I honestly don't get why would Dorian Yates "fans" would be angry with him on this list, he didn't have good genetics compared to Flex Wheeler or others and yet he beat them. As a big Yates fan, I always point out his genetic "deficiency" and how he became Mr. O due to sheer work ethic. It is simply inspirational.
I was a huge Gaspari fan back in the day. Agree that he had to overcome less than ideal genetics. That guy was shredded!! Agree on the Arnold breakdown too. All these guys show that dedication to their sport is greater than just being "blessed" with good genes.
Also Yates had arguably the best back (width & thickness) of any bodybuilder in history. And having that great back concealed his less-than-stellar deltoids.
Wolfs high lats look awesome, Just 'cos lui marco likes low lats then everyone likes low lats, IMO low lats make the waist look thicker and make the bodybuilder look less dynamic.
I dont think it is that big of a thing to judge. Yeah, it changes how the midsection and waist looks but it isnt as important as other features, like actual waist size and comperative quad size. But, of course, lats are really hard to hide in mandatory poses.
Lee Priest has the perfect physique of all time to me, and that includes the high lats. His waste looks tiny af in comparison to his huge ass arms and legs.
I honestly don't see how this video should offend anyone, if a bodybuilder overcomes his bad genetics and is successful in the fitness industry he is more than deserving of his accomplishments. Great video mate!
Something you have to take into account when judging these guys from photos and videos -- seeing them in person can be much different. I saw Chris right after the Big O when he was doing Weider promotional shots at Gold's Gym Venice, and I can tell you that he looked like he was from another planet. Moral of the story? People are not always photogenic,as such, but his presence and conditioning were absolutely freakish and totally worthy of a Mr Olympia title.
how it this click bait? this is an interesting topic and is new that I havent seen anywhere that I am interested in. Good video tomn8er. Th ank god I found your channel. I cant stand to listen to the L.U.I's voice anymore lol
I don’t think you’re my favorite BB Channel but I will say, you definitely have the most diverse and interesting content. For that I respect, like, and subscribe to you. Word up Tomin8er
at 7:01, Rich was pretty much on the downside of his career, this photo is from the 1991 Mr Olympia, he placed 10th. He actually had much better muscle fullness in 86 and 87. Thierry placed 8th and Francis placed 7th. An even more "hideous" phsyique of a guy named Achim Albrecht placed 9th. He had a torso a mile long, short stubby although very powerfully developed quads, lousy arms, ordinary chest and back, sort of an upside-down Y frame..
Rich Gaspari's chest nipple issue was only late in his career (post 1990) and that was likely due to injury or over-training. He looked pretty good with full muscle bellies in the 1985 to 1988 Mr Olympias.
You are still miles ahead of competition in terms of quality material, insights, entertainment factor, etc. Love your detailed analysis and all kind of stuffs, and you even managed to improve your posting frequency. Keep on, sir!
I knew Dorian will be there, or at least I hoped so. Dude had so much flaws and even more injuries. But he was a fuckin' machine, like someone would made the perfect _competition_ bodybuilder. He almost outposed everyone else and knew how to hide his weaknesses and showcase his strenghts, and of course had benchmark conditioning and work-ethic. Insane guy, but tbh I still believe that he shouldn't have won more than 3 or 4 out of that 6. Even then, his legacy would be more or less the same, but without the controversy.
Gábor Szabó Dorian overcame outworked.He treated his body as a body.He was truly separated from it .You could hit the guy with a train and would still get to the gym..He walked in the snow to the gym man..
Bruh even Dorian has much better genetics when compared to average person. His midsection were perfect before he even started training. Perfectly symmetrical 6 packs and obliques. He is big boned too which allows him to pack on a lot of mass and strength.
Gaspari was the first person I thought of reading your title, great video ,great content, I look forward to your downloads , great job from start to Finnish.
Everybody who says you need genetics needs to watch this video. If the mind can conceive it you will achieve it. Arnold didn’t have the legs, Tom platz didn’t have any genetics and built his legs and became quadzilla, Franco didn’t have a chest, Dorian Yates didn’t have the peak in his biceps and shoulders the list goes on and they turned their negatives to a strength. And you can too! Reg park challenged Arnold to wear shorts so people would laugh at his legs to motivate him to train them and he got Austrian tree trunks despite bad genetics and the rest is history. Like Tom platz I won’t be a victim to my genetics I don’t care if anything not having the best genetics will be an even better success story when I am on top like arnie and Franco. I will be a champion fighter, bodybuilder and actor like Franco and Arnold and look like that be the first Josh Peterson. Like Arnold said you can turn your vision into reality if you do whatever it takes and believe in your vision. You can do it you can be the greatest think of it as a challenge to overcome and how great it will be and inspiring a generation of bodybuilding champions that were told you will never do this you can’t look like this to install a beacon of hope. I don’t live in reality I live in going for my dreams and build my reality in my mind like Dorian.
He was getting obliterated when he was first competing in the Mr O,when he hit the extra gear that others where on it was his hard work that got him where he was,real hard work will still only get you to your genetic limit any harder work is just going to nothing you can’t outwork your limit ,iv seen big dudes work out like sissy boys but there a lot bigger than me I guess there is also the factor they might be on gear but there are people with insane genetics that can work out half assed and blow the average guy out of the water even tho they are training like a mad man
Being strong isnt the same as being smart. Noone is born like Ronnie. Everyone has to work hard to get big. The body also has limits to how big it can get, and you cant control some aspects of the body, like muscle insertions.
I believe Nasser made the same assessment of Yates back in the day. This is really a tribute to Yates and arnold for turning the tables on their genetics through hard work. On the reverse Ferrigno inherited fabulous genes and made a pigs pig's ear of it
I agree with this for the most part. Dorian admitted several times that he competed against people who had far superior genetics to him, but he beat them because he worked harder. He busted his ass because he was so determined. And that's why he's one of my all time favorites 💪
The actual reason Dorian beat them is that Dorian did have better genetics. They all pretty much worked just as optimally. The amount of muscle you can build is very dependant on genetics. Dorian did work harder when it comes to conditioning tho that I do agree with
Ik this is 1 year old comment but please search dorian Yates after 6 months of workout and see what he looks like and you would never say he has bad genetics
@@macerrad9377 he had excelent genetics when you compare with the avarage joe but when you compare with paul dillet,flex wheler,rony coleman,shawn ray everyone had more potential in bodybuilding better muscles bellies more astetic frame ..but the sadow overworked the and used size and condition in his favor.
I did Much Reading back when i worked out for Bodybuilding shows....MANY Books Showed Arnold in his younger years...and as you said ...He was "Lacking" in the Calves. But, what Made me Love Arnold was his "Tenacity" at Embarrassing His own self into Better condition! In Other words "Hard work" and "Character" Made Arnold who He is today! And Most Bodybuilders i worked out with in the Late 90's were NOT so genetically Blessed! But, we did as Arnold did...TRAIN Hard and Dream! ;) So, Saying Arnold had a "Lacking" Physique is OK in my Book...But, "Overcoming" what he LACKED..... is what Made Him a Champion! and This is why so many People Like the Sport today! :) Great Video!
Totally hysterical and pretty darn true. One thing I think you are missing is Rich G’s insane determination. I’m not sure anyone in history matched it. Everyone knew it which helped a lot!
Good video! Will you do a part 2 and maybe 3? Because i think that this is an interesting topic and there are a lot more athletes who overcame moreless bad genetics and are worth mentioning.
I just subscribed due to the content of this video. However I read the comments below and ended up going back to try to figure out what previous comments were in reference to the Arnie intro. Went back, had a listen and gotta agree. I want Arnie intros back.
Dennis Wolf is the perfect guy to demonstrate Frame VS Muscle Bellies as his Frame is pretty much perfect but some of his Muscle Bellies are pretty bad, ie his calves and lats are pretty much ectomorph standard.
@Tomn8er dude I agree with everything you said in this vid. Thanks for finally shedding some light on flaws instead of licking boor heels like many others. Do more of these. And a list of fav 80s bbs!!
Yates said if those opponents workout like ,I did I’ll never be at the standard , they’re “ genetically gifted “ he said known no body work harder than me , respect to the legendary mr Yates
Every pose where Arnold holds his one or both hands above his head is classic; almost breathtaking. However when he stood relaxed, even fully clothed, his wide waist and narrow shoulder structure became apparent. Still Arnold is one of my favorite bodybuilders of all time.
Tomn8er, Anyone that gives you shit on this or your "Most Gifted"video just has no sense of reality or are extremely biased. You're honest in your overall outlook on each one. You admit your shortcomings. Your videos are great because of the fact that you're humble, fair & honest in your assessments. Tight work, Tomn8er!
You're so wrong on Arnold tho... You're judging him by the criteria of modern bodybuilding which is ridiculous since there was a different standard in those days. Arnold had one of the best legs of his era, only second to tom plats, who's legs were totally disproportioned. Arnold had great legs for his era. In those days they didnt look for 35 inch legs. Also arnolds calves had nothing to do with bad genetics but with lack of training. Cause when he trained them hard they got huge like in 74 and bigger than the others. And you also forget that in 75 he lost weight for the film stay hungry and didnt have enough time to bring up his legs to 74's size. If you train 8 weeks, come back out of nowhere winning the Mr O you dont have bad genetics. In fact, he probably had great genetics. You cant judge 70's bodybuilders by 2000s< standards. Different era, different judging criteria. In Arnolds days, no one had delts like kevin levrone or legs like ronnie coleman. The proportions were just differently. Aesthetics played a bigger role. Had Arnold competed in the 90's he'd still be mr O. Cause he'd make sure he'd win by the criteria of that era, and with all those new drugs and stuff he'd be much and much bigger and he would deff kick everyones ass
Sergio had great, huge thighs with excellent calves, so its not really true to claim that in Arnold's day nobody had legs. Arnold had good separation in his thighs but not enough size, with poor hamstrings. This was as true then as it is now. Who would want legs like Coleman anyway? Poor, high and small calves dwarfed by the over-developed thighs, with too much upper thigh too.
Read Arnold's book, he trained calves crazy, he asked reg park for help with different machines and he said he was forced by weider to workout in shorts so the other guys could rip on him for his small legs and by doing so motivate him.
people who tell the absolute Truth, are never popular lol you're right. that being said , I have always noticed a trend with many athletes. the genetically gifted, never work as hard. my whole life I have observed this, from boxing, wrestling or MMA to bodybuilding and powerlifting , the guys that are not gifted are the same ones you noticed Never miss a training session, they are the first to arrive and last to leave! in true "Rocky" underdog fashion
you ever considered the people you think have good genetics and dont train hard is the ones hitting the perfect amount of training volume and intensity and the ones you think have bad genetics but work the hardest is in reality over training like crazy reducing their gains?
Branch warren always had great side poses, and his ab and thigh was pretty good. His conditioning was great, but I don't know what else to praise him for
19:01... I couldn't agree more. There was so much more individual self expression among bodybuilders in the golden age. You could take pictures of these guys with their heads out of the picture and know which bodybuilder you were looking at. Whether it was Arnold's unbelievable chest, or Tom's quads or Franco's striations. You knew what every guy bought to the table. Today's bodybuilders all look the same, relatively speaking. Unless you're talking about Kai or Phil... And even then there's not that much individuality.
I couldnt agree with you more. Speaking as a really big fan of Dorian Yates. I have always thought Dorian never really had the best genetics ever. Like you said if you would compare the body part by part specially. and his structure is actually pretty bad too. His shoulders were not very wide, while his head being too big for his body. That made him looked really narrow. Anyone whos into bodybuilding would understand how important and what an advantage of having small waist. That is what he aint got too. His muscle insertions and shapes were sometimes odd as well. You can see the huge difference and advantage if you look at his competitors during his time, such as Shawn Ray, Flex Wheeler. From the frame structure to muscle insertions. From body proportion to muscle shape. Even the muscle fullness and roundness too. Yet, Dorian Yates is considered as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. So I guess it is definitely possible to out work and overcome your bad genetics. I remember DY during his interview said when one is so genetics gifted, he might not give 100 percent everytime. While he would give 100 and 10 percent everytime. I guess that is the difference. Fictionally, in a way its pretty much like the difference between Superman and Batman. Funny enough both Batman and DY are also named Shadow.
Rich gaspari was that guy sure his genetics weren't that great but his work ethic was good. Branch Warren used to look awesome in his 20s Idk wtf happened to his skin.
I like it brother. I commend you for your King Kong balls to even think about bringing up some of the names you brought up but you make some really valid points. Good job
Re: Dickerson - he also obviously had experienced a tear at some point to his right pec further detracting from his lackluster physique. No doubt it was some whim of Joe Weider that he mandated the win go to Dickerson. Greatest genetics of all time - Steve Reeves. Period. End of discussion.
The bodybuilders on this video deserve that much more respect for overcoming their genetic flows. Especially my favorite Dorian who himself has admited that the guys he beated are more genetically gifted but nowhere near his work ethics and brutal training. In Arnolds case I can agree only for the wide waist being a genetic flaw. His pecs and biceps were overshadowing his body not because of genetics but because he was training them that much more all his career. His pecs are good even by todays bodybuilding standarts and his back is worse than the guys in the man's-bikini-physique-whatever division.
Gaspari is under respected. The level of mass and conditioning he brought was revolutionary. '87 was probably his best year. Full muscle bellies, absolutely shredded hard and before the nipple issue I think. Fantastic poser who trained harder than anyone. Yes his blocky waist and short arms damaged his aesthetic but 6 top five finishes including three 2nds is insane achievement.
Regardless of outcomes.. all these athletes worked their butts off to achieve what they did. Its easy for any noob to make self righteous conclusions. They all left their mark in bodybuilding history..which is more than what can be said for many others..
I think you are being too hard on Chris Dickerson for the following reasons: his calves were not just world-class.. but the shape, sweep and balance to his thighs as they tied in to his calves were excellent. His elbows were strange--that's true but taking a look at this upper body, his delts(rear and side) were thick and capped especially from the rear and he had some excellent back density. His pecs before the tear were thick and..I would not say round but thick in the way Robby Robinsons were. His triceps were sculpted and thick in the rear head. True his biceps were never strong-bt here too they were better before the bicep tear. Again look at his bodyparts before the tears!
Gasparis chest has loose skin and possible scar tissue from gyno surgery. Loose skin happens when you get fat and feels really bad that you cant fix it no matter how hatd you train or diet. Same with pubertal gyno that doesnt go aeay after puberty
This video was spot on. The only thing I dont like are the adjectives that were used to describe the weaknesses of these pros. Branch Warren, a deformed gremlin? Yes he was blocky, but seeing this guy in person, was very impressive. Adjectives like "horrible" werent necessary describing their weaknesses. It's kind of contradictory to say that they couldnt have turned pro if they didnt have good genetics and describe their individual body parts as "horrible". Other than your critiques were 100% accurate
he could be a little less douchy about how he says things imo, i dunno why it bugs me so much. these are human beings and they worked very hard to get where they got, harder then almost anyone else is willing to do so to just pull them apart and say stuff like the way he says it in such a disrespectful and dismissive way is crappy, most likely the reason it took him a year to introduce himself is because when you pull other peoples bodies apart like they are worthless and bad at what they are trying to do , you better have an amazing body yourself, otherwise you look like a tool, and guess what .......i'm sure tom is a nice person, but i just felt compelled to leave my opinion about being so disrespectful to the people he's talking about in this video, criticism is one thing, being arrogant, disrespectful and unkind is another nick understands this and i suspect it's just an natural ego thing. you can tell the truth without being a jerk about it
Yeah I'm mostly nice but can be a dick at times too, sorry but not sorry. I would rather be blunt and honest with you guys and not feel pressured to constantly sanitize my content so as not to offend anybody cuz guess what? No matter how nice and diplomatic you phrase things, somebody out there will ALWAYS find a reason to be offended. Plus sometimes the mean or disrespectful parts might just be a failed attempt at humour.
the pic at 6:50 is from the 1991 Mr. Olympia. Gaspari placed 10th, Pastel 8th and Benfatto 7th. on another note, Dennis Wolf does not have great structure, short legs, long abdomen.
Re: the Y shape of Dennis Wolf. That's valid. Good point. But I invite you to notice.. one can also over build the lower lats too so one ends up with a 'U shape". Case in point.. Dorian whose overly thick lower lats exacerbqted his thicker obliques, Ronnie(same thing), William Bonac(same), Franco columbu and some others.
Branch Warren, Achim Albrecht (short legs, long torso, weak arms), Rich Gaspari (same thing), Frank Zane (structure was good, but it was difficult for him to put on muscle due to being an ectomorph)
Dickerson had some amazing posing skills. Try lat spread, one lat at a time ( posing in NZ immediately after the 82 Olympia ), one then both. Freaked me out. Then thighs. Not one lock flex, but snakes writhing in his thighs as he varied the tension. Compare with Haney, a bit soft a couple of days after his Olympia triumph. Fantastic 360 degree tiptoe spin pose, but fantastic proportion and then .....?
This video could have easily been called politics in bodybuilding. I've always claimed that Dorian's physique is definetly not up to par with 6 mr Olympia wins. I mean just look at his last win (97) - Torn bicep, tricep , quad and a midsection so big, that it rival's the one Ronnie had. And Dorian fans would still defend him like he is perfect. I mean shit just look at Mr. O 2015 and tell me that Branch deserved to win agains Bonac or Roelly. Even thought Roelly had high lats, i still think he had a better physique. About Arnold I do agree with what you said and let's not forget he was being molded into a poster boy for the IFBB, so guys like Sergio or Serge with (in my opinion a less flaued physique) didn't win over him. In the case of Dickersen - he was just not up against good compettition. I don't believe they overcame 'BAD' genetics . I think they were more famous or the reigning mr O and that's why they placed higher.
Dorian and Arnold are in my opinion the best genetics ever. They had the skeletal structure that made them aesthetic. Something no amount of training, diet and gear can give you. Long legs, narrow, tiny hips and a massive ribcage. So when you look at them as a whole they are complete. Like an art.
Every time I ask anyone at the gym, excluding hard core competitive bodybuilders, who they would most like to look like, the answer is invariably Steve Reeves. Its the same as asking them whose matial arts skills they would like to have,, the answer is invariably Bruce Lee.
imo, saying someone has bad genetics and still winning is a praise!
quite true
It's like when someone calls u a hacker when u aren't
Look at Dennis wolf. Probably the worst calves in history but he got top 3
@@MS-hb3ol I’m sure the FBI would know a lot about hacking lmao
@@MS-hb3ol or lip syncing when you arent
"come on bro go easy on the elbow day 🤣😂"
So funny 😂😂
I honestly don't get why would Dorian Yates "fans" would be angry with him on this list, he didn't have good genetics compared to Flex Wheeler or others and yet he beat them. As a big Yates fan, I always point out his genetic "deficiency" and how he became Mr. O due to sheer work ethic. It is simply inspirational.
WTF Big Lenny has the best core in the history of bodybuilding!!!
Lmfao
I an a fan of Dorian Yates and his works, and I agree to everything you said. Which is why The Shadow is still my best pick.
branch warren is like an over cooked steak
Hahaha best coment I seen
JAJAJ tome su like buen hombre
yes. LOL. And a crappy piece of flank or inside round at that.
He had a few good years
No like a messed up lab experiment
i think Gaspari has a nad gyno surgery removal done..thats my guess tho
You're right
Probably
I respect them - overcoming bad genetics is just pure drive, hard work, perseverance, strategy, dedication, etc.
Never realized how small Dennis Wolf’s calves were
The pose on 11.18 almost looks photo shopped; his calves look like those of a 7-stone weakling.
See Larry wheels
@@sage6336 Larry wheels ain’t nowhere near any of these people on this list lol
I was a huge Gaspari fan back in the day. Agree that he had to overcome less than ideal genetics. That guy was shredded!! Agree on the Arnold breakdown too. All these guys show that dedication to their sport is greater than just being "blessed" with good genes.
I'm a massive fan of Yates and I'll agree with his inclusion in this. Yates had absolutely CRAZY intensity and focus though.
Also Yates had arguably the best back (width & thickness) of any bodybuilder in history. And having that great back concealed his less-than-stellar deltoids.
@@mikes3827 also have you seen his calves?
And thats why people love DY. He outworked amazing genetics like Levrone and many other guys. 90s was most likely the competitive decade
And the huge amount of drugs he took
@@Retics everyone took large amounts of drugs, ronnie took more then most and Levrone did not need that much he stated
Dude I almost choked when you mentioned The Shadow, but I see your pointers and have to agree with you to a certain degree.
Same!
Wolfs high lats look awesome, Just 'cos lui marco likes low lats then everyone likes low lats, IMO low lats make the waist look thicker and make the bodybuilder look less dynamic.
E.g. Kai greene & william bonac
as someone with high lats this comment made me not off myself
I dont think it is that big of a thing to judge. Yeah, it changes how the midsection and waist looks but it isnt as important as other features, like actual waist size and comperative quad size. But, of course, lats are really hard to hide in mandatory poses.
Lee Priest has the perfect physique of all time to me, and that includes the high lats. His waste looks tiny af in comparison to his huge ass arms and legs.
Agreed. Look at Dexter Jackson. High lats and looks awesome.
Branch just ruined himself.. when he was young he looked awesome!
Mazdy Soraya like he took stem cells
He will always be remembered as the guy who fell from his high horse in _Generation Iron_
Bad form made bad body
@Chi Huang you shoulda look his early 2000s I already saw him.
true
I honestly don't see how this video should offend anyone, if a bodybuilder overcomes his bad genetics and is successful in the fitness industry he is more than deserving of his accomplishments. Great video mate!
'deformed gremlin' - lmao omg lol
Tom Platz was the first to display striated gluts on stage, but he was banned from doing a pose that displayed it
Very good points! Just shows how hard work can really pay off.
Something you have to take into account when judging these guys from photos and videos -- seeing them in person can be much different. I saw Chris right after the Big O when he was doing Weider promotional shots at Gold's Gym Venice, and I can tell you that he looked like he was from another planet. Moral of the story? People are not always photogenic,as such, but his presence and conditioning were absolutely freakish and totally worthy of a Mr Olympia title.
This video CLICKBATE!
And my englesh skils r top noch. I grajuated from Harvard. ;)
DamnTakes lol the troll game is strong with this one
how it this click bait? this is an interesting topic and is new that I havent seen anywhere that I am interested in. Good video tomn8er. Th ank god I found your channel. I cant stand to listen to the L.U.I's voice anymore lol
CLICK BAIT GREAT ENGLISH
Bro, Go bakc to scool. Yoor Enrish is terrble. I hav nver seen sutch aful Enrgish in my live!!!
The Brosoro I think that was Rich Gaspari
I don’t think you’re my favorite BB Channel but I will say, you definitely have the most diverse and interesting content. For that I respect, like, and subscribe to you. Word up Tomin8er
at 7:01, Rich was pretty much on the downside of his career, this photo is from the 1991 Mr Olympia, he placed 10th. He actually had much better muscle fullness in 86 and 87. Thierry placed 8th and Francis placed 7th. An even more "hideous" phsyique of a guy named Achim Albrecht placed 9th. He had a torso a mile long, short stubby although very powerfully developed quads, lousy arms, ordinary chest and back, sort of an upside-down Y frame..
Rich Gaspari's chest nipple issue was only late in his career (post 1990) and that was likely due to injury or over-training. He looked pretty good with full muscle bellies in the 1985 to 1988 Mr Olympias.
nipples from people that used to be fat can look like that as well, because of the excess skin
You are still miles ahead of competition in terms of quality material, insights, entertainment factor, etc. Love your detailed analysis and all kind of stuffs, and you even managed to improve your posting frequency. Keep on, sir!
I still don’t understand why your channel has as little subscribers as it does. You should be having AT LEAST 100k+ subs!
Is it me or in the Gaspari segment, does Thierry Pastel look like a monster ! Was the guy like 5'2'' or something?
body building in those days must be pure politics how could that guy not win a title
5’4” I believe, but I grew up seeing him in magazines......severely underrated IMO. Best arms and abs
I knew Dorian will be there, or at least I hoped so. Dude had so much flaws and even more injuries. But he was a fuckin' machine, like someone would made the perfect _competition_ bodybuilder. He almost outposed everyone else and knew how to hide his weaknesses and showcase his strenghts, and of course had benchmark conditioning and work-ethic. Insane guy, but tbh I still believe that he shouldn't have won more than 3 or 4 out of that 6. Even then, his legacy would be more or less the same, but without the controversy.
Gábor Szabó Dorian overcame outworked.He treated his body as a body.He was truly separated from it .You could hit the guy with a train and would still get to the gym..He walked in the snow to the gym man..
Bruh even Dorian has much better genetics when compared to average person. His midsection were perfect before he even started training. Perfectly symmetrical 6 packs and obliques. He is big boned too which allows him to pack on a lot of mass and strength.
Gaspari was the first person I thought of reading your title, great video ,great content, I look forward to your downloads , great job from start to Finnish.
Everybody who says you need genetics needs to watch this video. If the mind can conceive it you will achieve it. Arnold didn’t have the legs, Tom platz didn’t have any genetics and built his legs and became quadzilla, Franco didn’t have a chest, Dorian Yates didn’t have the peak in his biceps and shoulders the list goes on and they turned their negatives to a strength. And you can too! Reg park challenged Arnold to wear shorts so people would laugh at his legs to motivate him to train them and he got Austrian tree trunks despite bad genetics and the rest is history. Like Tom platz I won’t be a victim to my genetics I don’t care if anything not having the best genetics will be an even better success story when I am on top like arnie and Franco. I will be a champion fighter, bodybuilder and actor like Franco and Arnold and look like that be the first Josh Peterson. Like Arnold said you can turn your vision into reality if you do whatever it takes and believe in your vision. You can do it you can be the greatest think of it as a challenge to overcome and how great it will be and inspiring a generation of bodybuilding champions that were told you will never do this you can’t look like this to install a beacon of hope. I don’t live in reality I live in going for my dreams and build my reality in my mind like Dorian.
Branch's genetics are naturally fantastic. His decision to go beyond 195lbs is what's fπ€?&∆ up.
True. Playing the mass game was a poor look for him
@@Tomn8er Really badly, His body wasn't like Coleman's. He looked amazing before.
Poorer genetics = harder working MOFO's. Same as everything else: less talent and/or intelligence = hardest working individuals.
Luch but the people with the bad Genes will be called ugly and hated for it so why waste your time?
Well most likely Ronnie had the best genetics and was the hardest worker by far
He was getting obliterated when he was first competing in the Mr O,when he hit the extra gear that others where on it was his hard work that got him where he was,real hard work will still only get you to your genetic limit any harder work is just going to nothing you can’t outwork your limit ,iv seen big dudes work out like sissy boys but there a lot bigger than me I guess there is also the factor they might be on gear but there are people with insane genetics that can work out half assed and blow the average guy out of the water even tho they are training like a mad man
Being strong isnt the same as being smart. Noone is born like Ronnie. Everyone has to work hard to get big. The body also has limits to how big it can get, and you cant control some aspects of the body, like muscle insertions.
Peter L. It works the other way around too, Lazier people are smarter and have better genes.
I believe Nasser made the same assessment of Yates back in the day. This is really a tribute to Yates and arnold for turning the tables on their genetics through hard work. On the reverse Ferrigno inherited fabulous genes and made a pigs pig's ear of it
I love Mike Mentzer. The only bodybuilder with no flaws. Absolute perfection. Rip Mike. Rip Ray
I didn’t realize until recently that they died two days apart
@@jaxtheripper9663 yes. First one died, then the other one died due to all the commotion caused. Sad
Manikandeshwar Sasidhar. Wow that’s really sad. Rip Mike and Ray
I agree with this for the most part. Dorian admitted several times that he competed against people who had far superior genetics to him, but he beat them because he worked harder. He busted his ass because he was so determined. And that's why he's one of my all time favorites 💪
The actual reason Dorian beat them is that Dorian did have better genetics. They all pretty much worked just as optimally. The amount of muscle you can build is very dependant on genetics. Dorian did work harder when it comes to conditioning tho that I do agree with
Dorian Yates having lesser genetics is why he's my favorite BB all time. He outworked his genetics.
Ik this is 1 year old comment but please search dorian Yates after 6 months of workout and see what he looks like and you would never say he has bad genetics
@@macerrad9377 he had excelent genetics when you compare with the avarage joe but when you compare with paul dillet,flex wheler,rony coleman,shawn ray everyone had more potential in bodybuilding better muscles bellies more astetic frame ..but the sadow overworked the and used size and condition in his favor.
Man the elbow and nipple comments had me in stitches 😂 keep up the good work
I did Much Reading back when i worked out for Bodybuilding shows....MANY Books Showed Arnold in his younger years...and as you said ...He was "Lacking" in the Calves. But, what Made me Love Arnold was his "Tenacity" at Embarrassing His own self into Better condition! In Other words "Hard work" and "Character" Made Arnold who He is today! And Most Bodybuilders i worked out with in the Late 90's were NOT so genetically Blessed! But, we did as Arnold did...TRAIN Hard and Dream! ;) So, Saying Arnold had a "Lacking" Physique is OK in my Book...But, "Overcoming" what he LACKED..... is what Made Him a Champion! and This is why so many People Like the Sport today! :) Great Video!
I subscribed to Nick same as your number of subscriber @ 13k about 2yrs ago, now he has 600k. Congrats to you in advance, 200k next year!
I'm sure I heard a golden era bodybuilder state that Arnold have calf implants.
Doubt it he had a really nice split in the back portion. The implants never looks real.
Totally hysterical and pretty darn true. One thing I think you are missing is Rich G’s insane determination. I’m not sure anyone in history matched it. Everyone knew it which helped a lot!
What a great video i been binging on your vids mikeys strength and fitness told me about your channel and im happy he did 👍👍💪💪
Thx man and thx to Mikey too for the shout out
Good video! Will you do a part 2 and maybe 3? Because i think that this is an interesting topic and there are a lot more athletes who overcame moreless bad genetics and are worth mentioning.
Wasn't planning on it. Anybody you had in mind?
@@Tomn8er why did you do grant warran like that 💀😭
Savage commentary. Pulled no punches. Very entertaining !
They all brought something different to the table and their weaknesses were a part of that. Love it!
I just subscribed due to the content of this video. However I read the comments below and ended up going back to try to figure out what previous comments were in reference to the Arnie intro. Went back, had a listen and gotta agree. I want Arnie intros back.
As a big fan of Yates and Arnie I totally agree with you man, that's what makes them larger than life
Dennis Wolf is the perfect guy to demonstrate Frame VS Muscle Bellies as his Frame is pretty much perfect but some of his Muscle Bellies are pretty bad, ie his calves and lats are pretty much ectomorph standard.
@Tomn8er dude I agree with everything you said in this vid. Thanks for finally shedding some light on flaws instead of licking boor heels like many others. Do more of these. And a list of fav 80s bbs!!
Yates said if those opponents workout like ,I did I’ll never be at the standard , they’re “ genetically gifted “ he said known no body work harder than me , respect to the legendary mr Yates
Every pose where Arnold holds his one or both hands above his head is classic; almost breathtaking. However when he stood relaxed, even fully clothed, his wide waist and narrow shoulder structure became apparent.
Still Arnold is one of my favorite bodybuilders of all time.
Tomn8er, Anyone that gives you shit on this or your "Most Gifted"video just has no sense of reality or are extremely biased. You're honest in your overall outlook on each one. You admit your shortcomings. Your videos are great because of the fact that you're humble, fair & honest in your assessments. Tight work, Tomn8er!
thank you sir much appreciated!
I am inclined to agree with the totality of the analysis. Good stuff!
You're so wrong on Arnold tho...
You're judging him by the criteria of modern bodybuilding which is ridiculous since there was a different standard in those days. Arnold had one of the best legs of his era, only second to tom plats, who's legs were totally disproportioned. Arnold had great legs for his era. In those days they didnt look for 35 inch legs. Also arnolds calves had nothing to do with bad genetics but with lack of training. Cause when he trained them hard they got huge like in 74 and bigger than the others.
And you also forget that in 75 he lost weight for the film stay hungry and didnt have enough time to bring up his legs to 74's size.
If you train 8 weeks, come back out of nowhere winning the Mr O you dont have bad genetics. In fact, he probably had great genetics.
You cant judge 70's bodybuilders by 2000s< standards. Different era, different judging criteria.
In Arnolds days, no one had delts like kevin levrone or legs like ronnie coleman. The proportions were just differently. Aesthetics played a bigger role.
Had Arnold competed in the 90's he'd still be mr O. Cause he'd make sure he'd win by the criteria of that era, and with all those new drugs and stuff he'd be much and much bigger and he would deff kick everyones ass
Sergio had great, huge thighs with excellent calves, so its not really true to claim that in Arnold's day nobody had legs. Arnold had good separation in his thighs but not enough size, with poor hamstrings. This was as true then as it is now. Who would want legs like Coleman anyway? Poor, high and small calves dwarfed by the over-developed thighs, with too much upper thigh too.
Even Arnold stated that he struggled with his legs...
Read Arnold's book, he trained calves crazy, he asked reg park for help with different machines and he said he was forced by weider to workout in shorts so the other guys could rip on him for his small legs and by doing so motivate him.
@Dyland you god damn right 😂
Appleboom, you didn't listen at all.
Tomn8er I like your video man, always did good explications.
I have watched a few of your videos before this one, but you did a great job on this one and for that, I had to subscribe.
Joe Schmidt thx man
Very good video Tomn8er love your content bro keep it up man :P
I would put Franco at the top of the list. He definitely overcame some genetic weaknesses, but he still had several flaws for a top body builder.
Nearly perfect Bodybuilder: Serge Nubret.
DFS54 that’s y he said nearly
Bob Paris
Flex Wheeler crhis cormier Kevin levrone perfect symetris and Phil Heath before bubble gut
@@AKCAYA1993 levrone arms were way bigger than his shoulders
Wild Android no shit, everybody’s arms are bigger than the shoulders
people who tell the absolute Truth, are never popular lol
you're right.
that being said , I have always noticed a trend with many athletes. the genetically gifted, never work as hard. my whole life I have observed this, from boxing, wrestling or MMA to bodybuilding and powerlifting , the guys that are not gifted are the same ones you noticed Never miss a training session, they are the first to arrive and last to leave! in true "Rocky" underdog fashion
you ever considered the people you think have good genetics and dont train hard is the ones hitting the perfect amount of training volume and intensity and the ones you think have bad genetics but work the hardest is in reality over training like crazy reducing their gains?
And nobody is talking about Arnold’s 4 pack... I don’t know, I feel like it’s something missing there
True Arnold had many flaws only his chest and biceps were outstanding so he did nothing else than biceps related poses
L. K. I was literally looking that up yesterday
branco6942 I think Arnold had a really good chest
Alan García Gonzalez
Yeah, he had a really good chest and biceps and he was very aesthetic overall, but his abs were just not his best part
L. K. Ik, I said I was looking that up bc nobody mentions it
Branch warren always had great side poses, and his ab and thigh was pretty good. His conditioning was great, but I don't know what else to praise him for
19:01... I couldn't agree more. There was so much more individual self expression among bodybuilders in the golden age. You could take pictures of these guys with their heads out of the picture and know which bodybuilder you were looking at. Whether it was Arnold's unbelievable chest, or Tom's quads or Franco's striations. You knew what every guy bought to the table.
Today's bodybuilders all look the same, relatively speaking. Unless you're talking about Kai or Phil... And even then there's not that much individuality.
I couldnt agree with you more. Speaking as a really big fan of Dorian Yates. I have always thought Dorian never really had the best genetics ever. Like you said if you would compare the body part by part specially. and his structure is actually pretty bad too. His shoulders were not very wide, while his head being too big for his body. That made him looked really narrow. Anyone whos into bodybuilding would understand how important and what an advantage of having small waist. That is what he aint got too. His muscle insertions and shapes were sometimes odd as well. You can see the huge difference and advantage if you look at his competitors during his time, such as Shawn Ray, Flex Wheeler. From the frame structure to muscle insertions. From body proportion to muscle shape. Even the muscle fullness and roundness too. Yet, Dorian Yates is considered as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. So I guess it is definitely possible to out work and overcome your bad genetics. I remember DY during his interview said when one is so genetics gifted, he might not give 100 percent everytime. While he would give 100 and 10 percent everytime. I guess that is the difference. Fictionally, in a way its pretty much like the difference between Superman and Batman. Funny enough both Batman and DY are also named Shadow.
Frank Zane should be on here, it was very difficult for him to get really big, the only ectomorph to win anything in BB.
Pretty much nailed it. Franco and Ferrigno should be in there as well.
Rich gaspari was that guy sure his genetics weren't that great but his work ethic was good. Branch Warren used to look awesome in his 20s Idk wtf happened to his skin.
I thought a ton of guys in gaspari's era beat him. Politics as usual in the IFBB!
I like it brother. I commend you for your King Kong balls to even think about bringing up some of the names you brought up but you make some really valid points. Good job
Thank you for bringing Dennis Wolf
Re: Dickerson - he also obviously had experienced a tear at some point to his right pec further detracting from his lackluster physique. No doubt it was some whim of Joe Weider that he mandated the win go to Dickerson.
Greatest genetics of all time - Steve Reeves. Period. End of discussion.
The bodybuilders on this video deserve that much more respect for overcoming their genetic flows. Especially my favorite Dorian who himself has admited that the guys he beated are more genetically gifted but nowhere near his work ethics and brutal training. In Arnolds case I can agree only for the wide waist being a genetic flaw. His pecs and biceps were overshadowing his body not because of genetics but because he was training them that much more all his career. His pecs are good even by todays bodybuilding standarts and his back is worse than the guys in the man's-bikini-physique-whatever division.
Remember that if u had some thing weak and after working on that point u get gud results then this is called gud genetics also.
No 1 is a born sandow.
Chris Dickerson ELBOWED his way to the TOP...
Love your blunt honesty bro!! Straight to the point, no sugar coating, no b.s
thx man I'm going for that even if my opinions make me unpopular so be it
Tomn8er Well that's why its YOUR opinion! Most of which were 100% facts too! So if people get all butthurt, they're just ignorant
Really good job on this one bro.
There is an interview where Arnold himself said that he wanted to have bigger triceps. He knew that he had weak triceps.
shoulders looks smaller than his triceps even not hating tho he still had bigger shoulders than i do
Gaspari is under respected. The level of mass and conditioning he brought was revolutionary. '87 was probably his best year. Full muscle bellies, absolutely shredded hard and before the nipple issue I think. Fantastic poser who trained harder than anyone. Yes his blocky waist and short arms damaged his aesthetic but 6 top five finishes including three 2nds is insane achievement.
1:45 seconds in and the title has been explained, only Tom 😂
Regardless of outcomes.. all these athletes worked their butts off to achieve what they did. Its easy for any noob to make self righteous conclusions. They all left their mark in bodybuilding history..which is more than what can be said for many others..
First, already enjoying the vid man, great job :)
Chris does elbow day everyday lol
Anti-aesthetics, lmao that whole sentence is pure gold.
I think you are being too hard on Chris Dickerson for the following reasons: his calves were not just world-class.. but the shape, sweep and balance to his thighs as they tied in to his calves were excellent. His elbows were strange--that's true but taking a look at this upper body, his delts(rear and side) were thick and capped especially from the rear and he had some excellent back density. His pecs before the tear were thick and..I would not say round but thick in the way Robby Robinsons were. His triceps were sculpted and thick in the rear head. True his biceps were never strong-bt here too they were better before the bicep tear. Again look at his bodyparts before the tears!
Awesome video) To be saluted!
1981 was ”just an off year for Franco”??? I remember when that happened. Set the sport back by decades.
Gasparis chest has loose skin and possible scar tissue from gyno surgery. Loose skin happens when you get fat and feels really bad that you cant fix it no matter how hatd you train or diet. Same with pubertal gyno that doesnt go aeay after puberty
Yeah I'm definitely leaning towards a botched gyno surgery, loose skin seems like a stretch
A "stretch", heh
This video was spot on. The only thing I dont like are the adjectives that were used to describe the weaknesses of these pros. Branch Warren, a deformed gremlin? Yes he was blocky, but seeing this guy in person, was very impressive. Adjectives like "horrible" werent necessary describing their weaknesses. It's kind of contradictory to say that they couldnt have turned pro if they didnt have good genetics and describe their individual body parts as "horrible". Other than your critiques were 100% accurate
he could be a little less douchy about how he says things imo, i dunno why it bugs me so much.
these are human beings and they worked very hard to get where they got, harder then almost anyone else is willing to do so to just pull them apart and say stuff like the way he says it in such a disrespectful and dismissive way is crappy, most likely the reason it took him a year to introduce himself is because when you pull other peoples bodies apart like they are worthless and bad at what they are trying to do , you better have an amazing body yourself, otherwise you look like a tool, and guess what .......i'm sure tom is a nice person, but i just felt compelled to leave my opinion about being so disrespectful to the people he's talking about in this video, criticism is one thing, being arrogant, disrespectful and unkind is another nick understands this and i suspect it's just an natural ego thing. you can tell the truth without being a jerk about it
Yeah I'm mostly nice but can be a dick at times too, sorry but not sorry. I would rather be blunt and honest with you guys and not feel pressured to constantly sanitize my content so as not to offend anybody cuz guess what? No matter how nice and diplomatic you phrase things, somebody out there will ALWAYS find a reason to be offended. Plus sometimes the mean or disrespectful parts might just be a failed attempt at humour.
Bro the way you talked about branch man I was fucking pissing in my pants watching this high!
the pic at 6:50 is from the 1991 Mr. Olympia. Gaspari placed 10th, Pastel 8th and Benfatto 7th. on another note, Dennis Wolf does not have great structure, short legs, long abdomen.
Re: the Y shape of Dennis Wolf. That's valid. Good point. But I invite you to notice.. one can also over build the lower lats too so one ends up with a 'U shape". Case in point.. Dorian whose overly thick lower lats exacerbqted his thicker obliques, Ronnie(same thing), William Bonac(same), Franco columbu and some others.
Branch is old and love what he does, show some respect. He looked great when he was young.
Branch Warren, Achim Albrecht (short legs, long torso, weak arms), Rich Gaspari (same thing), Frank Zane (structure was good, but it was difficult for him to put on muscle due to being an ectomorph)
Dickerson had some amazing posing skills. Try lat spread, one lat at a time ( posing in NZ immediately after the 82 Olympia ), one then both. Freaked me out. Then thighs. Not one lock flex, but snakes writhing in his thighs as he varied the tension. Compare with Haney, a bit soft a couple of days after his Olympia triumph. Fantastic 360 degree tiptoe spin pose, but fantastic proportion and then .....?
This video could have easily been called politics in bodybuilding. I've always claimed that Dorian's physique is definetly not up to par with 6 mr Olympia wins. I mean just look at his last win (97) - Torn bicep, tricep , quad and a midsection so big, that it rival's the one Ronnie had. And Dorian fans would still defend him like he is perfect. I mean shit just look at Mr. O 2015 and tell me that Branch deserved to win agains Bonac or Roelly. Even thought Roelly had high lats, i still think he had a better physique. About Arnold I do agree with what you said and let's not forget he was being molded into a poster boy for the IFBB, so guys like Sergio or Serge with (in my opinion a less flaued physique) didn't win over him. In the case of Dickersen - he was just not up against good compettition. I don't believe they overcame 'BAD' genetics . I think they were more famous or the reigning mr O and that's why they placed higher.
True content, but on the other hand all of these guys look way more impressive than the lots of us! They hv my respect anyway for the hard work!!!
Symmetry, aesthetics and overall conditioning were held to a higher standard back then. I agree though, he was not overly eye popping.
I am from New Jersey and have trained at this facility. That is the aftermath of gyno surgery.
Dorian and Arnold are in my opinion the best genetics ever. They had the skeletal structure that made them aesthetic. Something no amount of training, diet and gear can give you. Long legs, narrow, tiny hips and a massive ribcage. So when you look at them as a whole they are complete. Like an art.
Skeletal structure-wise yes they were both damn near ideal I'll give you that
Andrej S did you just say Arnold had tiny hips??? Wtf
Every time I ask anyone at the gym, excluding hard core competitive bodybuilders, who they would most like to look like, the answer is invariably Steve Reeves. Its the same as asking them whose matial arts skills they would like to have,, the answer is invariably Bruce Lee.