Mr. Olympia qualification is not guaranteed.
Bodybuilders have become lazy and are looking for the easy way out. We are not referring to the work done in the gym, but the increasing tactics of picking certain shows to qualify for the Mr. Olympia.
Some pro bodybuilders will not agree to what we are going to discuss, but the veterans of the sport, will most likely agree.
Every contest season, a set of events are organized that offer qualification to the Mr. Olympia. Some events, such as the Arnold Classic, New York Pro and others, attract some of the biggest names in the sport. As with all the qualification events, only the winners earn their ticket to the Mr. Olympia. The others earn qualification points.
Some bodybuilders work very hard throughout the year, they might not win a show, but they earn Mr. Olympia qualification by being consistent and earning enough points.
The bodybuilders that compete consistently, earn much more respect, they build a great image for themselves when it comes to marketing and growing their fan base.
For example, Italy’s Andrea Presti. Andrea has yet to win a competition in the 2022 contest season, but he is one of the hardest working and most consistent bodybuilders on the competitive circuit.
Andrea was close to winning the New York Pro and the Orlando Pro by placing second at both events. If Presti does eventually end up qualifying for the Mr. Olympia, he will truly deserve to compete with the best in the world.
There are a number of other bodybuilders just like Presti, and it is these bodybuilders that add excitement to the sport, creating rivalries and challenging each other at every event.
Pro bodybuilders taking the easy road to the Mr. Olympia
On the other side of the fence, we have some of the best bodybuilders in the world that are looking for the easiest way to qualify for the Mr. Olympia.
Some bodybuilders, who finished in the top ten at the 2021 Mr. Olympia, are still sitting at home, waiting for the easiest contest to hopefully qualify for the 2022 Mr. Olympia.
Many believe that it does not matter how you qualify for the Mr. Olympia, just as long as you get there. In reality, this theory is correct, but at the same time, it is destroying the sport.
One bodybuilder, whose name we will not reveal, is capable of winning any show that he enters. He has already won some major titles and is a top ten finisher at the Mr. Olympia.
This bodybuilder has a large fan base and is very popular on social media, but unfortunately, his fans will most probably only see him compete at one, second tier contest, before the Mr. Olympia.
If this bodybuilder is capable of winning any show, why doesn’t he compete at the big events? Is he afraid that he will lose? Even if he loses, this does not mean he is a bad bodybuilder, it just means that he has to improve in certain areas.
There is no guarantee that he will win the “easy” event that he competes at. Bodybuilders that might have placed at the lower end of the standings in 2021, might be much improved in 2022.
Look at Hassan Mostafa, in 2021, many brushed him aside, thinking that he will not be a top bodybuilder. 2022 was a totally different year for Mostafa, as he won the Puerto Rico and Orlando Pro.
In 2021, Hassan Mostafa would have never defeated the bodybuilder we have been referring to, but if the two had to stand next to each other at a competition in 2022, Mostafa would have a great chance of defeating him.
This is the great risk that some of these bodybuilders are taking. They are not realizing that they can actually lose their chance to qualify for the Mr. Olympia.
The top bodybuilders cannot depend on one competition, they have to be consistent, in a safe and healthy manner. If they are consistent in their placings, they will get what they deserve and qualify for the Mr. Olympia.
The fans want to see the best bodybuilders in the world battle each other on stage. The bodybuilding fan is totally tired and fed up of seeing bodybuilders on a YouTube podcast, talking about how good they are. If they want to prove how good they are, they have to compete.
Some of these questionable stars of bodybuilding, consistently talk about their off-season, that lasts about 8-9 months. These bodybuilders want to be treated as professional athletes, but at the same time, they have to act as professional athletes and compete.
The modern day bodybuilder has to look back a few years, and take note of how many contests Milos Sarcev, Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray, Flex Wheeler, Chris Cormier and many others competed at, year after year. You would never see these bodybuilders at home, picking the easy shows, they would compete at every one, challenging each other constantly.
We believe the 2022 Mr. Olympia will have some shock absentees, and the only person these bodybuilders have to blame is themselves.
