Blade Runner: If you can get your hands on a copy, try and read “Arnold: An unauthorized biography”. While the book is biased against Arnold, it provides a nice contrast to the bs that he puts out about himself.
As for a knee injury preventing him from having legs like Platz, give me a break. Arnold busted his ass and achieved what he did. Just as Platz could never have Arnold’s arms, Arnold could never hope to have Platz’s legs. It’s just a matter of genetics.
Don’t think I’m anti Arnold here. I just get tired of seeing reality blured by PR and marketing. Arnold was great in his day, but let’s not deify the man.
Sergio definitely was never “blocky.” He is legendary for his V taper and overall shape. The guy had one of the most dramatic waist to chest ratios in bodybuilding history. As for height, I believe he’s around 5’9". Perhaps, you should actually see a picture of Sergio in his prime before you make such statements. Again, I really am not trying to state who’s “the best ever” here. That’s a matter of personal taste.
No one will ever top the Classic Blond Bomber Dave Draper. Its a shame he just didnt like the BS and dropped out of competing. At 58 he still looks better than 95% of those you see running around.
I personally don’t rate Arnold at all, no in the top 10, not in the top 50.Whats with all the obsession over him.
I get sick of every time people talk about your being a bodybuilder, Arnold gets mentioned. I don’t want o look like him, I want big legs and shoulders.
He was top twenty years ago ans since then tons of better physiques have walked the planet.
Sure he’s famous, and made a name for the sport, but what about the lack of legs, his delts and triceps wre lacking too. Sure he may have had good biceps and chest, hell most bodybuilders do, but as to symetery, as in everything being equally overdeveloped, he lacked it.
Just my opinion
Like most everyone says, it’s a matter of taste. I think Arnold is the best for what he has done, not for what he looks like. I have a powerlifter type of build so my personal role model is Nasser El Sonbaty. I also feel the same way he does/did. (this is gonna cost me but…) I hate the look of pro bodybuilders, the veiny look is plain nasty. Sonbaty is perfect, I’d like to look like him when he’s in the off-season. It’s also kinda ironic that any girl I ask, they hate that look too. Most girls prefer a Brad Pitt type of body but even the ones who go for muscleheads like me can’t stand the 3% bf shreaded look.
I liked Zane. Kinda like a buff version of Michaelangelo’s David.
I read an article back in the early '80’s in which somebody commented how Zane had aesthetics over size, how nice Zane’s symmetry and lines were, and that Zane’s arms couldn’t have been much over 17 inches. That pretty well captured my take: not huge but quite aesthetic. Probably still too much for nonbodybuilder enthusiasts, though.
I find it interesting how people on this forum talk about today’s bodybuilders the same way bodybuilding’s nonenthusiasts talked about Arnold and co. back in the '70’s and early '80’s! “Ewwwww, grosss; too much!”
BigD - You hit the nail on the head. Most women think the super ripped, veiny look is just plain nasty (yes of course there are SOME women who like it, but then again, thre are women who like skinny little guys too…yuk). Don’t get me wrong, I like my guys big; but veins and striations you can put your entire hand in are not at all attractive.
Get big, get balanced (NO chicken legs!) and get lean…and save yourself the trouble of getting paper thin, most of us don’t like that anyway.