question for SHAWN RAY

[shiftedShapes]

sHAWN what did you do differenlty from the top pros today.  Why can't they hit the vacuum, or maintain a tight midsection?


thanks

-sS

[Shawn Ray]

I starved, Car payments were way too high!

[Johnny Apollo]

Stop eating so much and it shouldn't be hard.




I think GH may play a role too. Pro's of the early 90's took less than pro's do today.

[shiftedShapes]

I starved, Car payments were way too high!

well Matt your answer really does explain a lot because to put on 40lbs I think pros end up taking on a lot of intrabodominal fat which I guess Shawn avoided


NOW SHAWN.  Please I'm asking for your insight.  I understand that it is a privilege to be able to talk to one of the all time greats (IMO GOAT), so please just break us off a little knowledge.

-sS

[shiftedShapes]

Stop eating so much and it shouldn't be hard.

Now you know I agree with you there.  I'm all natural and was never big and never will be big w/out hormones.  BUT once I stopped eating so much I shed all of the fat and actually got stronger.  Now I have visible serratus, seperation with hint of striation throught posterior chain, etc. I may look small in clothes but it is a lot more satisfying to me to put on quality mass little by little.  Maybe by 37 I'll have some respectable size..,.LOLZ

[Shawn Ray]

Yo, I didn't play the size game.
Check the history of those who did, see how long they lasted in the game and where are they now?
Bigger is not always better, I knew this when I began BBing and it is only now being appreciated.
I was scultping my body, building and shaping it.
Today some of these attributes are neglected simply for SIZE and Weight.
Hence, when you go to pose nothing happens but the scale has you believing your better because your bigger.
Not so, as we all know.
Peace,
S

[manicstezzo]

Ronnie Coleman plays the size game and he has 8 olympias to show for it!

[Shawn Ray]

Yea but he had me by 4 inches in height!
Either way, there were plenty of Bigger guys but the Crash & Burn effect always does them in:
Fux
Nasser
Rhul
Dillett
Burke
Kovacs
Harrison
Yates
Need I say more.............

[phyxsius]

I starved, Car payments were way too high!

Monster grass

[shiftedShapes]

You speak of Burke like this but his main flaws were thick skin (genetic) and stomach distention - like Ronnie in 2001, Burke in 2001 seemed to be completely oblivious to this flaw and did nothing to control it.

I think his waist-to-shoulder and waist-to-chest ratio were probably among the best in the history of bodybuilding.  I don't see how playing the size game was so bad for Burke - also, did he look better smaller?  The others in that list did look better before taking things too far.

Because if Burke didn't play the size game he would have still had close to the Barn Door width, but he would have 0 stomach distension and he would have been able to shed all of the subcutaneous fat.  He would have looked incredibly muscular.  Instead he just looked swollen.

[benchthis]

shawn at what age did u first take steriods

[Hedgehog]

Shawn knew that he looked his best at around 210.  He could have been 240 with 95% of the shape but to him that was something he didn't want to do.  He wanted his best shape and condition without regard to size - so 210 at 100% was better than 240 at 95%.

Very few pros train for optimal shape and conditioning since size is the name of the game.  I can think of some from the eighties - Bob Paris trained like this - Rich Gaspari did not (save for the 1988 Olympia).

Shawn would have placed higher at 240 though given how the judging is.  He would have needed another inch or so in height to be Mr. Olympia since stature does play a role in addition to the other factors.

I think it could've been kinda funny if Shawn would've ruined his physique like Edgar Fletcher did.

Just for the shits and giggles.

You know like: Hi Edgar!

YIP
Zack

[Naked4Jesus]

I starved, Car payments were way too high!

Awesome picture, complimented by a well executed vacuum.   

[WOOO]

Yo, I didn't play the size game.
Check the history of those who did, see how long they lasted in the game and where are they now?
Bigger isnot always better, Iknew this when I began BBing and it is only now being apprecieated.
I was scultping my body, building and shaping it.
Today some of these attributes are negleted simply for SIZE and Weight, hence when you go to pose nothing happens but the scale has you believing your better because your bigger.

Shawn, in The Final Countdown you actually make a point of discussing this... but what is the real difference, I mean you have tiny joints and at 210 you look like 230...  with that said, I think many or us suspect that the pros who can't vacuum today and who have those bulging bellies are just abusing GH and slin... your thoughts?

[Sir William Idol]

Yea but he had me by 4 inches in height!
Either way, there were plenty of Bigger guys but the Crash & Burn effect always does them in:
Fux
Nasser
Rhul
Dillett
Burke
Kovacs
Harrison
Yates
Need I say more.............

hahahahahahah, yeah, what did yates ever do???  crashed and burned baby!!!!!!

[Tigerman]

hahahahahahah, yeah, what did yates ever do???  crashed and burned baby!!!!!!

Yes he did... he ruined his physique, got multiple injuries and had to retire!
I acknowledge he brought something home though...

[MikeThaMachine]

Yes he did... he ruined his physique, got multiple injuries and had to retire!
I acknowledge he brought something home though...

If i was to one day compete and happen to turn pro i would def not go for the size game, why risk your health and not look as good at the same time I guess it just has to do with who you are and what your personal standards are.

[sarcasm]

Yea but he had me by 4 inches in height!
Either way, there were plenty of Bigger guys but the Crash & Burn effect always does them in:
Fux
Nasser
Rhul
Dillett
Burke
Kovacs
Harrison
Yates
Need I say more.............

Yates? the guy won six fucking olympia's.

[Shawn Ray]

Sure he did, would you wanna look likehim, knowing the end result of his career?
Forced into retirement, worse than he had ever been when he started?
Tron Biceps, Torn Triceps, Ruptured Thigh, Shoulder Injuries not to mention the loss of midsection.
He can keep the Sandows.......

[sarcasm]

Sure he did, would you wanna look likehim, knowing the end result of his career?
Forced into retirement, worse than he had ever been when he started?
Tron Biceps, Torn Triceps, Ruptured Thigh, Shoulder Injuries not to mention the loss of midsection.
He can keep the Sandows.......

a lot of people tear muscles Shawn, personally i think you had a way better physique than Dorian but i don't understand the disrespect.

[MikeThaMachine]

Sure he did, would you wanna look likehim, knowing the end result of his career?
Forced into retirement, worse than he had ever been when he started?
Tron Biceps, Torn Triceps, Ruptured Thigh, Shoulder Injuries not to mention the loss of midsection.
He can keep the Sandows.......

True that

[RHINO290]

Sure he did, would you wanna look likehim, knowing the end result of his career?
Forced into retirement, worse than he had ever been when he started?
Tron Biceps, Torn Triceps, Ruptured Thigh, Shoulder Injuries not to mention the loss of midsection.
He can keep the Sandows.......

Even though you have totally disrepected me, I have to say...You were always one of my favorite bodybuilders. Maybe thats why i wanted your respect.

peace

[Dingleberry]

Sure he did, would you wanna look likehim, knowing the end result of his career?
Forced into retirement, worse than he had ever been when he started?
Tron Biceps, Torn Triceps, Ruptured Thigh, Shoulder Injuries not to mention the loss of midsection.
He can keep the Sandows.......

Come on, like you wouldn't take his victories in exchange for some for a few injuries. No disrespect, but I have a hard time believing your statement is genuine.

[sculpture]

Yeah so do i. Thats utter bollocks. You wouldnt take the six sandows knowing injuries and a declining physique would force you out the game (still a winner though)

[240 is Back]

Sure he did, would you wanna look likehim, knowing the end result of his career?
Forced into retirement, worse than he had ever been when he started?
Tron Biceps, Torn Triceps, Ruptured Thigh, Shoulder Injuries not to mention the loss of midsection.
He can keep the Sandows.......