Inside the February MD!

The Return of the Classic Physique?

In the last 25 years, we haven’t had a classic physique dominate the sport since eight-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney (1984-1991). Mr. Olympia champion Phil Heath has brought home the Sandow twice— does this signal a return to the classic physique? Will future Olympians be judged and rewarded for aesthetics and superior shape and condition, over mass and condition? Did Phil Heath, Shawn Rhoden, Cedric McMillan and Dennis Wolf win during 2012 based on their classic shape and proportions? Have we returned to the classic physiques of the past, such as Mr. Olympia champions Sergio Oliva (1967-1969) and Frank Zane (1977-1979)?

The return of the classic physique is discussed by MD’s stellar team of writers, top athletes, gurus and legends in the sport in the February 2013 issue of Muscular Development, on sale now!

The Shape of Things to Come? By Peter McGough

MD’s Senior Editor Peter McGough puts the “classic physique” question into historical perspective in “The Shape of Things to Come?” The term “classic” brings to mind a time when the most massive bodybuilder in the world was also the most symmetrical and classically built. Peter defines classic as “A physique that exhibits proportion and balance throughout all muscle groups, and in which musculature is hard and separated. Plus the shoulder girth is wide and the waist small to give the optimum V-taper look.” Most of the leading physiques of the ‘70s and early ‘80s era had that look. Do recent results indicate that the classic look is making a comeback?

Dennis Wolf: A Classic Physique That's Still Deadly

Dennis Wolf is February’s cover because he has a classic-looking physique, and also because the Big Bad Wolf howled to a strong finish in 2012, with his third pro career win at the EVP Prague Championships— beating Shawn “Flexatron” Rhoden, someone with classic lines of his own. In “Dennis and His Classic Physique Are Still Deadly!,” a retooled and energized Dennis talks to Ron Harris about his decision to sit out all of the spring 2013 shows and focus 100 percent on this year’s Mr. Olympia— and how he plans to do major damage in 2013.

The Evolution of Shawn Rhoden

For fans of the classic physique, Shawn “Flexatron” Rhoden’s classic shape and structure, and tiny waist, is exactly what the sport needs. In an era of big guts, Shawn’s waist measures less than his thighs! In “The Evolution of Shawn Rhoden,” learn how this iron warrior launched a comeback with a vengeance to place third at the 2012 Mr. Olympia and win last year’s Arnold Classic Europe and British Grand Prix, after his bodybuilding career was on hold for a few years.

Cedric McMillan

When CedricMcMillanwon the NPC Nationals in 2009, he displayed that rare combination of height, width, shape and mass that could make him the ultimate incarnation of the classic physique. In “Cedric McMillan— Could He Be the Greatest Classic Physique Ever?,” MD industry experts, pros and Hall of Famers Lee Haney, Shawn Ray, Kevin Levrone, George Farah, Peter McGough, Dan Solomon, Jay Cutler, Jose Raymond and Rich Gaspari talk about Cedric and his potential. Can he go all the way to Mount Olympus?

It Ain't Over for Victor Martinez

Victor Martinez has one of the most classic and aesthetically pleasing physiques that bodybuilding has ever seen. He’s had his share of bumps in the road, but with his iron-willed determination and drive, Victor always bounces back. In “It ain’t over ‘til I say it’s over!,” Victor tells MD’s Ron Harris that he plans on being the world’s ultimate classic physique. And a panel of MD athletes and experts— including Flex Wheeler, George Farah, Peter McGough, Lee Haney, Shawn Ray and Ronnie Coleman— talk about whether Victor still has what it takes. “It will take everything in me to get there, but I am not afraid of hard work,” Victor said. “I’m looking forward to it. I know a lot of those other guys don’t think I’m a real contender anymore, but I plan on making it very clear that I am.”

An Interview with Lee Haney

No discussion of the classic physique would be complete without speaking to Lee Haney, who some consider the greatest Mr. Olympia of all time. In “The Classic Physique: an Interview With 8-Time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney,” Shawn Ray sat down with Lee— who shared his thoughts on the “return of the classic physique” and which current pro is the embodiment of what a classic bodybuilding champion should look like.

Discuss the February 2013 Muscular Development