Maxx Charles talks about how the Ronnie Coleman era of bodybuilding was better than today… and the reason why.
Every sport will always argue what was the best era in its history. As humans we can’t help but compare and rank everything. The internet has only expanded this process with “official” lists in online publications and social media. So of course, the same happens with pro bodybuilding. Most recently, today’s era of competitors have been subject to criticism compared to the past. Is this a slump in the history of bodybuilding? While not all agree with this notion – there is strong vocal criticism that today’s athletes cannot live up to eras past. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Maxx Charles compares today’s era, including himself, to bodybuilding in the 90s.
When we first asked Maxx Charles about the today’s era of bodybuilders, he was against the notion that today’s athletes are worse than previous eras. He believes that rose tinted glasses put past athletes up on a higher pedestal. On top of that, the pandemic has greatly affected this year’s bodybuilding season. Charles thinks that perhaps fans are conflating these two things to negatively criticize today’s current pro bodybuilders.
That being said, he does have one exception to this thought. Maxx Charles believes that the 90s era of bodybuilding was far greater than most athletes competing today. He includes himself in that criticism as well. Specifically, he’s referring to the late 90s and early 2000s era of Ronnie Coleman, Flex Wheeler, Kevin Levrone, and Shaw Ray, to name a few.
“Now if I had to be honest, depending how far back you’re talking,” Maxx Charles stated in our interview. He continued:
“If I’m talking about Ronnie’s era. Between Ronnie, Flex, and Kevin – fuck yeah they were better than us. That era right there is, like, untouchable.”
Vlad Yudin followed up asking exactly why this specific era is better than today. What makes that period of time different than his thoughts on other past eras? Charles continued to explain:
“Because you had guys like those guys. they had everything. They had the crazy genetics, they had the work ethic, and they had the physique. They had the condition, they had the shape, they had the fullness. They had everything.”
Perhaps it was just destined timing to have so many genetically gifted powerhouse athletes all competing in the same year. Or perhaps they inspired each other to push harder. Thus pushing the bar higher and higher for what greatness is in pro bodybuilding.
This has been a sentiment shared before by other athletes we interviewed about the 90s era of pro bodybuilding. Each era of athletes have a certain amount that is out of their control. The kind of competition each athlete faces cannot be something they have control over. The expanding of divisions is not in an athlete’s control. The world pandemic is not in an athlete’s control.
Perhaps all of these factored into an era that some fans find lackluster. Perhaps this era isn’t lackluster at all and it’s just internet criticism that won’t hold up when we look back in hindsight. Ultimately, time becomes the true teacher and we won’t know for sure what the reputation of this era will be until we are far past it.
This seems to be what Maxx Charles is ultimately getting at. With exception, of course, to the 90s era of bodybuilding. To Charles, that era is so spectacular that it might never be matched again. Perhaps he’s right.
You can watch Maxx Charles’ full comments in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
