Dan Reneau Bodybuilding

A Natural History Perspective of Natural and Unnatural Bodybuilding
By Dan Reneau

Since the mid-1960s I've been inspired, nurtured and enhanced by the methods, ideals and personalities available
through the pages of bodybuilding publications. In this time, many accomplished people have come and gone, as have
their important beliefs in training, nutrition and aesthetics. The professional bodybuilding realm lately however seems to
need a reminder of things truly important in bodybuilding, including a reattachment to roots and correction in perception
of what constitutes progress.

Generally, whoever is the reigning “king” and his top contenders for several fleeting years are hyped as ultimate gurus on
all things known to "modern" bodybuilding. Occasionally one will politely acknowledge a predecessor's inspiration and
guidance, carrying the torch of bodybuilding's essence. The whole sport benefits from this as a stabilizing influence and
it builds public respect for competitors both present and past.

Also occasionally though, revered predecessors have been labeled by disrespectful or jealous young lions as Old
Timers, to be shelved with their old technology and supposedly uninformed or outdated beliefs. The slam is not new
and seems to happen whenever a new generation gets hung up on another level of "bigger is better" attitude. A
competitor too focused on hyping his niche attributes fails to realize that his predecessors might have a better vantage
point from outside the competitive clique regarding what is better for bodybuilding as a whole. Predecessors however
are uniquely positioned to produce accurate observations based on experience with similar historic trends and tend to
have better long term vision in any profession.

In a physique context, disputes like this have happened with V-taper versus bat-wing lats, six-pack abs with no external
obliques versus distended Hercules torsos, sweeping thighs with no leg biceps or hips versus tree trunks held by huge
striated glutes, baseball versus split biceps, horseshoe versus football triceps, cannon ball versus square delts, diamond
versus two-headed calves, Pop Eye versus balanced forearms, straight versus bull neck, square versus split pecks, oiled
tan complexion versus spray tan. There are bound to be more as tastes evolve over time. The most pressing dispute
clouding the past half-century and coming to an ugly head is natural versus chemically enhanced development.

As with all things in life, we can learn by realizing and admitting our mistakes; and can make true progress by following
through on corrective actions, however painful they may be. We need to review the seemingly well documented history
of our sport from a fresh perspective, perhaps like an anthropologist reconstructing an ancient civilization. The
following observations are therefor presented as major periods of bodybuilding's natural (or unnatural) history, from
which we may learn and correct.

Pre-Conan

In the early years, as far back as Eugen Sandow in 1889, bodybuilders had to resort to sideshow presentations, classic
statue impersonation, and excelling in other sports in order to be accepted as bodybuilders. In the roaring '20s, Charles
Atlas stepped physique awareness to a new level but the struggle for identity continued until bodybuilders were
gradually also valued by the WWII military and general public as strength training experts and fitness personalities. Men
of the immediate post-WWII Mr. Universe era led by John Grimec were not insignificant by any means, and there were
no steroids; only individuals who put extraordinary effort into natural living, fed by the best food they could afford.
Modern Olympians honor the symbolism of Sandow on awards collected every year but should also consider the
meaning. Joe Weider thoughtfully chose his iconic image to epitomize the sport and physique ideals.

We owe much to hansom figures like Steve Reeves, Clancy Ross and Mickey Hargitay for nurturing the broad public
acceptance of bodybuilding. Their bronze hero look of the 1950s and Jack LaLanne’s energetic television persona
through the '60s helped the public discover and associate muscle groups to what we instinctively like about the human
form. Finding focused means to develop specific muscles, men of the time gave fellow bodybuilders something new to
work with. The actual body sculpture finally possible was definite progress from doing basic lifts and imitating classical
statues.

One could bring forth all of the best the human body had to offer in clean, straight lines sweeping into or intersecting
with dramatic curves. Posing evolved into a refined performance art to an extent which, together with body sculpture,
we could not call bodybuilding a sport without thinking art, and vice verse. It was a look which bodybuilders could
maintain year-round, also popular with the public as something they could both identify with and hope to attain.
Flash-forward to today; there are not many among the general public who would say today's Olympian body is more
appealing than the above pioneers'.

The '60s picked up a super-sized surfer look thanks to bodybuilders and gymnasts playing on what came to be known
as Muscle Beach. Naturally attainable physiques were still popular but the period unfortunately also invited mild
experimentation with steroids, and a few disastrous consequences occurred. We may never know the full truth of who
used steroids and who didn't in this time when lines were blurred and usage never admitted. Some competitors were
experienced top level pro's before steroids came along and simply didn't need to mess with them.

Steroid issue aside, these incredibly inspiring gentlemen carried plenty of muscle with just a little body-fat, presenting a
publicly popular, aesthetically pleasing and healthy looking package. Some of bodybuilding’s favorites of the “Golden
Era” included Reg Park, Bill Pearl, Chet Yorton, Don Howorth, Chuck Sipes, Harold Poole, Freddy Ortiz, Dennis
Tinereno, Dave Draper, Larry Scott and Sergio Oliva.

The surfer look, smooth and off-season by today's standards, trimmed into "separation and cuts" in the 1970s and
allowed us to see minor muscle groups. A variety of body types displayed this way (long or short wasted, wide or
medium shouldered, heavy or medium muscled) peeked interest of the general public. Stars such as Serge Nubret, Frank
Zane, Robbie Robinson, Casey Viator, Chris Dickerson, Mike Mensor, Boyer Coe, Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbu and
Arnold Schwarzenegger provided inspiring slightly-beyond-natural images.

Steroid experimentation gained momentum through the late ‘60s and '70s, a time when the public was experimenting
with a lot of things. While some physiques were getting on the massive side, they were still near the realm of naturally
attainable by genetically gifted people. Giving up 15% of their body weight, many could have been made naturally.
Arnold was smart enough to recognize there is more to be done for bodybuilding (and Arnold) than prolonged
bigger-and-better appearances in contests and magazines. He shed 30 pounds, stepped into acting and won the respect
of the public worldwide. This was also a major win for bodybuilding.

Unprecedented public interest set the stage for industry expectations of a new 1980s super-fitness culture which the
entire world would embrace. Bodybuilding now had qualities found in Olympic gymnastic and skating events, and
people such as Ben Weider attempted to make it official Olympic venue. While there have been pioneers of many
aspects of bodybuilding, we owe the most to Arnold for the open public acceptance of bodybuilding. Bodybuilding's
seedling roots surfaced as a tree, The Oak, forming a trunk for hundreds to branch from.

The Conan Period

Less discerning bodybuilders could only see the mass in the larger '70s stars as their reason for success and strove to
prove bigger-is-better. They hadn't noticed that the mass was hung with care and respected practical limits. Sculpture
and positive presentation continued in new talent including Francis Benfatto, Lee Labrada and Samir Bannout, but
overall the '80s graduated to prizing vascular mass. In essence, the sport was focused on chemistry experiments and
how many veins an individual can show. Women fell into these traps too. This began to turn off the public, which
historically considers veins ugly and bloated bodies grotesque. Compounding the damage, young athletes in many
sports, training for high school or professional play, were being shown by bodybuilders that steroids could make them
superhuman without mentioning the long term side effects and shortened lives.

In the 1990s, bodybuilding further graduated to "thick, ripped and shredded” even if competition cost life itself. The
public that champions such as Arnold worked so hard to win over was left with a freak show of bloated abs, veins and
fibrous muscle...or off-season blimps. Exceptions like Flex Wheeler and Thierry Pastel existed but if Arnold had not
done so well in the film industry in this period, bodybuilding would have been shunned into obscurity. The ‘90s seemed
more inspired by inner city gangs than a quest for physical perfection. Posing and magazine photos were all about how
dangerous or intimidating the bodybuilder could look and most people outside the sport were turned off.

Bodybuilders and athletes alike began relying on outrageous anabolic drug programs fed by extraordinary quantities of
protein, followed by risky fat burning drugs and diuretics, to become ponderous and grossly veined 300 pound lab rats.
Implants and oil injections even slipped into contests. It was absurd to watch bodybuilding poster-child Dennis
Newman nearly die from leukemia triggered by growth hormones and then make a “come back” on a new steroid
program. It was sad to watch people like Momo Benaziza, Andreas Munzer and Jeep Swenson be destroyed. In this
decade we also prematurely lost Mike Mentzer and Edouard Kawak. These examples are clearly an indicator of errant
perception in what constitutes proper contest condition.

As if to justify oversized upper bodies or bulky glutes, professional bodybuilders since the '90s have been touting their
symmetry; however, there is more to a quality physique than size and symmetry. An aesthetic physique depends on a
symmetric combination of dramatic angles and sweeping lines accentuating strategic curves. Professional bodybuilders
have become symmetrical but over-inflated caricatures with few lines or angles, capable of a championship roll in their
shrinking world, but seriously risking health and presenting misleading values to unwary teens.

One can't have freaky parts and symmetry at the same time. One can't be so thick they are round yet have angular
compliments at the same time. Bloated stomachs, bull necks, globular backs, giant glutes and ponderous legs do
nothing to compliment the lines and curves of other body features unique to the human form. The biggest back muscles
in the sport don't necessarily rank among the most pleasing lat spreads. Legs might be big enough to offset a thick
torso, but more aesthetic symmetry occurs with lighter upper bodies on sleeker legs.

Skeletal structure symmetry is one of those things we get stuck with and can only make the most of. We can be happy
for those who are lucky and grateful for their participation in the sport, but if we were to decide that bone stack-up was
a key issue in muscular symmetry, a number of short and long waisted, narrow clavicled Old Timers might have to give
their titles back. We might as well give points for innies versus outies. Sadly, points are given for all of those things
subconsciously, including how well the contestant has been painted.

No matter how ripped, symmetric 300 pound bodybuilders have trouble looking muscular in clothes and have little
chance of inspiring the public without being half naked. This works OK in a few carefully directed action film shots but
not in many other situations. Clothed, they may look like well tailored “big people” if prosperous enough, but more
easily just sloppy due to fabric draping or stretched across unrecognizable lumps. There is such a thing as too much
size and most things are best in moderation. When committing life to competing at the top of a profession, a
bodybuilder must also be committed to presenting self and profession in top form mentally, physically, and with
elegance...or the whole profession will be dragged down.

Sadly, professional bodybuilders have become live versions of the cartoons drawn in the Golden Era meant to be "as if
anyone could ever have that much muscle or want to”. Those cartoons were meant to be a joke, so what has
professional bodybuilding become? Who can respect an art or sport dependent on a illegal drugs, self-serving
tough-guy attitudes, and cartoon images?

The Modern Natural

Countless young bodybuilders since the '60s have experienced disillusionment, misdirection and forever lost time
caused by decades of glossed-over and disguised reporting of how champions really got that way. It continues to
happen in magazines to new teens looking for improvement and role models except the steroid use is blatantly obvious.
Perhaps worse, some magazines even teach use of the best modern chemical science has to offer and stars proclaim the
benefits.

Professional bodybuilding seems to be saying "forget artistic qualities, forget mainstream acceptance, forget health or
longevity, forget the Olympics, let’s just get as big as we can because that’s simpler". Bigger was not better and
chemically supported physiques are not progress. There should be more to earning a title than just making the biggest
pile of muscles.

There is a positive side to the past few decades however. True bodybuilding science (nutrition and training, not
chemical stacking) actually has evolved to a point at which natural competitors are achieving the physiques of the early
Golden Era, the point at which the sport became widely accepted and a point at which it can be re-accepted. Let’s
regain the respect of the general public by once again representing the pinnacle of natural physical achievement and
relegate drug infested bodies to an adolescent phase of history.

It’s time for bodybuilders and loyal fans to shelve the drugs, respectfully honor those who compromised their lives to
demonstrate the extreme drugs can create, but archive it and fully shift our support to natural bodybuilding. This
requires a wakening in the sport to realize how hypocritical and superficial it has become at the professional level, how it
has been pandering to a high testosterone sub-culture rather than embracing the far greater general public population,
and how it has been demeaning the natural physiques which have maintained the core of the sport. It requires a return to
the wholesome and publicly popular values of the late-40s and early-50s, a time dominated by natural human
accomplishments. It is time for a 100% drug tested natural period to correct the history of bodybuilding.

Support natural bodybuilding!