I have no idea how any of that affected his build.
[/quote]
It seemed to have lent to him having one of the freakiest backs and set of quads in bodybuilding history. He was blessed in the strength department. Most bodybuilders spent some time doing deadlifts, many going pretty damn heavy, like Mike Francois, Chris Duffy, Justin Harris, Akim Williams (who I think goes up to near 700 if I am not mistaken), and Dorian (who did some modified deadlift, but also had some insane rowing strength). [/quote]
I was never aware of these guys in modern bodybuilding. Except for the ones that were simultaneously competing in powerlifting. Jonnie Jackson and Matt Kroc are honestly the only ones that come to mind[/quote]
Akim is a current competing pro. Justin Harris is an amateur and contest prep guru; he helped Dave Tate. Mike Francois and Chris Duffy are from the 90’s.
[quote]Yogi wrote:
I’d like to point out that I totally nailed this thread shut with my first response.
[quote]Yogi wrote:
they train the same. The differences are genetics, calorie consumption and drug dosages.[/quote]
Eat my dust, losers.[/quote]
Yeah! But I like the topic because I too once thought that there were differences in training between the pretty boys and mass monsters and I got nostalgic about the good old days.
Eh, I think we all got caught up in the gym myths about training goals and how to go about them. Besides, how many Pros talked (at least were credited as saying) in Flex Magazine that certain movements were to “carve out the detail” in a muscle group?
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
Eh, I think we all got caught up in the gym myths about training goals and how to go about them. Besides, how many Pros talked (at least were credited as saying) in Flex Magazine that certain movements were to “carve out the detail” in a muscle group?
S[/quote]
Similar to statements of consuming white fishes dries out the skin and onions make you shredded.
I always thought Serge Nubret had the most aesthetic physique ever. To me its a shame he never won the olympia. I have a similar bone structure to him so his physique gives me something to forever chase after.
Serge was indeed an awesome physique. It’s interesting that many fans of the sport seem to fall on either one side of the fence or the other. While I’ve written before about how I loved the 90’s era, and first started training while following guys like Yates, Levrone, Francious… “mass monsters.” Still, I also really appreciate the physiques of guys like Paris, Labrada… guys who wouldn’t stand a chance on stage anytime in the last two decades.
I think it’s really easy to dismiss physiques that may appear more streamlined, or aesthetic as being small. I know I fell into this trap early on, thinking that just because someone wasn’t 250 lbs shredded onstage that they weren’t worth trying to emulate or respect. Even some of today’s IFBB Physique pros (SOME! not all -lol) are a hell of a lot larger than many internet experts realize. Hell, I remember myself getting crap on this site because my stage weight was under 200 lbs. Some people just don’t understand how impressive some competitors really are in person because all they see is scale weight.
Think about guys like Haney for a moment. Haney is considered by many to be the first of the mass generation - if I can call it that. The guy was by no means non-aesthetic. He was just huger (most appropriate word IMO) than the other top pros of the day.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I think it’s really easy to dismiss physiques that may appear more streamlined, or aesthetic as being small. I know I fell into this trap early on, thinking that just because someone wasn’t 250 lbs shredded onstage that they weren’t worth trying to emulate or respect. Even some of today’s IFBB Physique pros (SOME! not all -lol) are a hell of a lot larger than many internet experts realize. Hell, I remember myself getting crap on this site because my stage weight was under 200 lbs. Some people just don’t understand how impressive some competitors really are in person because all they see is scale weight.
[/quote]
that shakes my soda as well. Folk don’t realise that an average height dude who weighs 200 with a legitimate single digit body fat is HUGE
Many forget that Franco was a world class power lifter too. Strong as an ox! Not sure what his PRs were, but I remember them being pretty remarkable for his BW at the time.
[quote]Steez wrote:
I always root for the little guy.
[/quote]
Yeah but not THAT little guy at the '81 Olympia.
Should have been THIS little guy… Danny Padilla.
[/quote]
Arguably. Both looked good at that Olympia. [/quote]
Franco had shapeless sausage legs at the '81 O, and a nasty bitch tit.
No way he should have been in the top 5. This is generally accepted as truth by almost everyone… except Franco. LOL
Is that an Italian dig? lol I thought we were done bashing Olympia winner’s legs?
Are you forgetting that 3 top competitors didn’t even compete? Zane, Mentzer, and Boyer Coe. Hense why Platz even made it in the top 5. Padilla too for that matter. The top 5 would’ve been completley different if they competed.
After Franco’s accident in the World’s Strongest Man where he royaly jacked up his leg, finished 5th overall, and doctors told him he’d never walk again, he made a full recovery in 3 years leading up to the 81 Olympia. I think that had a lot to do with his “sausage legs” and how the judges may of favored him a bit more than the other competitors.
Regardless, his physique in 75 and 76 is more what I’m talking about.
Is that an Italian dig? lol I thought we were done bashing Olympia winner’s legs?
Are you forgetting that 3 top competitors didn’t even compete? Zane, Mentzer, and Boyer Coe. Hense why Platz even made it in the top 5. Padilla too for that matter. The top 5 would’ve been completley different if they competed.
After Franco’s accident in the World’s Strongest Man where he royaly jacked up his leg, finished 5th overall, and doctors told him he’d never walk again, he made a full recovery in 3 years leading up to the 81 Olympia. I think that had a lot to do with his “sausage legs” and how the judges may of favored him a bit more than the other competitors.
Regardless, his physique in 75 and 76 is more what I’m talking about. [/quote]
True, but if we play the coulda, shoulda, woulda scenario game and Arnold had not retired and continued competing from '76 through '79, he would have racked up 10 unquestioned Olympia wins. Although '80 was controversial and he wasn’t at his best, he was still the best onstage that night, and would have been his 11th O win. If he hadn’t retired, who knows how big he would have been by 1980! I believe Arnold would have been taking the title up until Lee Haney hit his peak. Franco never would have stood a chance in any of those years.
[quote]Steez wrote:
I always root for the little guy.
[/quote]
Yeah but not THAT little guy at the '81 Olympia.
Should have been THIS little guy… Danny Padilla.
[/quote]
Arguably. Both looked good at that Olympia. [/quote]
Franco had shapeless sausage legs at the '81 O, and a nasty bitch tit.
No way he should have been in the top 5. This is generally accepted as truth by almost everyone… except Franco. LOL[/quote]
I’m with you, CLUNK. Even at his best, Franco’s physique had some significant flaws–bow-legged, split chest, short biceps…IMO, one of the least aesthetic physiques to hoist the Sandow.
Let’s just agree to disagree on Columbu. I see something that apparently the judges did too. But my opinion of his isn’t necessarily the most unbiased one.
[quote]Steez wrote:
Let’s just agree to disagree on Columbu. I see something that apparently the judges did too. But my opinion of his isn’t necessarily the most unbiased one. [/quote]
Speaking of bias, several personal friends of Franco’s were judges that night (1981).
BTW, Franco was my idol when I started lifting as a teen. I still have his 2 books!
