Geschatte leestijd: 5 minutenArnold Schwarzenegger criticized the trend of prioritizing pure mass over symmetry and aesthetics at his own event, the Arnold Classic, this year. Are bodybuilders in 2015 getting too big?
Mass Monsters vs. Symmetry
I often hear people say that they found bodybuilders from the era of men like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, and Serge Nubret much more aesthetically pleasing than today’s bodybuilders in the open class (no weight limit).
Not surprising.
I have written before about mass monsters in general and more recently about the phenomenon of the protruding abdomen, the “roid gut.” About how bodybuilders are getting bigger at the expense of symmetry, about waists getting wider, and about stomachs resembling those of pregnant women.
Subjectively, you can appreciate it as a “freakshow,” but there are few people who would actually want to look like that.
Even among avid strength trainers in general and bodybuilders in particular, there are many like me who are impressed by such a physique but would not actually want to be that big themselves.
Don’t get me wrong: “I don’t want to get that big” is the most annoying excuse I hear from people who aren’t willing to work hard and would literally only get that big if you stuck a pressure washer in them.
I will be the first to admit that I couldn’t even get that big. Not only because I’m not willing to use more “chemical aids,” but also because I don’t have the dedication that these top athletes have.
But apart from the fact that it is often used as an excuse by people who could never achieve it in practice, it is true that if you stand next to such a mass monster live, you quickly realize that such mass is truly unnatural (in every way).
Arnold also says that as a judge, he would score bodybuilders highly if they look the way he would like to look. Not the biggest, maybe not even the driest, but the most beautiful.
Who wouldn’t want to look like Arnold?
For example, he mentioned Cedric McMilan by name as someone who ranked too low at the Arnold Classic because he doesn’t carry as much mass.
Based on symmetry and narrow waist, however, he should score higher.
It’s funny that he mentions Cedric. A few years ago, I mentioned Cedric as one of the future Mr. Olympia candidates alongside Shawn Rhoden. Precisely because of his symmetry, among other things. Since then, however, he has consistently scored lower than I would hope. At the Arnold Classic, he finished fourth. Similarly, the low score of William Bonac at the Olympia last year, who in my opinion had perhaps the most beautiful shape on the stage in terms of aesthetics.
Hypocritical?
On the other hand, you might say that it’s a bit hypocritical for Arnold Schwarzenegger to make such a call. Not because he is the organizer of the Arnold Classic, as he does not control the jury.
However, when you consider that Arnold belonged to the first generation of anabolic users and therefore actively contributed to the development of bodybuilders becoming increasingly larger, it does become hypocritical.
In fact, Arnold has always wanted to get bigger. When he first competed in a Mr. Universe contest, he didn’t even know the concept of “cutting.”
He was only focused on getting bigger and had to discover on stage that being dry was important. With such an attitude, he would also look like a mass monster today.
The simple fact is that bodybuilders back then did not reach the current level of mass. So it’s easy to say in hindsight that you would make a different choice.
Vacuum Pose
Arnold also repeats his criticism that bodybuilders are no longer able to pull in their stomachs on stage as was common in his time.
In the “vacuum pose,” you exhale all the air from your lungs, pull in your stomach while tensing it, while enlarging your chest. Frank Zane is a very good example of this. It makes his waist even narrower, especially in proportion to his chest.
Personally, however, I have never found it a beautiful technique. It seems too much like someone with a big belly trying to hide it by holding their breath. That’s a bit of a shame for someone who is very dry and doesn’t need such tricks. Also, try it and you will notice that the abs are much less tense. The separation between the different “rolls” is much less deep when you pull in your stomach. A matter of taste, less hard abs and a tucked-in stomach or a nicer six-pack that comes forward more?
Although many agree with Arnold that today’s bodybuilders, due to their mass, are unable to perform the vacuum pose, we won’t know for sure until it is made mandatory.
Powerful Sound
Bodybuilders nowadays have more knowledge of nutrition, training, supplements, and things like ‘aids.’
With that comes a different possible result.
They become much bigger than before, but also see less desirable side effects such as the protruding abdomen.
However, which result is desirable is ultimately not decided by the bodybuilder or the audience, but by the jury. As long as the jury continues to reward the mass monsters, this development, as Arnold rightly says, will continue.
In that sense, it reminds me of the discussion in the fashion industry when it comes to models being too thin. The industry says it simply gives the public what it wants, while researchers argue that what the public wants is determined by what the industry presents to them.
They are both right, of course. We want to see the biggest. When bodybuilding media choose to focus more on aesthetic bodybuilders while you see guys in your own gym who are bigger, how interesting do you find that media?
Even if it’s just about judging, this is difficult. A classic business model for bodybuilders is that they gain attention in the media by winning competitions. If only the jury chooses more aesthetic bodybuilders from now on while the media continues to show the mass monsters, income will disappear, making it (even) harder to make a living as a competitive bodybuilder.
A classic business model for bodybuilders is that they gain attention in the media by winning competitions. If only the jury chooses more aesthetic bodybuilders from now on while the media continues to show the mass monsters, income will disappear, making it (even) harder to make a living as a competitive bodybuilder.
Let People Decide
This is a discussion that can never be settled. Inherent in a jury sport, there will always be disputes over good taste, and as we all know, there’s simply no accounting for taste. It’s not surprising that jury members are driven by objective matters such as mass because being the biggest is undeniable.
Another important point is that the old classical business model is no longer the only way to earn income for bodybuilders and others in the fitness industry. Social media now make it possible to gather large numbers of fans without the help of the industry. Especially the ladies like Jenny Selter, Paige Hathaway, and Michelle Lewin have gathered a large following, making them interesting for sponsors.
Through social media, you have direct influence on the popularity of the physique that appeals to you the most. Ultimately, the success of a bodybuilding or fitness athlete will mainly be determined by the fans and not the jury or “the old” media.
References
- muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-tips/arnold-schwarzeneggers-vacuum-pose
- forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=152360163
