Bob Cicherillo believes that no one would claim that modern physiques are better than past eras.
It’s an argument that comes up over and over again. Are modern bodybuilding physiques declining compared to previous eras? It’s a question we’ve had the opportunity to ask many experts and athletes throughout the industry. But are we simply too deep into the forest to really know how this era will compare in the big picture? In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Bob Cicherillo debates the pros and cons of comparing eras – while also admitting that today’s athletes can’t compare to years prior.
Bob Cicherillo has been involved deeply with the world of bodybuilding for many decades. First as an athlete and now as the “voice of bodybuilding” announcing at many major shows throughout the year. So what is his take on the current crop of physiques?
Bob thinks it’s “no question” that today’s physiques cannot compare to eras past. But he also warns against comparing eras too frequently. Especially when discussing specific athletes. He brings up the case of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Cicherillo believes that if Arnold was in his prime today with the amount of access to new equipment, information, and drugs – he would most likely be a very different athlete. There are just too many factors when comparing one athlete to another across time.
That being said, when discussing the current crop of bodybuilders as a whole, Bob Cicherillo is comfortable saying that the quality has declined. Specifically, he thinks the issue is the lack of depth. Older eras would have amazing physiques ranging all the way down to the 10th and 12th placing. Today if an athlete is not in the top five there is a sharp drop off in competitive physiques.
So what’s the reason for this? Why are bodybuilding physiques declining? Many have pointed to the judges awarding the wrong kinds of physiques and pushing athletes to chase size over aesthetic. Bob Cicherillo doesn’t completely agree with that sentiment. He calls it a “dog chasing its own tail” argument. It’s not just the judges fault, it’s everyone’s fault.
As Cicherillo tells it, judges can only award the best physique that is on stage that day. If all the physiques are bad – they’ll still pick a first place winner. It’s foolish for an athlete to then think that winner is the ideal physique. But it happens and one variable affects the other. A true catch 22 making it impossible to point blame to one side or the other.
So how do we get out of this spiral? Like many things, perhaps it’s just the ebb and flow of time. Every sport and every society has different ups and downs throughout the years. Change happens slowly. Perhaps a new generation of bodybuilders will rise up tired of the same old physiques and bring in a revolution of new looks that stun the crowd.
That is, of course, if you believe the physiques are worse. If not – then perhaps things are doing just fine and we’ll see even better athletes as the sport continues to grow. At the end of the day, it’s all subjective. That can make a sport like bodybuilding frustrating – but it definitely brings in a lot of entertaining opinions to keep us all busy until the next big competition.
You can watch Bob Cicherillo’s thoughts on today’s bodybuilding physiques by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
