Is Professional Bodybuilding and the Mr Olympia dying?

[UberBrah]

I think, just like how Netflix and streaming services are moving in on the television and film industry, bodybuilding shows are making way for the next generation. Today's bodybuilding shows are on instagram and their insty stories are their stage.

[JUGGERNAUT1333]

There is no value in winning the Olympia anymore. Tons of BBers are making more money just by their social media presence. Generation Iron 2 (film) was pretty much all about this. Social Media has taken over now, and the competitions are really relics.

[Mortar34]

There is no value in winning the Olympia anymore. Tons of BBers are making more money just by their social media presence. Generation Iron 2 (film) was pretty much all about this. Social Media has taken over now, and the competitions are really relics.

Agree with this. Also, the Olympia physiques once seemed semi-attainable and were aesthetic. Now it's purely an arms race (no pun) and the guys don't look especially good in day-to-day clothes.

[JUGGERNAUT1333]

Agree with this. Also, the Olympia physiques once seemed semi-attainable and were aesthetic. Now it's purely an arms race (no pun) and the guys don't look especially good in day-to-day clothes.

I agree. It's full on bloatmaxx now. Ridiculous amounts of drugs are being taken by these pros to get simply massive.

[bobbydigitaloa]

There is no value in winning the Olympia anymore. Tons of BBers are making more money just by their social media presence. Generation Iron 2 (film) was pretty much all about this. Social Media has taken over now, and the competitions are really relics.

I agree with this overall. A married couple that we are close with are both pros and my buddy’s wife is getting on the Olympia stage for the 5th time this coming weekend. He won his pro card this year and they are sponsored by John Meadows and work for Phil Heath now,..their money is made through their social media.

[HMFIC_BROWSIN]

Internet is killing everything. The kids who are 8 now dont do chit except stare into ipads. The singularity is here.

[MarusDod]

Pro bodybuilding will stay alive for as long as G4P exists

[Furybox]

When those who live on a bodybuilding forum year round have little positive to say about it, it's no wonder it's dead haha

[arn710]

There is no value in winning the Olympia anymore. Tons of BBers are making more money just by their social media presence. Generation Iron 2 (film) was pretty much all about this. Social Media has taken over now, and the competitions are really relics.

While I agree that social media has a huge influence on bodybuilding in general, go to even a local contest and you will see that the bolded is the opposite of reality

If anything, I would say bodybuilding is more popular that ever but the top ranks men's open are not as popular. Things like bikini and men's physique are taking over the rank and file

[anonymous]

People didn't care before arnold, and they don't care after arnold

It was huge in the 80s. There was a decade of energy around Gold's gym just after Arnold retired in 1980.

[bobbydigitaloa]

When those who live on a bodybuilding forum year round have little positive to say about it, it's no wonder it's dead haha

Lol that’s to suggest actual bodybuilding gets discussed here instead of thread about dicks, stretching dicks, height, racism, inability to get laid, get laid and cry because she now not a virgin...should I go on?

[katya422]

It deserves to die. It went from Steve Reeves, Zane and Arnold to hgh guts, and frankly groce physiques that repulse casuals(but not only)

There is no value in winning the Olympia anymore. Tons of BBers are making more money just by their social media presence. Generation Iron 2 (film) was pretty much all about this. Social Media has taken over now, and the competitions are really relics.

^^^
My picks FWIW.

If the sport is to regain public interest I think that there needs to be more stories and a return to a focus on classic aesthetics.

[Shortfuze]

I think the deaths of some high profile and charismatic bodybuilders has put a damper on the industry. Changing perceptions about "fit" bodies are also changing. I honestly think that classic physique will take over the whole mass monster physique. Mass has reached its limit.

[arn710]

If the sport is to regain public interest I think that there needs to be more stories and a return to a focus on classic aesthetics.

They added classes like bikini, classic bodybuilding and men's physique while doing away with women's bodybuilding a few years ago

Have you started tuning in? Have you started competing?

[iWantToGrow]

It has been dying for a while now. Just look at the "professional bodybuiling" category in the bb.com forums: it's dead af but there used to be activity and speculation about the olympia and arnold preps a few years back. I havn't watched a bb show in a few years and to think I used to get up at like 3 am to watch the olypmpia live like 5 years ago. Now I don't even know who partecipates and what are the placings.

[deltpecx]

the lets all workout trend i think is dying

ton of people i know quit lifting or working out in general. but then again that could just be aging.

[CementPizza]

It's in SAD shape.

I took 3rd place last year.

[omnip0tent]

Too much testosterone for it to stay alive.

[MNGA1]

At the pro level, open bbing, it has just gone too far. Some of these guys like Ramy and Roelly literally look like Belgian livestock. Seems like the competition is no longer who trains or diets harder, but just genetic tolerance for higher doses of chemicals.

[devin45k]

I dunno about Olympia but all the local shows I have gone to have had a huge boom in Women's physique. It's probably 75% womens physique now and 25% male competitors.

[deltpecx]

Lol that’s to suggest actual bodybuilding gets discussed here instead of thread about dicks, stretching dicks, height, racism, inability to get laid, get laid and cry because she now not a virgin...should I go on?

so much this!

Reps on recharge! Deserve many you do!

[CementPizza]

so much this!

This.

The misc has NEVER been a bodybuilding forum and this has never really been a bodybuilding site.
It's just a place to look at butts.

[esmile]

The nuclear fit fam is being destroyed by the liberal elite thus so many soy boyos smh

[EoR]

Many posts have surmised it nicely. It was appealing because there was a balance of mass and shape. Even people who were not into "big muscles" and were casuals could see Arnold posing and still be impressed. You could still be massive and appealing. Now a lot of lifters just have that "circus" reaction from audiences with size being nearly the only goal. You will lose a lot of your moderate to casual fans when people waddle in looking like 400lb fridges.

[NorthernLad93]

There's more money in Crossfit now for people who want to get rich from working out.

[NorthernLad93]

Mr olympia is dying because of social media. It used to be an aura seeing bodybuilders in magazines and on stage and if your lucky enough at your local gym. This solidified them as bodybuilding celebs. Now its lost cause anyone can be in the fitness limelight if you have a shet ton of followers. That plus all the bro science that has been debunked

This. Social media killed the mystique in the same way it killed masked wrestlers..

[LimitBreak]

P.S. if you guys wanna follow it this year; Press Conference is this Thursday, prejudging Friday, and the judging and offical results Saturday.

[Muzzlrpress]

Instagram and current top BB'er physiques.

[gharlow]

Honestly think a lot has to do with most of the professionals of the current generation being either unlikable or boring in interviews.

Jay vs Ronnie >>>>>> Phil vs Kai

Might be because I'm mid 30's now, but meeting Ronnie when I was 18 was a huge deal to me. If I met Phil, it would be meh.

I want to see the freakiest chit possible. Remember that one year Markus Ruhl blew everyone away? I had never seen anything like it.

Ramy and Flex Lewis are the only 2 pro BB's I even check the news on now.

[GravityLee]

It was on its way out when too many of them were bubble gut and kinda ugly. Palumboism has all but killed the sport. You can only rehash the same Arnold / Zane type conversations so many fuking times while comparing them to todays bbers.