Kevin Levrone is back!!! Can he actually win?

[Odysseus]

It took a few days for this to sink in because I kept thinking it was a dream, but apparently, my favorite bodybuilder of all time: Kevin Levrone, is coming out of retirement!!!

I'm excited but at the same time I wonder if at the age of 50 (or 51?) he can get into that old school conditioning and size that he had back in the 1990's. I would LOVE to see him win one. He was always so thick and huge and yet still had shredded abs and no modern day insulin gut. But despite his amazing genetics, can he actually beat guys like Phil Heath who are still much, much younger?

[TT Eric]

Yes that's really cool to see him coming back, it's hard to be indifferent to him, his physique really draw attention. He definitely has insane genetics and I have no doubt he can be back in really decent shape at his age for all the fans to enjoy especially if he begin to use the modern day enhancers, but I'm doubtful he could/would win the tittle... even though Mr. Olympia has been shown to be very 'political' and gave some really questionable ranking in the past ... one thing for sure if they ever begin to factor in the gut size he would have a head start right there.

Eric

[Praetorian]

Many people will be shocked! Kevin never prepared more then 12 weeks for a show...that is his off season and precontest prep combined. He would compete and after the show tour with his band for 6-8 months and not touch a weight. By the end of the tour he would be around 200lbs and would start his prep. In 12 weeks he would walk on stage at 250lbs shredded. He beat Flex Wheeler at the AC doing this. They just did full scans of his joints and they are like a teenager...mostly because his total training time since he started competing s about 5 years. Calling Phil Heath the "the gift" is a huge disservice to Kevin. If he cant get into his previous shape ....keep in mind he is putting in 6 months of training he has a very good chance to win.

P

[Odysseus]

Many people will be shocked! Kevin never prepared more then 12 weeks for a show...that is his off season and precontest prep combined. He would compete and after the show tour with his band for 6-8 months and not touch a weight. By the end of the tour he would be around 200lbs and would start his prep. In 12 weeks he would walk on stage at 250lbs shredded. He beat Flex Wheeler at the AC doing this. They just did full scans of his joints and they are like a teenager...mostly because his total training time since he started competing s about 5 years. Calling Phil Heath the "the gift" is a huge disservice to Kevin. If he cant get into his previous shape ....keep in mind he is putting in 6 months of training he has a very good chance to win.

P

I agree! That's something that I thought about as well, in regards to how little time it took him to get into shape -- no --- into OLYMPIA stage quality shape. If I took the amount of time that he took to prep for a show, I would be laughed off the stage. His genetic response to training, food, and gear are unbelievable and I think many of us have always wondered what would have happened if he prepped longer for a show and didn't take as much time off. I can't remember the last time that I have been this excited about bodybuilding. The last few years with the whole Phil/Kai thing has been lame as hell and, like many of you, I'm not a fan of the bloated guts look that keeps getting rewarded either.

I thought about the age factor and how Phil has quite an advantage in that regard, but then I remembered that Dexter got second place last year and he was in his late 40's! Kevin is only a tad bit older than Dexter so I think it will be very interesting to see if Kevin can place in the top 3 again after so many years off. My theory is that he wouldn't come out of retirement if he didn't believe he could do it. He does not seem like the type of guy who would do something like this just to make a few bucks (Jay Cutler seems more like the greedy, narcissistic type who would do that). I truly believe that Kevin does care about the fans and that the fans do motivate him.

Has anyone also noticed that he looks considerably younger NOW despite being older than his competition days? His face, mainly, looks much younger to me. Is this simply due to his genetics or is hgh really the fountain of youth? I wonder sometimes...

Excited as hell to see his progress. It has even given me a little extra push to now train harder, which I needed because I was starting to get lazy.

[Praetorian]

He does look young...this has to do with genetics yes and when you are taking gear you appear much older as androgens have a way of making you appear a bit harsh.

I havent been excited to watch a pro show since Dorian was winning. the O. The whole Kai vs Phil agreed is beyond lame and most of the posing these days wiith a few exceptions is awful. Walking around the stage begging for applause **** off Im sorry but that is just douche bag central. You want applause then come in shredded aka 1990's and learn how to pose with grace and poise like Lee Labrada or Bob Paris or Ed Corney from Arnold's era...that was posing...not f-ing dancing like a stripper, get off the stage.

P

[TT Eric]

I havent been excited to watch a pro show since Dorian was winning. the O. The whole Kai vs Phil agreed is beyond lame and most of the posing these days wiith a few exceptions is awful. Walking around the stage begging for applause **** off Im sorry but that is just douche bag central. You want applause then come in shredded aka 1990's and learn how to pose with grace and poise like Lee Labrada or Bob Paris or Ed Corney from Arnold's era...that was posing...not f-ing dancing like a stripper, get off the stage.

P

You got that right, can't possibly agree more.

Eric

[Hugheser]

Many people will be shocked! Kevin never prepared more then 12 weeks for a show...that is his off season and precontest prep combined. He would compete and after the show tour with his band for 6-8 months and not touch a weight. By the end of the tour he would be around 200lbs and would start his prep. In 12 weeks he would walk on stage at 250lbs shredded. He beat Flex Wheeler at the AC doing this. They just did full scans of his joints and they are like a teenager...mostly because his total training time since he started competing s about 5 years. Calling Phil Heath the "the gift" is a huge disservice to Kevin. If he cant get into his previous shape ....keep in mind he is putting in 6 months of training he has a very good chance to win.

P

I think they should have shown an mri of his joints. Be that as it may he will look good I'm sure, but to say he has a good shot at winning. I don't think. From the back he will be exploited and there is no way he get his legs to where they will need to be IMHO.

[Praetorian]

He had full body scans done including joints...like a teenagers they were.

P

[cog]

Strydom couldnt do it at that age.Will be really surprised if he can fill out like before.

[Odysseus]

Strydom was never the same caliber as Kevin Levrone. Dude would take very little time and just blow up. He literally just started and is already looking big. The question is whether he can really come close to his old former self, or if he will be a shell of what he used to be.

[Praetorian]

Strydom actually looked better then most pros when he came back...he just needed better conditioning.

P

[cog]

Strydom was never the same caliber as Kevin Levrone. Dude would take very little time and just blow up. He literally just started and is already looking big. The question is whether he can really come close to his old former self, or if he will be a shell of what he used to be.

Matter of opinion,Strydom a much larger man,with calves and great symmetry.

[Odysseus]

I'm going by actual achievements attained, not opinion. As in, Strydom was never top 3 in the Olympia the way Kevin was, and never prepped in such a short amount of time. Also number of shows won, etc. That's what I meant by caliber, not how we think they look, etc.

[Odysseus]

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[St]

Doesn't matter how he places, just nice to see him back on stage.:)

[NathanaelTillman]

Strydom couldnt do it at that age.Will be truly shocked on the off chance that he can round out like some time recently.

[Odysseus]

Did you see the picture Kevin posted recently comparing his 1997 form (just a few days or so out from the O) to his current form with a few WEEKS left? He has continually been ahead in his prep compared to what he used to do. I think he's going all-in with everything he's got this time, as opposed to in his prime when he would give it 80% and still make top 5 consistently. He just responds to everything so much better than any pro we've seen so far. I really think he will look amazing, by far surpassing Strydom's form in his return. Regardless of where he places, he will look great.

Can't wait to see what he brings on the day of the show.

*Also: anyone ever seen those 2002 Muscle Camp pics where Kevin looked like he didn't even lift? Literally looked NOTHING like any of the other bodybuilders that were there. He looked like he had no size at all. And then BAM: not too long after - #2 at the O. Keep these things in mind.*

[warlock]

Just looked at his instagram, what I saw was great!

[Odysseus]

37565

yes

[TT Eric]

Kevin will make the show much more interesting to watch, last year I didn't even watched the whole thing... I really like that he's not a gutzilla and can't wait to see him stand there.

Eric

[Gunnlaug]

he can do it. as bodybuilding is suitable after the age of 40. specialists say this

[Odysseus]

Damn it. He couldn't get his legs back up. I think that training only a few months for this show was not enough. Back when he was in his prime it was possible but at this point he should have trained for 1-2 years with no breaks before getting back up there. For a guy to take 13 years off and then train 5 months and still look as good as he does is an accomplishment for sure, but I just wish he trained for longer for this so that there would be less criticism. You already know the critics are going to hit him hard now. Ugh. He's still my favorite though, regardless.

[TT Eric]

Yeah I agree, legs were way too behind. 80s look.

The show is uglier by the year, can stand seeing guys so muscular and so pregnant at the same time, it doesn't fit together to be 'rip' with a big belly.

They complained about Big Ramy but I think he was decent IMO.

Eric

[Hugheser]

Old bodybuilders suck

[Odysseus]

37589

He can make a REAL comeback next year. Looks like he was right about injuries being the reason he couldn't bring legs up in time (only had 8 weeks to do it). They're growing again...

[TT Eric]

Old bodybuilders suck

Not sure what you mean by that... you mean they suck when they try to comeback ? Or they suck compare to what the 2016 Olympians look now ?

Personally I miss the golden ages, as impressive as they can be today by their size, it's still way too fugly for me, I think the sport took a wrong turn with the 'pregnant look with abs' they have now.

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14484878_10154050827179053_1718971407788885660_n.j pg?oh=72b3ca71af4f529ed1c1344f9e254e69&oe=587438D3

Eric