Chest Development of 70's and 80's bodybuilders

[mkris7]

I was watching some videos of Arnold, Franco, Lou, Serge Nubrea and other bodybuilders of their time and I have been very impressed by their Chest Development. They exhibit a full deep and hung (long) chest muscles.

I have not seen that type of development in todays bodybuilders. Maybe because today's bb's have much more muscle which detracts from that. Or maybe todays bb's are just much dryer? I don't know but even by today standards the guys back then had amazing chests.

I would like to know if any one has had any similar thoughts on the matter and what your theory (if any) is regarding their Chest Development vs. todays stars?

[axioma]

Those guys relied on barbells and dumbbells and some cables. Set after set of full range movements.

It might be that todays guys rely on machines, especially Hammer type equipment. Some of todays pros probably STARTED on machines and Hammer presses. IDK.

Also, might have something to do with the focus on upper body...less energy was put into legs. Todays pros legs make those guys wheels look like pogos.

[RRh1no]

I personally think that it's due to the shift from bench press to mainly incline work.

A lot of guys don't have that same chest thickness and detail that they had in the 70's and 80's

Look at Jay's chest. I never seen a guy that big who's pec have very little striations and detail.

[Bencher]

I think parallel bar dips and actual rib cage work(pull overs, rader chest pulls) had a large impact on chest development. Lots of db flys as well.

[KevinCouch]

I think it's a little bit of everything everyone has said so far.

1. They used lots of volume 20 to 30 sets for pecs
2. Used Heavy basic movements with barbells and dumbells.
3. They used to train chest an average of at least twice per week back then.

They concentrated on pec development over every other bodypart back in those days, now its pretty much back is the bodypart that wins contests.

But if one wants to build better pecs we should take lessons from the old timers and incorporate more of what they did. It worked!

[ritch]

For sure, but I think they posed different as well, so it looks different in the pics, but I like the old school look they had!

[ritch]

but man, they had shitty hamstring development back then, lol... Even the king himself Arnold did.

[joedemarco]

As some of you have already mentioned, I believe it was the result of a larger focus on upper body (in particular, chest development). Add to this that most guys stuck to basic heavy movements.

[HeavyDutyGuy]

It was chest, arms, delts back, abs and legs back then..
Now it seems the judges go with back, glutes, thighs, hamstrings, glutes..

[BigJD69]

It was chest, arms, delts back, abs and legs back then..
Now it seems the judges go with back, glutes, thighs, hamstrings, glutes..
and they don't judge calves

[JohnnyStyles]

Lotta of incline presses.

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Lotta of incline presses.

And incline flies galore. Weighted dips and heavy ass pull overs. I was there training with and/or near some of the greats. Upper body was the theme. Legs were almost squats only. Few exceptions. Calf was also worked to the max.

Arnold, Franco, and Pearls legs/hams/glutes would not get them past the Regional show level these days.


Baldie

[HeavyDutyGuy]

We did have a couple of genetic freaks when it came to pectoral potential back then. Arnold, Serge, Lou all had low inserting pecs that were broad across the sternum. That gave them a lot of potential for pec development. Only a few since then, Coleman comes to mind, have that kind of structure. Even back then guys such as Mentzer and Viator had higher set pecs with less fiber density which limited their mass potential.

[masterschamp]

Trained with Johnny D for awhile back in the day.......endless incline flye/ dip supersets, AFTER tons of heavy presses with higher reps

Keith

[KevinCouch]

Legs were almost squats only. Few exceptions. Calf was also worked to the max.

Arnold, Franco, and Pearls legs/hams/glutes would not get them past the Regional show level these days.


Baldie

Then there's Tom Platz!!! His complete leg development, size, separation of his quads, hams and calves were legendary. Off the top of my head I don't of any IFBB pro competing now that has wheels like he did. Not even Branch Warren. Paul Demayo's were in the same ballpark back in the 90s.

[Youngguns]

Then there's Tom Platz!!! His complete leg development, size, separation of his quads, hams and calves were legendary. Off the top of my head I don't of any IFBB pro competing now that has wheels like he did. Not even Branch Warren. Paul Demayo's were in the same ballpark back in the 90s.

I digress, Branches are entirely better than Platz, just because Branch doesn't have a black and white picture of only his legs doesn't mean they don't compare.

[KevinCouch]

I digress, Branches are entirely better than Platz, just because Branch doesn't have a black and white picture of only his legs doesn't mean they don't compare.

Well, I'd have to disagree....Branch's wheels are a little more vascular IMO but not as full or separated. Take a look. I know Tom's pic is in black and white.
http://fast-musclebuilding.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/tom_platz_0072-169x300.jpg (http://fast-musclebuilding.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/tom_platz_0072.jpg)





http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT4PjwkwTWyqu8jK_T1HgbRPKslu3uPv 52RB1a6UGJQB6920RUL (http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://bb.emonet.jp/images/BranchWarren001.jpg&imgrefurl=http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php%3Ft%3D123246921&usg=__pprRnE9iEMIjmLftuDdRxoq0esY=&h=400&w=274&sz=32&hl=en&start=8&zoom=1&tbnid=YAaGgJSFht713M:&tbnh=124&tbnw=85&ei=Jx-3TYn6K-Lq0gG7n8X-Dw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dbranch%2Bwarren%2Bleg%2Bpics%26hl%3De n%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1T4ADFA_enUS337US337%26biw%3D98 9%26bih%3D466%26tbm%3Disch%26prmd%3Divnsfd&itbs=1)

[thesamewords]

YG, you should find a better pic to compare the two. I dont feel like scouring the web.

[Shadow]

Well, I'd have to disagree....Branch's wheels are a little more vascular IMO but not as full or separated. Take a look. I know Tom's pic is in black and white.

I agree. We've yet to see legs like Platz grace a pro stage.

[Mac]

I digress, Branches are entirely better than Platz, just because Branch doesn't have a black and white picture of only his legs doesn't mean they don't compare.

NO way. Branch has the size, but not the quality and separation that Platz had.

[Curt James]

We did have a couple of genetic freaks when it came to pectoral potential back then. Arnold, Serge, Lou all had low inserting pecs that were broad across the sternum. That gave them a lot of potential for pec development. Only a few since then, Coleman comes to mind, have that kind of structure. Even back then guys such as Mentzer and Viator had higher set pecs with less fiber density which limited their mass potential.

Kal Szkalak in the same time period?

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_1nLdNGnrAes/TbeOjhEFtsI/AAAAAAAAEjg/W_jMuqjSf_w/kal-s.jpg

YfQHkoPYxPo

http://musclememory.com/images/recent/SzkalakKalman_big.jpg

http://musclememory.com/magCovers/mb/mb7802.jpg

http://musclememory.com/magCovers/mmi/mmi024.jpg

[masterschamp]

Kevin,
It's been awhile since I saw that picture of Platz's thighs...freakin unbelievable...nothing even close since.
If you would remove 1/3 of his total thigh development ( inner, upper thighs) most guys would be thrilled to have what was left, and it would be about as good as you would find today!

Keith

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Kal Szkalak in the same time period?

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_1nLdNGnrAes/TbeOjhEFtsI/AAAAAAAAEjg/W_jMuqjSf_w/kal-s.jpg

YfQHkoPYxPo

http://musclememory.com/images/recent/SzkalakKalman_big.jpg

http://musclememory.com/magCovers/mb/mb7802.jpg

http://musclememory.com/magCovers/mmi/mmi024.jpg
Yeah Kal was yet another one. I forget about him- probably because he was not around as long. Good call.