Did Branch deserve 4th at the recent arnold?

[Disgusted]

He was shedded from the back from head to toe. That is a transiation pose and he is sqeezing his back in prep for the actual pose. What are you smoking to think his back looked fat???

That is NOT a transistion pose Howie bro. That is a pose that a lot of guys do today. It is "supposed" to show extreme striations in the "back" area Howie.  You should know this by now. His back is FULLY flexed in that pic Howie. 

[Luinitari]

Really? that pic seems to prove my point. Branch is much leaner all over the rest of his body than his back. Not a put down just fact. I will admit that this pic and pose is one of the better back shots of Branch.

Well, I agree his upper back seems to be holding a slight! film of water compared to the rest of his body.. but the lower back (as is normally the toughest back spot to wring the last bits of water from) seems to me to be the tightest part of his back.  I put Branch 3rd behind Dex and Phil and this contributes to it, but to make a case that this is the reason he wasn't placed any higher doesn't seem to be enough of a reason to me.

[Disgusted]

Well, I agree his upper back seems to be holding a slight! film of water compared to the rest of his body.. but the lower back (as is normally the toughest back spot to wring the last bits of water from) seems to me to be the tightest part of his back.  I put Branch 3rd behind Dex and Phil and this contributes to it, but to make a case that this is the reason he wasn't placed any higher doesn't seem to be enough of a reason to me.

Placing can be argued, but that is fat not water.

[HowieW]

That is NOT a transistion pose Howie bro. That is a pose that a lot of guys do today. It is "supposed" to show extreme striations in the "back" area Howie.  You should know this by now. His back is FULLY flexed in that pic Howie. 

I saw him doing full on back shots and when flexed he looked shredded to me. Get enough pics and any pro can look less than perfect in a few of them c'mon

[Victor VonDoom]

>Did Branch deserve 4th at the recent arnold?

Yes.  He peaked in 2004-2006 His physique is in decline.  Bah! Doom disapproves.

[Disgusted]

I saw him doing full on back shots and when flexed he looked shredded to me. Get enough pics and any pro can look less than perfect in a few of them c'mon

Then show me a pic of his SHREDDED back!!!!!!

[Parker]

I tried, but sadly I'm afraid I've failed you, oh fearless leader

Damn,m dude can't even get a decent X-mas tree. Speaking of which, why isn't that you don't see more X-mas tree pics from the pros now. There are pics of Ronnie, Shawn, Dorian, Flex, CC, non of todays top pros.. I willing to wager, that none of today's top pros have that X-mas tree of yore.

[CigaretteMan]

Did Branch deserve 4th at the recent arnold?

  It's very hard to categorize Branch. He is far more muscular and has far superior hardness than the other guys, but his body is so imbalanced and his muscles are so unshapely that I can understand why the judges placed him where they did.

[Van_Bilderass]

That is NOT a transistion pose Howie bro. That is a pose that a lot of guys do today. It is "supposed" to show extreme striations in the "back" area Howie.  You should know this by now. His back is FULLY flexed in that pic Howie. 

Getting off-topic but have you ever tried any transdermal "fat burners" on your clients to try to get the last bit of fat off? Was just reminded of when a supplement company claimed that they had shipped a lot of their yohimbine transdermal product to Ronnie Coleman's house.

[m8]

Here's why:

[kiwiol]

Agreed with Disgusted - here's what a totally dried out and ripped back should look like in that pose

[kiwiol]

And on the flip side of the coin, you have......

[The Squadfather]

I saw both the PJ and night show finals , live and in person at the recent Arnold. Branch Warren won the most muscular and got the biggest crowd response of the show. he ended up in 4th overall.
I would have had him 1st or 2nd myself. The man  was by far the most muscular and he had a taper with no bloat to his midsection. His lowerbody was incredible and  he had an impressive taper in front and back lat. His back was thick and wide this time out. What do you think?
Howard

i agree, i had him winning the show.

[Fatpanda]

fat or water in the back - he was not anywhere near dex. heath maybe, but definately should have been above widewaist kai

[Matt C]

Branch looked at least as good as he did in 2006, if not better.

PICTURES:

http://www.bodybuildingpro.com/2006arnoldclassicpumproomdvd

[MikeThaMachine]

His back has def improved a lot since the 2006 ASC. I thought he could have been anywhere between 1-4, they all looked great.