Bringing Back Classic Muscle!!

3x Mr. Olympia Frank Zane calls Sadik's the best physique today!!

I still remember when Men's Physique was introduced and what many of the critics had to say. I, for one, have always been a fan of the concept of a more mainstream-friendly, even healthier looking physique-based competitive division. As time would tell, the division became wildly successful at the local, regional, & national levels. It's popular both at the amateur and professional level, but it's critics have consistently raised the solid point about legs. For one, you can't see them, they're not scored, and some guys don't even train them. In fact, what little is visible could get you in trouble on the score cards. That's right, I've heard of people getting looked down upon for having jacked calves. 

A friend of mine, legendary bodybuilding writer, John Romano, even called the new group "the lawn dart division," because some guys had zero legs. Combine zero legs with soft upper bodies and what you have isn't very marketable. In theory, you have a beach model, not someone who should have an IFBB Pro card. 

Nonetheless, and fortunately for the federation, the division weeded out the sickly-looking and most of the champions are guys that actually look like they lift; however, for the guys that are simply looking for that classic bodybuilding look w/o the gh guts, the 22+ guns, and enormous tree trunk legs that impede them from walking like normal human beings, the "traditional" men's physique division was not the place for them. To a guy that wants to look like Frank Zane, there's really no where to go. He'll lose in physique b/c he's ripped & separated, but he'll fail at bodybuilding b/c he's not big enough and not "freaky enough..." 

Artemus Dolgin looks like a 1970's Venice Beach Bodybuilder.

This new division is literally a Godsend. Of course, there's people just think in terms of dollars & cents, conspiracy theories, and spewing negativity. Some people just want to hate the NPC/IFBB. Talking to them is like talking into a dead phone - don't waste your breath. The bottom line is, the anticipation is building - from competitors & fans alike. In time, as I've stated many times before, physique will eventually take the spotlight from bodybuilding. 

If "Classic" Men's Physique lives up to the hype, then it will be the real bodybuilding division to fans old school muscle. If Frank Zane were to compete today, this would be the division for him. There isn't a doubt in my mind about it. I mean go back and look at the weight Arnold competed at!! If a guy with Arnold's height and weight competed on the most rinky dink of bodybuilding pro shows today, he'd all but get laughed off the stage. Let me paint this picture a bit more.

Arnold at 6'2 competed at roughly the same bodyweight as does Dexter Jackson at FIVE FOOT SIX today. Just think about that for a second. That's an EIGHT INCH height difference, at the SAME WEIGHT, lol. 

Case closed.