Most Aesthetic Bodybuilder

[prodaf]

Nubret was unbelievable

 

[Nyoco]

1. Steve Reeves

2.Flex Wheeler

3.Bob Paris

4. Serge Nubret

5. Sergi Constance

 

[nihilixm]

Mike mentzer no Doubt

 

[Delt123]

Bob Paris or Lee labrada!

 

[Lilleo187]

1. Serge Nubret
2. Francis Benfatto
3. Shawn Ray

 

[method2madness]

Lee Labrada or Charles Clairmont

 

[Rogue]

Flex wheeler hands down in my opinion

indisputably!
Charles Clairmont a close second. IMO

 

[Norg]

It's hard to restrict it to one person.

But when i took all in, mass, symmetry, fullness, quality.

90's Kevin Levrone.

 

[Millineum Man]

my answer is Brian Buchanan, Flex Wheeler, Serge Nubret, Bob Paris, Benfatto, Clairemonte, and Robby Robinson in no particular order although i'd probably have Buchanan and Flex at the top.

I'd give the nod to Flex because he actually has legs. Brian B did not.

 

[lookslikesausage]

I'd give the nod to Flex because he actually has legs. Brian B did not.

Agree about the legs but Brian B had a smaller waist. guess it depends which you think is more important.

 

[alfresco]

x

indisputably!
Charles Clairmont a close second. IMO

Yes, Charles Clairmont, and completely off my radar.
Wow.

What do you know about him and when and where
did he compete? I know next to nothing about him.

 

[A50#]

1. Frank Zane
2. Flex Wheeler
3. Melvin Anthony

 

[alfresco]

You saw a lot of these guys in person.

Whose physique stood out the most to you? I heard Danny Padilla was crazy looking in person, one of the best proportioned ever.

Don’t want to derail this thread, take it sideways, but at the risk of that, your question
answered.

Arnold was the first bodybuilder I ever saw. The morning I arrived at Golds Gym (original),
Arnold was sitting on a bench wrapping his knees prior to squatting. He was in a tank top
and shorts. I think he heard my jaw hit the floor because he turned his head and stared
at me . . . maybe it was because I was staring at him. So I am probably partial to Arnold,
as first impressions tend to the most lasting. I stayed and watched him work out along with
Franco, Bob Birdsong, and Robbie. And I came back the next morning and drove down
to LA many weekends over that and subsequent summers

I have seen, met or talked to many of the top guys of that era, from east coast to the
west coast (nowhere in the middle) and having talked about them all in other posts so I
won't bore everybody again. But essentially, the guys that really stand out were Arnold
and Padilla, who would have been unbeatable if he was taller; the most densely packed
physique I have ever seen. And incredibly well proportioned, from the calves up. He
was just so jam packed with muscle you just don’t know who he moved. Nubret reminded
me of big, beautiful cat. The way he carries himself with his seek, long lines, wide shoulders,
and the tiniest waist.

Sergio Oliva was a freak among freaks. Saw him on stage and close up when he was
pumping up backstage before a show (guest posing). He must be seen to be appreciated.
He was completely off the charts, on a different level from everybody else when at his
best and coming up the ranks and his short stay at the top. He redefined the meaning of
the words crazy looking. And he was very well proportioned if you could just get your
eyes averted from his size and proportions.. Later, past his prime, no so much.

Huge hands, small joints, tiny, waist, small head, arms the size of his head, all his body
parts were really unbelievable, never so much sheer volume of muscle. And was when
he was past his ‘prime’ I believe, prime being Mr. U in London (robbed) and the Essen
Olympia (robbed). If he had got his posing together and really dieted for a show, and let
Jones train him (he was at his best them by his own admission) I think he could have
ruled the world for as long as he wanted. My opinion, he was just lazy, relied on his
superior genetics (many do) which was enough early on was enough, when we won a
couple(?) of Olympia’s unchallenged but later on, not so much.

And Casey Viator (overlooked) when he was younger (won AAU Mr. A) and when he got
second (robbed) in the NABBA Mr. U against Dave Johns. I met him between shows
(a long break) in Lake Helen, FL when he was not in contest shape and was still very
very impressive, and strong, and he trained very hard too, unlike many top bodybuilders
I have seen. Which is probably why he hung on to so mach mass until he moved to LA
(Weider) and lost it all. I watched his train a few times and have good BW shot of him
on a force plate in the motion picture studio. Wow.

Those are the ones I have seen that immediately come to mind, a long winded answer
to your question I know. Hope this helps.

 

[buck]

Would Benny Poda be in the running?

 

[psychor]

Big THANKS to all who have contributed their opinions so far! Thank you Alfresco also for sharing one of your interesting and insightful stories from the past!

 

[b-boy]

Francis Benfatto without a doubt!

 

[madg]

Benfato FTW !!

 

[lookslikesausage]

Would Benny Poda be in the running? View attachment 115582

LOL...definitely not. i have read stories about that man. Supposedly a real nut. Trained like an animal too. Read he disappeared and became a recluse after he walked away from bodybuilding.

 

[lookslikesausage]

Don’t want to derail this thread, take it sideways, but at the risk of that, your question
answered.

Arnold was the first bodybuilder I ever saw. The morning I arrived at Golds Gym (original),
Arnold was sitting on a bench wrapping his knees prior to squatting. He was in a tank top
and shorts. I think he heard my jaw hit the floor because he turned his head and stared
at me . . . maybe it was because I was staring at him. So I am probably partial to Arnold,
as first impressions tend to the most lasting. I stayed and watched him work out along with
Franco, Bob Birdsong, and Robbie. And I came back the next morning and drove down
to LA many weekends over that and subsequent summers

I have seen, met or talked to many of the top guys of that era, from east coast to the
west coast (nowhere in the middle) and having talked about them all in other posts so I
won't bore everybody again. But essentially, the guys that really stand out were Arnold
and Padilla, who would have been unbeatable if he was taller; the most densely packed
physique I have ever seen. And incredibly well proportioned, from the calves up. He
was just so jam packed with muscle you just don’t know who he moved. Nubret reminded
me of big, beautiful cat. The way he carries himself with his seek, long lines, wide shoulders,
and the tiniest waist.

Sergio Oliva was a freak among freaks. Saw him on stage and close up when he was
pumping up backstage before a show (guest posing). He must be seen to be appreciated.
He was completely off the charts, on a different level from everybody else when at his
best and coming up the ranks and his short stay at the top. He redefined the meaning of
the words crazy looking. And he was very well proportioned if you could just get your
eyes averted from his size and proportions.. Later, past his prime, no so much.

Huge hands, small joints, tiny, waist, small head, arms the size of his head, all his body
parts were really unbelievable, never so much sheer volume of muscle. And was when
he was past his ‘prime’ I believe, prime being Mr. U in London (robbed) and the Essen
Olympia (robbed). If he had got his posing together and really dieted for a show, and let
Jones train him (he was at his best them by his own admission) I think he could have
ruled the world for as long as he wanted. My opinion, he was just lazy, relied on his
superior genetics (many do) which was enough early on was enough, when we won a
couple(?) of Olympia’s unchallenged but later on, not so much.

And Casey Viator (overlooked) when he was younger (won AAU Mr. A) and when he got
second (robbed) in the NABBA Mr. U against Dave Johns. I met him between shows
(a long break) in Lake Helen, FL when he was not in contest shape and was still very
very impressive, and strong, and he trained very hard too, unlike many top bodybuilders
I have seen. Which is probably why he hung on to so mach mass until he moved to LA
(Weider) and lost it all. I watched his train a few times and have good BW shot of him
on a force plate in the motion picture studio. Wow.

Those are the ones I have seen that immediately come to mind, a long winded answer
to your question I know. Hope this helps.

I have definitely read that Viator trained harder and heavier than most pros at the time. Did you see any big lifts from him? I've also heard a few people say that Ray Mentzer was one of the strongest bodybuilders of that time, which was surprising to me. How much was Arnold squatting on that day and for how many reps? Was he using the wooden board under his heels?

 

[USMuscle9403]

Damnit, how did I forget?

Momo

One thing I've noticed about Middle Eastern bodybuilders is they turn out some really symmetrical dudes.