The unlikely guts.

[Matt C]

What we have to say here on getbig does affect the judging.

Can we shut up about Ronnie's gut now?  I assure you ANY pro can be caught in an unfavourable pose.  Yes, I can bust out gut pictures of Darrem Charles too.







Last but certainly not least, Mr. Vacuum himself, Tony Pearson:



Some here seem to think Ronnie shouldn't win because he isn't at HIS best.  That's silly.  As long as he is better than everyone else on the day of the contest, he should win - and he is.  Sure he has a gut - but so does everyone else.

[finurface]

photoshop everywhere in the pictures....

[SWOLETRAIN]

here ya go

[Max_Rep]

Can we shut up about Ronnie's gut now?  I assure you ANY pro can be caught in an unfavourable pose. 

Some here seem to think Ronnie shouldn't win because he isn't at HIS best.  That's silly. As long as he is better than everyone else on the day of the contest, he should win - and he is.  Sure he has a gut - but so does everyone else.

He deserved/s to be Mr. Olympia based on today's judging standards. But is his physique representative of being the best bodybuilder ever?

Based on the sheer number of wins... one would have to be an idiot not to acknowledge RC's success.

The question becomes.. Does his physique represent or command the respect of what bodybuilders (armchair bodybuilders, recreational bodybuilders, competing armature and professional bodybuilders) consider the ideal physique (I'm not including what the public thinks because we all know that would be even a different standard)?

I think given the fact that the question is raised so often... NO it does not represent what we consider the ideal.  

[Matt C]

I think given the fact that the question is raised so often... NO it does not represent what we consider the ideal.

What does and why?

[Max_Rep]

What does and why?

I think if you ask 10 bodybuilders, you'll get 10 different answers. MY preference is guys like Flex Wheeler (1993), Levrone at his best, Shawn Ray, Bob Paris, Rory Leidelmeyer, Serge Nubret, Danny Padilla (with his 1981 O condition or 1990 NOC condition), Samir Bannout, Aaron Baker, Vince Taylor and Lee Labrada. Again I realize that what I personally consider ideal isn't going to win a contest today.

There are guys around today who I think are great (David Henry, Jo Jo, Melvin Anthony Phil Heath, Richard Jones), but to win they'd probably have to destroy their aesthetics which to me is the result of the "standards" the judges are looking for. They don’t have that awe and shock appeal that RC or JC do. In my opinion the standards are wrong.

But opinions are like assh*les… everyone has one, no one wants mine.     

[GoneAway]

There are guys around today who I think are great (David Henry, Jo Jo, Melvin Anthony Phil Heath, Richard Jones), but to win they'd probably have to destroy their aesthetics which to me is the result of the "standards" the judges are looking for. They don’t have that awe and shock appeal that RC or JC do. In my opinion the standards are wrong.

But opinions are like assh*les… everyone has one, no one wants mine.     

Aesthetics mean very little nowadays. In the 70's, you could only get your body so big and ripped that they had to stay in the "aesthetical" range due to lack of knowledge in alot of areas and drugs/supplements/equipment that are around today. Thesedays, guys can get as big as Coleman and still be ripped to shreds when they flex. That shows we've moved on from the 70's and also shows that it may never have been about the aesthetical appeal. It may have and may only ever be about getting the biggest you can get whilst being ripped to shreds. That's what Ronnie Coleman represents, and that's why he's Mr. Olympia. Plus, he encompasses proportion, mass and symmetry, which (I hear) are very important in winning shows! He is the total package.

[Hulkster]

Ronnie circa 1999 represents pretty much the ideal combo of size, width (lacking in many people) taper and detail.








his worst pose still looked pretty good

[buffbong]

it just seemed like bodybuilders of 80s-90s they all looked diffrent now it seemed like they all look similar.   and to the guys int he 70s not being as big of course technolgy helped but i dont think guys used to stay on all year like they do now.

[body88]

comparing flex wheeler having his arms pulled clear behind his back (while seated) is the same as Ronnie changing poses? Lol you Coleman fans will go to any length to justify Ronnie's gut! The guy has a giant gut!!! Just accept it.


Vic has had a gut for awhile now. Posting pics of other guys with guts to show people can be caught in an unfavorable pose is funny. They are just other guys with guts caught letting them go!

[BEAST 8692]

thing is, they all look freaky.

what the hell makes flex or levrone more aesthetic than ronnie? i don't see it.

ronnie has all the attributes mentioned my hulkster and he has more of them than the other guys, so it follows that he wins - simple.

if you want to talk about beauty or whatever, well, 90% of the public think ALL of them look ridiculous or gross.

if i was a 'bodybuilder' (my interest lays in another sport/art) i would want to look like ronnie. hell yeah, why f**k around.

definitely wouldn't want to walk around at 350pounds, eating non-stop, taking all the shit and barely able to breathe though.

[Slick Vic]

Matt C, I'd like to see this Darrem 'gut pic' if you can post it.

[Dball]

i think flex was about the best there ever will be, but 99 coleman was just unbeatable.

[bRIZZAd]

Jay's supposed 'best' appearance... 2001.  Like Matt says, everyone's got 'em... even the 'runner up' of most recent years!