Why old school bodybuilders had nicer physiques than today

[polychronopolous]

You really are an ignorant fucker... There were guys abusing INSANE amounts of gear in the 70's and 80's - hell I trained with guys in the 90's that were big time pros from the 80's and a few couldn't believe I used so little.. I just am fortunate to not need much.. Admittedly back then I had a "job" that was not conducive to being extremely large by bodybuilding standards..  You fools would be "queerly appalled" by the things that are actually encouraged of our operators..  Lol - I guess I come to this place to remind me how fucked up so many of the weak are...

Hey trainer, how ya been?

[kepler2008]

" Most were only weeks away from being contest ready year round "

I would say 3 months away (-).

One thing people don't realize is the 60'-70' bodybuilders didn't train year round. Three months before a contest they trained very regularly, 6 times per week for some, 2 or 3 hours each session. Here in Europe the right drugs combinaison was (Dianabol + Primo). You could find this quality medical combo in every pharmacy. And you were  legally allowed to buy and use them with a prescription. With training and diet, you could gain quality weight and strength very quickly.
The rest of the year, bodybuilders didn't train at all. Some were training but just 2 or 3 times per week, 20 to 40' each session. They didn't take drugs. And they were losing body weight.

In the 80', HGH has been added to the arsenal. This drug marked the beginning of the end.


 

[njflex]

" Most were only weeks away from being contest ready year round "

I would say 3 months away (-).

One thing people don't realize is the 60'-70' bodybuilders didn't train year round. Three months before a contest they trained very regularly, 6 times per week for some, 2 or 3 hours each session. Here in Europe the right drugs combinaison was (Dianabol + Primo). You could find this quality medical combo in every pharmacy. And you were  legally allowed to buy and use them with a prescription. With training and diet, you could gain quality weight and strength very quickly.
The rest of the year, bodybuilders didn't train at all. Some were training but just 2 or 3 times per week, 20 to 40' each session. They didn't take drugs. And they were losing body weight.

In the 80', HGH has been added to the arsenal. This drug marked the beginning of the end.


 

plus true offseasons gain size/rip it back ,grand prix tours,more prize money/more shows.more reasons to stay on...

[Grape Ape]

Likely just insulin.

Oh, and synthol.

Oh, and mega calories.

Oh, and all the other extreme shit they're putting in their bodies.

Oh, and who cares.

[njflex]

Likely just insulin.

Oh, and synthol.

Oh, and mega calories.

Oh, and all the other extreme shit they're putting in their bodies.

Oh, and who cares.

there are a few guys today who are impressive and with all the above u mentioned still look pretty good for todays standard,but I would still one to look frank zane or close to it more than anything,,,,

[Cableguy]

I think when you look at a Reg Park MR Britain 1949 as far as i know his first win (correct me if i´m wrong Local Hero) then he had very dense muscle and with very basic but hard training. I do think though that some exercises like press behind the neck do cause harm for some. depends as Gironda put it.. "one mans meat is another mans poison"

Used to love behind the neck presses. They were very effective for building muscle, but I have no doubt they played an instrumental role in fucking up my rotators. For people that can do them, more power to them!

[Rambone]

Nah, it's the reliance on drugs, not the exercises. Back in the day, it took superior genetics to be a champion. Nowadays, guys with average genetics simply use more drugs to combat their average joe genes because they believe they can still be a champ. It's delusion at its finest.

[Cableguy]

I believe the bottom line is that these guys are lazy and are not interested in building a golden age physique, they just want to be the biggest meatball there is, no matter the cost to their life or organs. Which can be classified as mental illness. It is no longer an art form but a freak show.

Great post, but I would have used a shot of Branch for comparison instead of Ramy. Ramy is one of the only pros today that combines freaky size with a small waist and good aesthetics. I know he'll probably fuck it up, but if he just hones his physique and stops trying to put on more size, he could be one of the greats. Like I said though, he'll most likely fuck it up.

[Cableguy]

I can't see the relevance to jason huh, one of the best builds around today. Huge, tiny waist, no lagging parts. He knows what works for him so he does it. Its bodybuilding not "perfect form full reps building".

Actually, Huh looks great in this shot. Legs are a bit overpowering, but his overall aesthetics are very good.

[DanM]

I agree with the statements being made that as a whole, bodybuilders seem much lazier in their training these days then in years past. Jason Huh in that video looks like he would be better suited at a barbecue with a cold one in his hand rather than being at a gym. No intensity whatsoever.

[mazfit]

I agree with the statements being made that as a whole, bodybuilders seem much lazier in their training these days then in years past. Jason Huh in that video looks like he would be better suited at a barbecue with a cold one in his hand rather than being at a gym. No intensity whatsoever.

less to do with types of training more to do with

mega dosign hgh and slin

[Palpatine Q]

Back in the 60's-80's it was fine to do exercises like behind the neck shoulder presses, upright rows, squats, deadlifts, bent over rows, flat and incline barbell bench and behind the neck pullddowns.

In the 90's the lazy mentality came out and called all of these exercises as dangerous and lifters stopped doing them.  They resorted to ideas of just dumbell presses, leg press machines, row machines and hammer strength equipment.  The guys in the old days had what seemed to be very dense muslcular phyisques where today they look more blown up than chiselled.  Guys like Coleman and Dorian were a hybrid of the old school training vs. New School so they had that solid dense look but also that blown up look mixed in.  Then guys like Flex, Jay, Heath etc... have that blown up smooth muscle look and not that dense striated look.

Sure you can blame insulin and GH but today's lazy lifters have forgotten about the exercies that would make them solid and not bloofy fucks.

it's purely the drugs.

your body doesn't know the difference between a round plate with a hole in in it, or a square plate attached to a cable. 80 pounds is 80 pounds

[Svengoolie]

I'm still new to this part, but are people not using Dianabol and Primo anymore? At least it seems when I read about stacks and such I never see them mentioned.

[oldtimer1]

Used to love behind the neck presses. They were very effective for building muscle, but I have no doubt they played an instrumental role in fucking up my rotators. For people that can do them, more power to them!

Sometimes I wonder if the bench press by it's inherent limited range of motion that it makes everyone's shoulders so inflexible that the behind the neck press causes tears. I used the behind the neck press for decades and never had a shoulder issue. When I turned 55 I started having severe shoulder problems. I did all the various rotator cuff exercises and they helped. What really helped is when I started using various shoulder/pec flexibility exercises. Suddenly I could use presses behind my neck all the way to the traps and back again. I think at least for me is that tight shoulders/pecs that the bench causes for everyone would cause tears when an exercise like press behind the neck was used because you need flexibility to do he movement.

 I'm no doctor and listen to your own. In the history of bodybuilding the bench press is a relatively new exercise. Maybe 80 years?  Sometime I believe there would a lot more healthy shoulders and rotator cuffs if the main pec exercise was push ups. Probably a lot more ripped and better shaped pecs too.

[ritch]

I'm still new to this part, but are people not using Dianabol and Primo anymore? At least it seems when I read about stacks and such I never see them mentioned.

people not using dbal???

LOL! Tonnes of threads with guys asking if it's a good first cycle to which they never listen to the advice of not doing it, lol...

[Svengoolie]

Guess I haven't noticed. I usually see Tren, Test, or even HGH questions. I'm a schmoe I mean fan of the old school 70s physiques so that's what I always try to shoot for.

[Jizmo]

Guess I haven't noticed. I usually see Tren, Test, or even HGH questions. I'm a schmoe I mean fan of the old school 70s physiques so that's what I always try to shoot for.

thats because you dont need to ask questions about dbol. you just eat 10 tabs of it a day and be done. 
dbol is probably the most widespread AAS ever with test...

[Ronnie Rep]

Bam

[Donny]

Sometimes I wonder if the bench press by it's inherent limited range of motion that it makes everyone's shoulders so inflexible that the behind the neck press causes tears. I used the behind the neck press for decades and never had a shoulder issue. When I turned 55 I started having severe shoulder problems. I did all the various rotator cuff exercises and they helped. What really helped is when I started using various shoulder/pec flexibility exercises. Suddenly I could use presses behind my neck all the way to the traps and back again. I think at least for me is that tight shoulders/pecs that the bench causes for everyone would cause tears when an exercise like press behind the neck was used because you need flexibility to do he movement.

 I'm no doctor and listen to your own. In the history of bodybuilding the bench press is a relatively new exercise. Maybe 80 years?  Sometime I believe there would a lot more healthy shoulders and rotator cuffs if the main pec exercise was push ups. Probably a lot more ripped and better shaped pecs too.

Good post Rich. still think Decline Bench and Dips are better than Flat bench. press behind neck is an exercise i have never liked. push ups are great and under rated. As you have wrote before Rich most do partial reps on benches with way too heavy weight. partial reps have their place in training when you are advanced but not in the beginning.

[old-school-lifter]

whats even worse is that he is out of breath lol

you have to give Huh credit
look @ the size of his cranios