Chris Aceto dissects the 2024 Mr. Olympia top 3 competitors and their vulnerabilities
In the aftermath of the 2024 Mr. Olympia, bodybuilding coach Chris Aceto shared his thoughts on the performance of Hadi Choopan, the former Mr. Olympia who lost his title to Samson Dauda. Aceto provided a detailed analysis of Choopan’s showing, emphasizing that while Choopan delivered a strong performance, he wasn’t quite at the level he displayed earlier this year at the Arnold Classic.
Chris Aceto highlighted the struggle involved with hitting peak conditioning multiple times in a year for any athlete, suggesting that Hadi Choopan’s earlier efforts at the Arnold Classic may have drained him. “There’s different levels of being peaked,” Aceto explained.
“Hadi was superbly and super and dynamite and a 1,000 percent on the money for the Arnold. But when you come in 1,000 percent on the money, it’s incredibly hard to do that twice in a year, let alone twice in a lifetime even when you’re Hadi.”
Fatigue Played a Role in Choopan’s Mr. Olympia Showing
Chris Aceto noted that the effort Hadi Choopan put into winning the Arnold Classic may have made it difficult for him to maintain that same intensity throughout the year. He described the toll of peaking for a major show, only to have to regroup and prepare for another contest of equal or greater difficulty.
“To add to the Arnold, it takes so much effort to really hit… you put in all you can, I mean all of it, lay it on the table, condition-wise to get there for the Arnold, you are so spent for six weeks after,” Aceto said. “Then you have to regroup and try to replicate that. And then you realize when you’re getting ready for the Olympia, ‘I’m tired.’”
Choopan’s Vulnerabilities and Dauda’s Rise
According to Chris Aceto, Choopan’s vulnerabilities were most apparent in key poses such as the side chest, side tricep, and back double biceps. “He was very vulnerable in the side chest, side tricep, back double,” said Aceto. “He looked small on the side chest, side tricep, and back double.” These factors may have contributed to the judges favoring Dauda’s overall size and presentation.
Chris Aceto also addressed some of the criticisms aimed at Derek Lunsford, who placed third at the Olympia. He suggested that even though Lunsford faced critiques for his physique, the judges ultimately make their decisions based on what they see on stage at that moment. “Some judges might have a preconceived idea of what Derek was going to bring or what Hadi was going to bring, but once they see you on stage, they are still judging what’s right in front of them,” Aceto emphasized.
2025 Arnold Classic: Higher Stakes, Bigger Prize?
Looking ahead, Chris Aceto believes Hadi Choopan may push to enter the 2025 Arnold Classic, where the stakes are set to be even higher. “Yeah, I think it’s a great decision [for Samson Dauda to compete at the 2025 Arnold Classic],” Aceto remarked. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Hadi puts his foot on the gas.”
The increasing prize money in the Men’s Open division has added extra motivation for competitors. With the Olympia boosting its Men’s Open prize to $600,000, Aceto expects the Arnold Classic to follow suit. He predicted that Arnold Schwarzenegger might raise the first-place prize to $700,000 for the 2025 event.
“Money creates excitement,” said Aceto. “Whether they have a contract or not, first prize, he’ll just hand them the check and surprise everybody… I predict seven. If he’s supposed to do six, I don’t think he really cares and he’ll just hand you the check, ‘Oh sorry, we wrote seven on it, too late.'”
The Road to 2025: New Contenders, New Challenges
The competitive landscape of Men’s Open bodybuilding is evolving rapidly. Samson Dauda has made it clear that he is far from a one-show competitor. His next challenge will be the 2025 Arnold Classic, where he will battle for the $500,000 prize in March, aiming to solidify his position at the top.
As the competition intensifies and the prize money rises, the upcoming year promises to be one of the most exciting in the history of the sport. For Hadi Choopan, it’s an opportunity to reclaim his title, while for Samson Dauda, it’s a chance to build on his momentum. Fans and athletes alike will be watching closely as the road to the 2025 Arnold Classic unfolds.
You can watch the full interview video with Chris Aceto below:
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