Classic Physique could take over.
Competition. It’s what makes sporting events so engaging and enjoyable. Competition is what drives everything in modern society from business to technological innovation. Without competition things become stagnant, predictable, pretty much a complete bore fest. The introduction of the Classic Physique division has injected some new life into bodybuilding competition because there are so many competitors are neck and neck. That level of competition makes things interesting. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for the Open Weight division.
Go ahead and shout blasphemy. Say that it’s absolutely ludicrous. Yell that Generation Iron is crazy, dumb, ridiculous. You’re entitled to your opinion of course so we don’t begrudge you. But ask yourself this question. Did you all know that Phil Heath would win the Olympia each and every year he showed up? A great majority most likely are thinking yes. Even in light of his recent loss and the shake ups in Men’s Open, it has been very common for the Men’s Open champion to repeat victories many years in a row. That in itself proves one thing: Open Weight bodybuilding is becoming a bit boring.
“But it’s not Phil Heath’s fault that he’s was so much better than everybody!” We understand that Heath has been the best of the best, but that simply doesn’t make for an exciting showcase. That’s not to say seeing mass monsters get up on stage isn’t a true wonder of what the human body is capable of when put under extreme training and supplementation. But the idea of competition is that you’re supposed to be completely in the dark of what the final result will be. If you can guess the winners every single time, you should be placing bets. Really, you could make a great living if you have that kind of foresight.
Add on top of this that the past two years of the Men’s Open division has seen some shake ups. Many top competitors couldn’t compete in 2019 leaving for criticism of current Olympia champion Brandon Curry. The Classic Physique division itself was created due to an outcry of fans thinking that Men’s Open has lost its way. All this adds up to a new division that is both exciting due to it’s young age and perhaps promising in how big of a division it will be in the future.
The Classic Physique division seems to be far more interesting than the Open Weight division because the category is still wide open. Arash Rahbar and Danny Hester were at the top of the pack at the 2016 Olympia only to be bumped down several notches in 2017. Now Breon Ansley and Chris Bumstead are the talk of the town. But that doesn’t mean things will remain that way in 2020. Someone else could come around and completely destroy both Ansley and Bumstead to take the Olympia crown. And that’s what makes the division so exciting. We have no clue what will happen next and that makes things intriguing. It also means that you’ll be more likely to tune in and see who has prepared best. There’s no bias, there’s no front runners. Anyone can be a champion at any given event which makes things interesting.
While the Open Weight is still the marquee of most any event, if there’s to be continued interest in the division there needs to be a major shake up to build even more interest or the Classic Physique category could end up stealing the show.
Which division to you find more exciting, Open Weight or Classic Physique? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
This is the real future of bodybuilding.
Def better than men’s physique… Jesus ….. some one please cap that division at a certain number other than 10000000000000900090 x everyone …. and grow legs ….
I agree. Us Classic Guys are the future
Arash thinks he is alot better then he actually is
They need to increase weight limit buy 10lbs and have legs
Have legs? Are we looking at the same pictures.
They do have legs. Bodybuilders dont have to weigh 280lbs.
Ifbb pro has higher weight limit then npc what I was referring too
Ok
I like the ifbb weight class
They are increasing the weight again actually… it just hasnt happened yet but if they do… i can do classic next year
Of course it is. Those men look human. They’re also not about to die from abusing insulin or whatever, so it is a much better image for bodybuilding than the whole “mass monster” junky thing.
Another pros here mr know it all. Don’t u worry Classic Physique has more juice than a sun kiss orange And they use insulin. Mr pro
Joe Cormier NO THEY DONT
Zyzz
I agree its more exciting but otherwise, you couldnt be more wrong
Joe Cormier I agree they run gear but no GH or insulin
They dont have bubble guts so ofcourse it is
Where the freaks?
it will never be as exciting as open bodybuilding these guys have pretty bodies they look like jacked gymrats or somebody you can see on the local beach, you will never see a gymrat or a dude on the beach as big and freakly as big ramy and roelly, when you see guys like ramy flex you say holy shit what a freak, that is what bodybuilding is all about.
This is the definition of true bodybuilding in the present.
It will never be as exciting as open bodybuilding. And yes Physique no leg categories I can’t beleive that actually exists. And they get pros cards. Really !!!
I see plenty of leg development in this pic
Women’s bikini is even more of a joke. Yeah they are hot but they aren’t bodybuilders. A hot chic trains for a year and gets a pro card.
um it already is…
Justin Flex I agree brother. Bikini and physique yep one year to become pros and they get more than people busting there asses for 10 years
Nah.. i wanna see a freak show
I hope it will take the upper hand, much more aesthetic
Yeah this is the future that’s why everyone talked about it weeks after it was done… oh wait that was open body building.. people love freaks you can’t say they don’t
Because not so many people can compete at open weight level
They need more money to spend and more risk
It’s just an easier look to accomplish and maintain. They still take a ton of stuff way more than you would ever believe.
Look no growth gut!!
Yes
They look better, far better.. They look like the old school & they have competition, its anyone’s game. That makes it exciting. The bubble gut, which people in the industry defend by saying zthe layman doesn’t understand bodybuilding, doesn’t exist in the classic or physique.
THAT CUZ I RUN INTO EM EVERYDAY THERE HUMAN DUH BODY BUILDER ARE WAY BIGGER THEN EM
It’s going to SAVE BODYBUILDING from being FREAKS & FOOLS
This SHIT isn’t an athlete he’s a DRUG ADDICT pretending to an athlete and the IFBB is complicit. ONLY FELLOW DRUG ADDICTS LIKE THIS STUPID FREAKY SHIT
90% of the fans HATE IT and know how dumb it looks
Here is the FUTURE of the IFBB and your next Mr Olympia
Is true
Site injection infection, bloated belly’s bizarre growth hormone produced split abs is killing bodybuilding
Jerome Dinh
Thats why i never tried to be a mass monster
Jerome Dinh Me either
Justin Demaine
Hopefully, or else I go back to 275 and stay nice and fluffy lol.
I like the open bodybuilding better.
None of this crap is any fun anymore. Bored silly watching it.
The open DID look similar to that 30-40 years ago but as competitors tried to top one another each year they kept getting bigger and started using more and different things and it’s evolved to what it is now. Don’t believe me? Look at woman’s bodybuilding from Gladys Portugues to Kim Chizevsky. Lol. Or, look at the difference between the mens open in the 70s and 90s and the 90s to now or the phisyque women they went from DLB to basically bodybuilders. Different strokes different folks.
Its because its more realistic to look like that..not like Phil Heath
Those guys look like true artists of building the body. The steroid freaks look like huge monsters that die at early ages from taking tons of supposedly illegal drugs that are easy to get for them though.
It does look better but its not classic physique!
Yep totally agree, future of bodybuilding. Even better than men’s physique with the shorts
sorry,, but it will always fall short. people will alway want to see the beasts,,, they make us feel safe…
Always knew it would be more appealing to the average person.. but at least Open Bodybuilding will never die because it’s interesting to see something that almost look fake / fantasy.
Damn right.
I like the classic… but the opens will always be the most exciting.. more people like to see freak mass giants #Facts
It sucks that body building now calls this “classic physiques”