Even though it’s been almost six months since Arnold made comments about the unappealing direction modern bodybuilding has taken, his words still echo throughout the bodybuilding communities with divided opinions. Arnold criticized competitors for their swollen bellies and judges for picking the winners with “the biggest muscles” without taking into consideration the full aesthetic. He said that the winner should be someone with a body that all men want to have. Most bodybuilding fans agree with these issues in modern bodybuilding. And while the subject has been up for discussion for years now, it never got much attention until someone of Arnold’s magnitude and credibility pointed it out.
Arnold put blame on judges and those in charge of them. Even though I rarely agree with the judges’decisions at pro shows, the issue is more complex than what Arnold makes it sound. It’s a combination of many factors, including the natural evolution ofevery sport, the human desire to progress, bodybuildng magazines putting muscle monsters on the cover, and supplement companies endorsing the biggest guys. We can’t point fingers to just one person or hing in particular.
The progress of modern bodybuilding has also brought about a lot of great things. The sport has reached record-breaking heights with so many practitioners and fans worldwide. There are now expos and competitions everywhere, and we see more and more and more well-built bodies being accepted in mainstream media.
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“The change has already happened, and it’s called Men’s Physique!
Now, please, put the Men’s Physique competition on the main stage at the
Arnold Classic in Columbus instead of including it as an expo sideshow.”
Another great thing that has happened to bodybuilding is Men’s Physique. I salute the NPC for creating this division, as it brings the aesthetic and appealing look back to the stage. Highlighting this category is easier than trying to change and regress bodybuilding the way it is now. Men’s Physique guys have established themselves in such a short time as superstars of the sport. Small waist, broad shoulders, and great marketing skills have drawn thousands of fans to them. Nowadays, expo lines for physique guys are longer than for pro bodybuilders. Hopefully this will be a wake-up call for pro bodybuilders and they will go
where the market is. This will also make the job for the judges easier. If 15 out of 20 competitors on the lineup show up looking aesthetic and appealing, the winner will be out of those 15. It’s the basics of the supply-and-demand economics. And as fans, magazines, and supplement companies demand more of this look, it will continue to grow and become even more popular.
I have some words for Arnold: The change has already happened, and it’s called Men’s Physique! Now, please, put the Men’s Physique competition on the main stage at the Arnold Classic in Columbus instead of including it as an expo sideshow. If you really want to be a part of this change, you will highlight this division. You called out the fitness magazines to do our job—and Iron Man is doing it, just take look at our cover—now it is time to do yours.
-Binais
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