Phil

[alfresco]

If you ever had the chance to see ronnie up close.. 3 weeks out.. 315 pounds in shape.. its something you can't describe.. now don't get me wrong.. Phil is amazing.. everything is there and big.. but if ronnie stood on stage next to Phil it's lights out phil...

WHY?

well symmetry and flow only go so far when you have THANOS in the flesh next to you.. the shock factor alone takes all eyes off phil.

That being said, ronnie had great flow and symmetry even at 300 pounds.. so it wasn't like he was missing that piece of the equation..

100%

Ronnie at his best could beat any other Olympian bodybuilder dead or alive. And like Lats said, seeing somebody that big and muscular is otherworldly almost impossible to believe. I wish I had made
the time to see him train and or compete.

The only person that I have seen in person that had that jaw dropping, unreal size and shape was Sergio Olivia. There are no words when you see him in person, no words for his size and proportions.

If either one of them had landed on planet earth hundreds of years ago, they would have been stoned to death or burned at the stake, mistakenly thought to be monsters from another world.

Never really liked Phil’s physique. While each body part when viewed individually is impressive, outstanding in fact, the entire package looks too ‘scrunched’, too round and thick, never seemed to open up if you know what I mean.

I know . . . most bodybuilders would die (and many have) to have that ‘problem’. But you can’t take anything away from his accomplishments. But to me he is just another in a long line champions.

Clearly, Ronnie was a freak among freaks.

What the next iteration is going to be is anyone’s guess but it’s going to have to be something pretty special to beat Ronnie.

 

[hawkmoon]

I used to think that too but I believe he was just villainized. His persona back then is nothing like who he is now and what others have claimed he was actually like back then.

Compared to Ronnie though, almost everyone can be considered a dick. Ronnie is genuinely extremely nice and the only cop I would have wanted to pull me over in Arlington.

I could.be wrong as my personal interaction is non existent.

I am however still banned from his IG because I spoke less than favorably of him. I never insulted him or attacked him (I can't even remember now), but it was probably more like I felt someone else was more deserving at the time.

My manner on social media is the same here, I'm not nasty at all.

 

[w8tlifterty]

I used to go to the Arnold expo in the late 90s / early 2000s. I remember one year (around 2000) seeing Jay Cutler standing alone, wearing a wrestling singlet, at a MetRX booth if I remember correctly. He just looked so insanely huge, ridiculous. Like painfully large (which was probably true). I think he ate a meal out of Tupperware. Just standing there alone, no one talking to him (he wasn't a very big name at the time) but he was monstrous.
About 12 years later I myself turned pro, but I sucked.. lol.

Nah man, you forged something that wasn’t supposed to be… men like that are rare in any endeavor.

You also shared the process w your fellow meatheads back then. The good ole’ days of PM

 

[Nyoco]

Size wise it´s undeniable Ronnie can´t be touched, but aesthetics also play a part in bodybuilding and I can think of quite a few bodybuilders whose physique I prefer to his, Phil Heath is one of them.

 

[Bleed]

Take this with a grain of salt because it's been a long time and I may be misremembering. I dont have time to look it up either so a huge pinch of salt. maybe some one else can chime in.

I remember a challenge round one year, I believe it was at the olympia. Late 90s, early 2000s, something like that.

Gustavo Badell beat Ronnie in the side tricep...based on judging...there was prize money attached if memory serves. The challlenge round was subsequently dropped because it made some people (judges, higher ups) look bad.

I could have made all of this up....It sounds to crazy to be true but Im typing with conviction so something tells me it happened or am I in the ballpark of reality.

phil would beat ronnie in a side tricep, and prime phil migh be able to beat 1998 and 99 ronnie in a back double bi, 2003 ronnie would destroy him though

 

[SouthernMuscle]

The good ole’ days of PM

was thinking about those days recently……long gone now

 

[FK86]

Take this with a grain of salt because it's been a long time and I may be misremembering. I dont have time to look it up either so a huge pinch of salt. maybe some one else can chime in.

I remember a challenge round one year, I believe it was at the olympia. Late 90s, early 2000s, something like that.

Gustavo Badell beat Ronnie in the side tricep...based on judging...there was prize money attached if memory serves. The challlenge round was subsequently dropped because it made some people (judges, higher ups) look bad.

I could have made all of this up....It sounds to crazy to be true but Im typing with conviction so something tells me it happened or am I in the ballpark of reality.

The Challenge Round - "Bodybuilding's Worst Ever Idea"

Team MD's Peter McGough tells the back story on how the bodybuilding challenge round came to be in 2004 and how it played out at the Olympia.

www.musculardevelopment.com

 

[alfresco]

The Challenge Round - "Bodybuilding's Worst Ever Idea"

Team MD's Peter McGough tells the back story on how the bodybuilding challenge round came to be in 2004 and how it played out at the Olympia.

www.musculardevelopment.com

Good read. Thank you.

I always liked Peter’s writings, not littered with hyperbole, just a sane, down to earth observations grounded and respectful of bodybuilding history. And very unassuming. He is missed.

Have a listen to this. I think anybody interested in bodybuilding would have enjoyed spending time with him. But this is the closest we will get . . .

‎Bodybuilding Legends Show: Tribute to Peter McGough on Apple Podcasts

‎Show Bodybuilding Legends Show, Ep Tribute to Peter McGough - 11 Jan 2021

podcasts.apple.com

 

[psychor]

I wish I could've seen Ronnie in person during his competitive days! If he is this AWESOME in pictures and videos, I can only imagine the sheer jaw-dropping AWESOMENESS of actually seeing him in person. Even to this day sometimes I will pop in his 2003 "Cost of Redemption" dvd and look at for motivation and nostalgia purposes. Not much if anything, motivates me more than seeing Ronnie lifting!! Long live the King!

 

[SouthernMuscle]

I wish I could've seen Ronnie in person during his competitive days! If he is this AWESOME in pictures and videos, I can only imagine the sheer jaw-dropping AWESOMENESS of actually seeing him in person. Even to this day sometimes I will pop in his 2003 "Cost of Redemption" dvd and look at for motivation and nostalgia purposes. Not much if anything, motivates me more than seeing Ronnie lifting!! Long live the King!

Was hitting back yesterday evening in the garage gym, probably had my neighbors scratching their heads w the loud af “YEAH BUDDY”s

he def gets me hyped to train

should really insulate my garage door…..

 

[goback2013]

Was hitting back yesterday evening in the garage gym, probably had my neighbors scratching their heads w the loud af “YEAH BUDDY”s

he def gets me hyped to train

should really insulate my garage door…..

Yeah. I sing and scream and dance when I'm working out in my garage
My neighbors are used to the show.
Plus I'm at an age where I don't give a F.

 

[Fit2Serve]

watcfhing Ronnie The Unbelieveable is what made me decide to compete.
like a fool i thought i could get big as f!@# too lol
i saw all the early 2000's weider athletes at Koloseum Gym that Milos owned. they all came thru before and or after the Mr O for photo shoots
Jay was unreal wide
levrone was unreal strong at such low bodyfat and for not being a huge frame
lee priest was funnest and looked like the cow missing myostatin lol just weird DENSE muscle
but when RONNIE walked in for real it got quiet.

 

[alfresco]

phil would beat ronnie in a side tricep, and prime phil migh be able to beat 1998 and 99 ronnie in a back double bi, 2003 ronnie would destroy him though

I think, and I have no way of knowing this, is that Ronnie had so much
muscular mass, he was get himself into that configuration because it
just got in his way, in effect too much muscle prevented him from
fully displaying the muscle.

watcfhing Ronnie The Unbelieveable is what made me decide to compete.
like a fool i thought i could get big as f!@# too lol
i saw all the early 2000's weider athletes at Koloseum Gym that Milos owned. they all came thru before and or after the Mr O for photo shoots
Jay was unreal wide
levrone was unreal strong at such low bodyfat and for not being a huge frame
lee priest was funnest and looked like the cow missing myostatin lol just weird DENSE muscle
but when RONNIE walked in for real it got quiet.

Nice.

That must have been something to see. You are lucky to have been there.

Yea, I'll bet you could hear one giant gasping sound as all the air got sucked
out of the room when Ronnie walked in. The greats are like that.

 

[Fit2Serve]

I think, and I have no way of knowing this, is that Ronnie had so much
muscular mass, he was get himself into that configuration because it
just got in his way, in effect too much muscle prevented him from
fully displaying the muscle.


Nice.

That must have been something to see. You are lucky to have been there.

Yea, I'll bet you could hear one giant gasping sound as all the air got sucked
out of the room when Ronnie walked in. The greats are like that.

yeah and we are talking the Koloseum Gym. where 200lbs dumbells DIDNT collect dust.
saw Flex and Shawn Ray and Milos daily. shawn and milos worked out together at that time. Flex came to gym same time but trained alone.
HUGE dudes in there. so its a testament to Ronnie to say even there peoples jaw dropped.
milos always said NONE of em even MENTIONED beating ronnie. they all fought over 2nd thru 10th he said lol
like they all KNEW game over.
now that i think about it... Jay was the ONLY one that had a mind set of beating ronnie. he never talked like he was gonna be 2nd... tho was so many times but

 

[SouthernMuscle]

Yeah. I sing and scream and dance when I'm working out in my garage
My neighbors are used to the show.
Plus I'm at an age where I don't give a F.

Hey, i had that halo and preworkout going, felt fucking fantastic
just got one of those big ass ion speakers from costco, love it

also i’ll be moving soon so i dont give a shit either lol

i’m not a complete asshole though, i don‘t do that shit past about 8pm

 

[stackdizzy]

As a kid Flex Wheeler had the most desirable physique to me. He just had perfect symmetry and all his muscle bellies just popped.

 

[slesh]

As a kid Flex Wheeler had the most desirable physique to me. He just had perfect symmetry and all his muscle bellies just popped.

Wild that he came in second to Dorian and Ronnie. Lol what shit luck to be born around the same time. He would have easily grabbed a O title had he been competing in his prime within the last 5 years.

 

[stackdizzy]

Wild that he came in second to Dorian and Ronnie. Lol what shit luck to be born around the same time. He would have easily grabbed a O title had he been competing in his prime within the last 5 years.

Agreed, his lack of size(relatively speaking)was really apparent standing next to those guys. I think he was competing at 230lbs and Dorian was 250-260lbs it was like the dawn of the freaks in those days just tons of great guys.

I remember reading in a magazine that he(flex) said he was beat up by ninjas...lmao. The magazines always kinda clowned him or maybe he was clowning himself. Muscle media 2k kinda clowned bodybuilders while selling a magazine to bodybuilders. Back in the day you only got information on bodybuilders through magazines so it's not like Instagram where you have daily access to people. You formulated your opinion on people through how they were portrayed in magazines. Way more information on people today.

 

[TrippplePPP]

Agreed, his lack of size(relatively speaking)was really apparent standing next to those guys. I think he was competing at 230lbs and Dorian was 250-260lbs it was like the dawn of the freaks in those days just tons of great guys.

I remember reading in a magazine that he(flex) said he was beat up by ninjas...lmao. The magazines always kinda clowned him or maybe he was clowning himself. Muscle media 2k kinda clowned bodybuilders while selling a magazine to bodybuilders. Back in the day you only got information on bodybuilders through magazines so it's not like Instagram where you have daily access to people. You formulated your opinion on people through how they were portrayed in magazines. Way more information on people today.

yup, I do recall the articles in M&F and Flex magazine where FlexW bombed out of a competition due to being attacked by Ninjas.

 

[FK86]

Jay was the ONLY one that had a mind set of beating ronnie. he never talked like he was gonna be 2nd... tho was so many times but

Jay holds some records that don't get mentioned as often. He placed second at the Olympia seven times, three of which were consecutive and he shares that with Gaspari. He is also the only person to lose and reclaim the title, which is awesome. I always wanted to see where Lee Haney would have placed in '92 and Dorian in '98 and '99.