Was Zane as perfect as we're told he was?

[galain]

We're often told that Frank Zane had a flawless physique. He was lean, symmetrical...but was he flawless?

In his time, I think Robinson was just as aesthetic. Serge Nubret was a bit earlier but to me he had a better build.

Later guys like Paris, Labrada...they're who I think of when hear terms like balance and symmetry.

I'd even say Danny Padilla was a better bodybuilder.

I don't mean to disrespect Zane at all, but in terms of his perfect physique, was it just that there weren't that many other people who looked like that back in his day that made him stand out?

Here he is. He looks great, but, I can't put my finger on what it is that doesn't 'work' in terms of his build. Is this flawless?

[Rambone]

Not enough mass for me (nh). If we’re going the aesthetics route, I prefer the thickness (nh) of say a Samir Bannout

[Necrosis]

the glans of his penis looks atrophied

[BB]

the glans of his penis looks atrophied

The man gave his urethra for the sport, show some respect.

[joswift]

Deck chair circumcisions were popular in the early 80s

[wes]

We're often told that Frank Zane had a flawless physique. He was lean, symmetrical...but was he flawless?

In his time, I think Robinson was just as aesthetic. Serge Nubret was a bit earlier but to me he had a better build.

Later guys like Paris, Labrada...they're who I think of when hear terms like balance and symmetry.

I'd even say Danny Padilla was a better bodybuilder.

I don't mean to disrespect Zane at all, but in terms of his perfect physique, was it just that there weren't that many other people who looked like that back in his day that made him stand out?

Here he is. He looks great, but, I can't put my finger on what it is that doesn't 'work' in terms of his build. Is this flawless?

Zane won 3 Olympias....... the others you`re mentioning in your post won a combined total of ZERO.

It`s a very subjective sport, plus Weider was as crooked as my hunchback brother.

[robcguns]

Yes he was. Guy looks amazing there. I would give up the size game if I could look close to that.

[AbrahamG]

Yes he was. Guy looks amazing there. I would give up the size game if I could look close to that.

I don't think you'd like being left off #TeamHorseCock

[powerbar]

He was very overrated where his structure was concerned.  He did get in shape for the era he competed.

[wes]

[wes]

[Donny]

What I've always liked about him was he did his own thing ..I think he realised early on that he couldn't be as big as say Arnold..etc so he worked hard to look much leaner & sculpted which was his strong point

[Van_Bilderass]

What I've always liked about him was he did his own thing ..I think he realised early on that he couldn't be as big as say Arnold..etc so he worked hard to look much leaner & sculpted which was his strong point

Not trying to be contrarian for the sake of it but "much leaner" than who? And what does "sculpted" mean You often hear things like Zane worked to be as symmetrical as possible instead of as big as possible. Nah that was just his genetics. The body almost develops as it wants to develop, there is much less control than believed. JMHO

No he couldn't be as big as Arnold but he tried to get as big as possible, like they all did.

[Brenda Steunbeer]

Imo prime Zane, Robinson and Nubret were of the same quality level. Padilla at his top was excellent but too short. Zane also was an excellent poser, handsome looks, and was marketable.
Robby was a troublemaker. That did not help his career.
If I recall correctly Nubret lived and trained outside of the USA? Living and training close to the bodybuilding media, judges, best gyms etc has advantages.

The magazines at the time and Weider had to sell, and attract advertisers and make profit.

[Van_Bilderass]

Robby was a troublemaker. That did not help his career.
If I recall correctly Nubret lived and trained outside of the USA? Living and training close to the bodybuilding media, judges, best gyms etc has advantages.

I don't know if you were here when Serge died or into bb then but rumors out of France were that Serge died from insulin OD. Before he died one Euro seminar promoter took to Facebook and said Serge demanded he would be supplied with drugs in every country he held a seminar in. There had been a falling out between the promoter and Serge. And he was real old by then. For those that like drug gossip, Milos told of a pre-comp method Serge he learned from Serge. Three weeks out one amp of Winstrol (50mg) a day, 2 a day 2nd week and 3 a day last week. Nothing crazy but I like these little anecdotes.

[Donny]

Not trying to be contrarian for the sake of it but "much leaner" than who? And what does "sculpted" mean You often hear things like Zane worked to be as symmetrical as possible instead of as big as possible. Nah that was just his genetics. The body almost develops as it wants to develop, there is much less control than believed. JMHO

No he couldn't be as big as Arnold but he tried to get as big as possible, like they all did.

It´s OK ..your opinions but i do believe he was very intelligent & knew what he was doing
He mentioned Steve Reeves & Reeves was another Bodybuilder who developed every thing in proportion, neck, Biceps, waist
Reeves in his Book mentioned his shoulder width too, so i believe Zane had his plan

[Van_Bilderass]

It´s OK ..your opinions but i do believe he was very intelligent & knew what he was doing
He mentioned Steve Reeves & Reeves was another Bodybuilder who developed every thing in proportion, neck, Biceps, waist
Reeves in his Book mentioned his shoulder width too, so i believe Zane had his plan

IMHO no bodybuilder ever really changes their proportions, for example when they try to emphasize certain muscle groups in training, which is more evidence it's mostly genetic. The guys who are somewhat unproportionate will claim that's actually the look they were going for LOL. Small bodybuilders who can't gain size will claim they don't want a lot of size, they are going for "quality" instead. And so on. Reeves was a genetic freak. Great genes for everything, great proportions and skeletal structure. Steve also believed in complete baloney such as this exercise widening his shoulders:

[Donny]

IMHO no bodybuilder ever really changes their proportions, for example when they try to emphasize certain muscle groups in training, which is more evidence it's mostly genetic. The guys who are somewhat unproportionate will claim that's actually the look they were going for LOL. Small bodybuilders who can't gain size will claim they don't want a lot of size, they are going for "quality" instead. And so on. Reeves was a genetic freak. Great genes for everything, great proportions and skeletal structure. Steve also believed in complete baloney such as this exercise widening his shoulders:

I think more Lats but in his Book "Building the Classic Physique" he mentions it was a warm up exercise with 300 Lbs while training at the York Club.
while on the subject of Delts Armand Tanny measured his shoulder width with outside calipers 23-1/2 inches (his goal was 24 , page 66 of his Book)

He also believed in no direct Oblique work or Traps, he did however get indirect work