Muscle & Fitness 20 Best Bodies Ever
I was recently cleaning up the ole house and found an old stash of bodybuilding magazines from the late 90's and early 2000's. I came across the July 2004 Muscle and Fitness mag.. The cover was Kevin Levrone and the featured article was a pictorial listing of whom they consider the 20 best bodies ever ranked from 20-1. Looking back on this list I personally feel that Muscle and Fitness's ranking are completely off. Personally I think the writers were smoking on real funny stuff prior to making this list. Would love to hear opinions based on this list. Here goes.
2004 Muscle & Fitness 20 Best Bodies Ever
by Shawn Perine
20) Samir Bannout
19) Dave Draper
18) Reg Park
17) Bill Pearl
16) Lee Labrada
15) Jay Cutler
14) Kevin Levrone
13) Sergio Oliva
12) Larry Scott
11) Chris Dickerson
10) Shawn Ray
9) Flex Wheeler
8) Franco Columbu
7) Steve Reeves
6) Lou Ferrigno
5) Frank Zane
4) Dorian Yates
3) Lee Haney
2) Ronnie Coleman
1) Arnold Schwarzenegger
So theres your official Muscle and Fitness list. It took everything in my being to not write LOL after several of placings. While all great bodybuilders in their own right, this list to me is way off. Thoughts?
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I can't for the life of me understand why Theophany isn't on the top twenty list! He must be twenty-one! Lmao! Just a joke guys, hope it brought a smile to your face! :))
The list is not legit, but the names are great! Look at any one of them and feel jealous lol (no homo). To put Ronnie to 1 from the the top? Madness... Ronnie vs Arnie et al from byegone era... apples and oranges
Maybe a more valid list would show top 3 per era, chronologically, or something, I dunno
I'm going to call this list flawed for two reasons! Personally, I can't fathom how Chris Dickerson even made it on this list! And most importantly, where in the name of all that is good and holy is Bob Paris? He possessed one of the most polished, proportioned and aesthetic physiques to ever grace the professional bodybuilding stage! Yes, my personal opinion, but with the assuredness that many would agree!
Chris Dickerson was the worst O winner, in my opinion. I simply don't like his physique. Have you seen his elbows? Once you see them, they can't be unseen. And I was just lamenting the absence of Serge Nubret. His contest shape was just sensational.
Was Dickerson the absolute worst? Or Gyno no legs Franco in 1981 when Arnold was promoting?
His other victories were righteous. So that should have been Platz's or Padilla's year. Oh well. It is suspect that Arnold came out of retirement in his worst shape to win the O then a year later, Franco comes out retirement in his worst shape after a strongman injury and also wins the O. Arnold promoting the event doesn't help.
Still, the biggest outright robbery I've ever seen was Jay Cutler defeating Victor Martinez in the 2007 Mr. Olympia.
1980 was controversial simply because at the last minute Arnold decided to enter when the rules clearly stated that a competitor must sign up well in advance. Combine that with Arnolds worse condition ever. Thank all being said, versus that lineup Arnold wins the show. Mentzer was off, flat, and far from his perfect 1979 score. Zane clearly off as well. Boyer looked as good as he could considered. However a 95% Coe and also a 95 % Dickerson don't beat a 80% Arnold. Just my opinion , based on everything Ive seen about the contest.
1981 Franco although a tremendous recovery, looked like shit. Both Frank Zane and Wayne Demilla both are on record saying flat out that Danny Padilla should've won the show. That is exceptionally high praise.
And oh yeah bro, Martinez got carjacked in that 2007 show. The entire world had him winning except for the judges. Politics of course, brother. Weiders know what they are doing though, cant have Mr. O spending time in the slammer.
If we are talking about close calls and possible hose jobsl. I had Nasser in 1997. But he was too much of a prick for the IFBB to pull the trigger. Flex probably should've won in 1999. Cutler was fucked 2001. The judging based on the scorecards is preposterous. To Cutler's disadvantage was he was out of nowhere that year coupled with the diuretics bullshit. But hey, what do I know bro?
You know brother, I totally forgot about his elbows and you're so right! I rarely if ever see pictures of Dickerson anymore for I never search them out! Very much agreed, he was the worst crowned Olympian!
Also agreed, the legendary Serge Nubret and his near perfect physique should have been on this list!
Thank for weighing in Brooklyn, spot-on my friend!
I'll agree on Serg. I think Dickerson screwed himself with the gay porn thing. Pun intended.
So did Kai, apparently
Kai has grapefruits alright
Its the IFBB and Chris Dickerson was their Golden Boy. Which is why he even garnered a Mr. O Title in the first place. His 1982 win was merely a "lifetime achievement" award. Especially after he announced it was going to be his last contest. Seemingly needed after the controversial 1980 Olympia and the complete debacle which was the 1981 Olympia.
I'm so glad you mentioned Bob Paris. A complete masterpiece in the classic Steve Reeves mold. Which is what bodybuilding is all about.
Personally I would dump Reg Park off this list. While huge and cut for his day he never had the refinement or longevity of a Bill Pearl. I believe he only made the list because Arnold was a huge fanboy.
Bob Paris, however, is the epitome of art and aesthetics in bodybuilding. Many would agree, most should agree. In my opinion Arnold isn't even numero uno. While the most famous for certain. Certainly not the best body ever , esp in 2004.
Oh yes, and very much agreed brother AD! Both 1980 and 1981 Olympias produced very questionable outcomes! Very nice to interact with a bodybuilding historian, I've been following this sport for 40+ years!
Much respect for that my friend!
Maybe Arnold doesn't deserve to be inthe #1 spot, but I truly believe he belongs in the top twenty!
RustyhookerI like most of that list. But Ronnie coleman to me was the nail in the coffin for seeing bodybuilding as a legit sport. To me, he was the comic in the balloonhead cartoons. Horrible igf gut. Haney and yates were the last of symmetrical mass monsters for many years as title holders.
Haney never get the true credit he deserves. Winning the title at such a young age with the complete package combined with the unheard of mass for the time. Truly a phenom of the sport.
Yates circa 1996 Grand Prix's was simply was one of the best physiques of all time. Maybe even the best. But in 1997 he was way off. Garbage really. Ushering in the era of the "insulin look"
Ronnie in 1998 in NYC was incredible. He smoked one of the greatest fields of competitors of all time with a truly incredible total package. Ronnie, however, never was consistent. When he blew up and competed at almost 300lbs was mind boggling. But I agree he digressed so much after that he looked literally out of shape and stupid.
I will never understand the judges obsession with rewarding ripped striated glutes over a ripped controlled tapered waist and abs.
Today the field is a joke, guys show up consistently out of shape , with herniated belly buttons and insulin guts, and pretend to be contender's.
I would say after Haney the game changed completely.
Tren, Insulin, and HGH took over the game. And the game has sucked ever since
Keep tren out of this lol. That reminds me. How in the holy name of FUCK did the original Parabolan poster boy not make this list. So Reg Park, Dave Draper, and Chris Dickerson made the cut but Serge Nubret didn't? Come on. That guy was on another level.
I agree.
Ha! Well the meaning behind the tren comment was with all the new technology and compounds available today you would think the quality of the competitors would continue to get better. It certainly has not.
As per this list Reg Park has to go as does Dickerson. Draper while he ushered in the California Beach look is certainly not one of the 20 best bodies of all time. I smell what you are cooking with Serge also. You can even dump Ferringo. Lou is one of the most famous bodybuilder of all time. That being said, a top 20 all time?
Notice no Black Prince on the list either? He has to be in serious consideration. Granted this is 2004 but Dexter Jackson would have to be on the list today as well.
I'm totally in agreement brother AD! I would totally remove the Bodybuilders you've mentioned: Dickerson, Draper, Park and Ferrigno! I would add in their place: Paris, Nubret, Robinson, Mentzer and DeMayo! I realize I might catch some flack for Mentzer and DeMayo but as I've become older and my eyes are keener, I've come to greatly appreciate the physique of Mentzer and DeMayo! Your thoughts?
I'd go Arnold, Sergio, Franco and Larry Scott as the top four on that list, The older guys just look better imo.
Kinda weird how the little aesthetic guys and the big mass monster guys are just jumbled up randomly. I don't have a problem with any of the guys on here, but I'd probably replace Dave Draper with Lee Priest and move Sergio to number one. It's just an awkward list.
I agree. Extremely awkward. As I said, all are great but the list but the placing just make no sense. How is Larry the Legend ahead of Sergio? How is Dickerson ahead of Sergio? Lou Ferrigno is ahead of Levrone, Wheeler, and Reeves???? Franco was great, but an overall better body than Levrone or Wheeler or Ray? Seems to me this writer was merely throwing darts at the wall with this one. I cannot believe such a haphazard list made it to print .
I also agree that Priest deserves on this list as well. Granted this was in print in 2004 well before Priest crushed the Ironman Pro in 2006 fully diced, winning the mens open title weighing in at less than 200 lbs! a feat completely unheard of in todays bodybuilding scene. So yes, Priest deserves the list. Sergio also in my opinion is the greatest genetics and shape ever in history. Only politics could topple his IFBB run. Thanks for checking out the list and Happy 4th .
I think that the names are there but just not where I would place them