Let’s just get my opinion out of the way… I think Hadi Choopan is ruining his Olympia prep. That’s my opinion, and I’m sure you have yours.
But there’s one thing we can all probably agree on: when it comes to bodybuilding, the answer always seems to be the same.
More muscle. Bigger physique. More mass.
Listen, I completely understand why Hadi Choopan would want to add more size heading into the Mr. Olympia. The Open division has become a war of mass. The guys standing next to him are massive, and if you want to win, you need to bring a complete package.
But here’s where I think the conversation gets interesting.
Adding size was never the problem for Hadi Choopan. The problem is what that additional size could potentially do to the physique that made him one of the most dangerous competitors in the world.
Hadi has never been the biggest guy on stage. That has never been his calling card. His calling card has always been conditioning, density, muscle maturity, and an insane level of detail.
That’s what made him dangerous. That’s what helped him win the 2022 Mr. Olympia title.
So, the question isn’t whether Hadi Choopan should get bigger. The question is whether getting bigger changes what makes him special.
Hadi Choopan’s Greatest Weapon Has Always Been His Shape
Bodybuilding is a strange sport. One year, everyone says you need more size. The next year, everyone complains when someone gets too big and loses their lines. It’s a never-ending balancing act.
For Hadi Choopan, that balance is everything.
Hadi’s physique has always been built around his ability to look complete. His shoulders, back, legs, and conditioning have always created an impressive illusion of size despite him not having the frame of some of the taller competitors.
That’s why I have concerns with this push to add more muscle. Not because Hadi Choopan can’t handle more muscle. Not because he doesn’t deserve to improve. But because bodybuilding is not just about adding pounds to the scale.
It’s about how those pounds affect the entire physique.
A bigger physique with the same structure and conditioning can be an improvement. A bigger physique that sacrifices aesthetics can become a problem.
Is Hadi Choopan Risking His Waist and Aesthetics?
This is where the speculation comes into play. The concern many fans and bodybuilding followers have is whether the added size could impact Hadi Choopan’s waist and overall shape.
Again, adding muscle isn’t automatically a bad thing. But when you already have an elite physique, you have to ask yourself what you’re willing to risk.
Hadi Choopan doesn’t need to reinvent himself. He doesn’t need to become a completely different bodybuilder. He needs to bring the best version of what he already has.
The last thing any competitor wants is to chase size only to lose the very things that helped make them successful. We have seen this happen before in bodybuilding.
Athletes add more mass, but the physique doesn’t necessarily improve. Sometimes the waist gets thicker. Sometimes the lines aren’t as sharp. Sometimes the overall flow of the physique takes a step backward.
At the Olympia level, those small differences can drastically move you around in the placings.
Hadi Choopan Doesn’t Need to Beat Everyone at Their Own Game
The biggest mistake I believe Hadi Choopan could make is trying to beat the bigger guys by becoming one of them. We saw how big Samson got in the off-season. He was massive. And I think that can change his look at the Olympia as well.
Putting on a ton of size is not Hadi’s advantage. Hadi’s advantage is being Hadi.
There are competitors who are taller. There are competitors who carry more overall mass. There are competitors who have more extreme size. But Hadi brings something different.
He brings aggression. He brings conditioning. He brings muscle density that few people can match.
The question is whether adding more size helps him stand out or simply makes him look like another mass-focused competitor.
Because if Hadi Choopan loses the small waist, the flow, and the razor-sharp conditioning that has always separated him, then what exactly was gained?
The Olympia Is Won with the Best Package, Not the Biggest Body
At the end of the day, the Mr. Olympia is not a bodybuilding contest based solely on who weighs the most. It’s about who brings the best overall package.
Conditioning. Symmetry. Proportion. Presentation. Muscularity. Everything has to come together.
Hadi Choopan has already proven he can stand on the Olympia stage and beat some of the biggest names in the sport. He has already shown that his formula works. My concern is that he may be trying to fix something that wasn’t broken.
Adding some quality size? Sure.
Improving weak areas? Absolutely.
But pushing so much size that it affects his waist and shape could be a costly mistake.
The irony is that the physique that wins the Olympia is not always the biggest physique. It’s the physique that looks the most impressive when everything is considered.
For Hadi Choopan, the goal shouldn’t be to become the biggest guy in the lineup. The goal should be to become the best Hadi Choopan we’ve ever seen.
And if adding more size takes away from what made him great, then this Olympia prep could become a gamble that wasn’t worth taking.
Author Bio:
Matt Weik, BS, CSCS, CPT, CSN, is a globally recognized health, fitness, and supplement industry expert with over 25 years of hands-on experience. He is the founder of Weik Fitness and one of the most prolific writers in the space, known for translating complex science into clear, actionable content. Matt holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Penn State University and multiple industry certifications, giving his work both academic credibility and real-world authority. His writing has been featured on thousands of websites and in 100+ magazines worldwide, including FLEX, Muscular Development, Iron Man, and Muscle & Fitness UK, and he has authored 30+ published books. Trusted by leading supplement brands and media outlets alike, Matt is widely regarded as one of the most knowledgeable and reliable voices in health, fitness, and sports nutrition.
