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Is Andrea Shaw on the decline? (321 total votes)
Was Goku on the decline when he was defeated by (insert villain)? One loss is just that, one loss. Never forget, Lenda Murray came back from a 10 year hiatus to win the Ms. Olympia in an unreal condition. Honestly, it may be better for Andrea to take a physical break for her overall health, but I am not worried at the moment.
I'm of the opinion as conspiratorial as it may sound, that the judges were instructed to "make it interesting". Keep in mind, judges, promoters, and the athletes are all chummy, chummy with one another and there are definitely conflicts of interest whirlling all over. Recall before the Olympia last year Andrea did imterviews where she was instructed by the judges to "soften up" from her 2022 look when she was her hardest and largest because they want to preserve "femininity". So using that reasoning, why would she attempt to come in looking peeled since she won the year before by not doing that?
But then they awarded Angela the win and she was peeled and diced. Women's BB is still a revenue losing sport eventhough WOS is bringing relevancy back they still need to attempt to turn a profit. If the same entity wins year after year folks get bored.
Look at the discourse prior to the Rising Phoenix, even other competitors came in with a deafeatist mindset. In a few interviews I heard the phrase "I'm gonna go there with the focus of winning, but we all know who the top dog and winner will be." or some variety of it. If that is the feeling amongst competitors then imagine what fans of the sport amd the ones that have anyone but Andrea Shaw as their favorite are feeling?
Based on keeping things consistent according to the last years judging guidelines which should be the same for every following year, Andrea Shaw should've won. But if this is a return to top conditioning and looking peeled, then Angela Yeo won.
The fix was in. First words out of Andrea Shaw's mouth in her post award interview were, "I'm going to be going to the Olympia more conditioned and harder." She saw what went down
Yes, she is. In her best shape her biceps were 18+ inches. I saw a video (I don't know where) that they are now about 16.5 to 17 inches (still very impressive).
Not by any means. Andrea is only 40 yrs old. She's got plenty of years to continue competing at a high level if she chooses. I've said this before and I'll say it again. Andrea works to maintain a certain look. Why? Who told her to change up her physique after 2021? Idk. But Andrea stop trying to build the best possible physique she can bring. She limited herself. That worked out for a few years.
But the rest of the field is continually trying to get better and better. They have no limits. Angela Yeo was always nipping at her heals. And Ashley Jones is making serious waves in a VERY short amount of time.
I love that Andrea lost. Gives us a chance to see how she responds. Plus things are way less interesting when the same woman wins year after year. Also, who's to say that if all these competitors brought the exact same look for the Olympia that Andrea wouldn't come out the winner in the end. FBB judges are about as inconsistent as my oatmeal and I can imagine there's not a more politically charged contest than the Olympia.
Side Note: I don't know why any BB would change up their look when what they have been doing has already been getting 1st place wins. Make changes when you start losing, not before. Health reasons not withstanding.
Andrea could have several more years, but all top athletes have fairly short careers. Bodybuilding requires the strictest substance abuse and diet out there, the pro level the athletes manage to stay in is an even shorter while than in most sports, either because they burn out or they simply don't want to keep up with the hormonal abuse, as far as I'm aware. So I'm fully on board with the whole pessimist/optimist thing, hopefully she does have a long career at top level, but she just most likely doesn't.
Maybe the better question is if Angela is on the rise?
While I understand where people are coming from, you're being dismissive of Angela if you don't recognize she earned the win. Nobody knew her when she took 2nd at the 2022 Olympia. She had no sponsors or alliances. She wasn't even particularly popular outside of her OF which only ever had 200-300 fans. Politics had nothing to do with her placing. It's even more mind-blowing when you consider she had just moved up in class and wasn't fully mature as a bodybuilder yet. She made substantial improvements in 2023, which resulted in some people seeing her as even with Andrea. She doubled down for 2024, not taking a break after the prior season was over, going immediately into a bulking phase, adding size and correcting some imbalances. Not speculation, I'm a longtime supporter on OF, and that's a summary of what she's said.
Did Andrea decline? I'm not sure if that's the case. It's equally likely she showed up as planned and will make adjustments for the Olympia. But don't act as if Angela has been static and Andrea beat herself. Angela's hungry, she set herself a goal, and she executed. If she had shown up the same as last year, I think she'd still be in second place. Credit where credit is due.
Maybe the better question is if Angela is on the rise?
While I understand where people are coming from, you're being dismissive of Angela if you don't recognize she earned the win. Nobody knew her when she took 2nd at the 2022 Olympia. She had no sponsors or alliances. She wasn't even particularly popular outside of her OF which only ever had 200-300 fans. Politics had nothing to do with her placing. It's even more mind-blowing when you consider she had just moved up in class and wasn't fully mature as a bodybuilder yet. She made substantial improvements in 2023, which resulted in some people seeing her as even with Andrea. She doubled down for 2024, not taking a break after the prior season was over, going immediately into a bulking phase, adding size and correcting some imbalances. Not speculation, I'm a longtime supporter on OF, and that's a summary of what she's said.
Did Andrea decline? I'm not sure if that's the case. It's equally likely she showed up as planned and will make adjustments for the Olympia. But don't act as if Angela has been static and Andrea beat herself. Angela's hungry, she set herself a goal, and she executed. If she had shown up the same as last year, I think she'd still be in second place. Credit where credit is due.
That's the right question! Bodybuilding is a sport of trying to come in with a better physique than the other athletes, so it stands to reason that it's more of a case that Angela just brought a superior package instead of Andrea being in decline.
That's the right question! Bodybuilding is a sport of trying to come in with a better physique than the other athletes, so it stands to reason that it's more of a case that Angela just brought a superior package instead of Andrea being in decline.
Disagree. The hardest I ever saw Andrea was in 2021. Honestly, she was nowhere near that condition at RP. And I will tell you right now, Angela and Ashley are dialed in and coming for the win! My guess is you’ll see a harder version of Andrea at the Ms. O.
I'm of the opinion as conspiratorial as it may sound, that the judges were instructed to "make it interesting". Keep in mind, judges, promoters, and the athletes are all chummy, chummy with one another and there are definitely conflicts of interest whirlling all over. Recall before the Olympia last year Andrea did imterviews where she was instructed by the judges to "soften up" from her 2022 look when she was her hardest and largest because they want to preserve "femininity". So using that reasoning, why would she attempt to come in looking peeled since she won the year before by not doing that?
But then they awarded Angela the win and she was peeled and diced. Women's BB is still a revenue losing sport eventhough WOS is bringing relevancy back they still need to attempt to turn a profit. If the same entity wins year after year folks get bored.
Look at the discourse prior to the Rising Phoenix, even other competitors came in with a deafeatist mindset. In a few interviews I heard the phrase "I'm gonna go there with the focus of winning, but we all know who the top dog and winner will be." or some variety of it. If that is the feeling amongst competitors then imagine what fans of the sport amd the ones that have anyone but Andrea Shaw as their favorite are feeling?
Based on keeping things consistent according to the last years judging guidelines which should be the same for every following year, Andrea Shaw should've won. But if this is a return to top conditioning and looking peeled, then Angela Yeo won.
The fix was in. First words out of Andrea Shaw's mouth in her post award interview were, "I'm going to be going to the Olympia more conditioned and harder." She saw what went down
I agree with you when the same competitors started winning the Olympias over and over again not only did it start getting boring as in a one horse race conpsiracy theories were starting and growing
one bodybuilding magazine even published its own conspiracy theory when at one Olympia Sandy Riddell was apparently carried outof the show by Boyer coe of all people supposedly claiming of leg cramps . after a secret meeting in a room with an IFBB official
would have thought with the deaths of the weider brothers all this would have stopped now its worse NABBA are now being accused of the same
I know the powers-that-be have said on occasion that smoother physiques were the standard, but when have the top contests ever been judged that way? I feel as though there might be a couple of random examples where it's been speculated that a woman lost placings for showing up too hard. But for the most part, regardless of what they say, conditioning has been rewarded. I think it's ingrained in the judges to look at things that way. It may be inconsistent and contrary to the guidelines, but I don't think they're doing it deliberately. If you're a competitor or coach, the path to winning is to err on the side of hardness.
Angela just turned 40. Andrea will turn 41 in December. It ain't age.
I'm with you, dlatenight. Angela is HUNGRY for the win, and is working incredibly hard. Not to say Andrea isn't -- but Angela is just at the start of her BB career, and hasn't hit her peak yet. Meanwhile Andrea is at or perhaps slightly past her peak. If Anjie keeps it up, her peak may well surpass Andrea's. Time will tell.
And it's worth noting that Anjie almost won the '23 RP, and then Andrea dialed everything in, came in much better at the O, and won easily. This year I'm sure we'll see a harder, better package from Andrea -- but we'll also see that from Anjie!
Yes, she is 40 and is not easy being at that insane high level much more time
just to ask do you know how many bodybuilders are over 40 and still look awesome ?
I think Andrea was in her best shape in 2021.
She was told not to get any bigger after this. She clearly downsized. Now the competitors are catching up.
She was told not to get any bigger after this. She clearly downsized. Now the competitors are catching up.
who told her not to get any bigger . the women are getting bigger does any one remember the fuss when Paula Bircumshaw turned up took 30 years afore she finally confessed to taking anabolics then it was supposedly on her FB page ,
This is why I say Andrea's prep has self-limitations that hold her back. If this were a 100m dash everybody else is running free and clear while Andrea is trying to win while wearing weighted clothing. With that mind set it's no surprise she'd lose sooner rather than later. Everybody else is trying to bring the best physique they can while Andrea is trying to bring the best physique to cater to the judging standards. And if there is one thing everybody should know about FBB judging standards is that it's fickle as hell. Always has been.
This makes me think of this clips from Austin Powers. Replace Austin with the judges and replace Spielberg with Andrea. Andrea is already winning the mecha of BB competitions and looking unbeatable while doing it. So I don't get why she didn't tell the judges to go kick rocks. Her response to the judges saying, "we have some thoughts." Her reply should have been, "you see this 2-time first place win result. I think I like my prep the way it is."
This is why I say Andrea's prep has self-limitations that hold her back. If this were a 100m dash everybody else is running free and clear while Andrea is trying to win while wearing weighted clothing. With that mind set it's no surprise she'd lose sooner rather than later. Everybody else is trying to bring the best physique they can while Andrea is trying to bring the best physique to cater to the judging standards. And if there is one thing everybody should know about FBB judging standards is that it's fickle as hell. Always has been.
This makes me think of this clips from Austin Powers. Replace Austin with the judges and replace Spielberg with Andrea. Andrea is already winning the mecha of BB competitions and looking unbeatable while doing it. So I don't get why she didn't tell the judges to go kick rocks. Her response to the judges saying, "we have some thoughts." Her reply should have been, "you see this 2-time first place win result. I think I like my prep the way it is."
I stand right along side you on that one .. thought the bodybuilding judges would have allowed Andrea what she needed now the weider brothers are dead ..
still wonder how many ex bodybuilders are judges does any one know ?
Paula Bircumshaw was apparently and EFBB judge do not know if she still is ..If I was Andrea and looked awesome I would have told the judges what to do
I would have given a fuck what one or another judge says or "wants".
can you imagine a judge telling some one like Colette guimond she is to big and to down size I do not think so
Angela Yeo beat out Andrea at the most recent Wings of Strength competition. Age (among other things) catches up to everyone. How much time does Andrea have left?
EDIT: You can look at this post in different ways. The pessimist in me thinks that (as with most athletes) her time in the spotlight is quickly coming to an end. But at the same time, the optimist in me hopes that she has a few good years left in her.