As two-time reigning Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay charges headlong to defend his title at the 2022 edition of the contest, it appears he’s not taking many moments to stop and bask in his past accomplishments. To achieve a historic “three-peat” against a stacked cadre of competitors, the superstar can’t afford to rest on his laurels. With the contest on the horizon on Dec. 16-18, 2022, Elssbiay and his team are preparing for more greatness. How? In the gym.
On Nov. 30, 2022, Elssbiay’s coach, Dennis James, shared a clip of a recent upper-body workout he put the elite bodybuilder through. The short video shows off Elssbiay crushing an incline bench press on a Smith machine, beginning with four 45-pound plates on each end of the bar and using a “drop set” technique — quickly removing one plate per side for high-intensity training with limited rest. It’s another glimpse of Elssbiay seemingly trying to check off every box as he pursues yet another Olympia title in Las Vegas, NV.
This quick peek at a pre-Olympia workout is but another taste of an eventful past few months with Elssbiay in the news and in front of the mirror. As the bodybuilding titan tries to put himself in an exclusive all-time company, various notable figures in the sport have weighed in on his outlook for the 2022 Olympia title.
For example, in early October 2022, while breaking down the top contenders, eight-time Mr. Olympia (1998-2005) Ronnie Coleman predicted another Elssbiay victory. The living legend cited Elssbiay’s seemingly insurmountable size as his reasoning for the prognostication. Meanwhile, in late October 2022, fellow eight-time Olympia winner Lee Haney (1984-1991) noted that he thought Elssbiay’s current status as bodybuilding’s king is, ironically, comparable to Coleman at the peak of his reign.
It shouldn’t be surprising then that coaches like Miloš Šarčev believe Elssbiay will be battling it out at the top against up-and-comers such as Nick Walker.
Elssbiay’s physique has certainly looked the part of a champion who can win three straight titles. In his final update of the off-season in late September 2022, the Egyptian athlete revealed he weighed a mammoth 337 pounds. It’s that sort of trademark mass that might help Elssbiay keep his throne.
While there’s the expectation that some phenoms could push Elssbiay in mid-December, all eyes will likely center on the athlete’s latest quest for glory. With his peers gunning for his esteemed crown, Elssbiay will have to bring his best to the 2022 Olympia stage. It doesn’t appear to be a task he and his coach are taking lightly in the least.
Featured image: @bigdjames on Instagram
