"Arnold Sucked Ass." (Not my opinion, but an interesting discussion in the works?)

[Curt James]

"Arnold Sucked Ass." (Not my opinion, but an interesting discussion in the works?)

A comment recently posted to my training journal sparked what I hope will become a decent discussion.

Here's the comment:

I just have to say this. Arnold Sucked Ass. major ass

Initially I thought to delete that sh1t. lol As you might guess from my avatar, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Ahnuld fan. But I recognize what some might call his faults.

Instead of being abusive modjerk with a deletion I replied to the post which resulted in two responses (so far)...

Any specifics?

He was confident bordering on arrogant. He was accused of racism by Robby Robinson on at least one occasion. He was awarded the Mr. Olympia title against Sergio, who many would argue "pwn'd" Arnold. He hasn't spoken out in favor of AAS. He has asymmetrical biceps peaks.

Regardless of any of that, though, Arnold has been a great ambassador for the sport, imo.

What's your complaint with Ahnuld?

I guess it is not so much his physique or persona both of which have their flaws. It is people's blind willingness to use him as the bench mark for bodybuilding and a good physique.

If Arnie at his best was to enter a how now he would be laughed off the stage, fact.

But my main quarrel is that people adore him so much due to his enormous levels of publicity despite the fact the only thing he can add to any body's life are if you work hard you'll achieve anything (providing of course you are in with the top people).

To say he "sucked ass" is harsh! If you compare any sport now to the past, generally speaking they are greater athletes now due to what we now know about nutrition, training, better drugs etc. So of course the Arnold of the 70's would not be as effective in a comp now, however, in reality if Arnold was about now he would have access to all the info and drugs that bodybuilders like Cutler and Coleman have now and in my opinion would still be a legend.
His personalitly just adds to it to, he makes me laugh, he is a character, god forbid they all have the personality of Jay Cutler zzzzzzzz. Favourite Arnold quote (not including movies): "This guy Obama, he so skinny, he needs to do some squats" haha or words to that effect, comedy gold, i cant imagine any politician in the UK coming out with a comment like that haha.

 

[nyf1nest]

I personally think Arnold had the best looking body ( no homo ) of his time. Today their are "mass monsters" and whatnot due to more science and everything but he definitely made the sport of bodybuilding what it is today.

 

[newkid]

i think davegmb made some good points, arnold in todays competitions would have better information on drugs diet and working out just like in any other sport, to say he sucked ass is just someone mad

 

[Curt James]

"No, you know who sucked ass? Frank Sane. He beat me at dee I-Eff-Pee-Pee Mr. Uuuniferse contest in '68. I was mad as hell. Chet Yorton? He also sucked ass bick time befoah Sane! He beat me at dee NAPPA Uniferse in '66. And I'm not too crazy apout Sergio e-dah. He trounced me at dee 1969 Oleempiyah. Dose guys sucked some MAJOR ASS!"

 

[newkid]

^^^ haha thats funny.. the only thing id say about arnie is that his legs were lagging pretty bad, but everythin else is legit, i dont like the bloated guts look

 

[Curt James]

^^^^ This.

 

[D-Lats]

Any body lips Arnold I'll punch you in the scrote!!

 

[Dustdatarse]

I think arnold was bad ass...he trained like a monster, he put everything he had into his lifting, and i think that makes him admirable...imo. Like another poster said, he says some funny as shit too that makes me laugh.

 

[nyf1nest]

He also had the best biceps in the business, to this day I haven't seen someone with a more nasty peak than the oak's

 

[Dirtydave311]

ive read his book. Learned alot, he took basic workouts and tweeked them to his own likings. I use at least 2 of his style lifts in eat muscle group. He helped bring bodybuilding into the lime light, which makes him bad ass. Your friend up there saying people only like him because he is popular is bullshit, he is popular because of the things he did and what he did for bodybuilding.

 

[SFW]

Arnold had the most aesthetic, proportioned body.

any deviation from this statement is blasphemy. He was God.

 

[Work IN Progress]

I agree with SFW. He was put together great.

 

[~RaZr~]

^^^^ This.

EPIC!
I think the only other body, that I wouldn't mind having Zane's or Andres Muntzer (ripped all year long...RIP).

Politics aside, the guy IS bodybuilding or at least made it what it is today.

 

[D-Lats]

Given his genetics with the modern knowledge of steroids he would have the greatest physique the world would ever know. He was playing around with the most basic chemicals by today's standards and still achieved a physique that remains unrivaled, that combined with his work ethic and determination make him the best there ever was or will be.

 

[Little Wing]

Arnold is hotter than fire.

 

[Glycomann]

When Ferrigno made a come back he achieved monster status. I think arnold would do the same or maybe even better.

 

[D-Lats]

Nonother bodybuilder with the exception of Yates displayed such dominance Over the competition not just physically but mentally. They had one track minds that commanded respect and displayed pure dominance. He knew he would win and let everyone else Know it.

 

[carmineb]

like you all said, Arnold, for the time he was in, he was teh greatest.

I do NOT like the monster mass guys of today, I dont care if the muscles are bigger, more sriated, blah blah blah.... I think there is a point where you pass asthetics for just plain ole gross....

 

[Dustdatarse]

like you all said, Arnold, for the time he was in, he was teh greatest.

I do NOT like the monster mass guys of today, I dont care if the muscles are bigger, more sriated, blah blah blah.... I think there is a point where you pass asthetics for just plain ole gross....

i agree.

 

[chesty4]

To compare today's pros to those of yesteryear is comparing apple to oranges.

The sport of body building would not be where it is today without the physique, charisma and swagger of Arnold. Today's pro's owe their success to the ground work laid by the likes of Arnold, Zane, Sergio & Reeves.

 

[Lysphen]

I personally think Arnold had the best looking body ( no homo ) of his time. Today their are "mass monsters" and whatnot due to more science and everything but he definitely made the sport of bodybuilding what it is today.

Yeah, definitely if you look at the top of nowdays bodybuilders.
But there are also some very good physiques which do not have such mass, such as Troy Alves or Peter Molnar.

 

[Kathybird]

This actually turned into a poll? Sheesh.

Whatever anyone's opinion of Ahnuld, he had personality or charisma or something that definitely helped. The movies and accent are definitely entertaining.

 

[Life]

The guys today are just freak shows. Who can be the biggest, most dense, have the most unattainable physique. Back then it was about symmetry. Apples to oranges.

In response to trapzilla's
If Arnie at his best was to enter a how now he would be laughed off the stage, fact.

 

[~RaZr~]

In response to trapzilla's
If Arnie at his best was to enter a how now he would be laughed off the stage, fact.

So true. I think the only ones that I might consider to be somewhat aestheticaly appealing are Heath and Dugdale.

I admire the Pros. The amount of sacrifice and dedication it takes to reach their level is amazing. I just can't see carrying around the mass that say Ruhl or Rockel have

 

[trapzilla]

Time for the instigator to rear his ugly head I guess.

Any body lips Arnold I'll punch you in the scrote!!

I'll place em on the table for you.

He also had the best biceps in the business, to this day I haven't seen someone with a more nasty peak than the oak's

His biceps were asymetrical, he had one hell of a peak granted but his symmetry was still way off.

ive read his book. Learned alot, he took basic workouts and tweeked them to his own likings. I use at least 2 of his style lifts in eat muscle group. He helped bring bodybuilding into the lime light, which makes him bad ass. Your friend up there saying people only like him because he is popular is bullshit, he is popular because of the things he did and what he did for bodybuilding.

As far as bullshit goes i'll break it down for you. if any other bodybuilder had occupied the actign roles Arnie did then they too would be admired in the same way. He became the most appoved of and popular form of bodybuilding because of his acting roles. Arnie did not usher in the new age of mass monsters, there were smaller guys after him Zane, Dickerson etc. Dorian is the most responsible for a new age of bodybuilding. Arnie did not alter the physiques that followed him.

Arnold had the most aesthetic, proportioned body.

any deviation from this statement is blasphemy. He was God.

aesthetics by whose standards normal men? If i wanted normallcy I would sit in a corner shop. proportion are you all deluded in some way, His arms and chest over powered everything!! his delts and traps paled into nothingness and his legs? please they barely existed at all!

The guys today are just freak shows. Who can be the biggest, most dense, have the most unattainable physique. Back then it was about symmetry. Apples to oranges.

In response to trapzilla's
If Arnie at his best was to enter a how now he would be laughed off the stage, fact.

Freak shows are what it is all about. to show the furthest degree on cantake the human physique. again the symmetry arguement is flawed if you were all to truely look a his physique you woul see this.

 

[Life]

I never said he had a perfect physique. You're making things up to argue against. I just said he was going for symmetry. Freak shows aren't what its all about, they're what its about *NOW*

That isn't to say they will be what its about in the future.

 

[trapzilla]

I never said he had a perfect physique. You're making things up to argue against. I just said he was going for symmetry. Freak shows aren't what its all about, they're what its about *NOW*

That isn't to say they will be what its about in the future.

I never claimed that you said he had a perfect physique. I said if you looked you will see his physique is flawed the word perfect is never mentioned. I specifically refer to symmetry

 

[Kathybird]

I was a kid when Arnold was competing, but I remember my father and brother getting into the competitions. From what I remember, Arnold was considered what was aesthetically pleasing in bodybuilding at the time.

For the sake of argument, what are the standards and who determines them? Does this change over time and depending on who's judging/setting standards?

 

[Life]

I was a kid when Arnold was competing, but I remember my father and brother getting into the competitions. From what I remember, Arnold was considered what was aesthetically pleasing in bodybuilding at the time.

For the sake of argument, what are the standards and who determines them? Does this change over time and depending on who's judging/setting standards?

What are the standards for fashion? Someone looks different and sets the new standard.

 

[trapzilla]

I was a kid when Arnold was competing, but I remember my father and brother getting into the competitions. From what I remember, Arnold was considered what was aesthetically pleasing in bodybuilding at the time.

For the sake of argument, what are the standards and who determines them? Does this change over time and depending on who's judging/setting standards?

What are the standards for fashion? Someone looks different and sets the new standard.

I think in both cases it depends wether we are looking at standards from a personal perspective or a soical one.

Personal perspective is brought baout through experience and upbringing. Socially it is generally those who are in position of power in said field