“He can out-condition people” - Dennis James says Shaun Clarida could ‘hurt somebody’ at the 2023 Arnold Classic 

The Arnold Classic 2023 is around the corner. Various bodybuilding legends have shared their views on performers to look out for this time. According to Dennis James, Shaun Clarida is one of them.

In Dennis James' most recent podcast regarding Shaun Clarida's participation in the 2023 Arnold Classic, he commented:

“This guy is a dangerous Open competitor. He can out-condition people and that’s going to hurt somebody.”

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Dennis James on Shaun Clarida's Arnold Classic 2023 participation

Dennis James is speculating that Shaun Clarida will compete in the Open at the 2023 Arnold Classic at the start of March.

Following the 2022 Olympia, many spectators think the standards of evaluation have changed. The top two finishers in the Mr Olympia competition, Derek Lunsford and Hadi Choopan, were both past 212 competitors.

This suggests that the competition is beginning to value training, balance, and symmetry above bulk. If so, Shaun Clarida has what it takes to reorganize the division.

Dennis James also revealed that Clarida had tested his strength against other Open class bodybuilders outside of bodybuilding competitions throughout the past year. He teamed up with Brett Wilkin for a strenuous push-day exercise in which they concentrated on developing their chest and shoulders months ago.

Shaun Clarida, who stands at 5′2", has drawn similarities to eight-time Mr Olympia Ronnie Coleman and is admired for his compact strength. He has performed 16 reps of a 405-pound incline bench press and 16 reps of 160-pound dumbbell chest presses, showcasing his immense strength.

Fans may also anticipate seeing Samson Dauda, who placed sixth at the 2022 Olympia, in the next Arnold Classic despite the lack of roster information.

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Shaun Clarida's performances in Mr Olympia

When Clarida became the 212 Olympia champion in 2020, he achieved the greatest distinction in bodybuilding. He stopped Libya's Kamal Elgargni, the reigning champion at the time, from capturing a second championship in the competition. He was defeated by Derek Lunsford at the 2021 Olympia after failing to successfully reclaim his championship.

Clarida decided to try his hand at participating in the Men's Open class after the loss served as an incentive. At the Legion Sports Fest Pro, he won his first Men's Open category match and defeated competitors who were noticeably bigger than him, such as Regan Grimes and Segio Oliva Jr. With this triumph, Clarida gained the moniker 'Giant Killer'.

Clarida never entered the Open at Olympia, despite certain fans' and bodybuilders' predictions a few weeks prior. Days after the rumors started, Clarida advised people to be skeptical of any news unless it was coming straight from him.

Clarida said in November that he would participate in the 212 division at the 2022 Olympia. He delivered one of his greatest packages ever, and many people believed his freakish strength and conditioning gave him the edge over the competition.

He finished as the winner of 212 Olympia in 2022. After Olympia, some competitors take a break, but he does not seem to be one of them. Clarida has not yet officially announced his 2023 Arnold Classic participation.