Mr. Olympia will take place this weekend in Las Vegas, Neveda. It is the Super Bowl of the bodybuilding world and is always a great show to watch. This year will be no different. Can Phil Heath successfully defend the title he won from Jay Cutler in 2011? That remains to be seen. I am going to give my predictions for the Top 3 in this article as I preview what will be going down in Las Vegas this weekend.

Phil Heath. Phil is back to defend his title, the one he took from Jay Cutler last year. With Jay out of the mix, I believe Phil will win his second Sandow. He has the drive and determination to get the job done like nobody else. I also strongly believe that the reigning Mr. Olympia always has the edge in situations like this. Phil will come in massive. He will be hard and shredded. 

This is Phil's title to lose. I have a feeling that he will hold onto the Sandow for many years to come. He still has Jay Cutler in his corner helping him out and that is also a huge edge. This guy trains with Hany Rambod, one of the best preparation coaches out there. These factors combine to give Phil the edge.

Phil is going to have to come in just right and will not be able to do what Jay Cutler has done in the past where he has battled back on Saturday night after a disappointing showing on Friday. Phil will have to come in looking good on Friday and stay that way on Saturday, in my opinion.

Kai Greene is a mass monster. This guy trains in brutal fashion and will definitely appear at the Olympia with size. The problem is that many times Kai looks too big. He isn't as aesthetically pleasing when he just packs on major mass. This guy is a serious threat to Phil Heath. He could capture the title depending upon how conditioned he is at the Olympia.

Kai works hard all the time. There is no doubt that he will look good. He has come close to the Sandow before and it is one trophy he really would like to have. This guy has many Olympia shows ahead of him in his career, but this year I say he finishes in second place. I am just not confident that he is going to look the way he needs to look in order to win the title.

With that said, I would not be the least bit surprised if Kai won. He has what it takes, it just needs to be put together for the show. I've watched some recent videos of Kai and he looks awesome. The problem is always the last few weeks before a show. How does the body respond to the stress it has been under?

I know that for me those last 2 weeks are critical. That is the time when my body starts doing strange and unpredictable things. This is why I always keep a journal of my progress. It helps me the next time around. Kai is an expert at this and knows his body well. Let's see how well he does this weekend.

Some will disagree with me placing Branch Warren in the third spot, but that's how I see it. Branch came off a major injury to win the 2012 Arnold Classic and he looked amazing. That's my issue, though. Can he maintain and improve upon that form?

Branch has come so close so many times. He is honestly my sentimental favorite, but the bodybuilder in me just doesn't see him winning this or placing higher than third. I hope he surprises me, I really do. This guy is one of the hardest working bodybuilders out there today. I have major respect for him and what he does in the gym. 

Branch will be ready to take the title, but will he have a balanced physique? The criticism of Branch has always been that his legs are so much bigger than the rest of his body. This is something he is going to need to address in order to win the Sandow. He will also give Phil Heath a run for his money, but this is not Branch's year in my opinion.

So, now you see what I think of the Top 3 at the Mr. Olympia 2012 contest this coming weekend. Let's see how close I come to getting it right. I love this sport because anything can happen. I can in no way guarantee that my predictions will be accurate, but I feel pretty confident in them.

Let me hear your predictions in the comments section below.

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I just finished reading an article, The “F” Word, by “Mad Man” Tony Ment. Part of me relates to this article and part of me does not relate. In fact, as I read the article I found myself conflicted about the content. It got me thinking about how we inspire other people and what that means.

When people compliment your physique, they don't do so lightly. Generally speaking they have taken the time to look around and have decided that your physique is the one they want to emulate. Tony seems to take offense at the thought that someone could possibly look as good as he does. I see it just slightly different than Tony. While it can come off as though people are of the belief that they can easily do what you've done just by asking some questions, it is more likely that they are completely impressed by what they see. More likely than not, they understand how hard it is to get where you are. It is our job to let them know how hard it is, but that they can do it if they have the desire.

People take time to get up the guts to come and talk to a perfect strange that they admire. As someone who loves the sport of bodybuilding, I feel it is our job to encourage others to love this sport as well. Yes, they are probably naive, possibly even stupid, but they look up to you and that should mean something to you. Let them know how hard you work. Let them know that the road isn't easy and that many people fail when attempting to travel that road. If that is what scares them, so be it. Just make sure YOU are not what scares them.

We inspire others by being humble and accepting their compliments. We inspire others by being an example they can strive to be like. Make sure that if you are confronted with a similar situation that you remember these points. Don't scare them off, but inspire them to greatness instead.

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It definitely matters. You can't make progress if you don't take it seriously. People plug away and make some serious errors along their journey and then wonder (sincerely) why they have not made any progress. I'm here to tell you that attitude and approach are the key. They definitely matter.

The Chatter

We've all seen this person at the gym. They come in with a matching outfit. They look really cool. They do a set of chest presses on the Hammer machine and then start talking to anyone around them who will listen. They begin discussing the baseball game from the previous day. They talk about the latest sports rumors. They talk about anything anyone will listen to. They do this to avoid having to work hard and feel the pain.

The chatter is cheating themself. They are spending time, time that can never be recovered, doing nothing at all to further their goals (if they even bothered to make goals in the first place). In addition, they can destroy you if you are not careful. Avoid these people at all costs. Do not engage with them. Stick to your workout and get out of the gym as usual. Let the chatter take themself off course.

The Pickup Artist

This is the person who is only at the gym to find a date. They lurk around staring at members of the opposite sex like they are part of a buffet line. They fail to adhere to any strict plan because their only interest is in getting a date. While the gym is a great place to meet like-minded people, it is not the place to solely for the purpose of getting a date. The pickup artist is doing themselves a disservice as they are, again, wasting time that can never be recovered. You need to avoid this person. If you want to meet them, wait outside the gym after your training is done and get their number for a later conversation, but don't let them ruin your time in the gym.

The Easy Does It

This one drives me the most crazy. This is the person who does everything with a weight that is so light their newborn child could lift it. They seem to be at the gym for the sole purpose of passing time. They do not want to push themselves and they do the same workout over and over again. This is pure insanity. This one won't really get in your way. If they annoy you, don't let it really get to you. Just remember that they are going to look the same (or worse) next year.

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