Who's improving ? Who's regressing ? Who's maintaining ?

[Nep2une]

Here's what I see

Improving:


Phil Heath - Obvious choice, became Mr. Olympia last year, threatened to take it the previous year and continues to put on noticeable size w/o losing any conditioning and remains injury free.


Kai Green - While some people will say his conditioning has regressed the last 2 years he has made noticeable gains in size which was obvious at the New York pro and he placed 3rd at the Olympia last year. An argument could even be made that he was the best man on stage at the Sheru Classic.


Dennis Wolf - minus his left calf mysteriously disappearing, he was 5th in the Olympia last year he has come back to be a top 5 threat


Evan Centopani - Noticeable improvements and a 3rd place finish at the Arnold this year.


Brandon Curry - Although his legs haven't improved much they have improved along with his conditioning which was enough to catapult him into 8th place at the O last year. This speaks volumes about how great this guys upper-body really is. We rave about Johnny Jackson's upper body but Curry comes in with the same legs and maybe even worse conditioning and he snags 8th at the O !

[Nep2une]

Regressing:

Jay Cutler - Fairly steady decline since 2009 he may never regain his crown

Branch Warren - Another injury added to this picasso

Dexter Jackson - Seems to be losing size and conditioning everytime he steps on stage, he managed 6th last year at the O

Toney Freeman - The same as the blade, Toney seems to be losing size everytime he steps on stage and his conditioning struggles remain the same.

Victor Martinez - My favorite Bodybuilder can't seem to catch a break and more than likely won't compete this September :-(

Ronny Rockel - I may be too quick to jump on him but his showing at the O and really ALL last year was a let down as his conditioning suffered and his gut was completely out of control. He may have even lost size in his quads.


With all these major players headed downwards at different speeds (Rockel could be a exaggeration) who do you guys see moving into and reshaping the top 10 at the O ? 4 of these guys are going down from age and injury and more than likely will never regain their former physiques.

[TTimmerman]

would put victor on the improving side, if he could just catch a break...
and wolf on the regressing side... lats are showing more and more assymetry etc

agreeing with the rest though

[Nep2une]

I know ! Victor made good improvements on his waist and his legs and his conditioning was an improvement by his standards ! Crap sucks.

[jiveinhere]

would put victor on the improving side, if he could just catch a break...
and wolf on the regressing side... lats are showing more and more assymetry etc

agreeing with the rest though

Vic was improving, albeit minor. But now he's probably a long way away from any kind of competitive size. Might take another year until hes even close to where he was :/

And Wolf has been improving some aspects (chest, arms, quads, lower back), but also regressing in terms of back assymetry and calves especially.



Anyone know Jay's weight now? Saw a pic of him on fb and he had huge bis but almost nothing else, looking weirdly skinny atm lol

[JOHN GARGANI]

I see NEP2UNE's back making the most progress of all!



lol....mad props for the great work you have put in....

as to your assessments: I think most of them are spot on....almost spit out my coffee reading the "picasso" comment.....

there are so many young up and coming guys, it is not funny....and there always will be....within a few years, the guys in your top list will be trying to hold back some of these new dogs nipping at their heels....

[Nep2une]

I see NEP2UNE's back making the most progress of all!



lol....mad props for the great work you have put in....

as to your assessments: I think most of them are spot on....almost spit out my coffee reading the "picasso" comment.....

there are so many young up and coming guys, it is not funny....and there always will be....within a few years, the guys in your top list will be trying to hold back some of these new dogs nipping at their heels....

Thank you sir ! ( Your not around much anymore !) I'm planning on getting back on stage this year in October to try once again to get my Natty Pro card. I got ran over by a freaking car while crossing the street last year and got set back haha.

[JOHN GARGANI]

Thank you sir ! ( Your not around much anymore !) I'm planning on getting back on stage this year in October to try once again to get my Natty Pro card. I got ran over by a freaking car while crossing the street last year and got set back haha.

good luck! the arm size you manage to retain while keeping your waist that small is not an easy thing to do...but run over by a car?? that had to suck! lol....

[FunkymonkAW]

Toney Freeman is another that is (for obvious reasons) is regressing.

[SwolenONE]

Jay is looking like a shrinky dink version of himself lately!

[Nikonguy]

In all fairness Tony and Dexter are both over 40.


. . . but at the rate Branch is going he'll be older than both of them in a couple of years.

[red_cat]

I think the major issue with Rockel last year was that he competed way too much. It seems like he's laying low for a little while this year, which is probably the best thing he can do.

[Nep2une]

I think the major issue with Rockel last year was that he competed way too much. It seems like he's laying low for a little while this year, which is probably the best thing he can do.

I agree with you on Rockel, i'm glad he's laying low ( must hurt the pocket book though) He's gotta do something to correct that stomach he had going last year.

[PillClinton]

Can't forget about Pakulski. So far, this year, he has impressed me the most. He beat out Lionel (who didn't deserve to win IMO) and a former Mr. O.... I hope this year will bring good things for him.

I am not so sure about Curry. I didn't see much improvement at the AC. Honestly, it was disappointing to me. He got 7th at the AC without most of the top 7 from the O being there. I just don't see him doing much in the future. My prediction: he will dwindle away only to resurface on threads on this board as "remember that guy with a great upper body but crap for legs?"

What is interesting to me is how Jay and Phil talk as if they are the only real competitors for the O. Kai has been noticeably improving his conditioning with Farah, and given Farah's history, its only a matter of time before he has Kai nail it on the day of. Biggest threat to the title right now: Kai L. Greene

Whatever happens at the O, whether Phil or Kai wins, I just hope that Wolf places higher than Branch...

[lee4]

anyone else not seeing pics in OP? not loading on my screen...


WHY?!!!!!??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BartPimpson]

I agree with you on Rockel, i'm glad he's laying low ( must hurt the pocket book though) He's gotta do something to correct that stomach he had going last year.

Yeah he competed about a billion times last year and he lost so much size. The same thing happened to Roelly. Here he is at the Arnold vs the Olympia.

[Champion651]

Anyone know Jay's weight now? Saw a pic of him on fb and he had huge bis but almost nothing else, looking weirdly skinny atm lol

Over on MD he says he's weighing 260 right now.

[TLF84]

Kevin English is also on the regression side

[sexnews]

Warren is regressing but winning........don't they call that a oxymoron?

[Nep2une]

anyone else not seeing pics in OP? not loading on my screen...


WHY?!!!!!??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fixed

[MrMetabolism]

id put curry in the regressing section, his legs arent getting any better so hes got nowhere to go but nowhere

i think rockel will show up back on top of his game, not sure id say hes regressing

agree with everything else though

[Nep2une]

id put curry in the regressing section, his legs arent getting any better so hes got nowhere to go but nowhere

i think rockel will show up back on top of his game, not sure id say hes regressing

agree with everything else though

So do you think Curry just got a better look from the Judges ? Because he placed well last year. Or maybe the competition was less competitive ?

[u5711]

"Another injury added to this picasso "

[MrMetabolism]

So do you think Curry just got a better look from the Judges ? Because he placed well last year. Or maybe the competition was less competitive ?

no his upper body has always been awesome and i suppose his conditioning was competitive but without a big change in his lower body i dont see him ever placing better than he has

[pinjo]

I wouldn't really say that Dexter is declining, but maintaining. He's found himself surrounded by younger guys who are definitively making improvements and pushing him out of the top placings. He's still holding well, an I think a the last Arnold Dex was fairly big for his standards.

[red_cat]

I wouldn't really say that Dexter is declining, but maintaining. He's found himself surrounded by younger guys who are definitively making improvements and pushing him out of the top placings. He's still holding well, an I think a the last Arnold Dex was fairly big for his standards.

Since he won his Olympia title, though, he has been regressing. His conditioning just isn't what it used to be. Last year was pretty horrible for him. Now that he is working with Farah it's getting better, but I doubt he'll ever return to his former self.

[sexnews]

I think the major issue with Rockel last year was that he competed way too much. It seems like he's laying low for a little while this year, which is probably the best thing he can do.

Apparently his latest pic:

[taylorWI]

I see NEP2UNE's back making the most progress of all!



lol....mad props for the great work you have put in....

as to your assessments: I think most of them are spot on....almost spit out my coffee reading the "picasso" comment.....

there are so many young up and coming guys, it is not funny....and there always will be....within a few years, the guys in your top list will be trying to hold back some of these new dogs nipping at their heels....

Seriously nasty back is nasty!

[FAN0FdaSport]

Dex is def regressing. Farah isn't doing a thing helping Dex get back to his old standards. After seeing these pics

http://legendsofbodybuilding.blogspo...ro-dexter.html

and how people talk about 08/09 was his all time best compared to that^

[Pump Freak 86]

Beyeke - improving