Was the 99 Olympia Ronnie the best physique to ever step on the Olympia stage?

[Shockwave]

to be fair, Ronnie's calves were huge in person

Doesnt matter, its not how big they are by themselves, its how big they appear in proportion to the rest of him.

[affeman]

98 or 99 it was still close between him and the other guys. 03 was a whole new standard for Pro BB at this time.

[illuminati]

Jay Cutler 2009 Olympia.

Good call, Jay was awesome that year.

[Ronnie Rep]

Flex 98 Arnold.

[Tony Doherty]

Ronnie 2003, took the sport forward 10 years. No question. The other outstanding years were Dorian in 93 and Jay in 2009.

[Alucard]

'74 Arnold and '93 Yates are up there, not others... In terms of overall completness, Coleman at his best is the greatest...

[Beckenbauer]

Doesnt matter, its not how big they are by themselves, its how big they appear in proportion to the rest of him.

Not a fan of big calves and Dorians matching his hams and quads looks blocky. Imo that's not a proportional look.



To be fair his close stand doesn't help but still his calves almost overpower upper legs.

This looks proportional legs to me:

[SomeKindofMonster]

It is a matter of opinion but I am one of those that
believe a 1999 Olympia RC was the best bodybuilding
physique to ever grace a stage.
In 1998 he was very conditioned but he was just a bit flat
according to McGough.
In 99 he was fuller which made him appear like an anatomy chart.
In 2001 (ASC) he had paper thin skin but lost a good 10+ pounds of muscle
to reach that condition but fuller than 1998.

My personal preference would be a 1973 Arnold but being realistic here.
1999 vs 2001

[SomeKindofMonster]

This picture comparing Kai Greene and Ronnie 2001
really shows Ronnie's incredible condition in 2001.
You will have to see it full size to see how much thinner
Ronnie's onion skin is compared to one of Kai's best
conditions to appreciate how ripped he was.
Not one of RC's best poses but he is skinless almost.

[SomeKindofMonster]

Flex 98 Arnold.

New camcorder footage from the 98 Arnold.
This or the 1993 ASC are considered his best.
He was 232 in 98 compared to 218 in 1993.
Flex said he was 238 but I don't think so.
He didn't start hitting the oil in the shoulders heavy
until 1999 trying to size up with Ronnie.

[NarcissisticDeity]

It is a matter of opinion but I am one of those that
believe a 1999 Olympia RC was the best bodybuilding
physique to ever grace a stage.
In 1998 he was very conditioned but he was just a bit flat
according to McGough.
In 99 he was fuller which made him appear like an anatomy chart.
In 2001 (ASC) he had paper thin skin but lost a good 10+ pounds of muscle
to reach that condition but fuller than 1998.

My personal preference would be a 1973 Arnold but being realistic here.
1999 vs 2001

In 1998 he was very conditioned but he was just a bit flat
according to McGough.

He never said that.

In 2001 (ASC) he had paper thin skin but lost a good 10+ pounds of muscle
to reach that condition but fuller than 1998.

He didn't lose 10+ pounds of muscle in 2001 compared to 1999 , that's not accurate. he weighed less than 1999 but he was full , hard and dry.

2005: Flex: Who else during your time do you think should have won but didn't?

            Shawn: I thought you should have won in 1999, because Ronnie had lost something from 1998. I felt for you, when you took the medal off and shook your finger at the crowd. I could see it wasn't Ronnie you were trying to slight. It was the fact that you improved on flaws that Ronnie hadn't. In '98, Ronnie owned it, gyno included. He should have been marked down, but he had taken his physique to another level. In '99, he lost something. Just like you were at your best in '93. Sometimes we hit our peak and it's hard to get that back. That trophy should have been yours. Not because you were a better bodybuilder, but because you were better than Ronnie on that day.

People like the way Ronnie looked better in 1999 but it's blatantly obvious he wasn't as good in 99 as he was in 98/01 specifically because his conditioning was lacking. If Ronnie 1999 Mr Olympia competed against Ronnie 1998/2001 he would have lost to both versions.

[NarcissisticDeity]

I've heard Ronnie say best "condition" ever in 1998 and 2001 AC. Do you think he just means conditioning or his physique as a whole? Because he has flip flopped on saying this between two contests (1998 Mr. Olympia & 2001 AC).

His physique as a whole. more specifically because of his conditioning was dead on the money in both contests.

[Iceman1981]

This picture comparing Kai Greene and Ronnie 2001
really shows Ronnie's incredible condition in 2001.
You will have to see it full size to see how much thinner
Ronnie's onion skin is compared to one of Kai's best
conditions to appreciate how ripped he was.
Not one of RC's best poses but he is skinless almost.

I'm pretty sure that pic of Ronnie is from the 2000 Mr. Olympia.

[SomeKindofMonster]

Here you go chief...
Peter Mcgough around 8 minutes.
99 was Ronnie's best Olympia
in 98 he was a bit flat - hard, dry all that stuff
but a tad flat.

And Flex winning in 99 is laughable. He's lucky Cormier
didn't get 2nd. Peter says right here 99 was better and Ronnie got straight 1's.
As far as 2001 ASC goes I'm cool with someone liking that look better.
Hell, I'm cool if you like Kenny Jones better. It's just a subjective opinion no matter how
much you believe your right.

[SomeKindofMonster]

I'm pretty sure that pic of Ronnie is from the 2000 Mr. Olympia.

If your right then Ronnie is a greater freak than I thought because he was 265?
for that show and he looks skinless in that pic.

While we are calling stuff out.
Those 2003 pics are morphed to hell.
Especially the hands on hip MM.

[NarcissisticDeity]

Here you go chief...
Peter Mcgough around 8 minutes.
99 was Ronnie's best Olympia
in 98 he was a bit flat - hard, dry all that stuff
but a tad flat.

About what time do you know?

[Man of Steel]

I'm a Ronnie '03 fan.

[Iceman1981]

Here you go chief...
Peter Mcgough around 8 minutes.
99 was Ronnie's best Olympia
in 98 he was a bit flat - hard, dry all that stuff
but a tad flat.

I remember seeing this video. Peter is right in that Ronnie being fuller in 1999 he had better detail and I also noticed he had better/deeper separation.

[Iceman1981]

If your right then Ronnie is a greater freak than I thought because he was 265?
for that show and he looks skinless in that pic.

While we are calling stuff out.
Those 2003 pics are morphed to hell.
Especially the hands on hip MM.

I have the magazine and that pic is in the 2000 Mr. Olympia coverage.

LOL I hate when MD chopp pics. It's not like Ronnie needs to be photoshopped. Here is the original.

[SomeKindofMonster]

About what time do you know?

Around 8 minutes.

[NarcissisticDeity]

I remember seeing this video. Peter is right in that Ronnie being fuller in 1999 he had better detail and I also noticed he had better/deeper separation.

At the expense of dryness and hardness which exactly why 2001 is considered his best because he was , hard , dry and full. 99 he was fuller but not as hard or as dry

[SomeKindofMonster]

I have the magazine and that pic is in the 2000 Mr. Olympia coverage.

LOL I hate when MD chopp pics. It's not like Ronnie needs to be photoshopped. Here is the original.

I believe you. I didn't think he was that peeled in 2000.  Cool...
Good website by the way.

[Iceman1981]

At the expense of dryness and hardness which exactly why 2001 is considered his best because he was , hard , dry and full. 99 he was fuller but not as hard or as dry

Can't go wrong with 2001 AC lol, but I prefer the fuller look while still being conditioned rather than being insanely conditioned, but smaller. Just like Phil 2013 compared to 2011. Just my preference.

[SomeKindofMonster]

At the expense of dryness and hardness which exactly why 2001 is considered his best because he was , hard , dry and full. 99 he was fuller but not as hard or as dry

I agree... just like the overall look, flow and separation of 99 better.

[NarcissisticDeity]

Can't go wrong with 2001 AC lol, but I prefer the fuller look while still being conditioned rather than being insanely conditioned, but smaller. Just like Phil 2013 compared to 2011. Just my preference.

The AC in my opinion is his best because he's just as conditioned as 98 but he retained his ' fullness ' a tad more which is why they said he looked bigger than his 245-247 lbs suggested. But the point stands if 99 competed against 98/01 he would lose to both.