Changes in the Bodybuilding Culture since the 80s

[Dugbet]

A buddy of mine was able to flat bench press the 200 lb dumbells for multiple reps. He had a very strong raw bench. He had joined The Power team religious organization that toured around to inspire young people.

Power Team - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[MAD_SCIENTIST]

My old gym, before it closed, had 210lb dumbbells. I used to shrug them back in the day. I wish I could have benched them! LOL!!

My old gym used to have 200lb dumbbells...I just used to look at them and imagine...


MS

 

[maldorf]

My old gym used to have 200lb dumbbells...I just used to look at them and imagine...


MS

Just picking them up and handing them to my buddy on the bench was hard to do!

 

[Wynn]

Looks like none other than Strong & Shapely to me. I actually believe Strong & Shapely was better equipped than Gold's in Venice when i went there (went in 2016). Perhaps at one time, Gold's was in fact better but not when i went IMO. Strong & Shapely was hands down the best gym i ever set foot in. Bob Bonham, not the friendliest guy but man did he run a meathead's wet dream of a gym.

The youtube clip I posted above shows the dumbbells including the 250s at about 0:18.

I talked to Bob only once when I was a member there in 2012. He sold and retired at the end of 2019.

 

[opietaylor]

if i have to explain who this is then you never watched ESPN in the mornings in the golden days when ESPN was an actual sports related channel.

 

[lookslikesausage]

The youtube clip I posted above shows the dumbbells including the 250s at about 0:18.

I talked to Bob only once when I was a member there in 2012. He sold and retired at the end of 2019.

I used to see him but never talked to him. Hell, i didn't really talk to anyone at that gym. The last time I went to S & S was probably 2019 or 2018 and it was as a guest. I was training there regularly until '05 or so. Still a great gym but not the same crowd and that's ok. Things change. Last I heard, Bob moved to FLA but his health is suffering and he recently moved back to metropolitan area. That came from Gregg Valentino.

 

[Bio]

View attachment 133109
if i have to explain who this is then you never watched ESPN in the mornings in the golden days when ESPN was an actual sports related channel.

It would have to be Kiana Tom. Not the best picture of her.

 

[opietaylor]

It would have to be Kiana Tom. Not the best picture of her.

thats a recent pic of her from her instagram page, she looks exactly the same as she did back then

 

[Elvia1023]

There is a gym not too far from me that has 150 pairs of db's that start at 1kg and go up to 150kg which is over 330lbs.

 

[11111]

man, i was born in the wrong damn era. I know each person in this game needs to create their own experience, but overall, physical culture was so much more awesome back when you guys were coming up... No doubt about it!

 

[Wynn]

**broken link removed**

 

[lookslikesausage]

There is a gym not too far from me that has 150 pairs of db's that start at 1kg and go up to 150kg which is over 330lbs.

Looks like all Watson Strength equipment. Must be awesome!

**broken link removed**

Iggy Pop had a real set of lats...

 

[hawkmoon]

Here's a question for you guys, "inspired" by another thread.

Has BB really advanced in the past 30 years or so?

I don't mean the change in preference for size and mass, I mean have we actually learned anything significant?

And of what we have learned is it any more than confirmation of what we already knew by instinct and practice?

Is success in BB more science or heuristic technique in the gym and the kitchen? Are we more informed today and does this contribute to positive outcomes?

Let's not derail our delightful nostalgia of this thread by going too deep, so let's keep it breif and on point.

I'd particularly like to hear from my fellow village elders.

 

[D2]

There is a gym not too far from me that has 150 pairs of db's that start at 1kg and go up to 150kg which is over 330lbs.

u can do db farmers walk along the db racks 1 end to the other

 

[D2]

Here's a question for you guys, "inspired" by another thread.

Has BB really advanced in the past 30 years or so?

I don't mean the change in preference for size and mass, I mean have we actually learned anything significant?

And of what we have learned is it any more than confirmation of what we already knew by instinct and practice?

Is success in BB more science or heuristic technique in the gym and the kitchen? Are we more informed today and does this contribute to positive outcomes?

Let's not derail our delightful nostalgia of this thread by going too deep, so let's keep it breif and on point.

I'd particularly like to hear from my fellow village elders.

gone are the days we think onli basic barbells n dumbell exercises are needed for mass, nw we have bb like JP & Dante using mainly machines n cables.

And if u follow Coach Kassem on IG, u will notice many exercises like the traditional Lat pulldown are not exercise for lats.

 

[alfresco]

Good question.

Yes.

We have see or are seeing what the human body can endure, at least
briefly, the effects or more equals more . . . more equals more drugs.
Who knew?

That is the only thing I have learned and it only hearsay to me.

Did we really know what more was and what more was capable of?
Not 'till now. But keep in mind that we are locating more genetic freaks
so it only makes sense, combining these to you get what you get.
Records fall as a function of time and exposure.

"heuristic technique in the gym and the kitchen?" nothing new,
perhaps even less so.

Training, no. Nutrition, no. The role of genetics, no.

Does more information equal a more positive outcome?
I think this is open for interstation. Depends if it used or
abused.

Daring to think that the rules do not apply is the mark of a visionary.
It is also the mark of narcision.

Too deep?

 

[lookslikesausage]

Here's a question for you guys, "inspired" by another thread.

Has BB really advanced in the past 30 years or so?

I don't mean the change in preference for size and mass, I mean have we actually learned anything significant?

And of what we have learned is it any more than confirmation of what we already knew by instinct and practice?

Is success in BB more science or heuristic technique in the gym and the kitchen? Are we more informed today and does this contribute to positive outcomes?

Let's not derail our delightful nostalgia of this thread by going too deep, so let's keep it breif and on point.

I'd particularly like to hear from my fellow village elders.

Other than the addition of insulin, better understanding of the HPTA, managing testosterone therapy for men who are deficient, better protocols for the use of GH, i don't think very much. I started working out in the mid 90's but have been around plenty of older guys. I don't think the training part has evolved or changed all that much. I'd go so far as to say that even dieting, although things like cheat meals and carb cycling and intermittent fasting have become very popular, i still don't think dieting has changed a ton. For the most part you eat less and less until your bodyfat has diminished. The majority do this with a fairly high protein diet along with anabolics to prevent muscle loss.

Insulin and GH have changed things in regards to nutrition though. I think guy nowadays guys in general can eat more because they carry more muscle and might utilize something like GH more so than a guy from the 70's or early 80's. Guys who are on insulin might be more carb heavy in diet than guys from forty years ago for obvious reasons. Other than that, i don't think things have changed a ton. I don't know what diuretic protocols looked like in the 70's and 80's. I wonder how much those have changed.

 

[Bio]

Information is much easier to access and share but I don't think anything groundbreaking has taken place. The slow evolutionary process of 'a little more' is stretched out amongst every aspect, just like any sport. If anything, I think some of the newer generations have gone backwards a bit in the basic areas...training, diet and consistency. Many of us "village elders", that term cracked me up, got involved with weights and fell in love with the training which is one of the primary building blocks. Some of the younger generations that got/get involved in weightlifting do it with hormones being their base instead of the icing on the cake. They stop cycling so they stop training...there's consistency out the window. Areas where training and diet need to be adjusted are instead dealt with by an increase in dosage, so those basics are misunderstood and out the window as well. The foundation that we had differs greatly with some of the generations that came after us.

Another significant part of the foundation that is learned/revealed to us is how much of a mental game this is. All of this comes down to ourselves. If we quit early it's on us. Along the journey I think people learn a lot about themselves!

 

[buck]

The equipment is mostly the same. Barbells, DB, cables. Machines are better but nothing groundbreaking. Some of the older ones are my preferences. Powders taste better. Training techniques are similar just repackaged. Drugs are mostly the same. GH and insulin have changed thins some. Mostly it is still eat big, train big and sleep big.

 

[Reload]

Great question Hawkmoon.
What have we learned?
For me...
Your body has an expiration date. Flesh is NOT stronger than steel. Be smart in your approach to training and you might avoid the surgeons knife.
"Big" men in this sport/hobby live shorter lives! Know when to slow down (PEDS, food, lifestyle...all of it).
The supplement industry is still 95% BS! EAT REAL FOOD.
A pro card is not worth dying for.