The 80's Revolution | A Giant Leap for Bodybuilding
The 80's Revolution
A Giant Leap for Bodybuilding
The early pioneers of bodybuilding formed the platform for the modern scene that proliferates and which we enjoy today. At MD we believe in remembering those who built the sport brick-by-brick. In that spirit we review the 1980s, which proved to be a seismic decade in the evolution of bodybuilding.
ALL CHANGE
The 1980s witnessed an unprecedented tsunami of interest by the general public in all things health and fitness related. From the platform of the jogging boom of the late 1970s, a mainstream interest in health and fitness exploded in 1980 and bodybuilding tried to both react and take advantage of this cultural breakthrough.
Joe Weider’s main magazine from 1968 had been Muscle Builder/Power. With the June 1979 issue he shortened the title to Muscle and from the July 1980 issue onwards it was re-christened Muscle & Fitness and began including more general fitness information rather than pure bodybuilding content. Feeling that the hardcore bodybuilding audience still deserved their own magazine Weider brought out FLEX in April 1983.
Other magazine moves: Strength & Health ceased publication with the May 1986 issue. In 1985 Peary and Mabel Rader sold Ironman to then Weider photographer John Balik. In 1988 Muscular Development (launched in 1964 and published by the York Barbell Company) was sold to Twin Labs Corporation.
On the competitive side the first two Olympias of the decade are looked upon as the most controversial in that contest’s history. In 1980, coming out of a five-year retirement, Arnold Schwarzenegger entered at the last minute and markedly down on his previous dimensions took the title. Mike Mentzer finished fifth, cried “foul” and promptly retired from the sport at age 29. A year later Franco Columbu took his second Olympia but was booed off the stage by an audience who had Tom Platz (3rd) and Danny Padilla (5th) as their favorites. Platz proved to be the real “winner” of the 1981 Mr. Olympia as he came to be regarded as the Peoples Champion and was arguably the most popular and highest-earning bodybuilder of the 80s.
WHY HELLO LADIES
Women’s bodybuilding, with Lisa Lyon in the vanguard, had rumbled into existence in the late ‘70s and in 1980 the inaugural Miss [Ed’s note: it was Miss in those days] Olympia was staged. It was won by Rachel McLish and suddenly women bodybuilders declaring it was okay to “sweat” were swamping the mainstream media. In the wake of this exposure George Butler produced Pumping Iron II: The Women in1985, which pitted Delish McLish against the unworldly muscle of Bev Francis. Another standout woman of the decade was six-time (1984-’89) Ms. Olympia Cory Everson who brought grace and class to the title.
ARISE THE NPC
At the amateur level the American Athletic Union (AAU) had long governed bodybuilding in the USA but in 1982 the National Physique Committee (NPC) was formed and became the main organization for amateur bodybuilders. Jim Manion of Pittsburgh was elected President, a position he holds today. The NPC went from strength to strength and in its first national championships in 1982 couldn’t have had a more exemplary winner than Lee Haney who went on to win eight (1984-’91) Mr. Olympia titles.
Haney became not only the most dominant bodybuilder of his era, he was accorded the mantle of being the first gentleman of the sport. At 5’11” and 245 competitive pounds he beat his rivals for size and shape and bodybuilding has never had a better role model.
MYTH HIT
Sergio Oliva’s return to IFBB action in 1984 after a 12-year absence was the big story going into the 1984 Olympia. But at 43 years of age time had caught up with him and he finished 8th. At that announcement Sergio walked to the front of the stage and his son Sergio Jr. (only two weeks old) was handed to him; making for one of the most iconic photo ops in Olympia history. In 1986 Sergio’s wife Arlene pumped several bullets into Sergio Sr’s abdomen during a domestic dispute. Although not mortally wounded it was the end of The Myth’s flexing career.
The 1988 Mr. Olympia staged at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles may have been the best ever. Lee Haney was going for a fifth consecutive title. Samir Bannout was – after years of litigation and suspension – returning to IFBB competition for the first time since losing the title in 1984. Shawn Ray, Gary Strydom, Mike Quinn, Phil Hill, Brian Buchanan, Mohamed Benaziza and Phil Hill were making their Olympia debuts. Phil Hill, despite being out of shape delivered perhaps the best posing routine of all time to Phantom of the Opera. Bob Paris wasn’t far behind and stunned the audience with his routine to Can I Hold You by Tracy Chapman. Many couldn’t believe Brian Buchanan’s waist taper that looked photo shopped before the word was invented. Rich Gaspari, at 25, bagged his third straight O runner-up spot. He exploded onto the bodybuilding scene like a meteor. He won his pro card at 21 in 1984, took third place at his first Olympia (1985) aged 22, and then for the next three years was Olympia runner-up as he redefined definition with ripped glutes and skin-popping vascularity. Third placed Berry DeMey was in the shape of his life. Finally Lee Haney – holding one year old son Joshua onstage – proved to be the Daddy of ‘em all as he took a straight firsts victory.
SHADOWS FALL
One of the biggest scandals to hit bodybuilding in the ‘8Os concerned Tonya Knight when she arranged for a lookalike to stand in (or sit in) for her when having to produce a urine sample prior to the 1988 Ms. Olympia where she finished fourth. When the truth came to light in the summer of 1989 Knight received an 18-month ban for her aberration.
In 1989 Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Lorimer staged the first Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio. The contest was won by Rich Gaspari and the event became the second biggest contest on the bodybuilding calendar and is today a worldwide franchise.
In 1988 a young man won the overall title at his national championships. He was to make his pro debut in 1990 and many say he changed the sport forever. His name was Dorian Yates.
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