'87 Nationals vs. 2011 Nationals

**John Hansen** · 12-10-2011, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Tim Wescott

The guys in the 80`s did a lot more volume,trained each bodypart around 2 X a week as a rule,dieted much harder,used far less drugs,especially GH and insulin,actually practiced doing a posing routine,ate far less food,didn`t cheat on their diets as a rule,and relied more on training and food,instead of just upping the dosage to continue progressing.

The sport has regressed bigtime,especially on the pro level.

Great thread John.

Thanks Tim, good to hear from you buddy!

**jcmule** · 12-10-2011, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by Natural_O

I'm not really sure. I think part of it is what Aaron said, the drugs are different now and that gives a different look to the physique. It seems like the physiques today, both amateur and pro, are not as ripped and lean as they were 20-30 years ago. Back then, you had to come in ripped if you wanted to place high. Now, it's all about coming in big and full.

I don't know if it is the frequency of training or just harder training. Bodybuilders back then in general used more free weights and less machines. But the biggest difference is the gyms today. They were all hardcore gyms back then compared to the fitness palaces that cater to everyone today. If you train hard now in one of the corporate fitness centers, they will threaten to throw you out. In the hardcore gyms, if you didn't train hard all the time, you were considered a pussy by the rest of the gym members.

according to the drug aspect of it back then they probably had better quality chemicals than today's suprermarket of underground chemicals

**lilarnold** · 12-10-2011, 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by ritch

the guys from way back smoke today's guys! How the hell is that? But today's Mr O seems better every generation in my mind. Haney had no legs, well shitty hamstrings.. after him the guys got real big!

FAIL........phil heath is ronnie colemans bitch

**dc9616** · 12-11-2011, 11:23 AM

I think this day and age that these athletes use to many drugs with out even haveing a natural fundation, Good example is i believe ronnie coleman was drug free until 95-96. He had a great foundation naturally and when he deside to gear uo it was lights out. We prob can say the same thing for kai greene. Thats why i think the top tank amutures are burned out trying to turn pro , then get to that level then do bad. I hear kids at my gym 18-19 years old talk about cycles and about 175 pounds with 3 months of training under there belt. depending on the drugs more then there self. Thats why we cant even keep good supplments on the shelfs. They are getting in the wrong hands of certain people, Shit im suprise they did not banned creatine .. smh.....

**Ryan Wacht** · 12-11-2011, 01:48 PM

Much less GH back then, physiques were harder and less watery. Could be coincidence...

**Waylon** · 06-28-2012, 12:23 PM

The only trend I noticed

Black Guys > White Guys at bodybuilding

**Chris Aceto** · 06-28-2012, 02:14 PM

John I was in LA the entire summer of 1987. I also was at Gold Venice the day or few days after Shawn Ray won. Its NOT cause I was so young, but I remember him being soooooooo round soooooo full soooo hard and soooo thin skin....It would be like taking troy laves at his best, dieted down to the point of looking over dieted then saying " hey troy eat this and u will fill out 30 pounds or dry rock hard muscle. I recall that day sooo well the other established PROS were avoiding even LOOKING at Shawn. I also remember thinking " this guy is 22" I just could not believe it EVERYONE take another look at that crunch shot hansen posted its the shit!!!

**Taylor Normandeau** · 06-28-2012, 04:06 PM

I am young so don't have the "old days" to compare it to, but I can count the amount of people I've ever met who train hard consistently on one hand, and I've trained at some very busy big gyms and in the Canada and US. Not just heavy weights because I don't believe that is the main ingredient, but you RARELY see people pushing sets past the pain barrier for high reps, rest pause, grimacing in pain. People usually feel the first hit of lactic acid and consider that "failure"...

**John Hansen** · 06-28-2012, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by Chris Aceto

John I was in LA the entire summer of 1987. I also was at Gold Venice the day or few days after Shawn Ray won. Its NOT cause I was so young, but I remember him being soooooooo round soooooo full soooo hard and soooo thin skin....It would be like taking troy laves at his best, dieted down to the point of looking over dieted then saying " hey troy eat this and u will fill out 30 pounds or dry rock hard muscle. I recall that day sooo well the other established PROS were avoiding even LOOKING at Shawn. I also remember thinking " this guy is 22" I just could not believe it EVERYONE take another look at that crunch shot hansen posted its the shit!!!

That's a great memory Chris. I remember talking to the late Charles Durr who went on to win his class at the NPC USA in '91 and he told me he helped put the oil on Shawn Ray backstage at the Nationals that year and he said he was one of the best physiques he had ever seen. "His back was like marble".

**LSMUSCL81a** · 06-28-2012, 07:07 PM

the first gym i trained in as a teen was full of oldschool powerlifters and bodybuilders (70's 80's era) fella named Tony Pharr took me under his wing and taught me the ins and outs of proper training and diet...then more training...not word of any drug was ever spoken...i still train the exact same way and with the same intensity as he taught me...now 15yrs later...its amazing how many training partners i go through esp after i load up the squat bar say 25...that older generation that trained me, just had a denser, more realistic look to it

**Quadsweep** · 07-01-2012, 04:08 PM

Before I began getting injured and I was preping for shows late 80s to late 90s we would yell at each other during our 2.5 hour leg workouts "NOBODY CAN BE TRAINING ANY HARDER...NOBODY!"

Originally Posted by Natural_O

I agree with this 100%!
I was training during that era and it seemed like everyone trained hard in the gyms back then. It was almost like a badge of honor to train harder than the next person.