Frank "the chemist" Zane

animal71 · Aug 29, 2015

Frank Zane is an amazing bodybuilder but should he have won the Olympia? We are discussing it on evo right now. What do you guys think? was he big enough to win, what do you think?

chinaboy · Aug 29, 2015

He reminds me of Shawn Ray in a way. Great physique but too small compared to the rest of the line up. I remember reading he had an accident with a lawn chair that nearly clipped his balls off right before a competition. Ouch.

Tom · Aug 29, 2015

I was at the 1977 Olympia and quite honestly I thought it should have gone to Ed Corney. Trust me though despite Zane's size his conditioning was leaps and bounds ahead of the others and it got him the win.

phatkid77 · Aug 29, 2015

This would be the same as the guy (forget his name Clarida?$)that jus recently won@156 or so vs the 212's

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devenidas · Aug 29, 2015

And the Sandow trophy goes to.............................................................................FRANK ZANE !!!!!!!!

Capin · Aug 29, 2015

Never been a fan of FZ like Arnold said he looks like a chicken.

Mike Arnold · Aug 29, 2015

A lot of people think Zane was small, but when he was at his largest (and best) in 1979, he was NOT small compared to the rest of the line-up. He weighed almost 200 lbs that year and was shredded to the bone (compared to the rest of the line-up). He did not look small standing next to the other bodybuilders, at all. In fact, he looked bigger than many of them when standing size by side, and when he posed--damn--he looked impressive.

Remember, back then the average weight of Olympia competitors was only like 200 lbs or something like that. With Zane's 79' physique falling right in that range and being in significantly better condition than most, he was not lagging in terms of size, and had a quality to his musculature that all others lacked. Don't forget, he was also a great poser--really knew how to display his physique to its best advantage.

If anyone doubts what I am saying here, just watch a YouTube video of Frank at the 79' Olympia--both the individual posing round and during comparisons. You will see quite readily that not only was Frank NOT small (even standing next to Mentzer, who only outweighed him by about 10 lbs, he held his own), but he was far better in terms of quality and condition. As far as the 79' Olympia goes, Frank deserved that win fair and square.

As far as his other wins (77'-78'), arguments could be made against him winning, but it all depends on how you see things.

muskate · Aug 30, 2015

Frank Zane is one of my all-time favourite physiques. Reminds me a lot of the current physique Olympia Sadik.

Perfect balance of mass and aesthetics. Also a phenomenal poser. I hate to say it but bodybuilding as a sport would be much more popular if the current Mr Olympia Phil Heath looked a lot more like Frank Zane.

Fitilla · Aug 30, 2015

any fans of modern bodybuilding left or were there any??

am I the only one who worhsips the grapefruit fucker??

pompsplace · Aug 30, 2015

frank zane was by far a great poser for that era!! great physique conditioning on point, maybe not as big as arnold or lou ferrigno.

Arko. · Aug 30, 2015

From an aesthetic point of view Frank Zane was top of the heap, impressive for that reason,
But there is no denying the impressiveness in today's Olympia competitors and many amateurs as well.
Whether he shoulda/coulda won who knows but he's inspired a lot of people, as have today's much larger physiques.

Ashop · Aug 30, 2015

animal71 said:
Frank Zane is an amazing bodybuilder but should he have won the Olympia? We are discussing it on evo right now. What do you guys think? was he big enough to win, what do you think?

In his time and prime,,,NO question he should have won in my mind. Well deserved IMO and I feel he was in the Top #3 to ever do it. Look at that shape and symmetry and conditioning.

devenidas · Aug 30, 2015

Capin said:
Never been a fan of FZ like Arnold said he looks like a chicken.

Lol Arnold also said in his book education of a bodybuilder and i quote Arnold '' It was one of the few times in my life I ever cried. I cried the whole night after the contest ''. I studied his photographs and came to conclusion that his muscles were better developed and had more detail, depredation, quality, maturity .'

Arnold was referring to frank when frank wiped him out.

So that's not a fucking chicken but a physique artist of the highest calibre!

Man has nothing to prove to anybody as he has three sandows at his home as I write this and his name written in golden letters with diamonds studded in it in the history books of our sport .

50 years down a line a 19 year kid is going to look at frank and go wowwww look at him. I want to look like that too. It's Zane who will keep the spirit alive of our beautiful sport and fill a kids heart with passion to lift his first sand weights with mad determination and grit.

Nothing against Arnold. I love Arnold equally. I love them all the golden era guys.

devenidas · Aug 30, 2015

Arnold called him a chicken because he was pissed off and couldn't swollow the loss to a smaller guy but soon realised why he lost and what frank had over him.

In franks words ' you just couldn't dislike Arnold for long. He was such a diplomat '.

Capin · Aug 30, 2015

Ya and Arnold was only 19 when the chicken won that contest.
Now let's start some more controversy do I think Frank Zane deserved to win an Olympia, hell no.
Mike Mentzer hell yes!

As you guys know we could argue thus until the end of time and only agree to disagree.
And IMO that's the problem bodybuilding is to dam subjective.

Mike Arnold · Aug 30, 2015

This is why Zane deserved to win the Olympia

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws4JA0226w4[/ame]

Clearly, Zane's muscle quality, separation, and detail were FAR SUPERIOR to everyone else on that stage...and as far as him being "out-sized" by the competition, forget about it. Remember, guys like Arnold and Ferrigno had retired. There wasn't a single "big-man" left among the top pros. The heaviest top pros of that day were only around 210 lbs. I could be wrong, but I don't think a single person at the 79' Olympia weighed even 220 lbs, and many were under 200 lbs.

I just watched a couple more YouTube videos of Zane standing next to the other competitors at the 79' Olympia and he fit right in in terms of size. Not only was he not out-sized, but he was actually bigger than some of the other guys. No one on that stage made him look small when standing side by side--not even Mentzer. Yes, Mentzer was more developed, but he didn't actually "look" that much bigger side by side. He certainly didn't overwhelm him, which isn't surprising, as Mentzer only weighed about 10 lbs more than him at pretty close to the same height.

Phidias · Aug 30, 2015

Mike Arnold said:
Clearly, Zane's muscle quality, separation, and detail were FAR SUPERIOR to everyone else on that stage...

Which is why we ALWAYS come to the same conclusion in BB: the leanest you are, the bigger you'll look. Universal law of this sport.

devenidas · Aug 30, 2015

Phidias said:
Which is why we ALWAYS come to the same conclusion in BB: the leanest you are, the bigger you'll look. Universal law of this sport.

Phidias that's so true mate, the core fundamental of our sport, it really is.

This is why bb like troy alves, baito and others ( lighter , more condition & separation guys) came & competed in open class & have destroyed bigger guys n taken home the titles . We still see this. This trend should really continue forever. Ameen

Love_to_Bodybuild · Aug 30, 2015

He looks fantastic and more detailed , symmetrical, great shape for any-one with so crisp detail. He could pose great to, those side poses , transitions, and everything

heard he took a lot of t3 then came off gained 40 lbs and had to be on t3 for life bc shut his thyroid down from abuse