Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Schwarzenegger was the face of bodybuilding, and even now when you mention the word “bodybuilding”, most people will still think about Arnold. Arnold was ahead of his time and promoted bodybuilding not only through the competitive stage, but his massive physique gave him unique roles in action movies. Arnold won 7 Mr. Olympia titles. He is most notable for his Chest, Biceps, and Calves. His legs were not horrible, as they were good for their time, but do not match up to the current expectations of bodybuilders. Arnold stood 6’1 and competed usually around 240 pounds. He is full blooded Austrian.

Ronnie Coleman If Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronnie Coleman stood head to head both in their prime, how big would the difference be? Of course it is unfair to compare the two, since sports supplementation, training, and much more has advanced in the many years between the bodybuilders competitive career, but it is undeniable that Ronnie Coleman was superior. Ronnie stood as high as 290+ pounds on the competitive stage and every body part was considered a strong one. His back is considered to be the best in all of bodybuilding. Huge arms with incredible bicep peaks, a wide chest and back and tree-trunk legs.

Lou Ferrigno Lou never won the Mr. Olympia title (the biggest accomplishment a bodybuilder can achieve). However, he came in second place two times. Lou played a MAJOR impact in promoting bodybuilding in the industry today. Similarly to Arnold Schwarzenegger, if you mentioned bodybuilding, a picture of the Incredible Hulk (Lou Ferrigno) will most likely come to mind. This Italian-American was a very tall bodybuilder but made up for it with incredible size. He even made Arnold Schwarzenegger look small many times. To many, he may be known mostly for his role in the Incredible Hulk series and the Pumping Iron film.

Franco Columbu Franco was often seen training with Arnold in the Pumping Iron film. He is one of the most popular shorter bodybuilders and has won the Mr. Olympia competition during his prime. Along with his popularity as a short bodybuilder, Franco was known for his incredible strength. Most people would be surprised to know that Franco could bench, deadlift, and squat more than Arnold could. He was born and raised in Italy.

Charles Atlas The man who started the great sport of bodybuilding. Remember those ads in magazines and comic books about the guy who got sand kicked in his face and then lifted weights? It was an advertisement about Charles Atlas' work out program. His real last name was Siciliano and he was Italian-American.

Frank Zane Frank Zane had the physique that most people want to have. He wasn’t a monster like Ronnie Coleman is, but he focused more on his conditioning, muscle symmetry, and he of course had a pleasing structure which enabled him to win the Mr. Olympia competition. A thin waist and wide shoulders made him one of the best bodybuilders of all time.

Jack LaLanne A very early professional bodybuilder who later had his own television show. He also was popular for his juice machine commercials. LaLanne came in 3rd place in the Mr. America competition in 1949.

Jay Cutler Jay Cutler has won the Mr. Olympia competition 4 times and has placed second to the legendary Ronnie Coleman numerous times, sometimes giving him a good run for his money. Jay has been an incredible ambassador of the sport and has promoted bodybuilding extremely well as the representative of the sport. Jay is known for his incredible size, wide back, huge legs, and consistency. Although he does not always nail his condition, Jay has not placed out of the top two for many years.

Flex Wheeler Kenneth Wheeler, also known as flex Wheeler, is one of the most popular bodybuilders of all time and came very close to winning the Mr. Olympia competition (the highest achievement a bodybuilder can achieve). He began training for martial arts but eventually stepped on the bodybuilding stage. Wheeler was known for his confidence. Wheeler had just about everything it took to become an Olympia champion. Incredible symmetry, round muscle bellies, and great conditioning. He came in second place in the Mr. Olympia competition three times.

Rich Gaspari A very influential and successful bodybuilder that now runs Gaspari Nutrition. Gaspari was able to come in second place in the Mr. Olympia competition three times. He is most noticeable for his EXTREME vascularity, and he had pretty good legs as well. His short arms and structure couldn’t give him the sandow, but Gaspari is one of the most popular bodybuilders of all time. He's also another Italian-American.

Sergio Oliva Sergio was another bodybuilder that was way ahead of his time. This Afro-Cuban had incredibly massive arms and unmatched legs for his time. Bodybuilders have only been able to match the leg size proportions in the more recent years of bodybuilding where most people in that era didn’t have much leg development at all. He had an incredibly small physique and has won the Mr. Olympia competition three times.

Dorian Yates This six-time Mr. Olympia winner set a new standard for size. Dorian is an English bodybuilder that is most known for his extreme work ethic and intense training. Although Dorian never had the genetic advantage that most bodybuilders have, he made up for it by training intense with very heavy weight. He also was one of the first bodybuilders to create a personal training video that showcased what he put into the gym. Even with a torn bicep, Dorian was able to win the Mr. Olympia competition.

Lee Haney Haney is a former American IFBB professional bodybuilder most famous for being the current joint record holder, along with Ronnie Coleman, for winning the most Mr. Olympia titles (eight times from 1984 to 1991).

Kevin Levrone Levrone is known as one of the genetic freaks of bodybuilding. He never won the Mr. Olympia competition, but came in second place four times and was a top contender for many years. His huge delts and arms were a notable strong point. The Maryland Muscle Machine is a very inspirational bodybuilder that now runs his own website where he completes transformations and inspires others to complete their goals. He is the son of an Italian father and African-American mother.

Phil Heath Phil “The Gift” Heath is considered to be the new age Ronnie Coleman in terms of potential to retain the Olympia crown with sheer dominance. All of his Mr. Olympia placings have been in the top five, and he has just recently been crowned the 2011 Mr. Olympia, beating his friend Jay Cutler. The gift’s round muscles and cartoon character structure makes him to appear much larger on stage.







The End