favorite bodybuilder of all time

[THE GREATEST]

Arnold is the greatest, but I think Dexter is absolutely incredible

[glenihan]

just to throw this out there .. as far as i'm aware sergio oliva is the only bodybuilder to ever have a better than 2:1 chest to waist ratio 60 inch chest - 29 inch waist

i could be wrong about him being the only one but that's still unbelievably impressive

[LCSULLA]

just to throw this out there .. as far as i'm aware sergio oliva is the only bodybuilder to ever have a better than 2:1 chest to waist ratio 60 inch chest - 29 inch waist

i could be wrong about him being the only one but that's still unbelievably impressive

I don't think you are. Plus A. Jones said that Sergio had the largest arms he had ever measured...including Arnold.

[DieTrying]

I voted for Arnold b/c he was awesome and without him bodybuilding may not be what it is today.

Three other names I'll throw out that I haven't seen yet: Ferrigno, Lee Priest (great arms- altho it helps being 5'2), Mike Katz (awesome chest)

[ItriedtoripoffBobosonowIamgonehaveaniceday]

Shawn Ray....best freaking shape, symmetry, size, lines, conditioning,etc.....he had it all in the perfect proportions....today's Frank Zane with rounder muscle bellies....he is highly underrated in my opinion....I just bought a Muscle & Fitness and he is doing an ad for Vyotech and I freaked out after not having seen him in anything for like 3 years....LOVE HIS PHYSIQUE, nuff said!

[Aeternitatis]

Check my sig... gotta go with labrada. I like his philosophy and the fact that he won Olympia at like 185 or something around there. Arnold is also the man but I think that's a given.

[glenihan]

..lee labrada never won the Olympia ... came in second and third a bunch of times though

[jarhead]

just to throw this out there .. as far as i'm aware sergio oliva is the only bodybuilder to ever have a better than 2:1 chest to waist ratio 60 inch chest - 29 inch waist

i could be wrong about him being the only one but that's still unbelievably impressive

I don't know the actual dimensions, but Brian Buchanon had one of the sickest tapers of all time. Not as massive as the myth, but absolutely incredible shape.

[Aeternitatis]

..lee labrada never won the Olympia ... came in second and third a bunch of times though

Oh, still good in my opinion. I mean, 180-190 is actually attainable drug-free.

[kwyckemynd00]

just to throw this out there .. as far as i'm aware sergio oliva is the only bodybuilder to ever have a better than 2:1 chest to waist ratio 60 inch chest - 29 inch waist

i could be wrong about him being the only one but that's still unbelievably impressive

I dont' believe oliva had a 60" chest...(although his physique was very impressive, despite that). I mean, Arnold had a 58" chest and he put about every chest to shame that stood next to him. I'm sure he was close, but I do'nt think his chest measurements can measure up w/ the oaks.

[Champ]

Ed Corney- BadAss when it comes to posing.

Franco Columbo- Freakish strength with the physique to go with it.

Serge Nebret- Sick abs.

[glenihan]

I dont' believe oliva had a 60" chest...(although his physique was very impressive, despite that). I mean, Arnold had a 58" chest and he put about every chest to shame that stood next to him. I'm sure he was close, but I do'nt think his chest measurements can measure up w/ the oaks.

well i'm positive those are sergio's documented measurements .. i guess whether they are true are not is a different story, BUT sergio did peak a tad before Arnold .. and man the guy was a ****ing freak

[kwyckemynd00]

He was definately a freak, that's for damn sure.

Sometimes I wonder if 1/2 these guys measurements are true. I see some of these guys claiming to have 30" waists and such, but they're so damn thick and full of muscle, it seems impossible. (Maybe I'm just jealous )

[Grassroots082]

I dont' believe oliva had a 60" chest...(although his physique was very impressive, despite that). I mean, Arnold had a 58" chest and he put about every chest to shame that stood next to him. I'm sure he was close, but I do'nt think his chest measurements can measure up w/ the oaks.

Put Olivia to shame? Can't agree with that, but those are his correct measurements. Taken from Iron Age (click for direct link, really good read)

When Arnold caught sight of Sergio backstage at the Olympia, held that year in Essen, Germany, he felt chills similar to those he experienced the first time he encountered Oliva. Now, not only was Sergio as big as, if not bigger than, Arnold, but he was nearly as cut. His shoulders were broader than Arnold's, yet his waist was nearly six inches smaller.

The story goes that Arnold realized on that day, as he had in 1969, that he may have been the second-best bodybuilder on that stage. Yet Arnold was crowned the 1972 Mr. Olympia.

Here are some pics from 72'. Pictures from this event are very rare, and it took me along time to find them, but IronAge posted them on bb.com along time ago so all thanks go to him.

[milwood]

Sergio is perhaps the freakiest!

[x_muscle]

Frank Zane, he looks like a Greek god.

[Magickk]

Arnold is my favorite role model as well as bodybuilder... But I'm with you Glen, as far as Serge Nubret goes, if I could have any BBs physique, it would be Serge's, without a doubt... I posted this statement on BB.com long ago and got laughed at... Go figure

[Magickk]

Franco Columbo- Freakish strength with the physique to go with it.

Yes, I love Franco as well...

[KoolKat]

gear free*: Steve Reeves...in his early years when he won the first Mr. Universe beating Reg Park (Arnold's mentor and idol).

gear assisted: Arnold "the austrian oak"...no one has promoted and has done more for the sport of bodybuilding.

[Matthew D]

I voted other.. Lee Priest..