ARNOLD vs. SERGIO: Who had the BEST ARMS

[MuscleMcMannus]

bwhaahahah "he couldn't flex any further because of the forearms" lol. They both had about the same size arms, regardless of what Jones measured or not. Sergio's might've looked bigger to some because his frame was smaller, but in absolute size nah, they were always close.

You fucking dipshit!  Arnold's arms were longer.  He had a bigger gap between his elbow joint and bicep.  Hence in all his pics with his biceps flexed he's got a much bigger/higher peak.  Everytime Sergio flexes his arms you can obviously tell his range of motion is limited because his arms are so huge, shorter, and his forearms are so big.  Look at the gap when Arnold's biceps is fully flexed compared to Sergios.  If Sergio could have fully flexed his bicep like Arnold it would have looked a lot bigger....hence why Sergio's was a legit 21" arm comapred to Arnolds. 

[Jeffro]

Good stuff guys.

[americanbulldog]

First ones out of an old muscle-builder and the next one is out of Muscle-wars (by rick wayne) in both shots Sergios arms are impressive.

How Sergio LOST in 1972 is beyond me.  I remember Arnold commenting about the backround of the venue?.....

[pumpster]

How Sergio LOST in 1972 is beyond me.  I remember Arnold commenting about the backround of the venue?.....

So you still actually believe those shows are legit lol listen it was about magazine sales, Arnold was the great white hope. Would've been close in a real show. Arnold was in his best shape the 2 following years and had a tan which he'd made the mistake of neglecting in 72, because he was expecting Oliva to be there after challenging him directly at the Mr. International show before the Olympia.

You fucking dipshit!  Arnold's arms were longer.  He had a bigger gap between his elbow joint and bicep.  Hence in all his pics with his biceps flexed he's got a much bigger/higher peak.  Everytime Sergio flexes his arms you can obviously tell his range of motion is limited because his arms are so huge, shorter, and his forearms are so big.  Look at the gap when Arnold's biceps is fully flexed compared to Sergios.  If Sergio could have fully flexed his bicep like Arnold it would have looked a lot bigger....hence why Sergio's was a legit 21" arm comapred to Arnolds. 

Naive speculation. The muscles were shaped due to genetics, there was more peak because there was more peak. Arms being too big to flex is silly and untrue. Besides which their arms were similar in absolute size, you're fooled again because Oliva had greater relative size.

[johnny1]

 

[americanbulldog]

So you still actually believe those shows are legit lol listen it was about magazine sales, Arnold was the great white hope. Would've been close in a real show. Arnold was in his best shape the 2 following years and had a tan which he'd made the mistake of neglecting in 72, because he was expecting Oliva to be there after challenging him directly at the Mr. International show before the Olympia.

Absolutely not.  I was trying to infer something.  Don't want to get on the outing JW and bragging to all the other bodybuilders about banging his trophy wife.  Not that it happened, BTW....

[gymrat01]

someone at my gym told me that arnold had 28'' arms, but i doubt they were that monstorous. I dont know if it is possible to have arms that big.

[Figo]

Naive speculation. The muscles were shaped due to genetics, there was more peak because there was more peak. Arms being too big to flex is silly and untrue. Besides which their arms were similar in absolute size, you're fooled again because Oliva had greater relative size.

What the man is saying is Sergios arms and forearms have extremey long muscle bellies, whereas with most people there is a gap, with Sergio the double-bi you see him do is as far as his arms will go due to the development of the upper and lower arms limiting his range of motion. The drawback is that due to the extremely long bellies, he had no bicep peak, especially compared to Arnold, much like Larry Scott vs Albert Beckles, 2 extremes of long vs short bellies with no peak/peak. I dont believe it harmed his training or limited his development, its a great "problem" to have that.
Sergio had unparalleled genes, imagine him being around in the modern era, what he could've looked like.

[Pollux]

How Sergio LOST in 1972 is beyond me. 

Here's what Sergio had to say about the 1972 Mr. Olympia during an interview with Ron Harris (MuscleMag International issue 235)...

Ron Harris: You believe Joe Weider fixed the 1972 Mr. Olympia in Essen, Germany so that his golden boy, Arnold, could win, even though you were the clear winner.

Sergio Oliva: In '72 I had been training with Arthur Jones. I was so big and freaky that when I saw myself in the mirror backstage, I said, "Jesus! I'm fucking huge!" Everyone knew I was the winner, even Arnold. Then right before we came out for the awards, they had us lined up. I was in the front. At the last minute Joe Weider came back and switched me and Arnold. I knew something funny was going on. Sure enough, they announced Arnold as the winner. The crowd was so angry that they threw tomatoes, pop bottles, everything at the stage and the judges. Joe controlled the judges. Later they tried to say my skin was too dark and I blended in with the black curtains. What kind of bullshit excuse is that? The whole point was that Arnold was on all his covers and endorsed all Weider's products. I never did that.

So there you have it. Straight from the horse's mouth.

[GoneAway]

I believe Sergio's triceps are so big because, as Figo said, he knew he wouldn't have the peak of an Arnold or Beckles. So, he trained his triceps twice as hard to make them so powerful that they took the focus away from rather long and uninteresting biceps. Anyone who knows more about Sergio's history can correct me if I'm wrong, but it stands to reason.

[GoneAway]

Hmmmm...it's a VERY tough call for me. Sergio's arms were just ridiculous with size/mass (awesome!), but Arnold's arms had a "beauty" to them, if you will.

If I had to choose, I'd probably give it to Arnold - by a hair!

I'd say Arnold's were better when viewed from the back, no question. Much better detail and shape. From the front, it's very close. Side triceps I would probably give to Arnold based on the pics that I've seen of both hitting that pose. Side chest would also be close. The 1972 Olympia gives a half-decent comparison, though not great.

[Pollux]

I'd say Arnold's were better when viewed from the back, no question. Much better detail and shape.

I totally agree. His arms were very detailed with great shape when he did his signature three-quarter back pose or rear-double bi.

[GoneAway]

Big arms.

All the way big arms.

[GoneAway]

"Looks like I've got better arms than you, Arnold!"

"Keep looking."

[Member XX]

oliva had no bicep peak
end of story
game over

[GoneAway]

oliva had no bicep peak
end of story
game over

His biceps weren't as peaked as Arnold, but the pure size of his arms is outstanding. Look at his right arm here.

[Member XX]

His biceps weren't as peaked as Arnold, but the pure size of his arms is outstanding. Look at his right arm here.

his biceps were not peaked at all
just huge

[GoneAway]

his biceps were not peaked at all
just huge

Good point. A better peak will score better due to its aesthetic quality.

[Buffgeek]

I wonder how many guys on this board started lifting because of Arnolds arms? I remember when I first saw Conan as a kid. I didnt think he looked human.

[Pollux]

Awesome shot of Sergio. Just awesome! 

[Pollux]

 

[BSN]

Sergio - 1970 Mr.World

[BSN]

Sergio & Arnie..

[DOGGCRAPP]

Whats amazing is Sergio actually tore his triceps on a barbell extension movement and still had huge arms. I cant think of anyone else in history (unlike Sergio who had such long muscle bellies and such huge arms) that a major tear didnt screw up their career. Look at Sergio's early pictures and his left tricep....then look at his later pictures and his left tricep after the tear.....where it rolled upward and got shorter but because his muscle bellies were so astronomically long....it looked 'normal'.....someone like Chris Cormier with the same type of tricep tear was unable to get away with it.

I go with Sergio as far as a hanging relaxed arm....that pool stick pic is still amazing....and Ill give it to Arnold for a flexed arm.....

[GoneAway]

Great comparisons, guys!

I especially like the one between Sergio and Arnold doing the same pose. Really shows the difference in detail from the back and their triceps size actually being quite similar.