Considering how close he came to taking home the title in his Men’s Open debut, 2022 Mr. Olympia runner-up Derek Lunsford certainly seems capable of toppling Hadi Choopan from his throne in just a few weeks. Yet even though the former 212 Olympia winner represents a major threat to Choopan’s chances of claiming the crown in consecutive years, that doesn’t mean the two titans can’t benefit from some friendly collaboration.

With the 2023 Mr. Olympia show set to take place the weekend of Nov. 3-5, Lunsford recently teamed up with the reigning champion for an intense chest workout led by legendary trainer Hany Rambod. In a poignant example of iron sharpening iron, the two bodybuilders showcased their incredible physiques and work ethics in a pec-focused training vlog posted on the Evogen Nutrition YouTube channel on Oct. 19, 2023.

Prior to hitting the weights, Rambod put everything in perspective by pointing out that all the athletes in the Men’s Open division have leveled up, which should make this year’s Olympia “an absolute dogfight.” With two of the top contenders joining forces for a muscle-building session at Evogen Nutrition HQ in Irvine, Texas, the workout kicked off near the 1:20 mark.

Incline Machine Chest Press

After consuming a serving of Evogen Nutrition EVP AQ Liquid Glycerol, a specialized pre-workout supplement that enhances blood and muscle volume, Lunsford started out on the incline chest press machine. Working with three 45-pound (20.4-kilogram) plates per side on his first set, he made sure to completely lockout his triceps at the top of the movement.

Choopan followed with a set of his own before Rambod ramped up the intensity by adding another 45-pound (20.4-kilogram) plate per side. During the initial part of the workout, Lunsford credited the 22-time Olympia-winning trainer with helping him make improvements in 2023.

“That connection is so much better this year, it’s crazy,” Lunsford told Rambod. “Once you told me in the offseason to slow it down, back off the weight a little bit, control it, then I actually started connecting with the muscle. Then I started adding more weight, and now I feel really strong and connected with the muscle.”

Incline Machine Power Press

Before diving into the next exercise, Rambod noted the significant differences in training styles between two of his top athletes.

“Derek’s used to doing much less volume, in general,” he said. “Hadi’s used to doing a ton of volume. So he goes in and does four or five sets. He’ll do like eight exercises. It’s like we’ve got to force him sometimes to cut back.”

Lunsford and Choopan proceeded to blast their pecs and triceps on the incline machine “power press,” using a neutral-grip to adjust muscle recruitment. The training team started out with three 45-pound (20.4-kilogram) plates per side. As the load increased and fatigue set in, Rambod encouraged Lunsford to finish with partial reps.

Incline Machine Flye

Next, the duo made their way to the incline flye machine for four sets of this staple chest exercise. Emphasizing both the stretch and the squeeze portions of the movement, Choopan worked with a slightly heavier load than his peer.

Between sets, Lunsford shared some insight into what it’s like to train alongside someone who he will aim to defeat in Orlando, FL.

“As far as the competition’s concerned we’ll leave it to the day of the show,” Lunsford explained. “But all in all we’re brothers in iron, we’re brothers and teammates here at Evogen, and I’m happy to be training with him, and you got to respect the champion.”

Incline Dumbbell Press

Following three machine-based movements, Rambod switched things up by having his athletes work with dumbbells on an incline bench press. Choopan started with 119 pounds (54 kilograms) in each hand, carefully lowering the dumbbells to his chest before driving them back up.

Meanwhile, Lunsford worked with a weight that appeared to be a little lighter than his counterpart. Still, he made sure to squeeze out every rep of an exercise designed to target the upper pec and front delts.

Flat Machine Chest Press

Next, Ramod went with another bench press variation, this time calling upon Panatta’s unique “Super Horizontal Multi Press” machine for a flat version of the push-oriented movement. He helped Lunsford get familiar with the mechanics of this specially designed chest press machine, which allows the user to get a similar experience as using a barbell with the added benefit of being able to change the bar position, range of motion, and type of bar grip for a significantly more targeted approach.

“It works great for not only chest but you can also use it for triceps because you can go ahead and invert the bar, and it’ll take you into a cambered position so you can do a close-grip bench,” Rambod explained.

Lunsford and Choopan’s trainer also took some time to point out common mistakes he sees athletes make when training chest, including trying to push with their shoulders instead of their chest, having weak triceps, and not bringing the bar or dumbbells directly across their chest. Those technical errors can prevent lifters from maximizing their ability to build bigger, stronger pecs.

Decline Machine Flye

To target the lower pec, Rambod had Lunsford and Choopan utilize the decline machine flye. The eccentric portion produced significant tension on the lower portion of their chest muscles, forcing both bodybuilders to dig deep to squeeze their hands as close together as possible on the concentric portion.

Machine Dip

The second-to-last exercise Lunsford and Choopan performed hit their chest from a different angle. They executed high-volume sets of dips on a plate-loaded machine, focusing on slow and controlled movements.

Rambod emphasized the importance of body positioning and maintaining a strong core throughout the exercise. Although dips are typically viewed as a triceps builder, he noted that leaning forward “will activate much more chest” than staying upright, which recruits more of the triceps.

Cable Flye

Finally, the group made their way to the cable machine for several sets of flye variations. Lunsford and Choopan hit their pecs from multiple angles — something Rambod expounded upon near the end of the workout.

“Change up the position of the pulley,” he explained. “Go high, go mid-point, go low. What you want to do is you want to be able to create variation so that your chest does not get used to the same exercises week to week. When you give variation, you’ll get muscle growth.”

Championship-Caliber Chest Day Workout

• Incline Machine Chest Press — 4 x 8-15 
• Incline Machine Power Press — 4 x 8-15 
• Incline Machine Flye — 4 x 8-15 
• Incline Dumbbell Press — 4 x 8-15 
• Flat Chest Press Machine — 4 x 8-15 
• Machine Decline Flye — 4 x 8-15 
• Machine Dip — 4 x 12-15
• Cable Flye — 4 x 12-15  

As two of the favorites to win the 2023 Mr. Olympia, Hadi Choopan and Derek Lunsford bring elite physiques and unparalleled dedication to the mix. Joining forces for a chest workout showed they’re both humble enough to put any egos aside in order to bring out the best in each other. However, only one man can leave Orlando with the Mr. Olympia title, and only time will tell whether Choopan, Lunsford, or another competitor will earn that coveted crown.

Featured Image: Evogen Nutrition / YouTube

The post Reigning Champ Hadi Choopan and Top Contender Derek Lunsford Team Up for Chest Workout 3 Weeks Before 2023 Mr. Olympia appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On July 6, 2023, during a conversation with Jay Cutler on Cutler’s YouTube channel, Šarčev maintained that he thinks defending Mr. Olympia champion Hadi Choopan and the 2022 runner-up, Derek Lunsford, are the two favorites for the 2023 edition of the contest. The discussion picks up toward the end of the video below around 1:26:30.

After waiting for years but never quite breaking through, the seasoned Choopan might be on the brink of an Olympia dynasty. That is unless, per Šarčev, Lunsford, or even 2023 Arnold Classic (AC) winner Samson Dauda (as a dark horse) have something to say about it.

“Derek [Lunsford] and Hadi [Choopan] are frontrunners,” Šarčev said. “Samson [Dauda] is going to the [2023 Mr. Olympia] show to win and will do everything possible for him to win.”

If Choopan does indeed repeat as Mr. Olympia champion in November in Orlando, FL, he will put himself within striking distance of a legendary “three-peat.” According to Šarčev, Choopan may very well become the first Men’s Open athlete since Phil Heath (2011-2017) to win the Mr. Olympia on at least three consecutive occasions.

“I have all the respect for Hadi [Choopan],” Šarčev said. “Hadi [Choopan] could be three times the Mr. Olympia.”

What was interesting about Šarčev’s analysis concerned Lunsford. Per the trainer, Lunsford is already in championship condition with a world-class back. It’s the other poses — particularly any featuring the sides — that may determine whether the star athlete can unseat Choopan from his fitness throne.

“Derek [Lunsford] would be already the Mr. Olympia if it was judged from the back,” Šarčev explained. “He [Lunsford] lost from the side a little bit. And when you think front, front double biceps, front lat spread, he’s super dangerous because then you can really see the definition and hardness on the chest on those two poses and he had a crazy v-taper so you gotta give him. He has front double biceps, the front lat spread, he looks crazy in all these poses. He’s super dangerous. From the back, he’s phenomenal. The other poses, he can be beaten. Can he be beaten in other poses convincingly enough? That remains to be seen. I still think Hadi Choopan is going to [win].”

At the time of this writing, the 2023 Mr. Olympia is just under four months away. A lot can change in that amount of time. Yet, if a keen and experienced eye like Šarčev is already seeing the forest for the trees, the latest Olympia really might come down to another epic battle between Choopan and Lunsford.

Featured image: @hadi_choopan on Instagram

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On June 23, 2023, in one of the latest episodes of his podcast, Cutler broke down where he believes the current Men’s Open division stands before the onset of the 2023 Olympia this early November. To say the least, in a conversation with his manager Matthew M. Daniels, the icon maintained he has his eyes on a few familiar names and didn’t mince words about potential upstarts.

While Cutler didn’t offer specific thoughts on every prime Mr. Olympia competitor  — Nick Walker was mentioned in passing but not expanded upon — he did mostly touch every corner of the elite bodybuilders of the Men’s Open class. Here are some of Cutler’s thoughts on what’s sure to be a loaded Mr. Olympia stage in Orlando, FL:

Michal “Križo” Križánek

Cutler was impressed by Michal Križánek’s recent progress but still felt he hadn’t closed the gap enough on the other athletes.

“He [Križánek] was looking so paper thin, especially in the upper body,” Cutler said. “The arms are some of the best in the business, and it’s looked like he made improvements, which, I think he did improve from his prior showings. But I don’t know if he came down in size a little bit to gather the condition. I still feel like he’s still going to have trouble pushing the top spots at the [2023] Olympia.”

Derek Lunsford and Samson Dauda

To some, after his runner-up Mr. Olympia finish in 2022, Derek Lunsford is the next heir-apparent superstar in bodybuilding. Cutler seems to be one of those people. However, after a recent mutual training session, Cutler ensured he talked up 2023 Arnold Classic (AC) winner Samson Dauda as a possible Olympia champion in his own right.

“We just saw Derek [Lunsford] and Samson [Dauda], too,” Cutler said. “They trained together a couple days ago and Derek looks tremendous, which he always has, and Samson looks tremendous, which he has for the past few years. Obviously, he’s the Arnold [Classic] winner. The question is if Derek would’ve done the Arnold [Classic], and we could keep talking about that.”

Hadi Choopan and Brandon Curry

Cutler believes that two established titans, Hadi Choopan and Brandon Curry, have somewhat been overlooked in the popular conversation. That might be a mistake for the defending Olympia champion (Choopan) and the 2019 victor (Curry).

“Contention-wise, Hadi’s [Choopan] been kind of shouting out ‘don’t forget about me,'” Cutler explained. “We’re also forgetting Brandon Curry.”

Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay

After falling short of a “three-peat” in his Olympia title defense, there have been rumblings that Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay could take a break from bodybuilding to recharge. The Egyptian dynamo has quelled these conversations, maintaining that he’s training “angry” for Olympia redemption in the fall. Cutler believes this is the right mentality to have because:

1. Elssbiay doesn’t have time to waste as he nears the age of 40 and
2. Cutler thinks that Elssbiay, at his best, can still win the Olympia.

“Ramy [Elssbiay] sounds like he’s going to come back and compete, which I’m all for,” Cutler said ” … The point is he [Elssbiay] just needs to regroup and do what he does best and come in the best of his ability. There’s no real timeline on that. He’s 38, he can’t take a few years off. I hear his health is really great. I hear his training is really great. He’s had some atrophy compared to years prior on the arms, triceps, I think he’s admitted to having some downsizing there. But he looked great at the [2023] Arnold [Classic].”

Chinedu Obiekea aka “Andrew Jacked” and Hunter Labrada

Andrew Jacked finished on the podium at the 2023 AC and has already mapped out ambitious summer competitive plans as a way to qualify for the 2023 Olympia. Meanwhile, Hunter Labrada is in hot pursuit of his own Olympia redemption with a streamlined training plan.

Cutler said he liked the duo’s talent but colored his commentary as if he still needed to see more from both athletes.

“I hear great things about Andrew [Jacked], too,” Cutler stated. “The big showdown is going to be Texas [the 2023 Texas Pro]. There’s going to be other guys, too. I know there’s a lot of international shows, but that’s going to be, like, who’s not going to qualify there [in Texas]. Those two guys [Andrew Jacked and Hunter Labrada] need to be in the [Olympia] lineup because they’re people we’re talking about. The question is, can Andrew come and win the [2023] Olympia and shock the world?”

More than most years, the 2023 Mr. Olympia is starting to resemble a relentless gauntlet from which only a true champion of champions will come out victorious. If an icon like Cutler professes so, such a competitive reality feels inevitable.

Featured image: @hadi_choopan on Instagram

The post Jay Cutler Names 8 of His Favorite 2023 Mr. Olympia Contenders appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Apr. 30, 2023, fellow professional bodybuilder William Bonac appeared on a podcast with Muscle and Fitness. After Bonac discussed his goals concerning a rest-of-year pause in competition plans, the two-time Arnold Classic champion (AC) made clear that he believes Choopan is a shoo-in to repeat and win the 2023 Mr. Olympia.

Bonac’s primary rationale behind backing Choopan for another Olympia victory is that he thinks the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League is veering away from a size focus for its top athletes. With a greater aim on a chiseled physique and overall symmetry, it’s here that Bonac explains such criteria could potentially be beneficial to Choopan’s repeat chances.

In fact, with former 212 competitors like Derek Lunsford starting to thrive in the heavier Men’s Open class, Bonac (who began his own competitive career in the 212 division) maintains that’s because aesthetic is becoming more vital for Mr. Olympia success. Notably, Choopan’s first professional victory was in the 212 division at the 2018 Portugal Pro before transitioning to the Men’s Open division in 2019.

“A lot of 212 guys are doing very good in the [Men’s] Open class,” Bonac said. “That’s something that I’ve noticed. They’re extremely good, maybe because they don’t look as big as Big Ramy [Mamdouh Elssbiay], those ‘mass monsters.’ I think [the judges are] trying to go away from that. Not to say they are little guys, you understand. I also see that they are rewarding the taller guys. The few taller guys we have with beautiful aesthetics, that’s a good thing as well.”

When prompted by legendary trainer Miloš Šarčev, Bonac didn’t mince his words.

The athlete thinks Choopan is the current cream of the bodybuilding crop when it comes to being shredded.

“He’s [Choopan] next level,” Bonac explained. “Even with the pump up, when you stop pumping up, then he will come alive. The more he pumps up, the freakier he gets … I think honestly … last year or the year before the [2021] Olympia that he didn’t win, he looked way better. If he came in with that shape even now, that wasn’t even his best shape and he won it. So, I’m sure he’s going to take another title if he brings the condition that he brought the year before.”

Between Choopan, Lunsford, and Nick Walker, among others, the modern Men’s Open division seems more stacked than ever on paper. If Choopan is going to take home another Olympia title, it won’t come without worthy resistance. Though, if his training and physique are indeed as elite as Bonac professes, an extended reign at the top of bodybuilding might be inevitable.

Featured image: @hadi_choopan on Instagram

The post William Bonac Believes Hadi Choopan Is a Lock For 2023 Olympia Repeat Title appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

During the Apr. 17, 2023, YouTube episode of The Mutant And The Mouth, Walker discussed the 2023 Mr. Olympia outlook with his co-host Guy Cisternino. Not only did the superstar Walker express doubt in defending champion Hadi Choopan’s chances at a repeat, he painted Derek Lunsford as the athlete to beat in the Men’s Open division.

To explain his rationale and confidence in his chances for the 2023 Olympia, Walker broke down part of the aftermath of the 2022 iteration. Even though he had shortcomings, Walker expressed he believes that Choopan and Lunsford finished at the top because they were ultimately comparable in their respective body compositions.

“I think I have a shot of winning any show that I do,” Walker said. “For the [2022] Olympia, I mean, the two people that were in front of me were Hadi [Choopan] and Derek [Lunsford], and I think they are very comparable. I think that’s why they were one and two.”

For Choopan, at least, this was where the endorsements from Walker ended.

While he respects his peer’s accomplishments, experience, and pedigree, Walker shared a rather frank assessment of Choopan adding another Olympia trophy to his mantel. Even though Choopan finished ahead of Walker and the entire field of competitors at the 2022 Olympia, he doesn’t believe he’ll be a repeat factor in November. That’s because Walker noted that he and Lunsford could be headed for a great battle.

It could be the start of a competitive, back-and-forth rivalry in the modern Men’s Open division.

“Listen, I love Hadi [Choopan] but I don’t see him repeating in my opinion,” Walker said. “And Derek … he could continue to beat me now that he has a full off-season actually to put the work in and put size on now, so we’ll see … People don’t understand, Derek [Lunsford] is not small by any means. Like, he’s a big guy and he’s got great shape.”

Walker might profess that the 2023 Olympia will come down to him and Lunsford, an opinion seven-time Mr. Olympia champion (2011-2017) Phil Heath mostly shares. However, other bodybuilding icons like Jay Cutler and Miloš Šarčev disagree. While they don’t doubt Walker or Lunsford’s individual merits, the pair have talked up Samson Dauda — the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC) winner — and his shot at a first Mr. Olympia victory. Dauda himself has similarly bought into his rising hype.

At this point in the competitive calendar, the only assertion that seems clear is that the 2023 Mr. Olympia could shape up to be an all-out battle royale on stage.

Featured image: @nick_walker39 on Instagram

The post Nick Walker Believes Derek Lunsford is His Main Obstacle to a 2023 Mr. Olympia Victory appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Apr. 11, 2023, Heath appeared in a YouTube interview with The Voice of Bodybuilding, Bob Cicherillo, to discuss the upcoming Olympia. In the process, Heath named some of his top contenders for the title, including defending champion Hadi Choopan. The living legend even touched upon what it would take for him to return to the stage in posing trunks.

Before breaking down who he thinks could topple Choopan, Heath gave the athlete a wholehearted endorsement for a repeat title. It’s Choopan’s background, in addition to his elite fitness, that Heath thinks provides the champion with bodybuilder an edge over his peers.

“I think Hadi’s [Choopan] a repeat champion,” Heath said. “… You got to look at someone’s origin. Champions have a specific origin of how they got here in the first place. You think of someone that has grown up in that environment in Iran. Everything matters. This thing means everything to him and his country. There’s a lot of expectations, but he’s met those expectations in a very quick period of time. He’s never really been off.”

As for who could unseat Choopan, Heath likes the potential of Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker. Perhaps not by coincidence, Lunsford was the 2022 Olympia runner-up after transitioning from the 212 class, while Walker finished in third place.

For different reasons, this trio appears to be bodybuilding’s top Cerberus monster of sorts.

“It’s a three-headed monster at this point,” Heath explained. “It’s either Derek [Lunsford] and I can make a case for Nick [Walker]. Nick is an anomaly, he’s very different … It’s going to cancel out a lot of guys because of the density and muscle maturity, because those two [Choopan and Walker] won’t be out-conditioned. The cool thing about Derek [Lunsford] is, now he’s comfortable in that [Men’s] Open body. He’s a hard worker, got a good support system, a good coach.”

As for his own personal competitive prospects, Heath still has no forthcoming plans to return to a bodybuilding stage. The 43-year-old icon never officially retired but hasn’t competed in nearly three years. His last competitive appearance on-stage was a third-place finish at the 2020 Mr. Olympia, when Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay captured his first title.

Heath told Cicherillo that, at the right lucrative price for one of the sport’s biggest names, he might well return to compete soon enough.

“I produce a lot of numbers,” Heath clarified. “I know my worth, it’s worth way more than $100,000 [Heath’s purse for third place at the 2020 Olympia] … There’s definitely a number they [Olympia organizers] have to come up. It would have to make sense … We would have to have a meeting of the minds and actually figure it out.”

Featured image: @arnoldsports on Instagram

The post Phil Heath Names Top 2023 Olympia Contenders, Teases Potential Return appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Mar. 26. 2023, during a YouTube episode of the Cutler Cast, Cutler discussed the state of the Men’s Open with his talent manager Matthew M. Daniels. The discussion saw the four-time Mr. Olympia (2006-2007, 2009-2010) express that he believes the current cadre of Men’s Open competitors is the best shape it’s been in since the 1990s.

Cutler’s thoughts about the 2020s Men’s Open compared to the 1990s are high praise. Some would find it challenging to see similarities to an era that featured eight-time Mr. Olympia (1998-2005) Ronnie Coleman, six-time Olympia winner (1992-1997) Dorian Yates and four-time Arnold Classic (AC) Champion (1993, 1997, 1998, 2000) Ken “Flex” Wheeler.

Cutler doesn’t have such qualms.

He thinks a group led by defending Olympia champion Hadi Choopan, runner-up Derek Lunsford, third-place finisher Nick Walker, and rising star (2023 Arnold Classic winner) Samson Dauda is bound to have more than a few close battles. Especially at the 2023 Mr. Olympia.

“Hadi [Choopan] is going to be very difficult to beat [at the 2023 Olympia],” Cutler said. “People forget quick, man. You guys got to remember, he’s knocked at that door and he kicked that thing in. Not even, you know, a better overall look, but what he is capable of … I think Derek [Lunsford] is going to be tremendously better and Samson [Dauda] peaked once already this year … it’s tough. And Nick Walker is even more hungry now.” 

Choopan, Lunsford, Dauda, and Walker aren’t the only potential top contenders. There’s still former two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay to consider, along with 2019 Mr. Olympia and 2022 Arnold Classic winner Brandon Curry. The list of stars capable of winning the sport’s biggest title seemingly never ends.

It’s why Cutler thinks these men are right on par with the time of athletes like Coleman, Yates, and Wheeler.

“We’re falling back into that ’90s era of competitive [bodybuilding],” Cutler said. “We’re still not talking about Hunter Labrada, who I feel could be in the mix … There’s a lot of excluded people that we’re still excited about … We’re excited about an Open class, which I think fell off for a minute because the old guard was going out, and now the new guard has come in and a lot of new guys are solidifying positions now. It’s making it exciting again.” 

The margins of victory can be so slim in a sport like bodybuilding. Every competitor in the Men’s Open division certainly understands that fact. Cutler’s analysis of the state of this class might only be the tip of the iceberg for the coming shows it’ll put on.

Featured image: @hadi_choopan on Instagram

The post Jay Cutler Believes Bodybuilding’s Men’s Open is Returning to Its Greatest Era appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Jan. 21, 2023, Choopan posted a pic to his Instagram showing off a pumped chest and piston-like arms worth every bit the profile of a defending Mr. Olympia. Given an appropriate written caption of “repeat everything to repeat,” it appears clear that Choopan is dead set on training and eating well to add another Mr. Olympia trophy to his mantel.

With his long journey to the top in account, and the reflective status of his peers like ousted two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, Choopan undoubtedly understands how tenuous an Olympia defense can be. In a sport with various mammoth-like titans seemingly always gunning for the top and keeping their eyes on the prize, if one is the defending champion, they might as well have a giant target on their back.

At the time of this writing, it’s unclear precisely how Choopan plans to attack his off-season and preparation for the 2023 Mr. Olympia with roughly nine months to go. Nevertheless, one of his first public physique updates of the 2023 calendar is a potentially illuminating insight into an athlete that will likely not rest on his laurels.

In the weeks and months ahead, a spate of challengers for Choopan’s crown will, in all probability, continue to make their presence known. For one, the 2022 Olympia runner-up in Derek Lunsford, is planning on skipping the upcoming 2023 Arnold Classic (AC), so he can be prepared to topple Choopan on Nov. 3-5, 2023, in Orlando, FL. There’s also the third-place 2022 Olympia finisher, Nick Walker, who, though participating in the 2023 AC in early March, seems to believe he didn’t leave his best on stage in Las Vegas, NV, in December.

When considering recent changes to the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League’s qualification for the 2023 Olympia — which eliminates a past comprehensive points system — a new battle-tested challenger might even emerge who more than pushes Choopan. It’s clear this edition of the contest could, unsurprisingly, present itself as a gauntlet.

By the time the 2023 Olympia rolls around, it seems apparent Choopan will be primed to take the best shots from any contenders for his title. After all of his hard work and dedication over the years, this doesn’t seem to be a competitor ready to release his grasp on greatness any time soon.

Featured image: @hadi_choopan on Instagram

The post Hadi Choopan Looks Stacked as He Preps for Mr. Olympia Title Defense appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League has revealed that the 2023 Olympia would officially take place on Nov. 3-5, 2023, in Orlando, FL. The schedule note was illuminated in a recent release of the 2023 contest calendar on the IFBB website. It is unclear precisely when the full schedule was disclosed. As has recently been the standard, the 11 primary divisions of bodybuilding will be featured during the contest. The Mr. Olympia category serves as the event’s headline, and Iranian athlete Hadi Choopan is the reigning champion after capturing his first career Mr. Olympia title in 2022.

With the Olympia contest formally returning to Orlando, the competition will now have been in Central Florida for three of the last four years. The 2022 edition in Las Vegas, NV, served as the lone exception during that span. For decades, the contest had almost always been in “Sin City,” but the extreme, unprecedented circumstances of the early throes of the COVID-19 pandemic led the IFBB to move the Olympia to Orlando in 2020 in accordance with safety regulations. Before he fell short of a three-peat with a disappointing fifth-place result in 2022, Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay captured the first of his two career Olympia titles during that initial Florida competition. Elssbiay successfully defended his title in the Orlando-based 2021 Olympia contest.

In the interest of looking ahead and preparing athletes for a new reality, the IFBB announced changes to its qualification system for the 2023 Olympia in early January 2023. A points system that opened the door for athletes who hadn’t won a contest in that calendar year will no longer be viable. Any competitor who wishes to earn a spot on the Orlando, FL, stage this early November must either win a 2023 IFBB Pro League contest, have won any Olympia in the past, or have finished in the top five of their category during the 2022 Olympia contest.

Notable athletes to whom some of these distinctions apply in the Men’s Open division include Choopan, Elssbiay, 2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry, third-place 2022 Olympia competitor Nick Walker, and 2022 Mr. Olympia runner-up Derek Lunsford.

The 2022 Olympia served up its fair share of unexpected surprises and success stories. Knowing how meticulous and dedicated to their craft all of these top athletes are, the 2023 edition should be no different.

Featured image: @hadi_choopan on Instagram

The post 2023 Olympia to Take Place in Early November 2023 in Orlando, Florida appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Jan. 9, 2023, Labrada appeared in a video on Iron World’s YouTube channel to personally recap his 2022 Olympia journey. Amidst a performance he clearly wasn’t happy with, Labrada discussed the emotions behind it and alluded to what’s next as he looks to rebound in 2023.

Labrada’s seventh-place result at the 2022 Olympia bothered him so much that he maintained he was staying away from social media platforms to avoid getting caught up in any discussion about the contest. In addition, the athlete usually makes a point to regularly share some sort of training or nutritional video on his YouTube channel. At the time of this writing, he has not posted anything there since Dec. 23, 2022.

“I have been off social media,” Labrada said. “I haven’t been shooting YouTube videos. I have been seeing my family and friends and keeping to myself because it shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of y’all by now, but I did not do what I was planning on doing at the Olympia this year. This is going to be the first time I kind of unpack that.” 

Because he placed in seventh, and with the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness’s (IFBB) recent changes to its qualification system, Labrada no longer has an automatic berth in the 2023 Olympia. As a result, he shared that he expects to compete in at least two sanctioned IFBB Pro League contests before the next Olympia to try and earn his keep. He did not share which competitions he will aim to participate in before the 2023 Olympia occurs sometime in Nov. 2023 in Orlando, FL.

Perhaps more importantly, Labrada disclosed he’d use the new competitive opportunities to try and figure out where he stands physically after apparently messing something up in his final Olympia prep.

” … Regardless, if I win the first one [contests), which I am going to do,” Labrada said. “The fact of the matter is I need to figure my peak out. We have a very good idea of where we went wrong in those final five days.” 

Despite his most recent shortcoming, Labrada seemed optimistic about the future. As much as his 2022 Olympia performance bothered him, he has his eye on the prize in 2023.

“I’m really confident heading into this year,” Labrada said. I”n addition to that confidence heading into this year, I’m [expletive] pissed off, man. I put this timer up in my gym and worked every day for 342 days from last year’s Olympia [2021] to this Olympia. I came up short. Plain and simple. I came up short of what I wanted to do. At the end of the day, this is something I’ve always really preached throughout my preps, is to keep your peace of mind.”

Regardless of what happens next for Labrada, his positive mindset will likely serve him well. He might even channel his apparent shame over what happened at the 2022 Olympia into focused, quality energy as motivation.

“How you respond to adversity is what really makes you,” Labrada said. “I will never forget that [expletive] feeling of that first callout being called and me not being in it. It was in front of God knows how many people.” ” … I’m going to show you a much different Hunter at the two Pro shows I do and at the Olympia because I am going to qualify this year.”

Featured image: @hunterlabrada on Instagram

The post Hunter Labrada Reflects on Disappointing 2022 Olympia, Will Be More Active in 2023 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Jan. 1, 2023, Walker appeared in a YouTube podcast episode of The Mutant & The Mouth. The discussion saw him reflect on his 2022 Olympia performance and look ahead to potentially completing his ascent to the top of bodybuilding’s highest peak in 2023. (Note: There is NSFW language in the video.)

Walker doesn’t mince his words about his performance. In a frank assessment, the athlete admits he was pleased with his third-place result but thinks he probably should’ve and could’ve finished even higher in an ideal set-up. At the same time, he acknowledged that he, Derek Lunsford (second place), and Choopan might be duking it out at the top of the current Olympia pantheon for a little while. That is unless rising stars like Samson Dauda (sixth place) and Andrew Jacked (eighth place) break up the party.

“I’m very happy I took third [place],” Walker explained. “But I think, as an overall package, I think I could have been second. Derek [Lunsford], Hadi [Choopan], and I will probably be battling this out for years unless Samson [Dauda] comes out of the woodwork or if Andrew [Jacked] nails it one time. I do believe us three will be there for quite some time.”

It’s the latter two competitors in Dauda and Jacked that Walker seemed surprised by. The pair made enough of an impression on Walker for him to believe they could make some real noise with the proper refinements over the next approximate year.

“I arguably could have probably had Samson [Dauda] beating Ramy [Elssbiay] to be honest,” Walker said. “Samson’s a freak. I’m definitely excited to see what he can do at the Arnold [the Arnold Classic in March 2023], and what he can do at next year’s Olympia [in November 2023]. My personal opinion of Samson is I think he should sit out the Arnold and focus on making more improvements for the Olympia. He could cause a lot of havoc. His only downfall was he wasn’t conditioned enough. … Andrew [Jacked] made us look like amateurs. When this man was just chilling in his little Speedo, just relaxing, you’re just like, ‘What the [expletive] is that?’ He is one of the nicest guys.”

Walker himself will not be participating in the 2023 Arnold Classic. Much like the year 2022, he will center his efforts on training for the Olympia to optimize his best hopeful possible results.

The post Nick Walker Reflects on 2022 Mr. Olympia Performance, Thinks He Could’ve Fared Better appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

During a Jan. 3, 2023, episode of The Muscle Maturity Podcast, Bannout broke down his current thoughts on bodybuilding as a sport and where he feels the flagship Mr. Olympia must evolve. Among the more notable bullet points was the former fitness titan stressing that the qualification process for the contest should be more rigid.

Perhaps the most significant change to the IFBB’s Olympia qualification system in 2023 was that there would no longer be a points system. Only the top-five finishers in the 2022 Mr. Olympia, the top three athletes in every other 2022 Olympia division, and the respective contest winners of every IFBB Pro League competition in 2023 will qualify for November’s festivities in Florida.

In a spanning discussion, this is a change that Bannout welcomed and said doesn’t go far enough. The 2022 Mr. Olympia stage held a field of 30 competitors vying for the title, which was too vast a field in Bannout’s experienced opinion.

“The Olympia should never be more than 20 contestants. Never. That should be the limit. The cream of the crop should get on that stage,” Bannout said. “If you don’t make the top ten, it’s over. I think the top five should qualify again.”

Regarding prize money, the Men’s Open category, with champion Hadi Choopan, eclipsed every other participating Olympia division by far in the 2022 edition of the Olympia. This is a discrepancy Bannout doesn’t appreciate. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bannout believes the Classic Physique division deserves more respect.

“A guy like Chris Bumstead, honestly, he was the most conditioned and the most professional at the Olympia weekend, and his check was $50,000.” Bannout started. “And the third-place winner (in the Men’s Open) took home $100,000. How [expletive] do you explain that?”

As for improving the Olympia’s general presentation, Bannout noted he thinks the contest’s organizers should be making more of an earnest effort to highlight past victors. To this former Olympia champion, his suggested plan is to continue building the sport’s mystique while catering to loyal spectators by honoring Olympia winners from previous years.

“It [would be] really cool every decade, at least or every 5-6 years, bring all the Mr. Olympias on stage for just two minutes,” Bannout proposed. “And that’s gonna bring a more happy atmosphere and celebration. Like Arnold does [at the Arnold Classic contest], he brings all the former Arnold Classic champions.”

Whether the IFBB and the Olympia’s organizers will take Bannout’s suggestions and apply them in the future remains to be seen. For now, he’s just the latest legend of the sport who seems to want better for those athletes that have come after him.

Featured image: @officialsamirbannout on Instagram

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