But that’s not entirely fair when Jason Arntz is in the mix. The New Jersey native may not be the flashy kind, but comes in to every contest in the best of condition. He is basically an automatic top six in the 202 division and has certainly found a home competing in the lighter class.

“I don’t get too far out of shape,” said Arntz. “For me, walking around at 225 pounds, it’s not too heavy for me. I still got to get down to 202, but I’m a lean 225 pounds.”

That will get easier for Arntz and the rest of the division when it changes to 212 and under this fall. Sure, the other guys play by the same rules, but someone who comes in as dry and ripped as Arntz does will certainly benefit from the flexibility of adding some size.

With the loaded line-up in Las Vegas, Arntz persevered and placed sixth. It may be one place lower than the previous year, but Arntz has a lot to build on as the 202…we mean 212, is being held at more and more pro shows every calendar year.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Look for our Jason Arntz feature coming up in the Winter 2012 edition of MuscleSport Magazine

JASON ARNTZ COMPETITION HISTORY

“I’m excited that I found someone that believed in me,” he said last September. “I truly feel that I can get into the top 10.”

Although he did not fare as well as he liked at the O (15th), Alves was still on the map and a threat against a line-up that didn’t include the Jay Cutlers and Phil Heaths of the world. He proved that he still has what it takes by winning July’s Europa Show of Champions and tasted victory again this past weekend at the Phoenix Pro.

Alves, 43, was able to hold off a top-heavy line-up that included Hidetada Yamagishi (second), Ed Nunn (third) and Marcus Haley (fourth) and celebrate a key win in his home town.

After turning pro in 2002, Alves has competed in multiple shows each year. In 2003, he donned the posing trunks on 10 separate occasions and although he hasn’t kept that pace up, Alves is a regular at all of the top IFBB contests. In his rookie campaign, he finished in the top 10 at both the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia.

Now the real test comes for Alves to see if he can maintain the proper conditioning to have an impact in Las Vegas in two weeks. He has proven that he can rise to the top in that second tier-level contest, but he’ll need something extra to do that at The Orleans Arena.

TROY ALVES CONTEST HISTORY

At 5’6″ and 226 pounds, Rockel came into the Arnold looking to be in excellent condition and stood well against some steep competition. When you have a line-up that included the defending champion Kai Greene, Phil Heath, Branch Warren, Dexter Jackson and Toney Freeman, breaking into that circle of consistent top six men was an accomplishment in itself.

The last time that Rockel stood in the winner’s circle came at the 2006 Australian Grand Prix. For him to do that again, he may have to compete in some of the smaller shows such as the Europa, New York Pro and Atlantic City Pro. But there will come a time when Rockel’s proportioned physique will be recognized in the more prestigious shows and not just in the top 10 or six.

This agreement comes with the recent changes made at MuscleSport Mag that have put us more in line with a natural sports environment.

In the next few months, the tour will be making stops in South Africa, Quebec, Alberta, Vancouver, Czech Republic and Florida. In 2010, the FAME schedule includes East Africa, Philadelphia, Vancouver, the Philippines, Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, North Carolina, Saskatchewan, Florida, Atlantic City, England, Iceland, South Africa and Czech Republic.

Needless to say, there will be a lot of new fans of MuscleSport Mag due to this alliance. Our banner will be on competition stages all over the globe and the fans of our website, online magazine and weekly radio show will be kept up to date on all the happenings of the FAME World Tour.

“I would personally like to thank Jeffrey Kippel (President and Founder) for this opportunity,” said MuscleSport Mag Founding Editor Joe Pietaro. “We have been looking for the right formula to market our product and get the word out there about MSM and this is exactly what we needed. We are also really excited to get out there and cover their events. Expect to be hearing a lot of FAME guests on MuscleSport Radio and seeing many of their athletes in our online magazine and website.”

Be sure to visit their website, www.bodyproud.org and do not forget to register in the “I Am BodyProud” profile section. Upload photos of yourself and join their community.

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As bodybuilding fans all know by now, Badell took home the winner’s purse of $18,000 at the AC and now has set himself up for another run at the Olympia, where he finished in the top 10 last year. “The Freakin’ Rican” was not a surprise and anyone who feels that he was did not do their homework.

Badell has 11 years experience on the pro circuit and has won two shows (2005 Iron Man Pro, 2006 San Francisco Pro). In 2008, he finished second at the Iron Man, sixth at the Arnold Classic and 10th at the Olympia. He came into this year’s Arnold a little off and placed 11th but had plenty of time to prepare for this contest and obviously used it well.

In case you need further convincing, this is a guy who placed third at two consecutive Olympias only five short years ago.

At 5’8″ and 240 pounds, Badell had the size to get more than noticed. He came in condition and took the top spot against some quality competition in Hidetada Yamagishi, Troy Alves, Melvin Anthony and Leo Ingram.

• 1991 Junior Caribbean Championships, overall winner
• 1997 Caribbean Championships, overall winner (received pro card)
• 1997 World Amateur Championships Heavyweight, 10th
• 1998 Grand Prix Germany, 9th
• 1999 Grand Prix England, 17th
• 1999 Night of Champions, Did Not Place
• 1999 [[World Pro Championships, 14th
• 2000 Ironman Pro Invitational, 18th
• 2000 Night of Champions, Did Not Place
• 2000 Toronto Pro Invitational, Did Not Place

• 2000 World Pro Championships, 11th
• 2001 Grand Prix England, Did Not Place
• 2001 Ironman Pro Invitational, 16th
• 2001 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 11th
• 2002 Ironman Pro Invitational, 13th
• 2002 Night of Champions, 10th
• 2002 Mr. Olympia, 24th
• 2002 Southwest Pro Cup, 6th
• 2002 Toronto Pro Invitational, 3rd
• 2004 Arnold Classic, 7th
• 2004 Ironman Pro Invitational, 3rd
• 2004 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 4th

• 2004 Show of Strength Pro Championship, 3rd
• 2004 Mr. Olympia, 3rd
• 2005 Arnold Classic, 3rd
• 2005 Ironman Pro Invitational, 1st
• 2005 Mr. Olympia, 3rd
• 2006 Arnold Classic, 4th
• 2006 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 1st
• 2006 Mr. Olympia, 6th
• 2007 Arnold Classic, 4th
• 2007 Mr. Olympia 8th
• 2008 Ironman Pro Invitational, 2nd
• 2008 Arnold Classic, 6th
• 2008 Mr Olympia, 10th
• 2009 Arnold Classic, 11th
• 2009 Atlantic City Pro, 1st

After four days of giving her elbow a rest, LeFrancois wrote that she was only “able to bend it 90 degrees but no strength.” X-rays were negative but she was still experiencing pain and swelling in the joint. Days became weeks and on August 26 LeFrancois had to succumb to the obvious.

“Maybe it’s not my time,” she wrote. Truth is Olympia isn’t going anywhere and neither am I,” and “So I tell you this, my fans – I am going to WIN the Arnold Classic bigger and better and stronger and next year I will take [the] Olympia.”

LeFrancois, although bitterly disappointed, seems to be in good spirits. She is still not able to bend her elbow beyond a 90-degree angle. She cannot even raise her arm high enough to perform tasks such as washing her hair or open a jar. Needless to say this untimely injury has impacted her Olympia preparation beyond repair.

Although there is no bone damage, LeFrancois, 38, has yet to have an MRI performed on the elbow. She speculated that it may be tendon or ligament damage. Once the swelling goes down, that will in all likelihood be her next move.

CONTEST HISTORY

2009 NY Pro – 1st Place

2009 Arnold Classic – 8th Place

2008 Ms. Olympia – 6th Place

2008 NY Pro – 1st Place

2008 Arnold Classic – 6th Place

2007 Sacramento Pro – 2nd Place

2006 Atlantic City Pro – 9th Place

2006 California Pro Figure – 12th place

2006 Pittsburgh Pro Figure – 13th Place

2005 Sacramento Pro Fitness – 16th Place

2005 Tournament of Champions Pro Figure – 14th Place

2005 Europa Super Show – NP

2005 California Pro – Figure – 17th Place

2003 Ms. Olympia – 4th Place

2003 Arnold Classic – 1st Place

2002 GNC Show of Strength – 2nd Place

2002 Arnold Classic – 4th Place

2001 Arnold Classic – 4th Place

2000 Ms. Olympia – 4th Place

2000 Arnold Classic – 3rd Place

1999 Women’s Pro Extravaganza – 5th Place

1999 Jan Tana Pro – 8th Place

1999 Arnold Classic – 19th Place

1996 Jan Tana Pro – 8th Place

1996 Arnold Classic – 14th Place

1995 Canada Cup – 1st Place

Strydom is reportedly planning on entering two qualifying shows with a goal to make the 2009 Mr. Olympia in September. The IFBB schedule shows that the PBW Championships (August 7-8), Europa Super Show (August 15-16), Houston Men’s Pro (August 22) and Atlantic City Pro (September 11-12) are left before the O.

After his impressive appearance in Denver, Strydom did not view it as a ‘one and done’ type of scenario. In fact, he was in such demand for appearances all around the world that he had to scratch plans for more shows in 2006 and 2007. “Denver was no one night stand,” Strydom said on his official website, date published unknown. “When I said I was back, I meant I was back. I didn’t go to Denver as a once-off attempt just to see how I would do. I am a bodybuilder; it’s my passion and it’s my life.

“In the years since I retired I’ve never stopped living that lifestyle or training,” he continued. “The comeback was more like the beginning of a new competitive career for me. I had planned to do a couple more shows last year but that didn’t work out. But this year I’ll be back up there on stage again and maybe for [a] good couple of years to come, too.”

It appears that this was posted in 2008, a year in which Strydom did not compete.

No one could deny that Strydom has what it takes to stand up there with the mass monsters of today’s game. At 6’2″ and an offseason weight of over 300 pounds, the South African native will compete at approximately 283 pounds. he has 22-inch arms, a 61-inch chest, 29-inch thighs, 19-inch calves and a 32-inch waist. He can hold his own; there is no question about that.

A regular on the IFBB scene in the late 1980s, Strydom was an extremely popular bodybuilder. He won the 1987 Night of the Champions in his professional debut, which was one of the more prestigious shows on the calendar at the time. In his only Olympia appearance, Strydom finished fifth in 1988. In 1991, he chose to join with Vince McMahon’s new WBF and dominated the new league for its two years in existence.

When he hung up the posing trunks, Strydom did so to concentrate on his bodybuilding clothing business. Anyone who frequented a gym back then no doubt had at least one item from Crazee Wear. Being a businessman is still in his blood as he also has launched Strydom Wear and the SPS Strydom Professional Series supplement line. He is also said to be residing in Thailand, where he is the sole distributor of Vitargo Thailand Energy Drink.

MuscleSport Mag has reached out to both Strydom and Muscle Evolution magazine (a South African publication that mentioned it in their latest issue) and we are awaiting responses so we can confirm and expand on these points.

GARY STRYDOM’S COMPETETIVE CAREER

• 1983 NPC Florida Championships, Junior – Heavyweight, 1st and Overall
• 1984 NPC USA Championships, HeavyWeight, 1st
• 1986 NPC Nationals, HeavyWeight, 1st and Overall
• 1987 Night of Champions, Winner
• 1988 Chicago Pro Invitational, 2nd
• 1988 Mr. Olympia, 5th
• 1989 Arnold Classic, 3rd
• 1989 Grand Prix France, 1st
• 1989 Grand Prix Germany, 2nd
• 1989 Grand Prix Melbourne, 1st
• 1989 Grand Prix Spain (2), 2nd
• 1989 Grand Prix Spain, 2nd
• 1989 Grand Prix Sweden, 1st
• 1989 World Pro Championships, 2nd
• 1990 Grand Prix England, 2nd
• 1990 Grand Prix Finland, 3rd
• 1990 Grand Prix France, 2nd
• 1990 Grand Prix Germany, 4th
• 1990 Grand Prix Italy, 3rd
• 1990 Houston Pro Invitational, 2nd
• 1990 Ironman Pro Invitational, 4th
• 1991 Night of the Champions
• 1991 WBF Grand Prix, 1st
• 1992 WBF Grand Prix, 1st
• 1996 Night of Champions, 12th
• 2006 Colorado Pro Championships, 7th

IFBB PRO Rule 4 – Qualifications for Special Events

4.1 Mr. Olympia:
The Promoter of the Mr. Olympia competition must invite the following competitors:

1. The top 6 from the previous year’s Mr. Olympia;
2. The top 6 from the same year’s Arnold Classic;
3. The top 5 from the same year’s Iron Man Pro Invitational and New York Men’s Professional Bodybuilding Championships;
4. The top 3 from any Grand Prix or similar open competition held after the previous year’s Mr. Olympia; and
5. Any other competitor who qualifies pursuant to Rule 4.5.

Special thanks to Muscular Development forum member ‘Hannie’ for originally posting about the magazine article concerning Strydom.

According to reports, they need a budget of $12,000 in order to bring it back in 2010. 

Without the Tampa show, there are only two remaining contests to determine who has qualified for the Ms. Olympia, the New York and the Atlantic City Pro shows.

Nelson has two titles to her name, both occurring in 2004. She won the IFBB North American and World Universe crowns that year and has competed in many of the prestigious shows in the industry, such as the Ms. Olympia, Ms. International (Arnold Classic), Atlantic City Pro, New York Pro and Europa Super Show.

Be sure to listen live on Thursday March 19 from 3:00 to 4:00 PM Eastern time or download the podcast to listen anytime through Blog Talk Radio, MuscleSport Mag or iTunes. 

Our call-in number is 347-884-8157. Please join us if you have any questions or comments for Colette. 

http://www.colettenelson.com/cn-newsmagazines2009.html

***PLEASE BE ADVISED***

We will be announcing a new schedule for the show soon and our next episode will be on Thursday, March 26 at 3:00 PM. Updates can be found right here on MuscleSport Mag, and our new tentative time slot will be on Tuesdays from 1:00 to 2:00 PM. We are in the process of lining up our special guests and you will not be disappointed when they are announced.