Without New Advancements In Bodybuilding, Will It Even Be Interesting?

I felt the bodybuilding hit its peak at Ronnie’s era. After that you just don’t see guys getting bigger and leaner anymore. Well big ramy is bigger, but is definitely not as lean as Ronnie was. Can’t blame anyone because since Insulin and HGH, there were no new substances that could greatly increase muscle mass.

Will bodybuilding even be more interesting anymore if there’s no new ‘advancements’ in this area?

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I always found bodybuilding interesting in competing, judging, or emceeing, but have never found much interest in watching it.

So, even if there are advancements, I still won’t find much interest in watching.

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It was never popular outside of a niche community. “Fitness” is much broader and more inclusive, but actual hardcore bodybuilding is only real big amongst a small group really.

I think that aside from the physiques the things that keep it interesting are the personalities and the “show” of it all. Being bigger and leaner is interesting I suppose, but I think the biggest of the guys out there showed that aesthetics start to fall apart at the upper level of what we were seeing in the 2005ish era (Ruhl, Coleman and even Cutler had to tone it back a touch if I remember right to dial in the conditioning)

The inclusion and focus on men’s physique and classic I think speaks to that… the huuuuge physiques just don’t have the appeal that guys 20-40lbs lighter do

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Yep. Most people don’t know the difference between bodybuilding and powerlifting.

Yes and add olympic lifting to that as well.

Most people I have met outside of the fitness world think powerlifting is olympic lifting.

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We have come a long ways since the early 1970’s. People could tell that I lifted weights. The most common question I got was, “How much can you lift?” Try answering that question knowing how little the person knew about weight training.

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The correct answer is obviously total tonnage throughout the workout

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Yes, I know that. I’m talking about that niche community you mentioned about. Will bodybuilding fans still find it interesting? The physiques are no better than 10-20 years ago. Whereas like in the 90s, you can say they had never seen anything like Dorian Yates, Ronnie Coleman, and so on before.

It’ll be interesting to see, I think the appeal now a days lies more so in the connection to the athletes and the stories they can tell via their social media presence.

For example John Meadows (it’s been a while since I followed the top of the sport…) never won any notable competition but built a huge reputation for himself and interest in his showings via his articles, posts, and videos.

Generally speaking I think the most popular guys are those who can maintain some kind of interest outside just their physique. Even Ronnie, outside of just how big he was, had fun videos to watch with the huge weights and the LIGHT WEIGHT BABY type stuff.

I think people maintaining a fun or engaging presence combined with whatever manufactured drama (is X gonna beat Y?! Type stuff) can provide enough support for the sport.

Pay for the Mr O has been consistent for the last several years suggesting it hasn’t dropped off much if at all

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New drugs, new technologies. Who knows, maybe future bodybuilders will all use CRISPR to change their DNA, or get regular stem cell therapy to aid recovery?

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I’m neither a current fan of pro BBing (which is what I think you are referring to when you say bodybuilding) nor was I a fan during the Ronnie Coleman days, so I might have no clue what I am talking about.

But, I feel like the popularity of bodybuilding is directly tied to the popularity of the gym/lifting weights/fitness. That’s because I think the vast majority of BBing fans are lifters themselves who just got more and more interested in the sport aspect, too. If pro BBing is less popular now, it probably has more to do with a less active population (meaning less people going to the gym).

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