Bodybuilder Kamal Elgargni has already reached the highest of the 212 summit — once winning the 212 2019 Mr. Olympia. The International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League member is ready to indicate off his elite mass and conditioning by leaping up a competitive category in the approaching weeks.

On July 26, 2022, Elgargni revealed that he would compete within the upcoming 2022 Tampa Pro and Texas Pro contests within the Men’s Open division. This yr’s edition of the Tampa Pro will happen on August 6 in Tampa, FL, while the Texas Pro occurs on August 12-13 in Irving, Texas. Elgargni, 51, made his announcement in partnership with BPI Sports over their Instagram profile. 

[Related: The Best Sled Workouts For Muscle, Strength, Fat Loss, And Recovery]

Elgargni’s plans come on the heels of the world-class bodybuilder showing recent significant progress together with his physique. The strides the athlete has made appeared to be enough for him to leap from 212 — where competitors have a tough weight cap of 212 kilos — to the unrestricted Men’s Open.

I feel really, really good, and I’m excited with what I’m going to bring to the stage at each contests.

In his statement, Elgargni clarified that his body weight was around 224 kilos on the day of his announcement. That might still shift (i.e., upwards) by the point the 2022 Mr. Olympia rolls around on December 16-18 in Las Vegas, NV.

The Libyan athlete maintained that entering the 2022 Tampa Pro in a recent division made essentially the most sense because he currently calls the Tampa Bay area home. And because it’s just one week later, the 2022 Texas Pro also felt like a logical step to check himself.

On the time of this writing, neither IFBB competition has announced an official list of athletes who will participate. 

[Related: The 20 Best Leg Exercises For Size And Strength]

A Wave of Change

Elgargni’s transition to a recent bodybuilding division isn’t out of the bizarre in comparison with a few of his peers.

In October 2021, Shaun Clarida competed within the Legion Sports Fest within the Open category, where he finished first. Clarida went on to take home a second-place result to Derek Lunsford within the 212 category through the 2021 Mr. Olympia. On the time of this text’s publication, Clarida is eligible for the 212 and Men’s Open classes on the 2022 Mr. Olympia but has not made a definitive alternative. 

Lunsford himself could possibly be one other fascinating case. In mid-July 2022, over OlympiaTV, Chief Olympia Officer Dan Solomon said that Lunsford is “nowhere near 212 at this point” and implied that he could have to transition to the Men’s Open division on the upcoming Olympia. That speculation would line up with Lunsford’s recent training and dietary parameters. 

[Related: 20-Minute Workouts For Muscle, Fat Loss, Strength, And More]

Elgargni’s Next Potential Obstacle

If he desired to flex within the Men’s Open division, Elgargni can have to earn a spot in that division on the 2022 Mr. Olympia; he can achieve this by winning either of the Tampa or Texas Pro contests, or by ending in the highest three within the Men’s Open category by the point the Olympia qualification period ends on November 20, 2022.

As a former 212 champion, Elgargni has an automatic lifetime qualification in that division. 

Should Elgargni transition to the Open category on the 2022 Olympia, he’ll face an elite cadre of athletes. That features two-time reigning champion Mamdouh Elssbiay (2020-2021), former Open winner Brandon Curry (2019), seasoned veteran Hadi Choopan, and a few potential rising stars like Hunter Labrada and Nick Walker. 

Elgargni has an intriguing competitive path ahead of him. If all goes well, he could soon maximize it.

Featured Image: @ifbb_pro_kamal_elgargni on Instagram