If you watched the webcast of the 2009 IFBB Mr. Olympia contest (or followed the results on any of the many websites covering it), you probably noticed Jay Cutler return to the stage with a lifetime best conditioning, and at a very light body weight to boot. He wasn’t the mass monster of years past. In 2003 or 2004, he would have been lucky to grab 6th place with a physique like that. However, in 2009 he won the Sandow trophy with this new level of shape – not size. Even though he still had a certain level of blockiness unavoidable because of his frame, he still managed to win the whole show. It wasn’t only Jay. Look at Branch Warren, Phil Heath, Kai Greene, and Dexter Jackson. They rounded out the top 5, and they were all smaller but leaner this years. Perennial favorites such as Markus Ruhl, Dennis Wolf, and Victor Martinez showed up carrying more muscle, to be sure – but they were soft in comparison. What is the lesson to be learned here? It would appear the IFBB “belly rule”, a mandate instituted five years ago, has finally come to fruition. The top contenders who showed up as mass monsters finished out of the big money. Those who came to the stage diced walked out with trophies.

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In most sports, being tall is quite an advantage. In football, you can see over your competitors and make plays nobody else can. In basketball, it means you’re first to the rebound and your shot isn’t blocked. Usain Bolt is the fastest man in the world and one of the tallest sprinters in history. Tall tennis players have a reach that leaves others with twisted ankles trying to reach the ball. In other sports, height can be a curse. Tall soccer players aren’t able to cut and move as quickly on the field. In bodybuilding, having a great deal of height can be a curse or a blessing, depending on where you are in your overall development. In the beginning, it will be a curse. However, if you overcome years of being the lanky man onstage and manage to fill out your physique, you can win a lot of trophies by out-muscling everyone around you – and never being overlooked by the judges!

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If you’re a bodybuilder looking to complete in a show, it’s important to realize bodybuilding it not just a sport which hands the prize to the man with the best physique. Many times, lesser bodybuilders have left with the trophy, leaving superior bodybuilders (with inferior presentation skills) in second place. Everything you present onstage is part of an overall package. The muscle you carry is just a part of this package. Posing music, body type, as well as levels of dryness and conditioning all play roles in presenting your overall package. Let’s look at some common factors you can use to your advantage.

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