A new video came out comparing Phil Heath’s physique at 2011’s Mr. Olympia to his most recent victory at the 2016 contest, and it has got a lot of people talking, including bodybuilding insiders.
Some fans of bodybuilding are confused, they think he looked better in 2011 and has been making the opposite of progress. If that’s true, you have to wonder about the overall state of bodybuilding, since he continues to win year in and year out.
It comes down to what you’re looking for, pure mass? Symmetry? Some semblance of that golden era aesthetic? If you were a judge, and you had Phil in 2011 and Phil in 2016 standing on your stage, who takes it? Do you agree with the people who think he looked worse in 2016, or are they blind? You gotta chime in and share your thoughts after watching the video that started the whole controversy.
In any case, the judges are obviously into it, and physiques are going to match up with whatever the judges are rewarding in that particular generation. Could you imagine some of the best guys from the ’60s, ’70s, even the ’80s getting into a time machine and entering today’s contests? At the end of the day, it’s the judges opinions that count the most.
Here’s the controversial video that’s got everyone talking:
It’s hard to deny the overall improvements, 5 years of hard work is a long, long time. Still, what would you have done if you were a judge in this year’s contest? How much longer can Phil keep up the domination for until the next guy comes along to dethrone him? And do you think that guy’s already competing on the Olympia stage, or will it be a fresh face to finally take Heath down?
