When did pros adopt the common "bulking/cutting" protocol?

[teezhay]

I just realized today I never see old pictures of Arnold or any of his peers in the off-season carrying around 30-50lbs of extra lard around their bellies. They're always looking lean, all the time.

Two possible reasons I've considered:

1. The modern methodology of bulking during the offseason, then rapidly cutting all the fat in the weeks prior to the "big contest" just wasn't prevalent in the Golden Age of bodybuilding.
2. Arnold did bulk and cut like today's bodybuilders, but the sport just wasn't publicized to the extent that it is today, so the cameras weren't following him around in the dead of winter as they do today with guys who have major endorsement deals, YouTube channels, etc. As such, Arnold was a little chubby in the off-season but we just never saw it.

Which of these is more true to reality? Or is there a third possibility of which I haven't thought? When was this method introduced to the sport, anyway?

 

[Calves of Steel]

Most of them never ever go above 6-7% bodyfat unless they're doing some kind of transformation picture shit, or are taking a break. Off season, more water retention, muscle fascia stretching, not as pretty to look at but better for growth. In season, grow into stretched out fascia. Or some will grow into a show. Go easier in the off season, then push harder a show. They stay on and change compounds, taking time off is rare. Bulk and cut are more so about water than fat. Getting fat decreases insulin sensitivity and is never helpful.

 

[tallguy34]

Sergio and Frank have said they never did a bulk and then cut. They also never did cardio. They ate lean ALL the time and trained right. Arnold's philosophy was different, he said it doesn't matter what you eat as long as its a lot. He still ate really healthy though, he does admit pancakes were his downfall. He could never give those up. That's why you never see pics of the legends doing any cardio.

So, the answer to your question is no. Bulk and then cut was not started in the Golden Age.

Also, Zane was recently featured in a magazine (can't remember which one) where he was asked a number of different questions. One of them was how did he like the progression of bodybuilding today? His answer... He hates it! He said there is no beauty in it, no symmetry. He said now its all about being the biggest and looking like a freak. When he was competing it was about who had the best overall body. Who's symmetry was better, it wasn't necessarily about being the biggest or most cut.

I'm paraphrasing here a little, but that's the gist of it.

 

[teezhay]

Sergio and Frank have said they never did a bulk and then cut. They also never did cardio. They ate lean ALL the time and trained right. Arnold's philosophy was different, he said it doesn't matter what you eat as long as its a lot. He still ate really healthy though, he does admit pancakes were his downfall. He could never give those up. That's why you never see pics of the legends doing any cardio.

Can you elaborate on this? I don't see the correlation between "eat whatever you eat so long as it's a lot" and never doing cardio. I would think that mentality would require increased cardio, if anything.

 

[tallguy34]

Wish I could. Like I said, that was Arnold's philosophy, the man is a genetic freak! Lol. I will try and find the article I read that in.

 

[MattPorter]

Alot of them ONLY USED STEROIDS while in pre-competition mode and remained 'clean' in the off-season -- often times dropping down in weight and NOT over eating --- only to 'explode' into growth and fat loss mode once introducing the anabolic compounds.....

-Matt

 

[juggernaut]

.

Also, Zane was recently featured in a magazine (can't remember which one) where he was asked a number of different questions. One of them was how did he like the progression of bodybuilding today? His answer... He hates it! He said there is no beauty in it, no symmetry. He said now its all about being the biggest and looking like a freak. When he was competing it was about who had the best overall body. Who's symmetry was better, it wasn't necessarily about being the biggest or most cut.

I'm paraphrasing here a little, but that's the gist of it.

Not to highjack the thread, but yes, this is absolute truth. Call me a throwback to the 70s and 80s, but the bodybuilder physique (Coleman and Cutler) look like shit and there really is no beauty to it. I just entered the heavyweight open in a recent NPC show. I stand at 6'1" and weighed on my show day 217lbs. I could be bigger, no doubt, but I really believe there needs to be symmetry. I'll never be the biggest, as I believe exactly what Zane said. My shoulders were 48", my waist, 29. I was told backstage, talking to the judges that they liked me physique, but it needs to be grown into. They said I looked classic and that they want to start judging more of those types of physiques. That being said, the guy next to me was 5'4", and maxed the open at 225lbs. Not taking anything away from him, but there's no fairness in that kind of GH freak. His gut was disgusting. He did place in the top 3, but the judges said they want to see more of my physique. I was and still am confused about that.

Regardless, I do recall a story-don't know if it was true or not, but Vince Gironda called Arnold a fat fuck when he introduced himself to Vince at his gym and announced that he was the Mr. Universe. So, I'm assuming there was some sort of bulk/cut mentality going on.

 

[Standard Donkey]

Alot of them ONLY USED STEROIDS while in pre-competition mode and remained 'clean' in the off-season -- often times dropping down in weight and NOT over eating --- only to 'explode' into growth and fat loss mode once introducing the anabolic compounds.....

-Matt

lol people actually believe this?

 

[teezhay]

Alot of them ONLY USED STEROIDS while in pre-competition mode and remained 'clean' in the off-season -- often times dropping down in weight and NOT over eating --- only to 'explode' into growth and fat loss mode once introducing the anabolic compounds.....

-Matt

Makes sense. We all have different ideas of what the sport of bodybuilding should be about, but in my opinion, Mr. Olympia should have a profound element of visual arts. I think about how the final production and distribution for the film Pumping Iron was financed; the bodybuilders featured in the movie participated in an exhibit at the Whitney Museum of American Arts in New York, displaying their physiques in an upscale arrangement for high-paying guests. That just wouldn't happen today with our top guys (Kai Greene excluded, as he is a very talented performance artist), because the sport just doesn't possess that same type of beauty.

Kevin Levrone was as close to an exception as any other recent guy has been.

 

[SFW]

show me one picture of arnold blubbed during the offseason. He was a very social guy and someone, somewhere, would of snapped a picture of him.

They bulked but not like today with GH and slin. And i doubt they had access to t3 and clen like today to shed the blub. Maybe im wrong about that....But ive never seen a blubbed pic of arnold.

 

[Digitalash]

They had to have bulked but I'm assuming it wasn't to the ridiculous extent of today, with slin etc. I'm sure they reached the low single digits all the time in offseason but you certainly wouldn't call them fat If you saw em

 

[Digitalash]

Woops I mean low double digits, I'm sure they could add quality mass over time without going much beyond 12-13%. Also I realllly doubt they only used precontest I'm sure it was just not talked about much then and less acceptable to be on year round

 

[oufinny]

lol people actually believe this?

I have read this in many publications and interviews.

 

[malfeasance]

I stand at 6'1" and weighed on my show day 217lbs. . . . I was told backstage, talking to the judges that they liked me physique, but it needs to be grown into. They said I looked classic and that they want to start judging more of those types of physiques.

Then the solution is to start rewarding those types of physiques. Basically the message they were sending you is, if you want to win, you better up your dosages. That sucks.

 

[Standard Donkey]

I have read this in many publications and interviews.

it's complete bs.. and guess what folks? arnold wasnt a genetic freak.. u all mad? guy was on juice since he was a kid. U guys think that he took time off the juice when he was in his early teens?

i read in tons of magazines and articles that jay cutler only takes muscletech supplements..

 

[SFW]

Well, genetics + gear.

Saying arnold wasnt a genetic mutant is just ignorant.

Lot of guys used gears since their teens...and a lot of guys didnt win olympia 7 times.

 

[Standard Donkey]

Well, genetics + gear.

Saying arnold wasnt a genetic mutant is just ignorant.

Lot of guys used gears since their teens...and a lot of guys didnt win olympia 7 times.

that's cause they weren't weider's favorite.. serge nubret looked better than arnold, the same way padilla looked better than columbo in 1980 (i think it was?)

 

[MattPorter]

lol people actually believe this?

Yea I believe it when you see them down sized and looking like normal people clothes....only to put back on the 25-30 lbs in 16 weeks...

-Matt

 

[Standard Donkey]

Yea I believe it when you see them down sized and looking like normal people clothes....only to put back on the 25-30 lbs in 16 weeks...

-Matt

what do u mean by this?

 

[MattPorter]

what do u mean by this?

You havent seen pictures of ironagers in 'offseason' down sized and looking like regular people in clothes? Arnold has had this look more than a few times during his Olympia reign.

Now I am sure some people back then still cycled in off-season but I would bet that they CYCLED and not just stayed on continuously like now a days....

-Matt

 

[jimm]

for them back in the golden era (arnies days) it was a lifestyle today its a job there in it for the money.

 

[Standard Donkey]

You havent seen pictures of ironagers in 'offseason' down sized and looking like regular people in clothes? Arnold has had this look more than a few times during his Olympia reign.

Now I am sure some people back then still cycled in off-season but I would bet that they CYCLED and not just stayed on continuously like now a days....

-Matt

that's possible, still goes against the (for some reason) commonly accepted idea that they only used gear to cut.. which is complete bs.

back then, im sure they had very little understanding of steroids and the HPTA, as a result.. i wouldnt be surprised if they stayed on all year round.

the pros today just use much higher doses all year round + hgh + insulin + massive amounts of food and more enlightened training techniques

 

[dirtbiker666]

that's possible, still goes against the (for some reason) commonly accepted idea that they only used gear to cut.. which is complete bs.

back then, im sure they had very little understanding of steroids and the HPTA, as a result.. i wouldnt be surprised if they stayed on all year round.

the pros today just use much higher doses all year round + hgh + insulin + massive amounts of food and more enlightened training techniques

Gear was legal too ....

 

[Standard Donkey]

Gear was legal too ....

exactly.. so when you think about it, there is no real logical reason why they would only use steroids to cut..

it just doesnt add up

as for bodybuilders these days, it seems that they have adopted a far more conservative method of "bulking up", gaining much less far.

 

[SFW]

Was PCT a concept at all back then? if they cycled off, I wonder how they kept their mass without getting their hpta up and running again. So my guess is they stayed on perma cycles...much the way BBrs do today, Blast and cruise style.

Also, Were AI's even used on cycle back then? How did they say so dry on dbol/test?

Ive never seen one old school BBr with gyno. or even bloated for that matter. Which makes me believe that maybe they used very minimal amounts of gear. Or gears that didnt convert to estro. But who knows. Maybe they had their mammary glands removed. Or maybe they did get bloated...and maybe they did get small when they cycled off without PCT. But we just dont know because the pics were never taken.

Then again, why the fuck do i even care? Im leaving this thread now!

 

[Digitalash]

I refuse to believe they didn't use gear to bulk, also ive heard some of them did end up getting Gyno surgery due to lack of ai use etc. say what you want until there's proof I'd guess they were all on something year round or at least close to, doses were probably a lot more mild but I doubt they would even see a reason to cycle off especially of they were trying to stay competitive in the sport

 

[Vibrant]

Was PCT a concept at all back then? if they cycled off, I wonder how they kept their mass without getting their hpta up and running again. So my guess is they stayed on perma cycles...much the way BBrs do today, Blast and cruise style.

Also, Were AI's even used on cycle back then? How did they say so dry on dbol/test?

Ive never seen one old school BBr with gyno. or even bloated for that matter. Which makes me believe that maybe they used very minimal amounts of gear. Or gears that didnt convert to estro. But who knows. Maybe they had their mammary glands removed. Or maybe they did get bloated...and maybe they did get small when they cycled off without PCT. But we just dont know because the pics were never taken.

Then again, why the fuck do i even care? Im leaving this thread now!

You bring up an interesting that always puzzled me whenever I thought about.

Did they get gyno surgery? Never really heard any of them speak too much about it.

If they didn't get surgery, then how did they handle estro?

The one time I got completely bunk ai (thanks tt), I got some gyno. I wasn't even on a lot of gear, some test and a very low dose of dbol.


I recall reading somewhere (don't remember where) Arnold saying that he always had a box of mints on him but instead of mints, he had dbols in there and he would Pop em through out the day, and he did this all the time.

 

[Calves of Steel]

I think it's hilarious that people think the most massive and most competitive bodybuilders from any particular era used moderation. Moderation and world-class competition don't belong in the same thread.

 

[supaman23]

I think it's hilarious that people think the most massive and most competitive bodybuilders from any particular era used moderation. Moderation and world-class competition don't belong in the same thread.

Couldn't agree more

 

[dirtbiker666]

Was PCT a concept at all back then? if they cycled off, I wonder how they kept their mass without getting their hpta up and running again. So my guess is they stayed on perma cycles...much the way BBrs do today, Blast and cruise style.

Also, Were AI's even used on cycle back then? How did they say so dry on dbol/test?

Ive never seen one old school BBr with gyno. or even bloated for that matter. Which makes me believe that maybe they used very minimal amounts of gear. Or gears that didnt convert to estro. But who knows. Maybe they had their mammary glands removed. Or maybe they did get bloated...and maybe they did get small when they cycled off without PCT. But we just dont know because the pics were never taken.

Then again, why the fuck do i even care? Im leaving this thread now!

I think they ate really clean and did a lot more cardio then people think. If you watch old videos they actually trained hard really hard. I think they trained harder then a lot of pros today even.