As a former national (danish) judge I must say its an excellent breakdown. Many people hate phil and therefor they only see his flaws, but if he had comed in whith a tight and controlled midsection, he would have won. Rhoden looked fantastic but he also have plenty of flaws for a Mr. Olympia. I think the judges wanted to make a statement this year that they wont reward big bellys anymore, and I think it the right way to go for the sport...
Exactly what happened! They finally decided the 2 back poses are just as important as the front ones. And they don't reward the big guts anymore. If this was still in the mid 00s, Phil would have won it easily since back then the 2 back poses are what decided the winner pretty much
I still dont know why he didnt win the whole show he phil only looked better than Roelly Winklaar from the back and Winklaar destroyed shawn Roden when it comes to size, and thickness he made shawn look tiny and dwarfed him in every single pose he was in my opinion the clear 2018 Mr. Olympia winner no doubt and shawn Roden deserved 2nd and Phil 3rd
And he had a lot of excuses last year, life threatening hernia, etc...his belly button still looked awkward and he still had the gut, maybe worse than ever. As he said: talk is cheap.
Why did the judges finally decide enough was enough? I mean Phil’s gut has been awful before and most would agree that Kai at his best would beat Shawn. Kai must be pissed I know that. Competes against bubble gut Phil how many times? Never gets the nod can’t be happy with that
I think you’re understating how badly a garbage midsection ruins a physique. Having a gut completely throws off a bodybuilders lines and the overall flow of his physique. Remember the midsection is visible in 6 of the 8 mandatory poses. Can’t really hide a gut. Also, as you mentioned, still photos don’t really tell the entire story of Phil’s issues. He was sweating profusely and faded badly towards the end and at times it looked like he could barely breathe on stage. Unless he makes DRASTIC improvements to his midsection I don’t see him winning the Olympia again.
Aesthetics is returning. Shawn won a Sandow not from having great body parts or mass, he won by having great flow and having great conditioning. This Olympia means a lot more than Phil not being the champion.
Moe's do you also think it’s bizarre that people keep saying you can only win from the back and so and so has better body parts.. but what about a complete package?. Frank Zane didn’t have the best body parts but his physique was amazing just like Shawn Rhoden.
this is exactly what i was thinking: its easy to look and say , " so and so has bigger arms and is blowing away the other guy" but when you examine the whole package displayed in the pose who has the more balanced look?
Luke Petersen During the Doran Yates years, Shawn Ray, Kevin Levrone and Flex Wheeler has the overall superior physique when compared to Dorian Yates, who would win with ONE bodypart: Back.
It's great isn't it? I look forward to when all of the olympia competitors resemble Shawn. Guys who want to be as big and freaky as possible can still get famous on social media without competing. Just look at Craig Golias. The Mr Olympia title should be reserved for the "ideal" male physique, not just the most heavily muscled.
I'm still shocked that Roelly looks this good shape wise. If anyone would have told me years ago that he could pull it together like this I wouldn't have believed it. All of next year should be really interesting.
Roelly and brandon curry have improved A LOT. In the last few years. I would like to see roelly getting bigger quads and glutes. And for his back... the only thing he can work on is thickness tbh. And conditioning but that’s the whole thing
Supposedly rolley was unable to train legs for a long amount of time and only trained them for three weeks before the Olympia and it was light due to a meniscus injury to his knee, this was on milos instagram
Roelly was clearly better that Phil in these pictures huge taper from shoulders to waist. Abs so deep you could loose your had in there. Better arms than Phil. Head to foot Rhoden was a worthy winner only flaw his weak triceps. But Greek god symmetry. However Roelly was Hercules
Yes his lower back was not as good as Phil's (or bonack) but I think his glaring weakness was his triceps. All the Olympia champions have had poses that they are not the best in. For me Phil's glaring uncorrectable weakness has always been his shoulder width and Ann region But all his other muscle groups are epic. But this time shawns overall shape and condition deserved the win ( much more than Columbo in 81 or Dickerson in 82 or Yates in 97) you can't say these held there own in every pose. Having said that the Yates of 93 or the Colman of 98 or the heath of 2011 would have destroyed the lot of them. For me by far the most impressive physique this year was rolley but I see the argument for rhoden
I've got a lot to say - as usual :P 1) so first of all, Roelly is the new Dillet, as standing relaxed, he _is_ Mr. Olympia! His front relax pose is mesmerizing with the trim waistline and wide lats. The only thing I miss is just a tad bit of posing oil on him - the other guys shine much more. His serratus muscle seems way too blurry when turned to the side. 2) The comparison between these 4 is extremely difficult since they both have different assets and weaknesses, all 4 physiques are different so it comes down to the point of personal preferences. Bonac is sharp but small and looks like a chizeled tree trunk in many cases, Rhoden has a classical contour, very aesthetic, Phil is narrow but has the most detail and Roelly is a shapely beast. Apples, oranges, peaches and other stuff... 3) Although I said that with the exception of Phil almost everybody improved from Friday to Saturday, but Roelly kind of missed the mark as well, I mean we all know that he has striated horseshoes for a tricep and here he is not that impressive and as you said his excecution of the pose has a lot to be desired. He still deserved 3rd probably. He is my pick as a future Mr. Olympia (I mean if I had to choose between him and Bonac or even Ramy). 4) It is total bullshit that you're a Phil fanboy as many of these trolls say below. We all know that. Just because you're stating the obvious while the right mind of others are being blurred by the hatred they feel towards Phil, it is not your fault. Rhoden gets _murdered_ by Heath in many of the poses, including the absolute major back poses so everyone who knows bodybuilding had rightfully thought that Phil has this as since 1983 the guy with the best back wins. End of story. 5) Phil had a horrible gut and his general on-stage (and may I say off-stage) composure was not something you'd like to see from the no. 1 bodybuilder in the World at least in most or many cases. However, he is the best bodybuilder according to the standards until last friday. If Rhoden is the new standard, then Breon Ansley has more chance of winning the open than any of the frontrunners in the open. And Breon has a better back than Shawn...:) I'm still happy for Phil being dethroned but only for the reasons of 2019 being the most anticipated Mr. O since 10 or more years. However if Phil retired for good then half of the fun is gone. Also, I highly _doubt_ that by literally being the most lukewarm and neutral guy I've ever seen on-stage, Shawn Rhoden is going to be such an ambassador of the sport...he has no emotions. Not like Cedric who made his individual routine look like a freakin half-time show. I don't know...But I still think that Rhoden's reign won't be long, he may go down as one of the guys with a single olympia win.
Shawn Rhoden isn't the standard just like dexter Jackson wasn't in 2008! if roeally big ramy or even Phil heath comes back more conditioned next year one of them will win. condition wins shows with enough size and balance
So weird how Phil's worst pose and one of Rhoden's best is the front lat spread, but if they turn around to the rear lat spread, Phil is suddenly one of the best there's ever been while Rhoden suddenly looks almost like an amateur next to him
ran dom he didn’t have that bad of a midsection tbh. Sure it’s wide but he didn’t have any distention (not counting the last mr o from him. That was horse shit).
Phil was harder and drier? Did you watch the stream? Phil was sweating - literally. No one else was sweating on stage hitting poses. As Shawn Ray was saying during commentating, he was holding water.
Nope didn't watch the stream I'm looking at these pictures in front of me not repeating whatever Shawn Ray says. (Although I do think he's got fantastic insight and would've loved to have heard his commentary)
Tomn8er hopefully you’ll have the time to watch a recording of it online. It was really eye opening to us viewers. Btw: love the content and forget the haters and speak your mind. If they wanna throw their 2 cents in then they should go make a bodybuilding channel of their own. People forget that we are entitled to our own opinions
@@Imhotep_DrummerJones That was just their excuse for them not giving Shawn the title in 2016. It's a visual display presentation contest and Shawn has always displayed his physique well so the audience and judges could see so that be more aggressive talk is just for entertainment purposes perpetuated by the peanut gallery
it seems bonac had the best lighting spot. we can clearly see that in the most muscular shots. btw. Tom, very accurate analysis, i see it the same way.
Great analysis. It was very close but I’m happy Shawn won. It was time for a new champion and time for Phil to change his approach. Ronnie corrected his gut problem a bit and was more cognizant about it. Maybe he will too and return to win back the Sandow next year.
I don't think Ronnie should have won any Olympias after 2000, yes that includes 2003- his gut was horrible, as was Dorian's in 97.... they should just disqualify a competitor for having any resemblance to a gut- I am not saying they have to hit a Vacuum pose but any sort of gut protrusion should be an automatic disqualification, it just makes the whole point of being a "body builder" a mute point, it's disgusting and frankly not appealing in any way shape or form...
This was the best pure analysis video i've seen on UA-cam so far. You do a great job with breaking it down. Let me offer you a rational perspective on the gut issue. Although abs don't play a part in every pose and as you articulated and can be compensated for with other muscles groups and clever posing... the glorification of "abs" in our culture and lifestyle is too much for the event to ignore. Mr. Olympia needs to have top notch abs and a mid-section nobody can dispute. This might be a precedent setting decision that sets the tone for the future of the sport. I think this is the era of Mr. Olympias being won from the front.
whoever gave phil the name "the gift" must of been able to see into the future cause they were able to see how many times he would be gifted the olympia
@@Kush1322 2013 nobody even came close to challenging him.2014 is up for debate ill give you that,still you can make an equal case for phil and kai winning,so it wasnt exacly a gift.and 2017,the gut shit was exploited by retards,phil was still the most shredded guy on that stage and i didnt see anybody pushing him,Ramy shouldnt've even got second,Bonac was better.
2013?!? That was his most dominant victory! The judges didn't even bother to compare him to the others in the callouts lol. 2014 and 2017 were both debatable, but not gifts.
Excellent analysis tom. I can't say I disagree with any part except the quads wherein I think Shawn clearly beat Phil though it doesn't appear obvious given how he showcases them in certain poses (though in the front DB I think his quads are clearly showing more crispness and definition). Won't go into additional analysis as you already have my detailed comments in your previous vids :-). I am glad you discussed Bonac and Roelly as they were both phenomenal in certain poses. Roelly, if he can just come in with more lines and definition can take the Mr. O probably. He's already got insane mass, I think the Mr. O stream showed him at 287 pounds with a height of 5'7! I wouldn't mind if he even dialed his weight down about 10 pounds or so if it meant he can come in with a more grainy, defined look including a more chiseled midsection. Bonac, to me, while a great competitor, just doesn't have that aesthetic appeal which I've commented on a few times in the past due to his lat insertions; its not his fault but these genetics will keep him from becoming a Mr. O IMO since I just don't find his V-taper appealing. I did want to give a massive shout out to Brandon Curry who really impressed me this Olympia though. If there's one guy who had the best balance of mass, symmetry, midsection and structure I think it was Brandon. He easily has the potential to take on any of the top 4, including Shawn & Phil and just needs to work on his conditioning to ensure he comes in with clearer separation . If he does, I think he can easily take the title. Keeping the same weight he just needs to get more lines. (in the back, some more separation in the Bi's & Tri's, quads and chiseling that midsection a little more).
Agreed, especially about Curry. I'll probably make a video featuring him because he was someone I felt got an unfair placing last year and this time around he came in even bigger and better and justice was served!
Phil is better bodypart for bodypart, and also pose for pose when he hits them right, but the gut just wasn't under control and is essential for the overall impact of any physique. I prefer Phil to Shawn generally but Shawn had to take it in 2018
Front double biceps- Roelly Front lat spread- William bonac Side chest- Phil/Shawn Rear double biceps- Phil Heath Rear lat spread - Phil easy dominating Side triceps- Roelly/Phil Abs - Shawn Most muscular- Phil Heath/ Roelly. So Phil was the winner
Absolutely love hearing your commentary! It still boggles my mind how Shawn is ranking 4th in some mandatory poses, but still won. Anyway, he does have a pleasing "X" frame. Also, it's amazing how much Shawn and Roelly improved (i.e., VS when Shawn was in his early 30s and looked very unathletic, and VS when Roelly trained with "Grandma"). Lastly, I give Phil major credit, given he had his stomach surgery
Shawn doesn't seem to know how to hit a rear lat spread properly. He hunches over and rolls his shoulders forward too much in an attempt to make himself look as wide as possible, but as a result he loses detail. Phil knows how to hit this perfectly - shoulders not rolled forward, and leaning back. I love the way Bonac hits side tricep, it's aesthetic af and fits his frame perfectly.
Phil won more poses, even with the symmetry round. Bodybuilding is judged on poses. Judges broke their own law and punished Phil because of his midsection. That's the only reason Shawn won.
Tom phils stomach was not only spilling from the front but his obliques were spilling from the sides. It was so bad his waist was almost as wide as his narrow lats and clavicles
I liked that you doubled down with your conclusion from the pre-judging video. The more I listen to you, the more I agree with you. I'm still happy Rhoden won, but whatever the reason for his victory, it's not conventional or clear cut.
Why is everybody hating Phil so much? Every contender on the stage has distended gut. The thing is Phil could not control it thus he lost. Fuck asthetics this is body building and there is a reason why we have classic physique and Physique.
If you go bodypart for bodypart Phil destroys everyone, but i am fine with Shawn winning i guess.. I think that Mr O should look some what aesthetically pleasing. To bad Phil will never get that 2011/2013 look back because let's be real here, as far as being complete goes Phil has it all... To bad Phil his midsection is so trash what makes him look blocky and narrow. I am happy for Shawn tho he looked great. Oh an btw i do think that the judges are tryna make bodybuilding more appealing to the mainstream cuz let's be real here... Since when has a terrible midsection been a problem in the judges eyes? (Sorry for my trash english lol)
And yet he still predicted Phil over a more aesthetic Shaun Rhoden and defends his decision. hmm. Not to mention disagreed with his "hero" Shawn ray's analysis of the prejudging.
R CC Using the phrase aesthetic all the time is something that has come into being since UA-cam fitness. Those of us who have been watching for a while know that aesthetics have not been the #1 factor at the Olympia. Shawn looks great but by Olympia standards of the last decade he would have lost. Now if they want to change course and move into an aesthetic future they should say so and start judging accordingly.
Aesthetics is really what bodybuilding is all about, and Shawn is easily one of the most aesthetic bodybuilders ever. Shawn Rhoden at 100% is something no other Mr. Olympia can ever compare to. As far as aesthetics, he is in a league of his own.
Heath is narrow. His look does not work when his stomach and midsection is bloated. Roden was chiseled, statuesque, proportioned and had 'width'. Heath was bigger, fuller but Roden was 'better'. I think Samir said it right. "Be a lion or an eagle not a hippo"! A great night for bodybuilding. I hope Kia Green comes back next year. Ramy and Rolley size down a little, Phil comes in razor sharp without the gut, Roden adds 3-4 pounds in the right places and Brandon brings legs to match his upper body.
No way Phil lost. Rhoden was one of the most undeserving Mr O Winners ever. You do not lose on 1 body part because ,apart from abs,,he destroyed the lineup!!!!!
theres an interview on jays channel with shawns trainer, where they talk about their strategy of not chasing phil, letting him have the back double and lat, and try to take advantage of all the other poses.
Nice video man. I think I'm with you on Phil. Rhodes does look great but I think this contest has many people scratching their head. I keep going back and forth.
I also give Phil the side chest from a muscular standpoint, but Shawn has a statuesque pose for side chest - shiny deep black, tall, balanced and full of details.
If Bonac was a few inches taller he'd walk these competitions....you could have said the same about Lee Priest some years ago...be interesting to see how Flex Lewis will do in the MR O....(if that ever happens).....
11:27 Even though Phil's delts and arms are top notch I can't get over the narrow triangular shape of them and the bloated gut in that shot. It's not just his bloat , the musculature in his midsection looks distorted , tired and worn out which is just too distracting.
Hey @Tomn8er I would say that the Side poses both go to Shawn from the poses in motion. Looking at these photos the direction of the camera angle not being head on actually makes Phils poses look better. So Phil wins the poses in these photos yes but from real time perspective they go to shawn. Especially a straight on shot of the side chest you actually see more thickness in Shawns shoulders as it tapers down and then tapers back up to that amazing leg development! So I agree with you if judging just these photos but in real time it isn't accurate.
flying squirrel effect lmao Yea to be fair Tom I thought Phil was ahead prejudging but after a close look at the nightshow I thought Shawn was just too wide and conditioned for Phil. Like in the latspread Phil looks smaller than usual, looks almost as if that right pec is smaller. Great analysis
I might just be a Bonac fan boy but the guy’s physique is just insane to me. Crazy complete and well rounded bodybuilder. He’s taking second for me to Rhoden. Close second.
Come on man, Haney's arms may have been undersized compared to his torso, but other than that there was nothing wrong with them. Great shape and separation, with full development, long insertions and thick bellies. Give the man his due, he was absolutely dominant!
Phil won maximum poses. Only abs, front lat spread poses he lose. If he could control his mid section then he already won. I think Phil did extra carb up
Front double - Shawn Side tricep - Shawn Abs and thigh - Shawn Front relaxed - Shawn Back double - Phil Rear Lat Spread - Phil Side Chest - Phil Most Muscular - Phil Shawn wins even though 4-4 due to no gut.
Should've just given phil #8. During poses he was on, he won more poses. He didnt get knocked out by rhoden, they just handed him the trophy for all the people crying. Literally killed himself to beat phil
Great breakdown. Your post show analysis is always a treat, your pre contest prognosticating leaves some to be desired. Rhoden almost has a Y-shape vs the X-frame of the others, maybe it's the way he places his legs since he certainly has quads. He spent a lot of time polishing his posing, so I'd like to believe it's intentional. I have a hard time believing Rhoden can win a front double bicep with having the weakest biceps, let alone arms, among the group. As Phil has his gut, I feel that it may be Rhoden's "achilles" in the future. As for Rhoden's back latspread, I wasn't so discouraged by it, sure it's not detailed and dense as the others ... but this Olympia has shown they are going for a new look ... so basing your analysis purely on past precedence can only get you so far. With that being said it did remind me of a Franco Columbu back ... who was known for having an amazing back for the time.
Great analisys..only one thing i'd like to point out.The ab thigh shot is not only about the abs.True Rhoden beat Phil on the abs but Phils quads were way bigger harder and more conditioned...plus his arms forearms looked bigger in that shot.His calves were also bigger.Only thing Rhoden had better than Phil on that shot was the abs.
It seems like Phil is so devastated from this loss that he is questioning if he will compete in the Olympia again. It would be a let down if he doesn't. WIsh Kai was in it. But props to Rhoden a well deserved win. His win is good for the sport.
He honestly has the potential to win it all now if he brings his best conditioning! I would love to hear his victory speech... oh god his English is so horrendous it makes Big Ramy sound like Shakespeare! 🤣
@@conorvanzant4589 But you can't really do that. This would be by far the worst for the sport. The number one competitor and representant of the sport has to be well spoken because as i said, he is REPRESENTING the whole sport of bodybuilding and in the end he is representing us, the people who love bodybuilding and go to the gym 5 days a week. I think the guys in Kuwait should heavily focus on learning/teaching English. Like at least 1 hour a day. Just imagine all the interviews after he wins the Olympia. It would be shameful for the sport if the worlds best can't even hold a very basic conversation in English. Just my 2 cents. And i mean its okay if bodybuilders aren't able to speak English, but it's not okay for the Mr Olympia not to be able to speak English.
Front Double Bicep: Shawn Front Lat Spread: Shawn Side Chest: Shawn Rear Double Bicep: Phil Rear Lat Spread: Phil Side Tricep: Phil Ab and Thigh: Shawn Most Muscular: Shawn Phil: 3 Shawn: 5
Idk why the fuck the midsection became so underrated all of a sudden, cuz the midsection is the largest and arguably the most important body part. Phil before 2016 had a decent midsection, especially at 2011, but him playing the mass game threw off his gut and he legit looks garbage right now despite all his other body parts being the best regardless. His gut makes us not appreciate all his other body parts and actually makes his physique unpleasant. Roelly should have placed above Phil.
I have a feeling that Phil had somehow spoiled his relationships with IFBB or with some officials. I do not like his gut either but in other departments he smokes Roden for sure.
Roelly is huge but Shawn looks like he is carved in stone. I do agree that Shawn's arms do look a bit flat. Bonac looks a little blocky. He is in great condition though. Roelly's front lat spread is ridiculous. If there was a breeze in the building he would have taken off. Phil's side chest is great. His rear delts are off the hook. I agree that Phil takes the back double bicep. He has done a great job bringing his back up to a super high standard. Personally I think Phil won the show. It was close though. Shawn was in great condition but he still has some work to do, namely his arms. If Shawn puts on another 10-15 solid pounds and still can come in with his conditioning, he will be hard to beat.
If Roelly would have been sharper through the legs, he would have won it all! Rhodens back is atrocious! How did this guy win the Olympia with that back and a birth defect of not having a tricep muscle!
I disagree with a few of these judgements though I agree with most. 1st - I give the side tricep to Roelly. I get that the way he hits it is hard to compare, but I go off of the 'wow' factor, kind of like the most muscular variations. In this case, Roelly is staying true to the spirit of the pose. It's the side tricep for god's sakes, and he's standing sideways and showcasing the tricep. If you look at everyone in the lineup during the side tricep, which one makes you go, "Woah." It's gotta be Roelly here though the angle hurts him. 2nd - Bonac is getting the edge in every pose thanks to lighting. This is especially notable in the most muscular, but this effect is present in every pose. I dock his conditioning some in the analysis to compensate for this unfair advantage. 3rd - I give Roelly the Front Double because I'm a Roelly fanboy, and I also think that having the largest arms, narrowest waist, and a semi-vacuum wins you the front double. Just my two cents though. 4th - I completely disagree with your assessment of Rhoden looking at Phil before the ab and thigh. That was not in any way unprofessional. It was highlighting Phil's greatest weakness, his ab control. If you look at the video during that portion, Phil is letting his gut spill out. Shawn exposing that and reminding the judges of Phil's enormous midsection is purely a good call on his part, and might have made the difference for him at the Olympia.
Roelly could easily be given the front double, you don't need to be a fanboy to reach that decision. As for Rhoden's stare-down... my problem with it is simply that it went on too long.
As a former national (danish) judge I must say its an excellent breakdown. Many people hate phil and therefor they only see his flaws, but if he had comed in whith a tight and controlled midsection, he would have won. Rhoden looked fantastic but he also have plenty of flaws for a Mr. Olympia. I think the judges wanted to make a statement this year that they wont reward big bellys anymore, and I think it the right way to go for the sport...
Exactly what happened! They finally decided the 2 back poses are just as important as the front ones. And they don't reward the big guts anymore. If this was still in the mid 00s, Phil would have won it easily since back then the 2 back poses are what decided the winner pretty much
The new Mr. O needs to grow some triceps.
Lars Christiansen hats off to saying "comed"
The gut beat up that Phill received after winning the 2017, he lost the 2018 right there, rhoden is still not good enough to lace his gloves...
roelly winklaars back lat spread is so underrated. He has amazing developement in the rhomboids and lumbar region. Just crazy looking.
Yeah I think he looks better than Phil. If we want to talk about completeness, Roelly is wide, while Phil is not
johnathan vale but Phil’s detail in his glutes, legs, and back is unmatched.
@@Primathys Phil's to narrow, and he's smaller. We can do this all day, it's subjective.
I still dont know why he didnt win the whole show he phil only looked better than Roelly Winklaar from the back and Winklaar destroyed shawn Roden when it comes to size, and thickness he made shawn look tiny and dwarfed him in every single pose he was in my opinion the clear 2018 Mr. Olympia winner no doubt and shawn Roden deserved 2nd and Phil 3rd
@@iambodybuildingyt221 he wasn't PEELED
Phil Heath had 3 years to get his stomach together and finally the judges said enough.
I think it's easier said than done
Roelly fixed his.. Phil has NO excuse.
And he had a lot of excuses last year, life threatening hernia, etc...his belly button still looked awkward and he still had the gut, maybe worse than ever. As he said: talk is cheap.
Gabe's Bodybuilding Empire right before he said Rhoden would look like eeyore back stage after he loses lol, little hypocritical
Why did the judges finally decide enough was enough? I mean Phil’s gut has been awful before and most would agree that Kai at his best would beat Shawn. Kai must be pissed I know that. Competes against bubble gut Phil how many times? Never gets the nod can’t be happy with that
Look at 1:00 Roelly Winklaar looks so epic I love how he controls his midsection like that
Also I might actually be the only person in the world who likes William Bonac's flying squirrel structure. I like him in every pose
If Roelly comes with Rhoden's conditioning it's over for everybody.
Too true
Unfortunately he never did
I think you’re understating how badly a garbage midsection ruins a physique. Having a gut completely throws off a bodybuilders lines and the overall flow of his physique. Remember the midsection is visible in 6 of the 8 mandatory poses. Can’t really hide a gut. Also, as you mentioned, still photos don’t really tell the entire story of Phil’s issues. He was sweating profusely and faded badly towards the end and at times it looked like he could barely breathe on stage. Unless he makes DRASTIC improvements to his midsection I don’t see him winning the Olympia again.
Aesthetics is returning. Shawn won a Sandow not from having great body parts or mass, he won by having great flow and having great conditioning. This Olympia means a lot more than Phil not being the champion.
Moe's do you also think it’s bizarre that people keep saying you can only win from the back and so and so has better body parts.. but what about a complete package?. Frank Zane didn’t have the best body parts but his physique was amazing just like Shawn Rhoden.
this is exactly what i was thinking: its easy to look and say , " so and so has bigger arms and is blowing away the other guy" but when you examine the whole package displayed in the pose who has the more balanced look?
Luke Petersen During the Doran Yates years, Shawn Ray, Kevin Levrone and Flex Wheeler has the overall superior physique when compared to Dorian Yates, who would win with ONE bodypart: Back.
Agree
It's great isn't it? I look forward to when all of the olympia competitors resemble Shawn. Guys who want to be as big and freaky as possible can still get famous on social media without competing. Just look at Craig Golias. The Mr Olympia title should be reserved for the "ideal" male physique, not just the most heavily muscled.
I hope Bonac doesn't try fighting you for saying he looks like a flying squirrel
LOL! Shit.... don't tell him I said that
Why, I like flying squirrels.
@@Tomn8er If he gets fiesty with ya, just slap the shit outta the little midget! Then tuck a plane ticket in his pocket.
@@beerthug he doesnt need a plane ticket
@@MultiTomatojuice I think you missed it, oh well.
I'm still shocked that Roelly looks this good shape wise. If anyone would have told me years ago that he could pull it together like this I wouldn't have believed it. All of next year should be really interesting.
Yup. Roelly is the most improved bodybuilder of the past few years
Tomn8er if he keeps this progress of shape and conditioning, then there’s hope for him to becoming a future Mr.O unlike Ramy.
Roelly and brandon curry have improved A LOT. In the last few years. I would like to see roelly getting bigger quads and glutes. And for his back... the only thing he can work on is thickness tbh. And conditioning but that’s the whole thing
@@angusdelgado5116 lol
@Dragonlope 😅
Supposedly rolley was unable to train legs for a long amount of time and only trained them for three weeks before the Olympia and it was light due to a meniscus injury to his knee, this was on milos instagram
Really? That's insane then that he even looked nearly as good as he did!
Roelley?? That's crazy!
Alright Tom! Now we need a classic physique video asap.
lol I'l get around to it for sure but it's not next in line. The Open Class was just too juicy this year
@@Tomn8er Sounds great to me.
@@Tomn8er looking forward to classic analysis!
Sucks that Phil's Gut betrayed him. He's got everything else on point!
Roelly was clearly better that Phil in these pictures huge taper from shoulders to waist. Abs so deep you could loose your had in there. Better arms than Phil. Head to foot Rhoden was a worthy winner only flaw his weak triceps. But Greek god symmetry. However Roelly was Hercules
I love Roelly but he was only better if you focus on outline and ignore conditioning.
Bad comparison..in other videos and pictures rooley actually have better condition than Phill.
Yes his lower back was not as good as Phil's (or bonack) but I think his glaring weakness was his triceps. All the Olympia champions have had poses that they are not the best in. For me Phil's glaring uncorrectable weakness has always been his shoulder width and Ann region But all his other muscle groups are epic. But this time shawns overall shape and condition deserved the win ( much more than Columbo in 81 or Dickerson in 82 or Yates in 97) you can't say these held there own in every pose.
Having said that the Yates of 93 or the Colman of 98 or the heath of 2011 would have destroyed the lot of them.
For me by far the most impressive physique this year was rolley but I see the argument for rhoden
his conditioning was crap compared to Phil and Shawn
I've got a lot to say - as usual :P
1) so first of all, Roelly is the new Dillet, as standing relaxed, he _is_ Mr. Olympia! His front relax pose is mesmerizing with the trim waistline and wide lats. The only thing I miss is just a tad bit of posing oil on him - the other guys shine much more. His serratus muscle seems way too blurry when turned to the side.
2) The comparison between these 4 is extremely difficult since they both have different assets and weaknesses, all 4 physiques are different so it comes down to the point of personal preferences. Bonac is sharp but small and looks like a chizeled tree trunk in many cases, Rhoden has a classical contour, very aesthetic, Phil is narrow but has the most detail and Roelly is a shapely beast. Apples, oranges, peaches and other stuff...
3) Although I said that with the exception of Phil almost everybody improved from Friday to Saturday, but Roelly kind of missed the mark as well, I mean we all know that he has striated horseshoes for a tricep and here he is not that impressive and as you said his excecution of the pose has a lot to be desired. He still deserved 3rd probably. He is my pick as a future Mr. Olympia (I mean if I had to choose between him and Bonac or even Ramy).
4) It is total bullshit that you're a Phil fanboy as many of these trolls say below. We all know that. Just because you're stating the obvious while the right mind of others are being blurred by the hatred they feel towards Phil, it is not your fault. Rhoden gets _murdered_ by Heath in many of the poses, including the absolute major back poses so everyone who knows bodybuilding had rightfully thought that Phil has this as since 1983 the guy with the best back wins. End of story.
5) Phil had a horrible gut and his general on-stage (and may I say off-stage) composure was not something you'd like to see from the no. 1 bodybuilder in the World at least in most or many cases. However, he is the best bodybuilder according to the standards until last friday. If Rhoden is the new standard, then Breon Ansley has more chance of winning the open than any of the frontrunners in the open. And Breon has a better back than Shawn...:) I'm still happy for Phil being dethroned but only for the reasons of 2019 being the most anticipated Mr. O since 10 or more years. However if Phil retired for good then half of the fun is gone. Also, I highly _doubt_ that by literally being the most lukewarm and neutral guy I've ever seen on-stage, Shawn Rhoden is going to be such an ambassador of the sport...he has no emotions. Not like Cedric who made his individual routine look like a freakin half-time show. I don't know...But I still think that Rhoden's reign won't be long, he may go down as one of the guys with a single olympia win.
Absolutely agree with everything Gabor!
Roelly looks awesome, but shawn looks more statuesque.
Shawn Rhoden isn't the standard just like dexter Jackson wasn't in 2008! if roeally big ramy or even Phil heath comes back more conditioned next year one of them will win. condition wins shows with enough size and balance
To bad Cedric can't ever seem to get dialed in for a show. Just a continuous disappointment.
So weird how Phil's worst pose and one of Rhoden's best is the front lat spread, but if they turn around to the rear lat spread, Phil is suddenly one of the best there's ever been while Rhoden suddenly looks almost like an amateur next to him
It is weird how the lat spread doesn't often translate front to back. Many guys look great in one pose but not the other.
"Flying squirrel" Lmao
Had to come back and rewatch bunch of your old videos. So well articulated and carefully put together.
In finals Roelly actually held his hands behind his back for the side tricep at one point. It looked painful for him but amazing
What kinda bodybuilder are you, If you don't have nice midsection? The midsection is more important than the back in my opinion.
If your oppinion mattered,Dorian would have no Olympias
ran dom he didn’t have that bad of a midsection tbh. Sure it’s wide but he didn’t have any distention (not counting the last mr o from him. That was horse shit).
lmao no
your opinion doesn't matter 🤗
Phil was harder and drier? Did you watch the stream? Phil was sweating - literally. No one else was sweating on stage hitting poses. As Shawn Ray was saying during commentating, he was holding water.
Nope didn't watch the stream I'm looking at these pictures in front of me not repeating whatever Shawn Ray says. (Although I do think he's got fantastic insight and would've loved to have heard his commentary)
Tomn8er hopefully you’ll have the time to watch a recording of it online. It was really eye opening to us viewers. Btw: love the content and forget the haters and speak your mind. If they wanna throw their 2 cents in then they should go make a bodybuilding channel of their own. People forget that we are entitled to our own opinions
@@angusdelgado5116 mate,Tom was there live..
ran dom bruh, I know that
Phil was in so much poses better than the others... Coleman had many often a gut... And he won so much titles... Phil should won 2018 !!!
He only stared at him for like 3 seconds before Steve started screaming, like DON'T START THAT SHIT!!
Deon Spears it’s funny because everybody is like Rhoden needs to be more aggressive or competitive... yet he gets chastised 🤷🏿♂️
@@Imhotep_DrummerJones That was just their excuse for them not giving Shawn the title in 2016. It's a visual display presentation contest and Shawn has always displayed his physique well so the audience and judges could see so that be more aggressive talk is just for entertainment purposes perpetuated by the peanut gallery
@Johann Schultz I swear it feels like Jim Manion is the mob boss and Steve Weinberger is the head Hitman and everyone is afraid of them
Steve Weinberger's a notorious asshole, one of those guys thats just in serious need of a good ass kicking!
it seems bonac had the best lighting spot. we can clearly see that in the most muscular shots.
btw. Tom, very accurate analysis, i see it the same way.
Great analysis. It was very close but I’m happy Shawn won. It was time for a new champion and time for Phil to change his approach. Ronnie corrected his gut problem a bit and was more cognizant about it. Maybe he will too and return to win back the Sandow next year.
Yeah but a final between 2 non olympians isn't that interesting so they had to put phil at least second no matter what to create hype
But Phil won more poses
Michael Mayers Phil had the greatest weakness also and it cost him the title
Message sent no more extreme guts
I don't think Ronnie should have won any Olympias after 2000, yes that includes 2003- his gut was horrible, as was Dorian's in 97.... they should just disqualify a competitor for having any resemblance to a gut- I am not saying they have to hit a Vacuum pose but any sort of gut protrusion should be an automatic disqualification, it just makes the whole point of being a "body builder" a mute point, it's disgusting and frankly not appealing in any way shape or form...
@@boazbell38 I don't know how you ever thought that bodybuilding was about aesthetics.
Shawn looks sharp and beautiful well balanced muscle. Roelly should have placed 2nd, nevertheless Phil should work hard for next year
THE BEST OLYMPIA BREAKDOWN VIDEO! Thank you!
roelys front double bi tho
Looking at the video footage I have Roely winning with Shawn second. The pictured dont do Roely justice
Roelly should be 2nd
Looking back its true phil should have had 5th place with the gut
This was the best pure analysis video i've seen on UA-cam so far. You do a great job with breaking it down.
Let me offer you a rational perspective on the gut issue. Although abs don't play a part in every pose and as you articulated and can be compensated for with other muscles groups and clever posing... the glorification of "abs" in our culture and lifestyle is too much for the event to ignore. Mr. Olympia needs to have top notch abs and a mid-section nobody can dispute. This might be a precedent setting decision that sets the tone for the future of the sport. I think this is the era of Mr. Olympias being won from the front.
Phil's gut def cost him this time because everything else was not bad at all. Glad the judges are finally penalizing BBers for the gut!
whoever gave phil the name "the gift" must of been able to see into the future cause they were able to see how many times he would be gifted the olympia
He was never gifted an olympia tho
2013, 2014, 2017
@@Kush1322 2013 nobody even came close to challenging him.2014 is up for debate ill give you that,still you can make an equal case for phil and kai winning,so it wasnt exacly a gift.and 2017,the gut shit was exploited by retards,phil was still the most shredded guy on that stage and i didnt see anybody pushing him,Ramy shouldnt've even got second,Bonac was better.
2013?!? That was his most dominant victory! The judges didn't even bother to compare him to the others in the callouts lol. 2014 and 2017 were both debatable, but not gifts.
RIP Mr O 2018. #14😢😢😢😢
Excellent analysis tom. I can't say I disagree with any part except the quads wherein I think Shawn clearly beat Phil though it doesn't appear obvious given how he showcases them in certain poses (though in the front DB I think his quads are clearly showing more crispness and definition). Won't go into additional analysis as you already have my detailed comments in your previous vids :-).
I am glad you discussed Bonac and Roelly as they were both phenomenal in certain poses. Roelly, if he can just come in with more lines and definition can take the Mr. O probably. He's already got insane mass, I think the Mr. O stream showed him at 287 pounds with a height of 5'7! I wouldn't mind if he even dialed his weight down about 10 pounds or so if it meant he can come in with a more grainy, defined look including a more chiseled midsection. Bonac, to me, while a great competitor, just doesn't have that aesthetic appeal which I've commented on a few times in the past due to his lat insertions; its not his fault but these genetics will keep him from becoming a Mr. O IMO since I just don't find his V-taper appealing.
I did want to give a massive shout out to Brandon Curry who really impressed me this Olympia though. If there's one guy who had the best balance of mass, symmetry, midsection and structure I think it was Brandon. He easily has the potential to take on any of the top 4, including Shawn & Phil and just needs to work on his conditioning to ensure he comes in with clearer separation . If he does, I think he can easily take the title. Keeping the same weight he just needs to get more lines. (in the back, some more separation in the Bi's & Tri's, quads and chiseling that midsection a little more).
Agreed, especially about Curry. I'll probably make a video featuring him because he was someone I felt got an unfair placing last year and this time around he came in even bigger and better and justice was served!
Roelly's done a great job with what he has to work with, but his awful structure will always prevent him from being Mr O.
Shawn has the sickest legs right now. Non-negotiable
Phil is better bodypart for bodypart, and also pose for pose when he hits them right, but the gut just wasn't under control and is essential for the overall impact of any physique. I prefer Phil to Shawn generally but Shawn had to take it in 2018
Front double biceps- Roelly
Front lat spread- William bonac
Side chest- Phil/Shawn
Rear double biceps- Phil Heath
Rear lat spread - Phil easy dominating
Side triceps- Roelly/Phil
Abs - Shawn
Most muscular- Phil Heath/ Roelly.
So Phil was the winner
Absolutely love hearing your commentary! It still boggles my mind how Shawn is ranking 4th in some mandatory poses, but still won. Anyway, he does have a pleasing "X" frame. Also, it's amazing how much Shawn and Roelly improved (i.e., VS when Shawn was in his early 30s and looked very unathletic, and VS when Roelly trained with "Grandma"). Lastly, I give Phil major credit, given he had his stomach surgery
Shawn doesn't seem to know how to hit a rear lat spread properly. He hunches over and rolls his shoulders forward too much in an attempt to make himself look as wide as possible, but as a result he loses detail. Phil knows how to hit this perfectly - shoulders not rolled forward, and leaning back.
I love the way Bonac hits side tricep, it's aesthetic af and fits his frame perfectly.
Phil won more poses, even with the symmetry round. Bodybuilding is judged on poses. Judges broke their own law and punished Phil because of his midsection. That's the only reason Shawn won.
This
Tom phils stomach was not only spilling from the front but his obliques were spilling from the sides. It was so bad his waist was almost as wide as his narrow lats and clavicles
I liked that you doubled down with your conclusion from the pre-judging video. The more I listen to you, the more I agree with you.
I'm still happy Rhoden won, but whatever the reason for his victory, it's not conventional or clear cut.
Shawn deserved to win. He is mr olympia 2018 for a reason
Why is everybody hating Phil so much? Every contender on the stage has distended gut. The thing is Phil could not control it thus he lost. Fuck asthetics this is body building and there is a reason why we have classic physique and Physique.
If you go bodypart for bodypart Phil destroys everyone, but i am fine with Shawn winning i guess.. I think that Mr O should look some what aesthetically pleasing. To bad Phil will never get that 2011/2013 look back because let's be real here, as far as being complete goes Phil has it all... To bad Phil his midsection is so trash what makes him look blocky and narrow. I am happy for Shawn tho he looked great.
Oh an btw i do think that the judges are tryna make bodybuilding more appealing to the mainstream cuz let's be real here... Since when has a terrible midsection been a problem in the judges eyes?
(Sorry for my trash english lol)
Tom must of absolutely hated the Frank Zane 3 year reign
too aesthetic, not enough gut and muscularity.
LOL. You do realize his favorite bodybuilder is Shawn Ray right?
And yet he still predicted Phil over a more aesthetic Shaun Rhoden and defends his decision. hmm. Not to mention disagreed with his "hero" Shawn ray's analysis of the prejudging.
His favourite is shawn ray, easily the top 5 most aesthetic physique ever in human history
R CC Using the phrase aesthetic all the time is something that has come into being since UA-cam fitness. Those of us who have been watching for a while know that aesthetics have not been the #1 factor at the Olympia. Shawn looks great but by Olympia standards of the last decade he would have lost. Now if they want to change course and move into an aesthetic future they should say so and start judging accordingly.
Aesthetics is really what bodybuilding is all about, and Shawn is easily one of the most aesthetic bodybuilders ever. Shawn Rhoden at 100% is something no other Mr. Olympia can ever compare to. As far as aesthetics, he is in a league of his own.
Heath is narrow. His look does not work when his stomach and midsection is bloated. Roden was chiseled, statuesque, proportioned and had 'width'. Heath was bigger, fuller but Roden was 'better'. I think Samir said it right. "Be a lion or an eagle not a hippo"! A great night for bodybuilding. I hope Kia Green comes back next year. Ramy and Rolley size down a little, Phil comes in razor sharp without the gut, Roden adds 3-4 pounds in the right places and Brandon brings legs to match his upper body.
And Phil wins........... :)
It might happen!
Great analysis!!!
Ok ok we get it tom u r biggest fan of philll
Wow rhoden was definitely the most aesthetic and cut out of them but super small in a lot of shots
No way Phil lost. Rhoden was one of the most undeserving Mr O Winners ever. You do not lose on 1 body part because ,apart from abs,,he destroyed the lineup!!!!!
theres an interview on jays channel with shawns trainer, where they talk about their strategy of not chasing phil, letting him have the back double and lat, and try to take advantage of all the other poses.
Nice video man. I think I'm with you on Phil. Rhodes does look great but I think this contest has many people scratching their head. I keep going back and forth.
Awesome Video man, great analysis.. agreed on majority of this.
I also give Phil the side chest from a muscular standpoint, but Shawn has a statuesque pose for side chest - shiny deep black, tall, balanced and full of details.
Agreed on that!
Nice wrap up!💪🏽
True. This was Phil's show. Fucked up midsection was not enough to dethrone him. He had everything else in check
I think it was just a rejection of the distended gut, just my opinion, they were probably thinking “This is how Mr Olympia should look”
It’s staggering how much stronger this top4 is compared to 2021
If Bonac was a few inches taller he'd walk these competitions....you could have said the same about Lee Priest some years ago...be interesting to see how Flex Lewis will do in the MR O....(if that ever happens).....
11:27 Even though Phil's delts and arms are top notch I can't get over the narrow triangular shape of them and the bloated gut in that shot. It's not just his bloat , the musculature in his midsection looks distorted , tired and worn out which is just too distracting.
Best breakdown ever
Hey @Tomn8er I would say that the Side poses both go to Shawn from the poses in motion. Looking at these photos the direction of the camera angle not being head on actually makes Phils poses look better. So Phil wins the poses in these photos yes but from real time perspective they go to shawn. Especially a straight on shot of the side chest you actually see more thickness in Shawns shoulders as it tapers down and then tapers back up to that amazing leg development! So I agree with you if judging just these photos but in real time it isn't accurate.
flying squirrel effect lmao
Yea to be fair Tom I thought Phil was ahead prejudging but after a close look at the nightshow I thought Shawn was just too wide and conditioned for Phil.
Like in the latspread Phil looks smaller than usual, looks almost as if that right pec is smaller.
Great analysis
“He has a flying squirrel look to him.”
🤣🤣🤣☠️💀
I might just be a Bonac fan boy but the guy’s physique is just insane to me. Crazy complete and well rounded bodybuilder. He’s taking second for me to Rhoden. Close second.
Too narrow and has That weird mid section really
True, Rhoden has mediocre arms..... but, you know who else had very mediocre, lackluster arms? 8-time Mr. O Lee Haney!
Yes but Haney had the best back of his day to make up for it :P
@@Tomn8er I'm really hoping Open bodybuilding is heading into a "judge the total physique " direction as opposed to a body part contest. 😂
Come on man, Haney's arms may have been undersized compared to his torso, but other than that there was nothing wrong with them. Great shape and separation, with full development, long insertions and thick bellies. Give the man his due, he was absolutely dominant!
In my opinion, the only poses where Phil beat Shawn were the back shots. Rhoden owned Heath in all of the other poses.
Phil won maximum poses.
Only abs, front lat spread poses he lose.
If he could control his mid section then he already won.
I think Phil did extra carb up
Front double - Shawn
Side tricep - Shawn
Abs and thigh - Shawn
Front relaxed - Shawn
Back double - Phil
Rear Lat Spread - Phil
Side Chest - Phil
Most Muscular - Phil
Shawn wins even though 4-4 due to no gut.
Great analysis
that was a phenomenal Top4
Should've just given phil #8. During poses he was on, he won more poses. He didnt get knocked out by rhoden, they just handed him the trophy for all the people crying. Literally killed himself to beat phil
I personally think they didn’t want him to tie for the most sandows in history with a gut and his stage presence.
Can you pls roll out a video on Wesley’s & Hoffman’s Olympia results. I really feel they got robbed and didn’t deserve such low positions in standing.
Great breakdown. Your post show analysis is always a treat, your pre contest prognosticating leaves some to be desired. Rhoden almost has a Y-shape vs the X-frame of the others, maybe it's the way he places his legs since he certainly has quads. He spent a lot of time polishing his posing, so I'd like to believe it's intentional. I have a hard time believing Rhoden can win a front double bicep with having the weakest biceps, let alone arms, among the group. As Phil has his gut, I feel that it may be Rhoden's "achilles" in the future. As for Rhoden's back latspread, I wasn't so discouraged by it, sure it's not detailed and dense as the others ... but this Olympia has shown they are going for a new look ... so basing your analysis purely on past precedence can only get you so far. With that being said it did remind me of a Franco Columbu back ... who was known for having an amazing back for the time.
Great analisys..only one thing i'd like to point out.The ab thigh shot is not only about the abs.True Rhoden beat Phil on the abs but Phils quads were way bigger harder and more conditioned...plus his arms forearms looked bigger in that shot.His calves were also bigger.Only thing Rhoden had better than Phil on that shot was the abs.
Going into next year I think if roelly improves yet again and came in peeled to the bone he could actually win it I think
It seems like Phil is so devastated from this loss that he is questioning if he will compete in the Olympia again. It would be a let down if he doesn't. WIsh Kai was in it. But props to Rhoden a well deserved win. His win is good for the sport.
Just rhoden being darker really added to the package.
Thank you Sir! Watching with glee
If Roelly brings that 2010 condition with this size and shape , its a " see you tomorrow ! " to both Shawn and Phil .
He honestly has the potential to win it all now if he brings his best conditioning! I would love to hear his victory speech...
oh god his English is so horrendous it makes Big Ramy sound like Shakespeare! 🤣
Agreed , his english is very limited , however I would just love to see Roelly get it one time ! :)
@@conorvanzant4589 But you can't really do that. This would be by far the worst for the sport. The number one competitor and representant of the sport has to be well spoken because as i said, he is REPRESENTING the whole sport of bodybuilding and in the end he is representing us, the people who love bodybuilding and go to the gym 5 days a week. I think the guys in Kuwait should heavily focus on learning/teaching English. Like at least 1 hour a day. Just imagine all the interviews after he wins the Olympia. It would be shameful for the sport if the worlds best can't even hold a very basic conversation in English. Just my 2 cents. And i mean its okay if bodybuilders aren't able to speak English, but it's not okay for the Mr Olympia not to be able to speak English.
Muldrax yup. Its called the peoples champ
Front Double Bicep: Shawn
Front Lat Spread: Shawn
Side Chest: Shawn
Rear Double Bicep: Phil
Rear Lat Spread: Phil
Side Tricep: Phil
Ab and Thigh: Shawn
Most Muscular: Shawn
Phil: 3 Shawn: 5
Still Phil was looking the best.
1st Phil
2nd Roelly
3rd Shawn/William
Except gut, Phil looked dominating and strong 💪.
He was champ that day
I already miss the Arnold intro😔😢
After seeing 2020 and coming back to this, wow, phil should have won 2018.
You analyzed only phil and shawn body so improve your analysis
Idk why the fuck the midsection became so underrated all of a sudden, cuz the midsection is the largest and arguably the most important body part. Phil before 2016 had a decent midsection, especially at 2011, but him playing the mass game threw off his gut and he legit looks garbage right now despite all his other body parts being the best regardless. His gut makes us not appreciate all his other body parts and actually makes his physique unpleasant. Roelly should have placed above Phil.
I have a feeling that Phil had somehow spoiled his relationships with IFBB or with some officials. I do not like his gut either but in other departments he smokes Roden for sure.
@9.06 we have the historic moment of the 2018 Olympia 3 guys looking at the soon to be deposed King like, what you doing up here son?
Roelly 4th for side triceps 🙉🙉🙉🙉😌😌😓🤕🤒😅😱😱
Roelly is huge but Shawn looks like he is carved in stone. I do agree that Shawn's arms do look a bit flat. Bonac looks a little blocky. He is in great condition though. Roelly's front lat spread is ridiculous. If there was a breeze in the building he would have taken off. Phil's side chest is great. His rear delts are off the hook. I agree that Phil takes the back double bicep. He has done a great job bringing his back up to a super high standard. Personally I think Phil won the show. It was close though. Shawn was in great condition but he still has some work to do, namely his arms. If Shawn puts on another 10-15 solid pounds and still can come in with his conditioning, he will be hard to beat.
If Phil lost the belly he would have easily won. Better, shoulders, biceps, triceps, forearms, calves and legs than Roden.
Alright everyone..lets see who took the most steroids this year and got the biggest.
If Roelly would have been sharper through the legs, he would have won it all! Rhodens back is atrocious! How did this guy win the Olympia with that back and a birth defect of not having a tricep muscle!
Phil needs to hit the road and compete in some of the European Contests
I disagree with a few of these judgements though I agree with most.
1st - I give the side tricep to Roelly. I get that the way he hits it is hard to compare, but I go off of the 'wow' factor, kind of like the most muscular variations. In this case, Roelly is staying true to the spirit of the pose. It's the side tricep for god's sakes, and he's standing sideways and showcasing the tricep. If you look at everyone in the lineup during the side tricep, which one makes you go, "Woah." It's gotta be Roelly here though the angle hurts him.
2nd - Bonac is getting the edge in every pose thanks to lighting. This is especially notable in the most muscular, but this effect is present in every pose. I dock his conditioning some in the analysis to compensate for this unfair advantage.
3rd - I give Roelly the Front Double because I'm a Roelly fanboy, and I also think that having the largest arms, narrowest waist, and a semi-vacuum wins you the front double. Just my two cents though.
4th - I completely disagree with your assessment of Rhoden looking at Phil before the ab and thigh. That was not in any way unprofessional. It was highlighting Phil's greatest weakness, his ab control. If you look at the video during that portion, Phil is letting his gut spill out. Shawn exposing that and reminding the judges of Phil's enormous midsection is purely a good call on his part, and might have made the difference for him at the Olympia.
Roelly could easily be given the front double, you don't need to be a fanboy to reach that decision. As for Rhoden's stare-down... my problem with it is simply that it went on too long.
Its a shame roelly doesn't hit the side tricep the normal way it looks much better when you can squeeze your tricep against your lat