Does Arnold's infinite presence in bodybuilding speak volumes about the "sport"?

[OneMoreRep]

This is just a question for discussion.  I am not taking sides or bashing Arnold, just curious as to what the consensus is.

Arnold hasn't competed for over 30 years and is now in his mid 60's.

Does the fact that every bodybuilding magazine still uses ARNOLD covers every other month say something about this sport's inability to evolve or develop new, longlasting talent that can possibly redefine the sport in a positive way?

Doesn't it seem strange that we don't have ANY professional bodybuilders that ANYONE would like to actually look like in real life?

What does this say about our sport?  Has this sport failed to evolve since the late 70's in a aesthetically pleasing fashion that can garner more of a following?  Besides the evolution of different drug use and the introduction of synthol, what has this sport become?  Has this sport regressed into merely a spectacle that only serves the purpose of documenting the results of prolonged overdosing of hormones and insulin by middle aged men?

What is your take?
"1"

[JasonH]

The reason why magazines still cover Arnold is because he's still relevant and that's part of his success and appeal - he's made himself that way. You don't see pictures on the front of bodybuilding magazines of Larry Scott or Sergio Oliva because they're not relevant to today's standards and it won't sell magazines.

With regards to your second point - no, it doesn't seem strnage that we don't have any professional bodybuilders that the average person on the street would want to look like simply because bodybuilding by its very neature is a niche market, a subculture if you will - same as you don't have people wanting to cover 90% of their body with tattoos just because tattoo magazines have someone like that on their cover. It's an extreme, and the general public aren't too keen on extremes - they like the status quo because it helps them feel more comfortable in their own sad little lives.

Leave bodybuilding to the fans - as Arnold once said - "Why should we try to please them - let them come to us" (or words to that effect).

With regards to your last point, bodybuilding is not strictly a sport (as much as I'd love it to be). It won't evolve in the way the general public wants it to so the answer to your last question is yes, bodybuilding is practically a spectacle for documenting the results of prolonged heavy drug use (unfortunately).

[ToxicAvenger]

bbing is a cult activity...NOT a sport...cult being imperative

being set apart from the rest of the planet is its modus operandi

its akin to skydiving or basejumping...both dangerous activities but both have their die hard fans and even message boards..i know..i used to jump...

its the counter culture of it all that is inviting to certain personality types...(and the insecure)

the insecure bit is visible in the countless drivel oriented self esteems that seem to follow me thread to thread ..after just one zing of a retort from me.


<notice i used the word retort: ie a return gesture...as in..they come and try n insult me....and as a RETORT....i make 1 remark..and they get so hurt that they follow me and harass me on here and on facebook ...case in point...said "papayaface" who now has his friends on facebook following me around   ...cause i called him papayaface  >

[tendonitis]

I was at the store this morning and sitting right there beside each other on the magazine rack were MD and FLEX. Arnold was on both covers.  It tells everything you need to know about the current shit crop of competitors we have today that the mags feel like they have to put Arnold on the cover every other month to ensure sales.  I love Arnold as much as the next guy but I don't see Sports Illustrated having to put athletes who retired 30 years ago on it's cover to get sales.

[OneMoreRep]

The reason why magazines still cover Arnold is because he's still relevant and that's part of his success and appeal - he's made himself that way. You don't see pictures on the front of bodybuilding magazines of Larry Scott or Sergio Oliva because they're not relevant to today's standards and it won't sell magazines.

Putting aside his political and movie influence, how is he still relevant to bodybuilding?  How is he, in comparison to Larry Scott or Sergio Oliva, still relevant to today's standards in the world of bodybuilding.

Aren't Oliva, Scott and Schwarzenegger just three, physically decrepit old men? Only difference being that Arnold knew how to capitalize on his success by manipulating weaker minded human beings?

"1"

[ToxicAvenger]

Putting aside his political and movie influence, how is he still relevant to bodybuilding?  How is he, in comparison to Larry Scott or Sergio Oliva, still relevant to today's standards in the world of bodybuilding.

Aren't Oliva, Scott and Schwarzenegger just three, physically decrepit old men? Only difference being that Arnold knew how to capitalize on his success by manipulating weaker minded human beings?

"1"

Oliva and scott weren't movie stars....

the lemming public looks at movie stars with awe and reverence...

no more..no less...

[The Grim Lifter]

The reason why magazines still cover Arnold is because he's still relevant and that's part of his success and appeal - he's made himself that way. You don't see pictures on the front of bodybuilding magazines of Larry Scott or Sergio Oliva because they're not relevant to today's standards and it won't sell magazines.

With regards to your second point - no, it doesn't seem strnage that we don't have any professional bodybuilders that the average person on the street would want to look like simply because bodybuilding by its very neature is a niche market, a subculture if you will - same as you don't have people wanting to cover 90% of their body with tattoos just because tattoo magazines have someone like that on their cover. It's an extreme, and the general public aren't too keen on extremes - they like the status quo because it helps them feel more comfortable in their own sad little lives.

Leave bodybuilding to the fans - as Arnold once said - "Why should we try to please them - let them come to us" (or words to that effect).

With regards to your last point, bodybuilding is not strictly a sport (as much as I'd love it to be). It won't evolve in the way the general public wants it to so the answer to your last question is yes, bodybuilding is practically a spectacle for documenting the results of prolonged heavy drug use (unfortunately).

Great work relating it to Tattoo's. Plenty of people have some Tattoo's these days but very few of them want their whole body covered.

[Parker]

If only the IFBB and the NPC were into grooming individuals instead of "growing them" for their own profit...
The fact is, Arnold was a marketing success for Weider, he was groomed, he was put into films, he had attitude and spunk, Flex was trying to do that with Phil, and before that, Shawn Ray to extent. Arnold o's also possibly why other bbers haven't broken thru---most of the gen pop think of bbers as smiling narcissists, who only seek and garner attention thru their bodies...not too keen in today's progressive world, where women demand attention far more than men.

The IFBB/NPC are using bbers as cashcows, and Bob Chick is in on it, so there is no time wasted on grooming bbers who have the body and the attitude to Break Out.

Flex could have been one had they and he used his connection to Dr. Dre, Kev was trying to get a Nike shoe out (I think he did have an endorsement). And Flex/AMI should have done better in capitalizing on Phil's college b-ball experience...he needs an agent...imagine Phil in some specially designed Nike Alpha Flight croastrainers dunking a ball, then curling some weight...then going to play the piano, there you have it, a multifaceted bber who has the "swagg factor" and presents a image that is refreshing.

[OneMoreRep]

The main reason is character!

Arnold has charisma, character, people skills and in general is highly likable.

This is what people correspond to, not just muscles.

Look at other sports, to be the symbol you have to be the best but also have other characteristics that people like.

Apply the above mentioned things and apply them to any bodybuilder past Arnold.

It's not even a discussion, Arnold flys miles ahead above any other bodybuilder.

Look at Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong, Arnold, Federer and many more top athletes that are just cool people: funny, attractive, cool and likable.

Bodybuilders in general and even more todays are none of these things.

Todays bodybuilder is the symol of over the top use of all things illegal and possible, highly boring and one dimensional, very wrong looks that in general could not get any girls anywhere (more scare them) and the character and intelect of groundhogs.

I agree with most of what you said, but what about Bob Chick?

Doesn't Bob have tons of charisma, character, people skills, the ability to communicate well and stunning good looks?

"1"

[JasonH]

Great work relating it to Tattoo's. Plenty of people have some Tattoo's these days but very few of them want their whole body covered.

Not sure if you were being sarcastic, but to clarify, the same analogy applies to hardcore bodybuilding - milions of people train with weights in gyms all over the world but how many of them want to look like Jay Cutler or Marcus Ruhl?

[The Grim Lifter]

Not sure if you were being sarcastic, but to clarify, the same analogy applies to hardcore bodybuilding - milions of people train with weights in gyms all over the world but how many of them want to look like Jay Cutler or Marcus Ruhl?

I was agreeing with you.

That's my (well your) point. Most people want a nice body not an extreme one. With Tatt's it's easy to just get a few you just pay for it. Not so easy to get a nice body and then much harder to get an extreme one.

[BikiniSlut]

The judges in this sport simply SUCK MONKEY BALLS. Nothing else needs to be said on this because we all know why.


If physiques were still like Arnolds we would not see him on magazine covers half as much.

[The Grim Lifter]

The judges in this sport simply SUCK MONKEY BALLS. Nothing else needs to be said on this because we all know why.


If physiques were still like Arnolds we would not see him on magazine covers half as much.

This post is further proof you are a guy and a gimick

[Pollux]

I am not bashing Arnold

You better NOT! 

[Reeves]

This is just a question for discussion.  I am not taking sides or bashing Arnold, just curious as to what the consensus is.

Arnold hasn't competed for over 30 years and is now in his mid 60's.

Does the fact that every bodybuilding magazine still uses ARNOLD covers every other month say something about this sport's inability to evolve or develop new, longlasting talent that can possibly redefine the sport in a positive way?

Doesn't it seem strange that we don't have ANY professional bodybuilders that ANYONE would like to actually look like in real life?

What does this say about our sport?  Has this sport failed to evolve since the late 70's in a aesthetically pleasing fashion that can garner more of a following?  Besides the evolution of different drug use and the introduction of synthol, what has this sport become?  Has this sport regressed into merely a spectacle that only serves the purpose of documenting the results of prolonged overdosing of hormones and insulin by middle aged men?

What is your take?
"1"

Serious questions deserve serious answers.

The pastime of bodybuilding has not evolved, but rather devolved.  There is nothing positive about today's participants except a drug test.  They possess zero talent both on stage and especially so off stage.  Charisma is not a part of their lives, unless perhaps they have named a pet or more likely a female child "Charisma".

It is  not strange at all that all normal people do not desire to look like Coleman, Cutler, Freeman, Greene, etc.  Note please the caveat of "normal".  Ignorant little boys devoid of the mental power needed to walk and chew gum or at least hold down a good job want to look like today's turgid with dope chumpions.

As has already been said, this is not a "sport".  Neither is it an aesthetically pleasant endeavor.  It is amazing to me that there are even homosexuals that find such grossly over developed individuals "attractive".  These fat ass, wide "waste", barely ambulatory porkers are so far removed from anything remotely resembling an athlete, much less an aesthetically pleasing one that it makes one pause to consider that perhaps being a "schmoe" should be added to the taxonomy of mental illnesses.

I look at it this way.  The film "Pumping Iron" brought Arnold into the limelight and the collective minds of the world as to what it means to be not just a bodybuilder, but The Bodybuilder and what some here often refer to as an "Alpha Male".

What is being presented today upon the dais is not so much Alpha Male, but more Omega Man.  Certainly not the first thing people want to look like, much less be.   To paraphrase the bible, Arnold is the Alpha and all the rest are omega.  Last.  No one wants to be last.

[Nirvana]

mighty mike quinn should be on the covers

[Boost]

I overheard Arnold Chatting to Steve Blechman at last years Olympia.

"I want your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.......and put me on the cover of MD while your at it."

[Cableguy]

This is just a question for discussion.  I am not taking sides or bashing Arnold, just curious as to what the consensus is.

Arnold hasn't competed for over 30 years and is now in his mid 60's.

Does the fact that every bodybuilding magazine still uses ARNOLD covers every other month say something about this sport's inability to evolve or develop new, longlasting talent that can possibly redefine the sport in a positive way?

Doesn't it seem strange that we don't have ANY professional bodybuilders that ANYONE would like to actually look like in real life?

What does this say about our sport?  Has this sport failed to evolve since the late 70's in a aesthetically pleasing fashion that can garner more of a following?  Besides the evolution of different drug use and the introduction of synthol, what has this sport become?  Has this sport regressed into merely a spectacle that only serves the purpose of documenting the results of prolonged overdosing of hormones and insulin by middle aged men? What is your take?
"1"

Obviously.

[The Grim Lifter]

I overheard Arnold Chatting to Steve Blechman at last years Olympia.

"I want your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.......and put me on the cover of MD while your at it."

Steve would have given him more than that