Blast From the Past

Mr. Olympia is the title given to the winner of the professional men’s bodybuilding portion of Joe Weider’s Olympia Weekend – an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness (IFBB). Winning is considered to be the highest accolade in the sport of professional bodybuilding. I was always in sports, and I was kind of bodybuilding fan. But, in last 10-15 years this sport became gross – instead of praising human body and health, and trying to reach ideal proportions like those at Michelangelo’s David – this beautiful sport became a freak show. Just take a look at those pics that can be find on internet, these guys are scarry! So, we decided to show you some old-school bodybuilders, starting with first ever winner of the Mr. Olympia title in 1965 Larry Scott to 1984 incredible eight-time winner Lee Haney. After that, I have lose all my interest in Mr. Olympia competition, and I’m just thinking how far it will go.

Larry Scott – 1965-66

Scott displayed a physique with defined muscle shape in his biceps, triceps, shoulders and chest, which were all large, rounded and fully shaped. His upper arms measured over 20 inches and were, at the time, among the largest ever displayed at a professional bodybuilding competition. Scott subsequently retired after his 1966 victory.

Sergio Oliva – 1967-69

At 5 ft 10ins and 240 lbs in bodyweight, Oliva displayed a level of muscle mass and definition – including a “V” shape of a large, well-formed upper-body that tapered down to a narrow waist – unlike anything seen in prior competitions. Oliva would go on to win the Mr. Olympia competition in tree years in the row, and in 69′s final he defeat Arnold Schwarzenegger 4 to 3, marking Schwarzenegger’s first and only loss in a Mr. Olympia competition. And, his nickname was “Myth”, that’s enough.

Arnold Schwarzenegger – 1970-75, 1980

Schwarzenegger defeated Oliva at the 1970 Mr Olympia after finishing second the year before. Schwarzenegger successfully defended his title against Oliva in 1972, after which Oliva retired from the IFBB. He went on to win the next three Mr. Olympia competitions, and after winning the 1975 competition, Schwarzenegger announced his retirement from competitive bodybuilding. In 1980, Schwarzenegger came out of retirement to win the trophy yet again.

Franco Columbu – 1976, 1981

Columbu’s win proved that height did not matter. Up until that point the bigger man always won. But Columbu, who stands around 1.63m (5’4″), won by showcasing a combination of mass and hardness, that had never been seen before.

Frank Zane – 1977-79

While not as physically massive as previous competitors such as Schwarzenegger or Oliva, Zane developed his physique to highlight symmetry, aesthetics, and definition. As such, Zane was able to defeat opponents who exceeded his own muscle-mass but lacked his level of muscular definition.

Chris Dickerson – 1982

He was not only the first African-American Mr. America, but also the oldest winner, at age 43, of the IFBB Mr. Olympia contest. Dickerson’s competitive career spanned thirty years; he was known for both his heavily muscled, symmetrical physique and for his skills on the posing dais.

Samir Bannout – 1983

Bannout took 4th place at the 1982 Mr. Olympia contest and returned the following year to finally take home the title. The extreme muscular definition that Bannout was able to achieve in his lower back region helped coin the term “Christmas tree” when referring the shape made visible during a back pose on the competition stage.

Lee Haney – 1984-1991

Haney had held the record with eight straight titles for an astonishing fourteen years, now it’s tied by Ronnie Coleman. Lee Haney is appointed Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports by President Bill Clinton.