Mr. Olympia

[Jeremy Green]

Mr. Olympia is a competition that is filled with athletes that have pushed their bodies to the max. Their muscles are huge and their veins usually pop out on all parts of their bodies. Who is excited for this competition and why?

[shaun]

Mr.Olympia has become a freak show and there are no signs of this abating. I have lost interest in Mr.Olympia because of this.

[Jeremy Green]

I agree it has become somewhat of a freak show, but I do think their is a market for these type of shows. Not for me, but I will not hate on any man who wants to test the boundaries of their bodies.

[Popatar]

Cmon guys, I wouldnt call it a freak show. If it was the guys with the big freaky muscles would win. Kai Greene has never won, and he is the biggest guy on stage. Markus Ruhl is the freakiest looking bodybuilder, and he has never come close. Maybe in the Ronnie era, but its showing signs of improvement. The sport is still judged on symmetry and proportion, not just size. We are starting to see bodybuilders with large waists being criticised again, judge's are telling guys like Kai and Victor to come back smaller.

These guys are the face of bodybuilding, I am extremely pumped for the 2012 Olympia.

[Jeremy Green]

Cmon guys, I wouldnt call it a freak show. If it was the guys with the big freaky muscles would win. Kai Greene has never won, and he is the biggest guy on stage. Markus Ruhl is the freakiest looking bodybuilder, and he has never come close. Maybe in the Ronnie era, but its showing signs of improvement. The sport is still judged on symmetry and proportion, not just size. We are starting to see bodybuilders with large waists being criticised again, judge's are telling guys like Kai and Victor to come back smaller.

These guys are the face of bodybuilding, I am extremely pumped for the 2012 Olympia.

Great post and great insight. I would concur with everything that you have just said. I think the competition is very entertaining to watch and am captivated by it.

[shaun]

I agree it has become somewhat of a freak show, but I do think their is a market for these type of shows. Not for me, but I will not hate on any man who wants to test the boundaries of their bodies.

There is definitely a market for it. Some people want to see freaks! There is also a big following in the gay community.

[shaun]

Cmon guys, I wouldnt call it a freak show. If it was the guys with the big freaky muscles would win. Kai Greene has never won, and he is the biggest guy on stage. Markus Ruhl is the freakiest looking bodybuilder, and he has never come close. Maybe in the Ronnie era, but its showing signs of improvement. The sport is still judged on symmetry and proportion, not just size. We are starting to see bodybuilders with large waists being criticised again, judge's are telling guys like Kai and Victor to come back smaller.

These guys are the face of bodybuilding, I am extremely pumped for the 2012 Olympia.

It is a freak show, hence the reason bodybuilding continues to decline in popularity as a sport. The general public are turned off. Compare winners of My.Olympia in the past 5 years to winners 20, 30, 40 years ago...

[Jeremy Green]

Cmon guys, I wouldnt call it a freak show. If it was the guys with the big freaky muscles would win. Kai Greene has never won, and he is the biggest guy on stage. Markus Ruhl is the freakiest looking bodybuilder, and he has never come close. Maybe in the Ronnie era, but its showing signs of improvement. The sport is still judged on symmetry and proportion, not just size. We are starting to see bodybuilders with large waists being criticised again, judge's are telling guys like Kai and Victor to come back smaller.

These guys are the face of bodybuilding, I am extremely pumped for the 2012 Olympia.

It is a freak show, hence the reason bodybuilding continues to decline in popularity as a sport. The general public are turned off. Compare winners of My.Olympia in the past 5 years to winners 20, 30, 40 years ago...

Yeah I would definitely say the trend for the competition has took a downward spiral as of late.

[shaun]

I would love it to change but I just can't see it. The judges value size over everything. Cutler isn't particularly symmetrical or aesthetically pleasing, but he is a house!

[Popatar]

The sport is growing not dying. The prize money increases every year. More and more people are attending the events. Just last year we had the first International Arnold Classic in Spain. That's 2 Arnold classics a year now. Its growing in developing countries too like the Sheru classics in India.

Look at Dexter Jackson who won in 08, he was out sized by all the competitors. Phil beat Jay, and he was smaller. This isn't the Ronnie era any more. Look at Dennis Wolf who is pretty small compared to everyone else yet he places top 5 every year. Even Centopani who doesn't look "freaky" placed 4 in his first ever Olympia.

And what does the "gay community" have to do with this? I have never met a gay bodybuilder, I don't believe there is a big following in the gay community.