Which Mr Olympia Had To Work The Hardest? - Who Got it Easiest?

[Big Beat]

After watching Dave's video on genetics and a recent Dorian Yates video it made me wonder which Mr Olympia worked the hardest and who just had it and it was easy.

So I am going to break the Olympia winners into two categories, 1. The Workers and 2. Guys Who Don't Have To Try. Of course all these guys are the super elite freaks but even at this level some are freakier than others. What is listed below is just my opinion so feel free to disagree.

1. The Workers

Larry Scott
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Franco Columbu
Frank Zane
Chris Dickerson
Samir Bannout
Dorian Yates
Ronnie Coleman
Jay Cutler
Dexter Jackson

2. Didn't have to try

Sergio Oliva
Lee Haney
Phil Heath


Any comments and opinion on who had to work the hardest and who had it easy are appreciated.

[Joe Pietaro]

Pretty cool concept, bro. I like this and agree with you.

[Curt James]

A million years ago I was awarded a year's subscription and included in a photo spread in some gag that turned into a real contest for MuscleMag International. It was called The Hunt for Arnold's Number One Fan. I have copies of the mag with my collection of Arnold memorabilia in it somewhere in a box, but I just say that as a preface to saying I'd move Ahnuld to the Didn't have to try column.

At least in 1971. Arnold was the only competitor that year.

And then there's 1980 when all he had to do was step on stage though there were other competitors that year.

Certainly Arnold has worked. He's the king of Stay Hungry, but that's not to say he hasn't experienced a charmed life.

Regardless, he's still Numero Uno!

arnold-charmed.jpg

[Curt James]

And I'd say Jay had to work the hardest. He chased Big Ron forever before being awarded his own Sandow.

Larry Scott had it the easiest is my guess. An amazing physique to be true, but he was with Joe Weider discussing the idea of the contest. His competition? Two other bodybuilders, Harold Poole and Earl Maynard. Poole was just as -- if not more -- amazing as Scott, but I'd say Larry had a lock on the title before ever stepping on stage.

olympialarryandharold.jpg
L-R: Ben Weider, Harold Poole, Larry Scott, Joe Weider

[Mobster]

Nice. Curt is correct historically speaking. There were Olympia competitions with what... 2 competitors? Genetically speaking you could argue that both Phil and Larry were narrow and so worked hard to broaden themselves. Ronnie's training (working stuff 2x a week and HEAVY) was probably the most brutal. Sergio, according to Arnold and others, was HOURS long... There are so many aspects we could pick on. Ronnie was what - the biggest jump from dead last to 8x winning.

I'm gonna go with Samir. Not huge, decent numbers and names to go up against and it took a lot for him to come in as he should and then he rarely was ever 'on'.

[Big Beat]

Pretty cool concept, bro. I like this and agree with you.

Cheers Joe

[Big Beat]

And I'd say Jay had to work the hardest. He chased Big Ron forever before being awarded his own Sandow.

Larry Scott had it the easiest is my guess. An amazing physique to be true, but he was with Joe Weider discussing the idea of the contest. His competition? Two other bodybuilders, Harold Poole and Earl Maynard. Poole was just as -- if not more -- amazing as Scott, but I'd say Larry had a lock on the title before ever stepping on stage.

olympialarryandharold.jpg
L-R: Ben Weider, Harold Poole, Larry Scott, Joe Weider

Yes there is the angle that some had it easier because of the competition they faced or politics. My angle is some guys just didn't have to try very hard to win because they are the most superior of genetic freaks, it was a very easy rise to the top without huge sacrifice.

I think Dorian probably sacrifed most personally to be the best, Arnold too was extremely driven and still is. Both have crazy genetics but both were the hardest most dedicated trainers in their respective eras. Both would do whatever it took and did to break the barriers of what had gone before.

An example of where I am coming from would be Paul Dillett. That cat would put an inch on his bicep picking up a pen to sign his gym membership form.

Another example for me is Shawn Ray, check him out as a 18 years old, it's all there to see that he has it. All he has to do is to add mass. Very few 18 year olds had it this easy. Ray was close to perfection right from the get go. It's no surprise a few short years later he was a pro. For this reason I see it Ray had it easy.

[Curt James]

Nice. Curt is correct historically speaking. There were Olympia competitions with what... 2 competitors?

There were Olympia contests with only one competitor. Step on stage, people clap, contest over. Sergio was awarded the title in 1968 and Arnold was named Mr. O in 1971, both as solo competitors.

Genetically speaking you could argue that both Phil and Larry were narrow and so worked hard to broaden themselves. Ronnie's training (working stuff 2x a week and HEAVY) was probably the most brutal. Sergio, according to Arnold and others, was HOURS long... There are so many aspects we could pick on. Ronnie was what - the biggest jump from dead last to 8x winning.

I'm gonna go with Samir. Not huge, decent numbers and names to go up against and it took a lot for him to come in as he should and then he rarely was ever 'on'.

Great points and, yes, Samir's transformation was incredible.

samir reverse.jpg

[Curt James]

Yes there is the angle that some had it easier because of the competition they faced or politics. My angle is some guys just didn't have to try very hard to win because they are the most superior of genetic freaks, it was a very easy rise to the top without huge sacrifice.

I think Dorian probably sacrifed most personally to be the best, Arnold too was extremely driven and still is. Both have crazy genetics but both were the hardest most dedicated trainers in their respective eras. Both would do whatever it took and did to break the barriers of what had gone before.

An example of where I am coming from would be Paul Dillett. That cat would put an inch on his bicep picking up a pen to sign his gym membership form.

Another example for me is Shawn Ray, check him out as a 18 years old, it's all there to see that he has it. All he has to do is to add mass. Very few 18 year olds had it this easy. Ray was close to perfection right from the get go. It's no surprise a few short years later he was a pro. For this reason I see it Ray had it easy.

I don't have any video or pics, but do remember a quote by Eddie Robinson where he said he became a bodybuilder because he looked like a bodybuilder.

...

Okay, found this. Not sure on his age here, but he's not 30. lol

baby eddie.jpg

Robinson went on to appear on a ton of magazine covers during his career, one that has spanned the AAU, NPC, WBF, IFBB, and now as NABBA USA President.

joe and eddie.jpg
Joe Weider and Eddie

[hifrommike65]

I'm not sure it's fair to say someone didn't have to work hard. It takes a ton of commitment & total concentration & dedication to achieve an Olympia win. When competitors had no competition, it was because the others felt they had no chance against them.

As for Samir, I was reading FLEX & M&F at that point, & remember a feature about his having a trainer who was a hypnotist, who called him every morning & put him in a trance on the phone to keep him totally focused. In some ways, I think he had the most aesthetic build of any Olympia winner.

[nsp]

I think the work load of some changed through out their careers based off of their predicament.

I remember when Dexter started coming up in the ranks in the early 2000's he stated he only trained 3 times a week and did no cardio (not exactly "killing it"). That was enough to win him a few pro shows and crack the top 10 at the O, but he since then has turned up the volume, kicking things in to high gear and now has a Sandow and a handful of ASC titles to prove for it.

We're all familiar with Ronnies "unbelievable" training video where we see him doing inhuman acts of lifting to make him one of the greatest. But towards the end of his career I remember seeing him in the BFTO videos training at his house where he seems to just being goin through the motions. As if he realized he no longer had to brutalize himself to win. Kind of a disappointment from what we got used to seeing him do in the trenches at Metroflex.

From the stories I've heard from Arnold I think Franco could be added to the "didn't have to try" category. I remember Arnold saying that when him, Franco and the rest of the crew got together to train at Venice golds, Franco would always be the first to leave (particularly on leg day) and every felt they had to train twice as hard to be as thick as him.

[Curt James]

and a handful of ASC titles

Dexter's won it five times, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, and 2015. Zoinks!

I think Franco could be added to the "didn't have to try" category.

Come on! He chased Arnold much like Gaspari and Cutler chased the Mr. Olympias of their era.




Let's not talk about 1981, though. :-(

[Curt James]

And good to see you post, nsp!

[nsp]

Come on! He chased Arnold much like Gaspari and Cutler chased the Mr. Olympias of their era.




Let's not talk about 1981, though. :-(

I only say that because of what Arnold has said. And yea 1981, kinda hard to put up much of a chase when recovering from a broke femor : \

[Mobster]

Training wise I always enjoyed and was motivated by Dorian and Ronnie (I'd put Arnold in third for the same reason). Sergio would not have had to work the hardest (cold have dieted better mind). He was the most genetically gifted. Along with Lou Ferrigno (who Arnold said this about on camera) Arnold would like to have had his genetics.

One thing which is true of ALL champs is we know they have some genetics (Ronnie's leg veins first time he his Metroflex) to speak of. Some more than others. Some surprised us with their transformations - others not so much. But EVERYONE had to make the most of what they had. Some had to learn to pose, diet and even to rest. Truth is the best champs maximised EVERYTHING. Some had to overcome less than broad shoulders (Phil and Larry), a ton of injuries and even (Samir again) not quite being as lean as they needed to be. Some were just unlucky with who else they had to go up against (Jay).