Poll question, IFBB new ruling

[Ibanez]

Here is a question to promote thought.... :)

The IFBB recently instituted a new physique guideline, where distended bellies and pregnant whales will be penalised, in favour of the more classic physique that is becoming less common nowadays....

With the upcoming Olympia just 7 weeks away, could the IFBB actually have the guts to enforce this rule, or will the pregnant mass monsters live to see another day?

I believe Gustavo Badell is due to give birth any day now lol...just kidding... I would like to have half the muscle he has :)

[max von]

Man I hope that you are right. The recent ways are crazy.

Oh for the Frank Zane days

max von

[Ibanez]

I really appreciate just how massive the guys are now, but if I was to go back in time, probably my all time favourite was around the 1988 Mr O. You had guys who looked incredible like Bob Paris, Rich G, Brian B, Ron Love etc, and then Haney, he was huge, but he could still do the vaccum pose, which I can't remember the last time I saw that now. Now I don't know from personal experience, but everyone seems to attribute way WAY too much GH and Insulin to the 'new' style of physique... and what business ANYONE has of using Synythol is WAY beyond me... I always like to think bodybuilding, for me at least is about building your body....

[wedgylx]

i believe it was labrada who said something along the lines of "if you keep adding mass to the human frame, there will be a point where it loses its form and beauty". You can't say these guys now look as good as arnold did or BB'ers from his period

[Ibanez]

Spot on Wedg.... You know I followed the weight game for years, until around '92, then got back into it again around 2002. I trained during this period, but life took the focus away while I set up various businesses etc. Anyway, I finally got back into a position of beig able to enjoy hobbies again (at the ripe old age of 28..lol in 2002) and bought a magazine again.

I was SHOCKED at how big the 'new breed' were. I mean they were 30-40 lbs heavier than the guys from the late '80's, and they were big s.o.b's too..!! I think Labrada's comment was spot on. In the latest issue of Flex, Arnold himself takes the new look to task and question whether we are body destroying (in relation to the ultra dried...about to die from dehydration look that exists along with the pump the crap out of the human body with gh and insulin look)

One of my fav. physiques I can recall was Bob Paris's (Yes, I am straight..lol) Everything was in proportion, he had all body parts up to par, he was ripped, but not a dried steak, and carried himself well with posing etc....

Interesting that so many are recalling with fondness the days of the former physiques... Maybe one day in the future we will all look back and remember the days of the 'masters of the universe' type physiques that paraded the posing dias and magazine covers of the 2000's era..... I would personally like to see awesome physiques that have a fully realised body on stage as opposed to decidedly unhealthy, pregnant, distended, I'm gonna pass out cause I'm starving to death and cramping with every pose type that is the typical situation now.

While I don't wish this on any bodybuilder, maybe a slew more of deaths from this type of training will eventually steer the entire bb movement into a more healthier phase.... but I don't know if that would even effect the mindset of some of the win-at-all-costs competitors...

[snakemw]

dont think they will enforce the new rule until Ronnie decideds to call it quits. i know he has worked extremely hard to get the mass he has, butf i would rather look like Dex anyday. if they started enforcing the rule next year since Dex is sitting this one out, i think he would have to be one of the favorites to win.

[wedgylx]

I was SHOCKED at how big the 'new breed' were. I mean they were 30-40 lbs heavier than the guys from the late '80's, and they were big s.o.b's too..!! I think Labrada's comment was spot on. In the latest issue of Flex, Arnold himself takes the new look to task and question whether we are body destroying (in relation to the ultra dried...about to die from dehydration look that exists along with the pump the crap out of the human body with gh and insulin look)...

I read that edition while on the plane yesterday. Arnie is a smart bastard, I wish i could elect him president ;)

who's going to mess with someone who killed a predator???

[Ibanez]

Well, I guess the poll is starting to show a trend... and sadly this is my personal opinion too, that the IFBB won't go through with their enforcement of the new guidelines....

Talk suggests that this year's Olympia will be a political one, even from the outset, and that Sponsors of the event that have various athlete's will affect the final outcome...

Personally, if this is true (which I tend to think could be) then I am pissed off, these guys bust their butts like crazy to get in the condition they do, and to think that because 'Biff Baxter' etc may have a certain endorsement with a high profile sponsor means his high placing is guarenteed kinda annoys me a lot.

I remember Shawn Ray's comments at the expo portion of Battle for Olympia 2003, where he correctly predicted the top 6 outcome, prior to the evening... He stated that conditioning would have a different result, but the decision had already been made.

Now, I know Shawn Ray is about as popular as stale protein bottle in some circles, but this guy has competed in more Olympia's than almost anyone, and he would know a heck of a lot more about the mechanism's of an event like that, and the politics and the people who run it.... So for him to basically come out in the open and suggest the term 'fixed' for a few competitors has to make you sit back and think.....

So thats my 2 cents worth. If anyone else has thoughts on this, please share them. If anyone has heard or seen evidence where this new ruling is a reality, then let us know!!

Cheers....