It doesn't take that long for bodybuilders to peak once they turn pro!

[Wiggs]

They stay around long past their peaks. Let's start from when they turn pro...

We'll go with 90s and 2000s guys There are some interesting outliers for different reasons. Their peaks are debatable but I think I'm close. Results may be very different is you start when they actually start competing in general. Interesting things you can pull from this data. I'd say to generalize that once you put your foot on the gas (meaning food, training and sups) seriously you have 10 years before you reach your peak and from there it's down hill. From the time you're a pro even shorter. Lee Priest was a really interesting one. I personally believe his dosages no one believed which would make sense why he lasted so long.

8 - 9 years.  Ronnie turned pro 1990 peak 98-99
5 or 13 years Jay turned pro in 96 peak was 01 some say 09
7 or 9 years Shawn Ray turned pro 87 peak was 94 or 06
6 or 7 years Kevin Levrone turned pro in 91 peak was 97 or 99
10 years Dexter Jackson turned pro in 98 peaked in 08
6 or 7 years Phil Heath turned pro in 05, peaked in 11 or 12
5 years Dorian turned pro in 88 peaked in 93
9 years  Lee Haney turned pro in 82 peaked in 91 (last show and also not a 90s guy)
6 years  Chris Cormier turned pro in 93 peaked in 99
4 years Vince Taylor turned pro in 88 peaked in 92 or 93  (started later in life)
7 years Paul Dillett turned pro in 92 peaked in 99
1 or 5 years Flex Wheeler turned pro in 92, peaked in 93 or 98
17 years Lee Priest turned pro in 89 peaked in 06 (outlier)
2 years Mike Francois turned pro in 93 peaked in 95 ( retired due to colitis in 98)
7 years Nasser turned pro in 89 peaked in 96
2 years Dennis Wolf pro in 05 peaked in 07
7 years Kai Greene turned pro in 99 but first pro show wasn't until 05 peaked in 12
9 years Shawn Rhoden pro in 09 peaked in 18
10 years Curry pro in 09 peaked in 19
8 years Ramy pro in 2012 peaked in 2020

What I find amazing is that guys from the peak of bodybuilding reached their peak on average of around 6-7 years from the time they turned pro!

[wes]

They simply upped the dose over time,that`s why some looked better as amateurs.

[Dave D]

Wasnt Ray 20 when he turned pro? He was a younger pro compared to his contemporaries.

Good observation, this timeline fits into the athletic peak we used to see with athletes across all sports. Quick ascent with short sustained peak. Now we see longer peak years.

I wonder if we still see this same trend with physique competitors?

I also wonder how our age skews this perspective.  When I was in my teens/20s these guys seemed like they were around forever. Now they all seem like flashes in the pan. Careers seem shorter even if they're not because my perspective changed.

[MCWAY]

They stay around long past their peaks. Let's start from when they turn pro...

We'll go with 90s and 2000s guys There are some interesting outliers for different reasons. Their peaks are debatable but I think I'm close. Results may be very different is you start when they actually start competing in general. Interesting things you can pull from this data. I'd say to generalize that once you put your foot on the gas (meaning food, training and sups) seriously you have 10 years before you reach your peak and from there it's down hill. From the time you're a pro even shorter. Lee Priest was a really interesting one. I personally believe his dosages no one believed which would make sense why he lasted so long.

8 - 9 years.  Ronnie turned pro 1990 peak 98-99
5 or 13 years Jay turned pro in 96 peak was 01 some say 09
7 or 9 years Shawn Ray turned pro 87 peak was 94 or 06
6 or 7 years Kevin Levrone turned pro in 91 peak was 97 or 99
10 years Dexter Jackson turned pro in 98 peaked in 08
6 or 7 years Phil Heath turned pro in 05, peaked in 11 or 12
5 years Dorian turned pro in 88 peaked in 93
9 years  Lee Haney turned pro in 82 peaked in 91 (last show and also not a 90s guy)
6 years  Chris Cormier turned pro in 93 peaked in 99
4 years Vince Taylor turned pro in 88 peaked in 92 or 93  (started later in life)
7 years Paul Dillett turned pro in 92 peaked in 99
1 or 5 years Flex Wheeler turned pro in 92, peaked in 93 or 98
17 years Lee Priest turned pro in 89 peaked in 06 (outlier)
2 years Mike Francois turned pro in 93 peaked in 95 ( retired due to colitis in 98)
7 years Nasser turned pro in 89 peaked in 96
2 years Dennis Wolf pro in 05 peaked in 07
7 years Kai Greene turned pro in 99 but first pro show wasn't until 05 peaked in 12
9 years Shawn Rhoden pro in 09 peaked in 18
10 years Curry pro in 09 peaked in 19
8 years Ramy pro in 2012 peaked in 2020

What I find amazing is that guys from the peak of bodybuilding reached their peak on average of around 6-7 years from the time they turned pro!

Greene was a pro in natural federation (WNBF), where he won the Mr. Universe. He won the first TU in 1999 but it wasn't a pro qualifier at the time. His second TU win in 2004 gave him his IFBB pro status.

I personally thought Levrone looked his best in 2000. And Ronnie Coleman looked all-time great in 2001, but at the ASC not the Olympia.

Here's Ronnie, guest-posing in 1992 after he won his class at the Universe in 1991.

[AbrahamG]

This guest posing was possibly Ronnie's 1st cycle.  His upper body was already incredible.  I'm amazed at how much his legs responded to the drugs.  Seem to have benefited more than his upper body did.  Not in this vid but in the years that followed.

[Royalty]

Wigg’s I agree

It’s a shame that good bodybuilders were all but forced to play the size game in these competitions.

Imagine if Wheeler or Levrone didn’t feel the pressure to play the Yates/Coleman size game.

I give credit to Vince Taylor for not going “all-in” with the size-monster mentality

[Gym-Rat]

I have a hard time believing Ronnie was natty when they say he was (1st contest, etc)... Nope...

[muscle matters]

Took me 26 years to get my pro card. I am forever grateful to NPC and IFBB pro league for providing more opportunities for natural athletes.

[Dave D]

Took me 26 years to get my pro card. I am forever grateful to NPC and IFBB pro league for providing more opportunities for natural athletes.

You’re our Ronnie Coleman!

[njflex]

wiggums   with some great threads latley...

[joswift]

This guest posing was possibly Ronnie's 1st cycle.  His upper body was already incredible.  I'm amazed at how much his legs responded to the drugs.  Seem to have benefited more than his upper body did.  Not in this vid but in the years that followed.

It really wasnt

[SweetDaddySiki]

It really wasnt

[Humble Narcissist]

Wasnt Ray 20 when he turned pro? He was a younger pro compared to his contemporaries.

Good observation, this timeline fits into the athletic peak we used to see with athletes across all sports. Quick ascent with short sustained peak. Now we see longer peak years.

I wonder if we still see this same trend with physique competitors?

I also wonder how our age skews this perspective.  When I was in my teens/20s these guys seemed like they were around forever. Now they all seem like flashes in the pan. Careers seem shorter even if they're not because my perspective changed.

Most new pros seem much older than those in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. You mentioned Ray but weren't most new pros back then young? Lee Priest, Levrone, Flex, Haney, etc, etc.