Written by Peter McGough
28 August 2014

How Dennis Wolf Beats Phil Heath!

Dennis' Secret Weapon For This Year's Olympia

 

 

THE SECRET

 By hitting a career peak in winning last March’s Arnold Classic Dennis Wolf tried a few new things which he will further fine tune for the Olympia showdown taking place at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on September 19th and 20th.

 It was in Columbus last March that he knew he had finally cracked the “Peaking and holding it” conundrum that had seen him come unstuck in previous contest outings. The most notorious instance was at the 2011 Mr. Olympia. He drew number one and so was the first to do his mandatories. He walked out as huge and as full as Bill Gates bank account. There was a combined audible gasp from the expectant crowd, and NPC and IFBB head honcho Jim Manion later said, “At that point I thought hey! There could be an upset here – this guy’s dangerous.” However as the prejudging progressed Dennis faded, became flatter and softer and he drifted to fifth spot.

The man who stacked 272 contest ready pounds on his frame to win the 2014 Arnold says of his peaking travails, “Throughout my career a main issue has been my condition and fullness fluctuating during the last couple of days before a contest and then during the event itself. At last year’s Olympia, with the help of a friend in Germany, I figured out how to put that right. In fact I didn’t nail it 100 percent at the 2013 Olympia, but as it was my first run with this tweak, I then modified it a bit more at the Arnold and was even better – especially in the evening. Still I wasn’t right on the button; I peaked the day before and lost a little. But now having gone through this new manipulation twice I’m confident I can be at my best ever – in terms of fullness, dryness and condition – at September’s Olympia. I will be on throughout the prejudging and finals.”

 So what exactly is this new secret?” this inquisitive scribe asked.

 Back came the pragmatic reply, “If I told you it wouldn’t be a secret anymore.”

 WOLF vs. HEATH

  It’s more than a cliché; it’s a truism that to take out the reigning O champ you have to beat them at their own game. After Dorian Yates first Olympia win in 1992, size and a great back became the goals of most of rivals. Soaking up the crushing disappointment of his controversial loss to Ronnie Coleman in 2001, Jay Cutler buckled down and went for mass in the style of his nemesis and eventually relegated Coleman to second spot at the battle for the 2006 Olympia.

 Back in 2011, when he won his first Olympia, I wrote of Phil Heath, “In the ongoing “Aesthetics vs. Freakiness” brouhaha, Phil Heath quashes all discussion. He is the hybrid: The first Aesthetic Freak.” Thus if history is anything to go by the best hope of dethroning an aesthetic freak would lie with someone having similar credentials. Cue, Dennis Wolf, who certainly has that “Wow!” factor. I’ve said it before but it’s worth repeating that when he walks onstage his immense shoulder width immediately catches the eye. That width is enhanced by the dramatic tapering sweep to his narrow waist and then the flaring contours of his thighs. He has great lines and just fills so much space he outsizes everyone else, particularly in the first two poses – front biceps and front lat spread. From the rhomboids up his back double biceps is the most spectacular in the business, and when he’s on and full he’s an awesome bodybuilder.

  Of course criticisms of shallowness in his lower back and underpay calves abound. Ask him about that and he’ll reply, “Genetically this is my back, I can only do so much. I cannot make my lower back just hang there like Dorian Yates. I have improved it in the past two years and I will do what I can. As for my calves,” he laughs out loud,” I don’t know what’s going on back there. I’ve tried every system there is for calves --- I have no clue anymore. But, I still think I can continue to improve those areas and when I’m finished doing as much as I can we’ll see where I can go.”

 Personally I don’t think big thick erectors would help his look. I think the narrowness of his waist from the rear only adds to the effect of his show-stooping width across the shoulder area and makes his upper body sweep more dramatic. And not to minimize calf development, or lack of, it never really hurt Ronnie Coleman.

The key to any shootout between Wolf and Heath will, center on the first two poses of the comparisons. When being compared in the front biceps and front lat spreads with Phil, Wolf’s size and development just dwarfs everyone. It will be interesting to see how the new Dennis “I gotta secret” Wolf will use his size and presence at this year’s Olympia. If the German giant nails it the reigning champ may well have to equally nail it to stem the threat.

 

DISCUSS THIS ARTICLE ON THE MD FORUM

SEE MORE COMPARISON SHOTS FROM THE 2013 OLYMPIA

SEE DENNIS WOLF TRAIN DELTS 12 WEEKS OUT FROM THE O