This is a very interesting question regarding the Slovakian sensation which towers over the competition and is said to be weighing a mind boggling 286lbs! This 6’1 tower of power knows he has tremendous height in a sport that was always thought to be dominated by shorter bodybuilders. In fact, the trend has gone even farther in recent years by rewarding former 212 competitors turned Open athletes. I’m of course talking about Hadi Choopan at 5 ‘7 and Derek Lunsford at 5′ 6. Micheal dwarfs these guys and would stand tall with current top guys like Samson Dauda at 5 ’11 and Andrew Jacked at 6’ 2.
Even though Dauda and Jacked won’t be competing in New York, it would be very interesting to see the winner of a Top 3 pro show bring in the height as well. I have to stress that with Krizo isn’t just about height, he has mass as well. The guy brings a tremendous amount of size in the wheels and shoulders, meanwhile has a very tight midsection. He also has a strong back to stand even with phenoms like Lunsford. All that being said, the midsection is key because so many bodybuilders who play the size game forget that the illusion is critical. You can’t just build slab upon slab of muscle because the risk there is that the bodybuilder can appear blocky. No one likes to look at a huge guy with no lines or proportions. Interestingly for Krizo, he didn’t miss the memo and has been able to build somewhat of an X-frame reminiscent of Toney Freeman himself. But can Krizo show it off? Is he a strong poser?
Well, posing in Europe has always been a very important aspect of physique-based sports. The judges there don’t just reward it, they expect it. This goes back decades. The European Grand Prix shows, the Universe contests, they have always had bodybuilders that take on the artistic approach. Posing isn’t just about presenting the physique, but it’s also serves an important entertainment value. Krizo comes from this school. Posing is something he knows and something he excels at. This is especially true for a tall guy. It’s very important to present the muscle as effectively as possible because there’s always the risk of looking lanky. When you look at Michael you see the height – I mean it’s kind of hard to miss, right? But you don’t immediately think you’re looking at a tall bodybuilder. There’s much more to his physique than that. In fact, for a tall guy, he looks full and his frame looks like he is stacked.
The danger with a taller bodybuilder posing next to a shorter competitor is the density factor. You saw it all the time with taller bodybuilders that just didn’t look that impressive. Most times when a judge or seasoned fan saw a tall bodybuilder, their #1 critique would be that they had to fill out more. That’s simply not a viable critique for Krizo. The guy has more than filled out. He’s built a physique that stands out from the pack without looking comical. It’s a fine line and he has steered clear of crossing it.
Most guys who get into bodybuilding know they can’t win any height contests so they work on what they can. Instead of growing taller, they grow wider and they try to pack on as much muscle as is conceivably possible. A strong case in point would be The Giant Killer, Shaun Clarida. Shaun is only 5 ‘2 and weighs under 190lbs on stage, yet if you study his physique, he looks like a monster. This is because he packs on so much size that when you look at his physique and then you study a taller competitor’s, most of them wind up lacking. Shaun may be considerably shorter, but he looks denser and harder. That’s the result of taking muscularity to the extreme. A taller guy has to be very careful following a similar path.
Taller guys have more room to work with and they’re towering by their very nature. There’s also not that urgency to pack on muscle like a guy who’s 5 ‘2. They don’t feel the pressure. Therefore, a lot of taller competitors opt for Classic or Men’s Physique. This is not to say that taller guys will always look like basketball players, but on the off-chance they do, it’s a second or third callout look. Guys like Samson, Andrew, and Krizo have defied the norm. They almost look too big while keeping true to the bodybuilding aesthetic. And this is very important to include the Slovakian sensation because he can hang with those guys. What he needs first; however, is an Olympia qualification and real buzz behind him. Without those two factors, he will have to potentially compete well into the year in hopes of getting that W.
How you get the win is also key. For example, Krizo could easily have earned his way to the Superbowl of Bodybuilding by winning a crappy show like the last two that were held. I’m sorry, but I’m not sorry.
FIBO and the Arnold Classic South America were depressing contests. They gave two guys that couldn’t win an NPC national level show the opportunity to get on the biggest, most respected stage on the planet. And that’s great for them. We’ll see them both in Las Vegas – probably in the third or fourth callouts. What we didn’t see at either of those shows was Krizo looking for an easy win. Instead, he put all his efforts into winning the New York Pro. And if he succeeds, he can have the bragging rights of winning the 3rd biggest show on the IFBB Pro League circuit. That’s automatic buzz. It’s also automatic credibility. I mean just look at the last few years’ winners. The New York Pro has never been low-hanging fruit. It has always been one of the most coveted titles to have. It’s also the successor to the Night of Champions. That’s the show Krizo wants to win. And that’s noteworthy and respectable.
Aside from all the bragging rights and all the respect that winning the NY Pro would provides, it’s also an early show. If Michael can win it, he could potentially hunker down and focus the rest of the season on bringing his best to the 2026 Mr Olympia. Imagine if he scored a Top 6 in Las Vegas?! Imagine if he placed higher! He could be another Gunter Schlierkamp. Both 6’1, both competed in the 285-290 range, and both were very much aesthetically-pleasing. In fact, Krizo might be slightly lighter and perhaps that could work to his advantage as well. The guy is tall and huge, but he’s not a mass monster.
Would you consider Krizo to be a mass monster? I would argue against that point. He’s huge, but he’s got the look that can win him a Sandow. Nick Walker, on the other hand, is totally a mass monster and he won the New York Pro 3x. Surely, if Walker could win it, then Krizo has a fighting chance. He may not have the buzz behind him yet, but in terms of muscularity, symmetry, and flow, he’s on the money. I also think the Slovakian giant can pose hard against top guys. He may not have the accolades of a Nick Walker, but he’s got more than enough heart to draw a line in the sand onstage and defend it. That’s key! A bodybuilding stage is not for the faint at heart or the shy types, either. You only have a few seconds – literally – and you need to draw as much positive attention to yourself, possible. I believe Krizo can accomplish that. He knows the stakes are high and he won’t beat around the bush come showtime.
Could the big man win the 3rd biggest bodybuilding title in just a matter of days? I totally think he’s in the conversation. But what say you?
As always, I hope you enjoyed reading my article, here, at IronMag. I look forward to reading your feedback in the comments. Be sure to copy and paste a link to this article on all your social media feeds. It’s bound to generate lively conversation.
Author Bio:
Christian I. Duque is the owner of StrengthAddicts.com, a physique and strength website founded in 2008. He has worked for a number of bodybuilding websites, including RX Muscle and Muscular Development. Christian has written nearly 1,000 published articles for IronMag Blog, as well as articles for StrengthAddicts, RX Muscle, and others. By day, he is also a licensed attorney practicing in the areas of family law, immigration, and criminal defense.
