Phil Heath, Dexter Jackson and Kai Greene battling for top spot at the Arnold Classic
March 6, 2010
By Shawn Perine
FLEXONLINE.COM
It was billed as one for the ages and the top competitors at this year’s Arnold Classic men’s prejudging show didn’t disappoint.
Let’s get right to it: Based on the judges’ callouts and conditioning, Phil Heath may be on pace to fulfill the enormous promise vested in him by the bodybuilding community since he turned pro nearly six years ago.
The Colorado resident was bigger than ever, yet terrifically conditioned. While his upper body held a thin film of water that his legs did not, his overall condition was arguably the best in the contest.
Yet as good as Heath looked, Kai Greene is breathtakingly large, with his trademark cross-striated quads, impossibly wide shoulders and peaked biceps fully intact. Conditioning could be Greene’s undoing, but then again, possibly not. It’s hard to overlook all that mass.
Dexter Jackson was a bit off, for Dexter Jackson that is, which, in this lineup, could spell trouble. Still, Jackson should be in the mix for his record-tying fourth Arnold Classic title tonight. Branch Warren is a force to be reckoned with, looking very close to his best form. He’s gotten his top half close to being balanced with his lower half, although, as with the case with a half dozen guys onstage, his upper body conditioning wasn’t quite up to par with that of his lower.
For the final callout, the lineup looked, from left to right, like this: Heath, Greene, Warren, Ronny Rockel, Jackson and Toney Freeman. Could this be a portent of things to come? Seems unlikely, but part of the beauty of pro bodybuilding is its unpredictability.
Whatever the outcome, the 2010 Arnold Classic is already certified as one of the best in its history.
Be sure to check back here tonight for instant results!
