Two-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Breon Ansley was initially going to compete at the 2022 Tampa Pro on Aug. 5-6 in Tampa, FL. However, he ultimately did not appear in that show due to an illness acquired while traveling. In a video published to his YouTube channel on Aug. 12, 2022, he said his doctor called it “traveler’s diarrhea.”
After taking several weeks to recover, Ansley is back to training and still intends to compete before the 2022 Olympia on Dec. 16-18, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV, if he can effectively prep in time. The target is the 2022 Dubai Pro on Oct. 23, 2022. Check out Ansley’s statement regarding his potential contest future and his plan of attack to attempt to regain his Olympia throne:
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Ansley’s off-season approach in 2022 is different from years past. Since losing the Classic Physique Olympia title to Chris Bumstead in 2019, Ansley finished in the bronze position behind Bumstead and Terrence Ruffin in 2020 and 2021. Not seeing improvement in his results, Ansley has swapped to a high-calorie, high-carb diet to help him put on more size to compete against the Canadian champion.
The change in diet isn’t the only change. In the above video, after cranking out a set of cable chest flyes, Ansley shared that he intends to get much leaner sooner than he ever has before so his body can get better acclimated to that state and look sharper on stage.
Be at my weight cap six, seven, eight weeks out. That’s how we’re going to be dangerous.
Ansley will be 43 years of age at the 2022 Olympia. Despite the age gap between him and the 27-year-old Bumstead, Ansley believes that the pressure and challenge of getting back to the top of the sport will create a healthy change for him.
You have to apply pressure if you want different results. You have to make yourself uncomfortable and you have to embrace it.
After another set of cable flyes, Ansley knocked out incline dumbbell flyes, further working the chest in the stretched position. He followed with a decline chest press, working up to 360 pounds. Four sets were shown on camera.
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To build his chest pump, Ansley worked in four sets of machine dips followed by four sets of bodyweight dips. Ansley committed to not taking any breaks between that workout and his upcoming contests in the fall of 2022. We’ll see if his change in off-season strategy and updated mindset enables him to reclaim his Olympia crown.
Featured image: @breonma_ on Instagram