?" To the average gym member who doesn't know what their doing there and probably doesn't belong there, it all seems like gibberish; whose idea of bodybuilding is some half naked freaks flexing all day. For the hardcore fans it's more than that, it's about seeing the best bodybuilders in action again sporting bigger, more ripped and symmetrical bodies. And most of all, we want the question everyone is asking answered; the question that the whole contest is centered around. Who is the best of all bodybuilders?
Ronnie Coleman is destined to win his 8th Mr. Olympia this year. I don't want to list anyone else to be "different" but this guy who everyone knows will win even though some people don't agree he deserves it. This is in part true. His body I would say isn't very symmetrical and his definition isn't the best. So why do I think Ronnie Coleman is going to win? Well here are some points. 1. He Is Just Downright Massive
Before I really knew much about the sport of bodybuilding, I once saw a slide of bodybuilders lined up flexing their backs in a row. I didn't even have to study the picture and I already said "That guy's back is huge! He's a monster", and you guessed it, someone told me it was a guy named Ronnie Coleman.
It also helps him when the judges lean more towards size than the fine tuning of symmetry and definition. That is part of the reason why the more defined and proportioned guys end up losing. 2. Controversy
There is always some type of argument about unfair and prejudice judging that goes on. Of course the IFBB doesn't want to be caught in the middle of all this. Think about it, if you're the head of the IFBB would you to be in the middle of an argument about who should have won the contest or would you want everything to run smoothly. Of course you want everything to run smoothly. If they knock Ronnie Coleman off the top when no one really has a clear advantage over him, his loyal fans and others will most likely criticize the IFBB for unfair judging. 3. The IFBB Doesn't Want To Upset Viewers
For some reason it is human nature to want the veteran player to win the contest, tournament or what not, rather than some no name guy. Face it; it's true, in tennis when Andy Roddick got dropped by some no name guy called Giles Muller from Luxembourg everyone got upset, except for Luxembourg people which was probably like 2 guys. The same might happen with bodybuilding. If Ronnie gets taken off by another person a lot of people might get upset since the defending champ is usually the one most people cheer for.
1. Ronnie Coleman
2. Jay Cutler
3. Marcus Ruhl
4. Gustavo Badell
5. Chris Cormier
6. Lee Priest
7. Gunter Schlierkamp
7. Dexter Jackson
8. Victor Martinez
9. Dennis James
10. Alexander Fedorov
I believe the person who will make the biggest improvement this year will be Jay Cutler. First of all there are great expectations for him to overthrow Ronnie Coleman. He even missed a couple of competitions to prepare for the Mr. Olympia 2005 which means he is working harder than ever to achieve this goal. No other bodybuilder has this much motivation to train as hard or diet so cleanly than Jay Cutler. I feel that the most under-rated competitor would be Marcus Ruhl. Of all the top bodybuilders I hear people talk about he is least mentioned. First of all Marcus Ruhl has some pretty freaky mass. It isn't just the kind of mass that looks like it was slapped on at the cost of definition and symmetry like Ronnie Coleman. Although it isn't the greatest symmetry in the game he still maintains a balance between mass, symmetry and definition. His chest is probably the best of all the competitors in both shape, size and definition. His abs are also quite good considering when you have abs that large it is almost impossible to sculpt them in a perfect shape you see in some smaller bodybuilders. In terms of the shape of his upper body I think he did a superb job. His pecs are razor sharp along with his arms and shoulders which fit together well. His back is also very symmetrical and has good mass, especially his traps. His legs are very well done with the cut calves going and the massive quads balanced by his hamstrings. Of the top five of the 2004 Mr. Olympia I feel that Markus Ruhl has done the best fine tuning even though he isn't the biggest guy out there.
Joe Weider, a renowned supporter and contributor to the sport of bodybuilding, was impressed with Scott's ability to win competition after competition. To keep Scott's legacy going, he invented the Mr. Olympia contest, the super bowl of competitive bodybuilding. Scott won the title twice, and then retired. Bodybuilding greats such as Sergio Oliva, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbo, Frank Zane, Lee Haney, Dorian Yates, and Ronnie Coleman continued the legacy of keeping the Mr. Olympia alive and going. The year now is 2005. A new champion will be crowned at this year's "O." Who's it going to be?
Dexter Jackson has withdrawn from the Olympia this year
The big story at last year's Olympia was the ongoing battle between Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman. Many believed Cutler would take the throne away from "Big Ron" last year, but clearly, that was not the case. Coleman showed up 15 lbs heavier than he was at the prior Olympia. His combination of mass and overall thickness ensured the Mr. Olympia title for his seventh consecutive year. It's a new year. A new Olympia. Can Jay Cutler dethrone Ronnie Coleman from winning his eighth consecutive title?
It is the writer's opinion that Ronnie Coleman will prevail in the Mr. Olympia, and go on to win his eighth consecutive "O." Ronnie shows up year after year with amazing rear development, overall thickness, and extraordinary size.
1. Ronnie Coleman
2. Chris Cormier
3. Jay Cutler
4. Gustavo Badell
His unbelievable display of symmetry and mass will earn him 4th place in the Olympia. He's one of bodybuilding's rising stars, and expects him to show up in superb shape at the "O." 5. Lee Priest
6. Markus Ruhl
7. Victor Martinez
8. Gunter Schlierkamp
He's working with Chad Nicholls leading up to the Olympia to improve this "flat" appearance. Expect him to place 5th in this year's Olympia. 9. Kris Dim
10. Alexander Federov
Chris Cormier will make the biggest improvement this year. I believe he will come in at the best shape of his life this year. I really expect big things from this man! "The Real Deal" never ceases to amaze me with his perfect display of symmetry, aesthetics, and mass. Expect him to place 2nd this year, taking some of the attention away from Big Ron! The most underrated competitor that will surprise people this year is Kris Dim. The guy is a beast. Just look at his superb tricep definition and size! He didn't end up doing too well in last year's competition because of a leg injury, but this year he will shock spectators and judges for sure! He's still young, so he hasn't made a name for himself just yet. But all that will change after this year's Olympia and Olympia's to come!
I'm anticipating this year's Olympia like no other contest before! This could be the year Ronnie Coleman ties Lee Haney for most wins. I also think if Ronnie wins this year, next year will be HIGHLY anticipated. There are a few new mandates in this year's Mr. Olympia contest including the "distended gut rule." As we all know, Big Ron is known for his distended gut, and it's going to be interesting how much the judges actually enforce this rule. Will politics come into play with the decision to hand Big Ron his 8th Mr. Olympia title? There's just so much to look out for at this year's competition! I usually don't get overly excited with the Olympia, but this year is different. There's so much at stake here, and I cannot wait to watch the actual contest and see the results!
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