The bodybuilding world was shocked when Big Ramy lost the 2022 Mr. Olympia and fell to fifth place. Many believed that he would quickly turn things around and seek redemption at the 2023 Arnold Classic. However, he ended up placing fourth, leading to speculation about his future in the sport. Bob Cicherillo, the IFBB Pro athletes’ representative, recently shared his doubts about Big Ramy’s chances for redemption in the future.

Big Ramy is undoubtedly one of the top pro bodybuilders competing today, having won two Mr. Olympia titles. However, his fall from the top was sudden and dramatic. Instead of losing his title after a tight battle, he went from first to fifth place in just one year. The bodybuilding community speculated about what caused the judges to rank him so low. The quality of his legs, particularly the “dents” in his quads, was identified as the main issue. In response, Ramy sought stem cell treatment from Dr. Khan to address the problem and aid in his recovery.

Big Ramy announced that he would be competing at the 2023 Arnold Classic just three months after the Olympia. This would be his chance to prove that his failure at the Olympia was just a fluke and to remain a threat at the 2023 Mr. Olympia later in the year. He would be competing against Nick Walker, who placed third at the Olympia, making it a significant challenge.

Unfortunately, Big Ramy’s performance at the 2023 Arnold Classic did little to raise hopes for his future. He placed fourth behind Samson Dauda, Nick Walker, and Andrew Jacked. Although he showed significant improvement from his 2022 showing, it was not enough to defeat the younger generation of bodybuilders on the rise.

In a recent episode of his Voice of Bodybuilding podcast, Bob Cicherillo commented on the results of the 2023 Arnold Classic. He defended the judges’ decision to award Samson Dauda the victory over Nick Walker, despite some online controversy. Cicherillo also addressed the second biggest question on fans’ minds: why did Big Ramy place fourth? He believes that Ramy was not in the condition he needed to be in to win the show, and his legs were still not up to par. He advises Ramy to focus on improving his conditioning and bringing more detail to his physique, especially in his legs.

Bob Cicherillo begins his critique of Big Ramy by comparing his current physique to his physique from ten years ago. He notes that Ramy has been competing for quite some time, is now 38 years old, and approaching his 40s. Cicherillo makes the point that as a bodybuilder ages, their training needs to adapt. In the 20s to 30s, bodybuilders should focus on building a solid foundation for bodybuilding, including shoulders, a small waist, big flaring thighs, and a strong back. However, from 30 to 40, bodybuilders should aim to refine their physique. This is the “golden spot” for bodybuilders, where their peak conditioning and peak physique should be somewhere between the ages of 30 and 40.

Cicherillo does not believe that Big Ramy is aging out of success. Instead, he points out that this age range should be his prime. However, this can only happen if Ramy built the proper foundation during his first 10 years of competing. Cicherillo’s main criticism of Ramy is that he has not been able to adapt his training properly as his body has changed with age. Ramy has fallen into a “trap” of keeping the same exercises because he was seeing results. Although Ramy was making great progress, his base training would only take him so far, and he started to see diminishing returns.

Cicherillo warns that as a bodybuilder approaches the end of their career and reaches their 40s, they need to focus on preservation. They can’t do what they could in their 20s, and if they keep going to the well, they will eventually come up empty and likely face an injury or chronic issue. Therefore, as Ramy approaches 40, he needs to start downsizing his training to compensate and prevent injury.

Bob Cicherillo Recommends That Big Ramy Take an Extended Break Rather Than Quitting:

Bob Cicherillo believes that Big Ramy should take a break from competition, possibly skipping the 2023 Mr. Olympia. According to Cicherillo, the problems with Big Ramy’s physique run deeper than what is visible on the surface, as seen in the 2023 Arnold Classic. Cicherillo disagrees with fans who believe that Big Ramy should retire and instead suggests taking a hiatus.

Cicherillo further explains his critique of Big Ramy, stating that the issues are more complex than what people realize. He suggests that stem cell therapy may help, as he believes there might be some nerve issues. While Big Ramy still carries a lot of mass, Cicherillo believes that he should take time off to heal and revamp his physique.

Despite his suggestions, Cicherillo ends his critique by stating that Big Ramy will likely never win the Mr. Olympia again. As a former pro bodybuilder and representative of the IFBB Pro league, Cicherillo’s opinion carries some weight. He recommends that Big Ramy should return with a revamped physique, 10-15 pounds lighter and assuming he can heal his problem areas. However, Cicherillo acknowledges that this is unlikely, as Big Ramy will be 41 years old at that point.

Despite Cicherillo’s critique, surprises can happen in any competitive sport. Becoming an underdog can motivate athletes to achieve great things. However, Big Ramy has a tough road ahead of him, with younger competitors entering their prime years. The biggest question now is whether Big Ramy will take time off to retool or compete once again in the 2023 Mr. Olympia.

Stay updated on the latest news and exclusive information on bodybuilding by keeping track of the Colosseum Strength Network. Only time will tell if Big Ramy will take time off to retool or compete again in the 2023 Mr. Olympia. Stay informed and don’t miss out on any updates.

If you want to hear the full discussion from the Voice of Bodybuilding podcast, you can watch the video below.