“Bodybuilding Exploded During That Time”: From Frank Zane to Lee Haney, Bodybuilding World Owes Largely to This Decade for Instilling the Importance of This Sport

The admirers of bodybuilding often revisit the old school, rich in aesthetics and posing routines. In general, the late 1970s and early 1980s saw increased attention paid to fitness and shape by the masses. Also, Arnold Schwarzenegger is gaining fame outside the bodybuilding world with his Pumping Iron documentary and Conan franchise. Frank Zane impressed on the bodybuilding stage with his aesthetics, while Tom Platz and Mike Mentzer earned a great following among the masses.

The 1980s saw a slow transition to the mass era as the judges of Mr. Olympia started to prefer mass over aesthetics, as Lee Haney lifted eight Sandow trophies. However, the decade still finds a place in the hearts of bodybuilding fanatics. A recent video on YouTube shared by a bodybuilding channel discussed the importance of the 1980s in the evolution of the sport.

Bodybuilding dynamics in the 1980s

Bodybuilding… Let’s Keep It Classic, a YouTube channel, shared a video titled “Why the 80s ruled!” in which the speaker takes the audience back to the memories of the peak bodybuilding period. The speaker suggests that there is “something magical about the 80s.”

He provides reasons for his statement and speaks about Artistic posing, muscular fashion, pose-downs, and waist control. He stresses the “smooth transitions” while posing and holding it for the “right amount of time” that was mastered by 1980s bodybuilders. He also opined that the “muscle fashions certainly looked awesome.”

The pose-downs also made the 1980s bodybuilding glorious as the bodybuilders challenged each other for a showdown, making the entire event more exciting. After watching the video, the bodybuilding fans have their thoughts to add to the comments section.

Fans get nostalgic seeing the 80s era of bodybuilding

The video made many nostalgic, and they couldn’t resist their excitement to express their thoughts. “This is Real Bodybuilding. These are the, as you would say, the good old days,” commented an admirer of old-school bodybuilding with all honesty. “Good video man. I started lifting in the mid 80’s largely due to the amazing physiques I saw as a kid. Bodybuilding exploded during that time because of the aesthetics. Now they just look grotesque, the multi-pharma has pushed bodybuilding back to cult status,” added another fan while detailing his motivation to lift weights.

Explaining the highlights of the period, a user wrote, “80s guys were sooo shredded and aesthetic. Still quite big but super aesthetic! And the quality of muscle … amazing!” “The muscle was real back in the day, fibres moving, and popping,” pointed a bodybuilding enthusiast. While a fan declared, “Perfect Aesthetics, Period!“

Read More: “Wanted Them to Think ’WTF Is That”: Bodybuilding Behemoth Recalls the Historic Moment He Changed the Face of Bodybuilding With His Demon Back and Granite Physique

The 1980s bodybuilders still enjoy a great fan base. The recent video just proved how the present followers of the sport are missing the aesthetics era.

Watch This Story: Years After Career-Ending Injury, Bodybuilding Veteran Recalls a Close Member Responsible for ‘Any Niggling Injuries’