Do you want to tell me that the sport has improved over the last 20yrs?

[Biggerp73]

There is something to be said for lighting, though. For some reason both the lighting and the camera work at today's contests are garbage.

 

[Big A]

There is something to be said for lighting, though. For some reason both the lighting and the camera work at today's contests are garbage.

There is something that always stuck with me - when I was competing as a teen, I was told "if you are truly ready, you don't need "good lighting" to look good".

Yes, lighting will affect the colour of the tan, shadows, etc. But it will not make muscle separation dissapear.

 

[Elvia1023]

Excellent point about the lighting as it is awful in many shows now and that isn't a great pic. Although there is a big difference between the top 3 in those 2 pics. The main thing that comes to mind when seeing both pics are the washed out abs in the later one. Stomach distention is also more common on stage now than it was 20 years ago. Lighting can be a huge factor but the difference in muscle separation and dryness still shows no matter the lighting in both pics. Many guys may weight a little more but with that extra weight hasn't come extra quality and in fact it's quite the opposite. Granted the lighting was generally much better and bodybuilders from past and present have both stated that many times over. Phil could do some damage in the 90's and 00's but he is an exception.

 

[Cito33189]

Better winstrol

 

[Crom]

Surely the main reason is increased use of insulin, gh and peptides nowadays which were just in the beginning of usage in the 90's.

 

[Geardepot]

Ya the lighting is what it is. If you get to a show to compete and the lighting sucks, you're all competing under the same lights so its the same for everyone in the show. Its so hard to look at pics from years past and compare the guys on stage to a show from recently as thats simply a split second snapshot in time. When you see 5 guys posing down on stage in person, or watching a video (obviously in person is much better) but you get such a better idea of how the muscles are unfolding and opening up(popping) when they pose. This is what impressed me most about seeing guys in the 90's and early 00's, seeing the muscle in each pose take shape as they moved into the pose and actually flexed their muscles. Seems like guys today, don't even really need to 'flex' that hard in their poses? except for maybe the quads/hams, the upper body of these guys are so full/dense there is no change when they are setting up into the pose, as opposed to actually hitting/holding the pose..
Ya the big abdomens of today are the norm. Its like your praised for not having a gut now, or at least being able to control it while you pose. As opposed to years ago, there was just no such thing as a 'growth gut'?.
I prefer the physiques from 20 years ago, but I'll be damned if I'm not stopped dead in my tracks every time I see a new mass freak step on stage that changes the game, it never ceases to impress me!

 

[Fit2Serve]

flex wheeler didnt get a mr o soooo you KNOW the competition was STACKED then.
he would EASILY have atleast 1 Mr O nowadays imo
-F

 

[BuffD]

Damn how you doing bro, good to see you posting. Ha ha I still remember us at Jr. Nationals when Mr. Heath won the heavies and overall. Good show, good times.

Yeah it was. I remember sitting at a table before the night show talking to Heath. He was cool. Been out of it for a while but following the scene a lot more now and learning more since I'm old lol.