Branch Warren

[muscl777]

im sure some of you guys have come across this clip,but it;s on one my faves. i even think that there is something abou the clip that "squashes"
the screen a bit making him look even thicker. hot

YouTube - Bodybuilder Branch Warren Posing in Gym

[suma]

Dayum !!! yes seen it before but still worth a repost.

[Max Mann]

I'm having trouble trying to copy this pic and paste it, so I'm linking the pic. If someone can download the pic I'd appreciate it. Make sure you have cum-rags handy.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hTA9KJlw4E...s1600-h/bw.jpg

[Aikuchi]

---

When I try and repost the link
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_hTA9KJlw4E...I/s1600/bw.jpg
It asks me if I want to save the pic in my computer, Max Mann.

---

[Max Mann]

I see what you're saying; if you hit "open" when that happens the pic should appear in another screen. As I said, I'm not an expert when it comes to this, so I'm hoping someone else can do it for me.

[suma]

the pay is very low for the backstage hands, but the job has its perks

YouTube - Branch WARREN bodybuilder backstage AC 2006

[Max Mann]

No wonder he finished in 2nd place. I've never seen him looking this amazing:

YouTube - Branch Warren Posing Mr Olympia 2009

[SWMassMan]

Photoshoot after his second place showing at the Olympia this weekend...

[MATUREMUSCLE]

He should have won!!!

[F_R_Eaky]

Seeing some of the pictures and clips of this past Olympia, I personally would agree that Branch should have won. I think he looks a little fuller and definitely sharper cut than Jay did. He has size, mass, cut n definition, a very formidable package.
With that being said, I might offer the following suggestion as to why he might have lost those few points (I'm guessing they were few) and came in second.

1. His posing routine there is a bit choppy. Yes, there were some awesome moments where he's interacting with the music, like the beat striking striking and suddenly stopping in time to a thigh shake and snap!, but overall he was very blocky, jerky, or stop motion in his movement, and many people prefer to see something more fluid in the motion and flow from one pose to the next. Course I've not seen the whole of Jay's routine to make a fair comparison either; to see if he was more fluid or blocky than Branch.

2. There were times while watching the video, it seemed as though his symmetry was off with his arms. I don't know if this would be due to the camera angle or no, but it looked like to me his right arms was slightly thicker than his left, just enough to bother my viewing. If it wasn't just me or the camera angle and he actually was a little larger on one arm than the other that would drop him some points.

Still, nice to hear/see him take second place. He's very deserving of a high rank and glad to see him earn it.

[ryoso]

I was kinda torn.

I think Jay just had more mass overall, and that's clearly what the judges were rewarding this year as long as the guy had some shape.

Jay's legs were insane in every way, I think clearly better than Branch's overall, even in conditioning (I think Branch had the better calves, but that's about it).

Branch had better shape in his upper body and clearly better arms (you mentioned how one of Branch's arms was bigger than the other. Well, it's *real* bad with Jay). Did he have more mass up there? Some places, yes. Others, no.

And after talking that through, I think I'd have to give Jay the nod if it came down to mass. Personally, I wish mass, symmetry, shape, and conditioning all counted equally. The result would've been quite different.

I'm happy for both of them, though. Interesting that Branch beat Jay when they were at the Teen Nationals. Amazing they wound up two-one at the Olympia sixteen years later. What're the chances?

[suma]

I kinda think that the Mr O contest does not favour the shorter guys.
if I'm not wrong all of the title holders that have won repeatedly have been at least 5'9 or more.
with Branch only at 5'7 can't see them giving the title to someone that short.

[arpeejay]

Jay is only 5'8.

xoxo

richard

[ryoso]

Originally Posted by arpeejay

Jay is only 5'8.

xoxo

richard

Nah, he's the magic 5'9".

Columbu's 5'5", though, and he won twice.

[suma]

Originally Posted by ryoso

Nah, he's the magic 5'9".

Columbu's 5'5", though, and he won twice.

you're right on Jay, he just made the height requirement.
true about Columbu , but that was a different era.
chris Dickerson also 5'8 or less I believe also from bygone era.

[indygary]

wow - can he get any bigger?

[arpeejay]

Originally Posted by indygary

wow - can he get any bigger?

I dunno, I think he's kinda pushing the envelope there.

One thing is for sure:

He can't get any HOTTER! :-)

xoxo

Richard

[fanod1]

wow. any more from this series?

[bigbearny]

I agree he's about maxed out on the Sexy meter

Originally Posted by arpeejay

I dunno, I think he's kinda pushing the envelope there.

One thing is for sure:

He can't get any HOTTER! :-)

xoxo

Richard

[martinp13]

Their website has plenty: http://www.gasp.nu

[Mdlftr]

Originally Posted by ryoso

Nah, he's the magic 5'9".

Columbu's 5'5", though, and he won twice.

and Yes, he had the right friends...[AHNULD!}

Earlier in the year that he won [1981] he blew out his knee while competing in a "World's Strongest Man" contest running with a refridgerator strapped to his back. His legs were NOT in contest winning shape, but he took the title over several other competitors.



--Just like Arnold did in 1980 over Mentzer, Coe, Zane and bunch of other competitors who had BOTH an UPPER AND a LOWER Body!!

Mdlftr

[Mdlftr]

Bodybuilding titles
1966 Mr. Europe, 4th
1968 NABBA Mr. Universe (Most Muscular)
1969 IFBB Mr. Europe (Medium)
1969 NABBA Mr. Universe (Most Muscular)
1969 NABBA Mr. Universe (Short)
1969 IFBB Mr. Universe (Short)
1970 IFBB Mr. Europe (Short & Overall)
1970 AAU Mr. World (Pro Short)
1970 IFBB Mr. World (Short)
1970 IFBB Mr. Universe (Short & Overall)
1971 IFBB Mr. Universe (Short & Overall) *Disqualified for selling bodybuilding booklets - considered as a professional*
1971 IFBB Mr. World (Short & Overall)
1974 Mr. Olympia (Lightweight)
1975 Mr. Olympia (Lightweight)
1976 Mr. Olympia (Lightweight & Overall)
1981 Mr. Olympia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco_Columbu

[correction: his knee injury was in 1977]

Franco actually won "4" Mr. Olympia titles: two were when the Olympia had separate weight classes, one was after the weight classes were consolidated.

Today we just think about the one "winner".

Mdlftr

[biguglymofo]

I had no idea he'd placed this high. That's awesome. The thing that amazes me about Branch Warren is that he's just such a great guy. In the photoshoots and the MD articles he comes across as a tough guy, but I got to meet him at an NPC qualifier about 4 years ago in Houston. He was there just to support a friend. They made him get up on stage...he was so shy about taking his shirt off, whereas most bodybuilders are dropping trou in the gym, LOL. He finally did and close up he looked insane...like somebody had taken a mythical device described in the story forum and pumped up every single one of his muscles. After the show I went up to him. This was before he'd qualified for the Olympia for the first time. We talked. He was nice, took the time to answer my questions, took a pic with me and was just so normal. He had no problem talking to me or my partner at the time, and he wasn't wigged out by our orientation either. I was already a huge fan by then, and it was great to have your bodybuilding idol exceed your expectations.

[tpumper]

Here is the routine for Branch at the most recent Olympia...Huge!!!!!!

http://videos.bodybuilding.com/watch...warren-routine