Feel incredibly good for Branch, obviously the O is the title he really wants but he has to feel amazing to get off that #2/most muscular spot he seems to hit every year. Wolf getting 2 and Vic getting 3 have to also feel pretty damn good given their recent results as well. What a feel good Arnold this ended up being.
Branch deserved the win hands down. I thought Evan looked better than Victor though.
Lol, Branch just won $130k and they’re presenting him with a $500 check for “People’s Champion”.
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
Lol, Branch just won $130k and they’re presenting him with a $500 check for “People’s Champion”.[/quote]
Its the thought that counts haha
Go Branch!
Of course Branch was going to win. Phil, Kai or Jay didn’t compete!
[quote]Gettnitdone wrote:
Of course Branch was going to win. Phil, Kai or Jay didn’t compete![/quote]
Aww shit. Here come the “qualifiers”.
There is no reason to believe Branch wouldn’t have won if they were there. He’s beaten all of them (except Jay, who hasn’t competed at the Arnold in YEARS) at one time or another in the last couple years.
Branch won a big fucking contest. Branch looked phenomenal. That’s all.
congrats to Branch…he’s coming to my gym in May for a Q/A and open training session, then guest posing @ the NPC show up here in VT!!!
i need to see vids and pics…my opinion, too bad Vic cannot get into crazy condition, if he could he’s win some of these big shows. Evan will keep getting better and better, needs more chest and back width + darker color. Wolfe is Mr. O in some poses and not even a top 6 in other poses.
No pics yet?
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
[quote]Gettnitdone wrote:
Of course Branch was going to win. Phil, Kai or Jay didn’t compete![/quote]
Aww shit. Here come the “qualifiers”.
There is no reason to believe Branch wouldn’t have won if they were there. He’s beaten all of them (except Jay, who hasn’t competed at the Arnold in YEARS) at one time or another in the last couple years.
Branch won a big fucking contest. Branch looked phenomenal. That’s all.[/quote]
Branch beat Jay ages ago I believe… Of course that was once, but whatever.
Jay is the only one of the guys mentioned who could be reasonably certain to beat branch in competition… So I’m with Lanky here.
Branch has made major improvements in the last few years and it shows… Guess the judges are noticing that, plus his general popularity with the fans… I wonder if he’ll actually manage to get an O win. I wouldn’t mind…
He may not be the most pleasant looking, but he brings the intensity, strength and popularity plus veterancy on top of his improvements and that gives him a real advantage over guys like Phil imo.
I’d rather see branch take the O next time than Phil, Vic etc…
Phil still has plenty of time to get it later anyway…
[quote]Professor X wrote:
No pics yet?[/quote]
I only saved 2 pictures because these two were really in a league of their own as far as conditioning. I’ll throw them up.
Winner.
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
No pics yet?[/quote]
I only saved 2 pictures because these two were really in a league of their own as far as conditioning. I’ll throw them up.
Winner.[/quote]
And runner up.
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
No pics yet?[/quote]
I only saved 2 pictures because these two were really in a league of their own as far as conditioning. I’ll throw them up.
Winner.[/quote]
Conditioning was a given before the contest anyway. I want to see side by sides. Everyone looks phenomenal when standing by themselves.
[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
…He may not be the most pleasant looking,
[/quote]
You know, I think Branch got a reputation for not being aesthetic before he made improvements. Look at the pic I posted above. Is that NOT aesthetic?
Not as aesthetic is Victor or Dex, but can hang with just about anyone else on stage even in the aesthetics department.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
No pics yet?[/quote]
I only saved 2 pictures because these two were really in a league of their own as far as conditioning. I’ll throw them up.
Winner.[/quote]
Conditioning was a given before the contest anyway. I want to see side by sides. Everyone looks phenomenal when standing by themselves.[/quote]
Hundreds of pictures on MD.
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
…He may not be the most pleasant looking,
[/quote]
You know, I think Branch got a reputation for not being aesthetic before he made improvements. Look at the pic I posted above. Is that NOT aesthetic?
Not as aesthetic is Victor or Dex, but can hang with just about anyone else on stage even in the aesthetics department.[/quote]
I think that qualifier you just threw in is the point. No one is saying he doesn’t look amazing in that pic.
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
…He may not be the most pleasant looking,
[/quote]
You know, I think Branch got a reputation for not being aesthetic before he made improvements. Look at the pic I posted above. Is that NOT aesthetic?
Not as aesthetic is Victor or Dex, but can hang with just about anyone else on stage even in the aesthetics department.[/quote]
You’re right actually… His waist even looks good in that one.
The only problem he still has imo is that he is somewhat compact up top, basically his arms are somewhat short etc. That makes him look more boxy overall… But other than that… No real weaknesses anymore?
I also think JOJ looked great, but I always think JOJ looks great. Not top 5 great because his legs are never up to par with his upper body, but I’ve still always like him.
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
No pics yet?[/quote]
I only saved 2 pictures because these two were really in a league of their own as far as conditioning. I’ll throw them up.
Winner.[/quote]
And runner up.[/quote]
His calves are really bad compared to the rest. Shame.
Good to see that he’s recovered overall though… I honestly thought he was more or less finished.
[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
[quote]LankyMofo wrote:
[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
…He may not be the most pleasant looking,
[/quote]
You know, I think Branch got a reputation for not being aesthetic before he made improvements. Look at the pic I posted above. Is that NOT aesthetic?
Not as aesthetic is Victor or Dex, but can hang with just about anyone else on stage even in the aesthetics department.[/quote]
You’re right actually… His waist even looks good in that one.
The only problem he still has imo is that he is somewhat compact up top, basically his arms are somewhat short etc. That makes him look more boxy overall… But other than that… No real weaknesses anymore?
[/quote]
I think it comes down to muscle separation. That’s the 1 aspect Branch never has (and probably never will have). But Jay doesn’t have real good muscle separation, either.