The Rise and Fall of Bodybuilding

I remember when I first got into the sport.  The athletes were lightyears different from where we are today.  It seemed as if bodybuilders in the 90’s and early 2000’s actually had a personality.  These days, not so much.  It’s interesting to watch the rise and fall of bodybuilding unfold before our very eyes.  And unfortunately, if things don’t change, I’m not sure what the future might hold for the sport.

The Rise

When bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler graced the stage, it seemed like there was excitement in the air.  Even a little later on when Kai Greene would step on stage and come into his own, there was a sense of electricity in the crowd.  The sport of bodybuilding was entertaining.  There were rivalries of a sort in the sport.  Jay versus Ronnie.  Kai versus Phil.  But slowly as bodybuilders started hanging up their trunks, it’s almost like the sport folded with their careers.

We started to see a glimpse of hope when Cedric won the Arnold in 2017, but then with his disappointing finish at the Olympia, it was almost like the industry became deflated.  I’m not downplaying how good Phil Heath is as a bodybuilder, but he’s boring as hell.  There’s no excitement coming from the man and he’s supposed to be the ambassador for the sport.  He likes to talk a good game on stage and in interviews, but then he posts stupid commentary on social media that makes those who were his fans, no longer want to follow him.  He’s got thin skin.  And this industry isn’t built for athletes who can’t take criticism.

The Fall

It seems like the fall began when top bodybuilders began to retire – this includes whatever hiatus Kai Greene has been on.  Both Kai and Cedric have the perfect personalities for the sport and exactly what we all need to see in order to keep things fresh and entertaining.  While Kai’s commentary might frustrate many, it’s what he did on the stage and for his fans at expos that really built his legacy in the sport.  Heck, people would even listen to the man just to see what weird, off the wall quotes he would pull out.  Then he disappeared.

Who’s going to dethrone Phil?  Who can bring back excitement to this sport and get it to where it needs to be like when Ronnie would shout on stage, “yeah buddy!”?  Or when two men can stand on stage and butt their heads together and hit the same pose – simply having fun.  That’s just it, there is no fun in the sport anymore.  I used to think bodybuilding was strange in the sense that guys would stand on stage, basically in underwear all oiled up and hit poses.  Then I got to see the personalities and how much fun they would all have on stage together.  Look at the competitors today.  It’s as if someone pissed in their Cheerios.  No one looks to have competitive fun anymore.  And where did the rivalries go?  They simply get on stage, stand next to each other, and act like no one is friends.  And honestly, I don’t think they are in the sense that they have a friendship with each other off the stage.  They might act friendly on stage because they respect each other, but that’s the extent of their “friendship.”  Sure, bodybuilding is an individual sport, but there comes a time where you need to engage with other competitors to make things interesting.

With competitors these days secluding themselves from everyone, it’s causing the industry to become stale.  We need to bring life back into the sport.  Unfortunately, I don’t see many up and coming athletes who can bring such excitement.  And for that reason, it worries me what this sport might look like in five or ten years.

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