M.E FEATURE
CUTTING RIGHT TO THE CHASE
B
eing a four-time Mr.
Olympia winner, Jay
Cutler has been able
to use pure bulk to his
advantage. So his take on
the subject was fairly
predictable, but it
was a bit eyebrow-
raising as well.
Considering that
Cutler is more than
likely done competing,
he didn’t hold back in his
comments.
“I don’t know where Arnold
comes up with that whole thing,” he
said. “We’ve been through different sizes
in bodybuilding. Obviously, the guys were
bigger before and now we have a few guys
whose stomachs were loose at this show
and all of a sudden it’s a big deal. (I) Just
think that he’s beating a dead horse. We
went through this years ago and that’s
when it all started. Once you push these
guys to be bigger, guys are going to come
in on or off.”
What Cutler was referring to was a
mandate handed down by the IFBB on
April 13, 2005 regarding this very subject.
This was during the end of the Ronnie
Coleman era and he was, and still is, the
most massive Mr. Olympia of all time, taking
the stage and winning the Sandow a few
pounds shy of 300 on one occasion. “The
King” won eight consecutive titles before
Cutler dethroned him in 2007.
Looking at this memo a decade later
is reminiscent of what Schwarzenegger
spoke about:
“With a mandate from President Ben
Weider, the Professional Committee and a
team of expert advisors recently evaluated
the issues associated with muscular
development, such as size, shape, density,
separation and definition, in relation to
“RONNIE COLEMAN
STILL IS THE MOST
MASSIVE MR.
OLYMPIA OF ALL TIME,
TAKING THE STAGE
AND WINNING THE
SANDOW A FEW
POUNDS SHY OF 300
ON ONE OCCASION.”
“I FEEL THAT IT HAS TO BE ABOUT
MUSCLE, SIZE AND AESTHETICS.
IT CAN’T BE JUST ONE. I LIKE TO SEE
EVERYTHING TO BE (CONSIDERED) A
COMPLETE BODYBUILDER.” Max Charles
74
Muscle Evolution
symmetry and natural aesthetics.
Certain objective criteria are involved in
assessing symmetry and natural aesthetics
in competitive bodybuilding. Of great
significance are the qualities of balance,
proportion and the overall “flow” of the
physique, including classic attributes
such as a dramatic “V-taper”; from broad
shoulders and a wide back to a streamlined
waist and a flat, muscular abdomen. In
addition, there should be balance between
upper and lower body development, and
harmony between the left and right sides of
the body. These characteristics have been
the hallmark of a bodybuilder’s physique for
decades, and it is the intent of this Advisory
Notice to reaffirm their significance.
Distended abdomens and distorted
muscles negatively impact upon symmetry
and natural aesthetics and, therefore,
detract from the overall physique. Athletes
and judges are advised that muscle size
at the expense of symmetry and natural
aesthetics will not be assessed favourably.”
That was obviously not adhered to at the
time or since then. That same year, Coleman
won his last 'O' before Cutler took four of
the next five. The lone exception was 2008
when Jackson was crowned, and Phil Heath
(whose physique is a fine blend of mass and
aesthetics) is the reigning champion four
years and counting.
This is also not the first time that
Schwarzenegger has been critical of the
competitors' waistlines. He spoke about
it in detail after the 2013 Arnold Classic, a
show that Jackson also won but was not
exempt from the negative comments. To the
credit of the man known as “The Blade,” he
did keep his abdominals under control in
winning the show this year.
WHERE DO
WE GO FROM
HERE?
T
he question will remain until
there is some continuity with the
placings at shows moving forward.
People who try to minimise the problem
point to Jackson and Heath as winners of
the two most prestigious shows on the
IFBB calendar and neither are known as
bodybuilders possessing wide waistlines.
But when you look at the majority of the
line-ups, it is a different story.
Perhaps one way of looking at this issue is
to say that the more aesthetic physiques will
be able to prevail at second-tier shows, but
may come up short when going up against
the aforementioned two champions.