History of the Arnold Classic From Humble Beginnings to a World-Class Event

[Jen THE Admin]

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[Giles]

First one I ever followed was the 1990 Arnold that SHAWN RAY won!

[Beti ona]

Crap, compare Flex's FDB to Bonac or Curry, they look like different species.

[Bestia]

First one I ever followed was the 1990 Arnold that SHAWN RAY won!

With Mike Ashley 2nd? Good stuff. I was pulling for Mike as we were training in the same gym at the time..

[lifepulse]

Crap, compare Flex's FDB to Bonac or Curry, they look like different species.

Agreed. And this is why so many (myself amongst them) have started to cry against "mass for the sake of mass".


When we had the first wave of mass monsters -- the 2 greatest being Yates and Coleman -- that monster size was also coupled with freaky conditioning and massive frames. Since then, yes, the guys have gotten bigger, but have chased "fullness" -- so, even if they are just as conditioned/lean as earlier years (debatable), it doesn't show as well because they emphasize coming in so full. And, well, it just destroys lines on stage. And when you pack crazy mass on a frame that isn't that big to begin with -- ala Bonac -- and couple it with maximal fullness, they just start to look blobby on stage.


It can be debated round and round. Bottom line, when I look at top pros today, I don't see quad separation and ab separation like we did 20-30 years ago. Striations in pecs and delts are mostly gone. Glutes are emphasized so much that lower back and lower lats flatten out and have nothing left to pop. Certain aspects of the competitors have improved, in certain ways. But the overall look IMO is cruddier, less polished, less "wow", than it was in the 90s and even 2000s.

[Beti ona]

Agreed. And this is why so many (myself amongst them) have started to cry against "mass for the sake of mass".


When we had the first wave of mass monsters -- the 2 greatest being Yates and Coleman -- that monster size was also coupled with freaky conditioning and massive frames. Since then, yes, the guys have gotten bigger, but have chased "fullness" -- so, even if they are just as conditioned/lean as earlier years (debatable), it doesn't show as well because they emphasize coming in so full. And, well, it just destroys lines on stage. And when you pack crazy mass on a frame that isn't that big to begin with -- ala Bonac -- and couple it with maximal fullness, they just start to look blobby on stage.


It can be debated round and round. Bottom line, when I look at top pros today, I don't see quad separation and ab separation like we did 20-30 years ago. Striations in pecs and delts are mostly gone. Glutes are emphasized so much that lower back and lower lats flatten out and have nothing left to pop. Certain aspects of the competitors have improved, in certain ways. But the overall look IMO is cruddier, less polished, less "wow", than it was in the 90s and even 2000s.

Brandon is considered a beautiful athlete, but he doesn't have that polish, even Rhoden did. Andrew also has that same 90s look.

So, having a ripped buttocks at the cost of losing separation and fullness in shoulders, abs, or quads gives an overall worse result.

[lifepulse]

Brandon is considered a beautiful athlete, but he doesn't have that polish, even Rhoden did. Andrew also has that same 90s look.

So, having a ripped buttocks at the cost of losing separation and fullness in shoulders, abs, or quads gives an overall worse result.

Agreed. And this year, Brandon came in "heavier" -- his side chest looked phenomenal, but from the front, he had zero quad separation and a heavy lower abdomen hanging out, didn't do him any favors.


Andrew -- that's why I'm such a big fan of his, he has a pop and polish that is reminiscent of 90s guys. Rhoden did in ways, too.


I don't know if you've ever watched the podcast with Nick Trigili, John Hansen and Samir Banout. Samit always uses the phrase "24 carrot polish" when talking about competitors, and this is really what he's talking about -- being stripped down and conditioning to the point where you just "pop" and separate, and how most modern competitors lack that, even if they are in great condition.


I agree that having shredded and dry glutes is somehow partly ruining the overall look of physiques. I think once they get THAT dried out, it makes quad separation and lower lats go bye-bye. Most of the guys these days, their quad separation is crap. We rarely see a top guy who actually has striations in his sweep -- and given how large their quads are, that just doesn't make sense to me. Has to be either from getting SO dry, OR, from over-carbing and coming in too full. Their abs also flatten out and they lose pop through that region.


Shoulders are plenty full still --- but that's because they're all filled with oil, lol. Zero striations left.


The overall look has morphed into "big and bloofy" -- round, and massive, with very little detail. Which is odd, given how lean and conditioned they all are. But it's a shit look. (Also why I like Clarida a lot -- he is SO detailed, everything pops and separates so much that it draws the eye. Derek looked great at the Olympia -- through the glutes and hams -- and his frame and structure is amazing -- but his quads don't pop to me, and upper body has zero detail, reminiscent of Cutler back in the day.)

[bigmikecox]

First one I ever followed was the 1990 Arnold that SHAWN RAY won!

Got you beat by 1 year! 89 and Gaspari. We sat in the very last row of the Vet and when Arnold came out it was like Jesus had arrived.

[Ron Harris]

Agreed. And this is why so many (myself amongst them) have started to cry against "mass for the sake of mass".


When we had the first wave of mass monsters -- the 2 greatest being Yates and Coleman -- that monster size was also coupled with freaky conditioning and massive frames. Since then, yes, the guys have gotten bigger, but have chased "fullness" -- so, even if they are just as conditioned/lean as earlier years (debatable), it doesn't show as well because they emphasize coming in so full. And, well, it just destroys lines on stage. And when you pack crazy mass on a frame that isn't that big to begin with -- ala Bonac -- and couple it with maximal fullness, they just start to look blobby on stage.


It can be debated round and round. Bottom line, when I look at top pros today, I don't see quad separation and ab separation like we did 20-30 years ago. Striations in pecs and delts are mostly gone. Glutes are emphasized so much that lower back and lower lats flatten out and have nothing left to pop. Certain aspects of the competitors have improved, in certain ways. But the overall look IMO is cruddier, less polished, less "wow", than it was in the 90s and even 2000s.

And yet the newer fans somehow think this newer look is vastly superior to any other era - SMH.

[lifepulse]

And yet the newer fans somehow think this newer look is vastly superior to any other era - SMH.

"Newer fans" forgot what cycled off their feed, 30 seconds ago.

[Giles]

Got you beat by 1 year! 89 and Gaspari. We sat in the very last row of the Vet and when Arnold came out it was like Jesus had arrived.

Did he turn everyone’s drinks into UZI 9MM’s? Ha ha.

[bigmikecox]

Did he turn everyone’s drinks into UZI 9MM’s? Ha ha.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! He would show a clip of whatever movie he was working on. I think 89 was Last Action Hero, but when he showed a clip oof T2 OMFG.....I went home and told EVERYONE at the gym how bad ass that looked.

[Beti ona]

Agreed. And this year, Brandon came in "heavier" -- his side chest looked phenomenal, but from the front, he had zero quad separation and a heavy lower abdomen hanging out, didn't do him any favors.

His abd has worsened a lot in the last years, compare him with 2019. And yet, he has not grown his legs nor striated his glutes. That is why this positions have been going down and Arnold past year was a gift. He is a worse athlete now, with 0 improvements.

Andrew -- that's why I'm such a big fan of his, he has a pop and polish that is reminiscent of 90s guys. Rhoden did in ways, too.

It must be genetic, but some protocols ruin that look.

I don't know if you've ever watched the podcast with Nick Trigili, John Hansen and Samir Banout. Samit always uses the phrase "24 carrot polish" when talking about competitors, and this is really what he's talking about -- being stripped down and conditioning to the point where you just "pop" and separate, and how most modern competitors lack that, even if they are in great condition.

I don't like Banout, he seems to want to get attention, but this seems interesting. I would like to know what the reason for this is.

I agree that having shredded and dry glutes is somehow partly ruining the overall look of physiques. I think once they get THAT dried out, it makes quad separation and lower lats go bye-bye. Most of the guys these days, their quad separation is crap. We rarely see a top guy who actually has striations in his sweep -- and given how large their quads are, that just doesn't make sense to me. Has to be either from getting SO dry, OR, from over-carbing and coming in too full. Their abs also flatten out and they lose pop through that region.

Agree, the quadriceps are flats, without pop, despite the crazy carb loads

Shoulders are plenty full still --- but that's because they're all filled with oil, lol. Zero striations left.

The shoulders should be seen as the Classic, WPD or WBB divisions, it is quite simple.

The overall look has morphed into "big and bloofy" -- round, and massive, with very little detail. Which is odd, given how lean and conditioned they all are. But it's a shit look. (Also why I like Clarida a lot -- he is SO detailed, everything pops and separates so much that it draws the eye. Derek looked great at the Olympia -- through the glutes and hams -- and his frame and structure is amazing -- but his quads don't pop to me, and upper body has zero detail, reminiscent of Cutler back in the day.)

I think WBB athletes are doing better, they do not use oil and I suspect that they are doing less filling and drying protocols of last week.

I am a lover of the quadriceps, I think Hadi won Derek for that advantage. Derek has very striated legs but the quadriceps do not explode, while their upper part, shoulders, chest and arms, have no deep cuts.

[lifepulse]

I think WBB athletes are doing better, they do not use oil and I suspect that they are doing less filling and drying protocols of last week.

I am a lover of the quadriceps, I think Hadi won Derek for that advantage. Derek has very striated legs but the quadriceps do not explode, while their upper part, shoulders, chest and arms, have no deep cuts.

I think Derek's legs are too much adductor, not enough sweep. Hadi's quads -- that "look" seems to only come from super-intense leg training. He doesn't have the best-shaped legs or sweep, but they are dense, reminiscent of Branch's in ways.


And legs -- usually look worse when somebody is "full". When legs over-volumize, you lose detail. Which is why you never pump legs before a show -- when they fill up with blood, they lose detail. If you ever diet into contest condition, you know that legs always look their best when you first wake up in the morning, fresh out of bed -- flat, but off your feet, and somewhat dehydrated. Upper body looks like shit, legs look fantastic.

[Beti ona]

Yes, I have read many times that no one pumps legs before going to the stage and that the last leg training must be a week before the contest, the last days would be for the upper body.

What I am not sure is whether to keep the cardio up to 1 or 2 days out it affects that they look flat.

Personally my quads look much better than my back and shoulders.