The 2023 Olympia weekend has been approaching fast and we are finally here. The Olympia contest is quite a big deal in bodybuilding. For those unfamiliar with how bodybuilding contests work, one must qualify to make it to this show.
To start, someone must win a local bodybuilding show in the NPC (National Physique Committee), the lowest bodybuilding league. Once they have won that show, they will compete in a national competition for the NPC. The winner of this wins their IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness) pro card, which is seen as the professional level of bodybuilding. The IFBB holds contests and the best of that contest will get invited to the Olympia…And the Olympia consists of the best of the best.
Within the Olympia, there are many different divisions that one can compete in. However, there are three divisions that get the most coverage and draw in the most fans. These three divisions are: Men’s Physique, Classic, and Mr. Olympia. These three are considered the fan favorites and main divisions of the Olympia.
There are many divisions because everybody has a different definition of what is considered the ideal physique. There are some that care most about the proportions while others care more about the pure mass. Men’s Physique is often described as a “beach body.” It is often looking for a very proportionate look, good muscle development, and a very small waist.
Next is classic physique. This is often described as a middle ground between Mr. Olympia and Men’s Physique. This is because the goal is to put on as much mass as possible while fitting under the weight limit of 212 lbs. The goal is to fit as close to 212 lbs as possible (without going over) on to your frame while maintaining proportions.
Finally, there is the Mr. Olympia division. This division is just about fitting as much mass as possible onto your frame. There is no weight limit or size restriction. The goal is to get as much lean mass as possible. There is less emphasis on proportions in this division.
Now, for my predictions. For Men’s Physique, my prediction is that Jeremy Buendia wins by a landslide. Jeremy Buendia is a 4-time Olympia winner. He won the Olympia in 2014, 2015, 2016, and in 2017. After being dethroned in 2018, he took a break from competing. He is making his return this year, with a significant amount of mass added on, and in my opinion, looking better than every other competitor.
I believe that Brandon Hendrickson will take the second place title. This is a very exciting year for this division because Hendrickson is a 3-time Olympia winner. If Hendrickson can somehow defeat Buendia, this would tie them in Olympia wins for the Men’s Physique division.
The Classic Physique Division may be the most mainstream division in the sport. This is the division that the most popular bodybuilder since Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronnie Coleman competes in. This bodybuilder is Chris Bumstead, otherwise known as CBum. CBum has won the Classic Physique Olympia in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. He was also the runner up in 2017 and 2018. Chris has gotten every one of his Olympias with ease. His physique is just so dominant and his posing is unbeatable. I do believe that Chris will take home the Olympia again, for the 5th year in a row. My prediction is that the runner up will be Ramon Quierez with the 3rd place position being given to Urs Kalecinski.
For the Mr. Olympia division, I have it being very close between a few competitors. I think that Derek Lunsford, Samson Douda, and Brandon Curry will be very close in terms of ranking. They all look incredible and this will come down to who looks the best come showday. All recent physique updates from them look incredible. An honorable mention should be given to Nick Walker. He was looking amazing and I would have placed him in the top 3; however, he unfortunately suffered a very bad hamstring tear and will no longer be able to compete. My prediction is that Derek Lunsford will take Mr. Olympia. His physique is just so unbelievable with so much mass on it that it will be hard to beat. The only thing holding him back is his smaller stature which limits the amount of mass he can put on as opposed to someone taller.