Is it too big of a gamble?

Now that the news is circulating around the web, it’s only natural that this question would eventually arise. While Kai Greene getting an invite to the Olympia is pretty great news, the realities are already starting to set in. This is an interesting move by the IFBB and it comes at a time that is pretty intriguing. No matter how you slice it, this revelation is pretty telling and leaves the window open for a ton of intriguing question.

After his performance at the 2016 Olympia and his much publicized intentions to keep competing, Kevin Levrone seemed to be a shoe in for the Olympia. He has made some pretty awesome progress since last year and has begun to fix his weakness and improve upon his strengths. Everyone was looking forward to seeing what kind of physique Levrone would bring to the Olympia stage this year. Then tragedy struck and the veteran bodybuilder made a change of plans. Levrone now has made his intentions clear that he plans on competing after the Olympia to qualify for 2018, meaning we won’t see him against the best of the best for another year and a half.

Now why is all that relevant? Because when you consider the kind of draw Kevin Levrone is, the anticipation for his continued comeback and his popularity, him not competing at the Olympia is a pretty big blow to the show. The Olympia is the biggest professional bodybuilding show of the year and to lose one of it’s major stars is a setback that the IFBB couldn’t anticipate. Couple that with the fact that other top pros like Dallas McCarver won’t be competing this year and we’re seeing the Olympia roster lose prime contenders as well as major draws.

So where does Kai Greene fit into all of this? Well, as popular as Kai has become, having him enter into the Olympia competition is a smart move on the IFBB’s part. It generates interest and allows for a compelling show and narrative. But that said, is Kai in the right kind of condition? He’s certainly still working hard in the gym, but there’s a difference between training for the sake of improving your physique and training to get into prime Olympia shape. It might seem like it’s the same, but really they are two separate battles.

Olympia preparation is all about strategy and improving upon specific weaknesses. Time and dedication must be devoted to particular areas of the body that need improvement and if focus is being put on different muscle groups then it can ultimately be seen as a mismanagement of time. You’d want every part of your body on point, of course, but your weaknesses need to be given more attention if they are to grow to an adequate level. Has Kai Greene been giving those weaknesses his expressed attention? There’s no way to truly know, but if he does decide to compete the masses will learn very quickly whether or not he’s been preparing to tackle the Olympia.

So what do you all think? Should Kai Greene compete at the 2017 Olympia?

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