Personal Top 3 Bodybuilders and why.

So as the title suggests, who are your top three bodybuilders of all time and why.

For me:

Dorian Yates - greatest pioneer (bar Arnold) the sport has ever seen IMO
Antoine Vaillant - insane physique and drive at his age
Kevin Levrone - its Levrone, the guy belongs in any top three list

Really wanna Sneak Branch in there but top three it is.

Mike Mentzer - Trained insane and never gave up!
Dorian Yates - Trained insane and has given back to the sport.
Lee Priest - What a character u gotta love him haha..

Sho hey, it's hard to pick a top 3!

I have so many faves, ranging from Lee Haney, Arnold, Phil Heath, Yates, Flex Wheeler, Sergio Oliva, Tom Platz, Chris Cormier, Dennis James, Melvin Anthony etc.

Levrone was awesome though, had amazing triceps.
Haney's workout ethic, the fact that he has 8 Olympias under the belt and his humility along with his faith is a huge inspiration for me. Also I feel he had the correct balance between mass and aesthetic appeal. Most bb's are too big these days IMO (I don't mind the way they look, in fact, they work hard for those physiques, but me personally, I'd rather look like Haney than Coleman)

Unfortunately can't choose a top 3. I'd probably list Haney as one of my faves though.

1. Dorian Yater - Just because he's awesome
2. Jay Cutler - He's freakin awesome and the first pro that I really started following in pro bb
3. Arnold (surname) -Don't ask me to spell his surname without using google. But anyway, he's the pioneer of modern body building. Brought it out of the gyms into the streets. We all need to thanks him.

More classic guys like Arnold and Sergio Oliva. Not a huge fan of todays mass monsters with their bloated guts

Frank Zane (that is what I call perfection)
Arnold (what he did for this sport, being a good embassador to the sport too)
Yates (To prove to you that genetics do not have to play a part in achieving your dreams)

Phil Heath - Perfection - in his time
Sergio Oliva - Perfection - in his time

For the rest i will have to start bringing in other reasons and there are many for reasons other than Perfection. Phil actually replaced 2 people - Flex Wheeler as well as Shawn Ray.
Lee Haney for 8 Olympia's at 31, Arnold for who he is and what he has done for BB, Dorian Yates - Size/training methodology, Ronnie Coleman - Size, Jay Cutler - Representation/Business

I rest at 2.

good to see a lot of old school body builders.. Also not too much of a fan when it comes to the Behemoths of today.. Surprised Platz didnt crack the nod for your list Jack

PS: sorry about section, i must hold the record now for most posts in the wrong sections.

Lee Priest - Best arms in BB history, no GH gut and is a bit of a character
Serge Nubret - My dream physique, guy is an absolute legend and gave quite a bit back to BB, RIP.
Jeff Rodriguez - Natural BB Pro. Constantly has the best conditioning, symmetry and proportions on the natural circuit and is fucking strong as well

Arnie and Ronnie just miss out

Quite a lot of Yates fans in here, all I know about him is: English, GH, 6 times Mr O, HIT and Blood and Guts. Any cool interviews or stories you guys have of him?

@JR, Flex is usually a fan favourite but I think he went full retard when he started using synthol, you should see him now bulging biceps with the forearms of a 12 year old girl *smh*

Lee Priest - for his compact body and the best tricep.And also his openness towards roids ect.
Ronnie Coleman - For showing just how big one can be.Doing things no one else does.800lb deadlift before the olimpia ect.
Flex Wheeler - Broke his neck and came back and become a Champion.Determination to the max.

never really followed the older guys a bit before my time.

CHAPEL wrote: good to see a lot of old school body builders.. Also not too much of a fan when it comes to the Behemoths of today.. Surprised Platz didnt crack the nod for your list Jack

PS: sorry about section, i must hold the record now for most posts in the wrong sections.

You are right there. I even have his book. Hope he forgives me! There are so many - Look at Vince Taylor smacking the masters year after year.

@DG - Flex was awesome at his peak. If he didnt have kidney problems who knows where he would have ended. Wouldnt matter today though - Phil has all that and more.

Yeah pity he had health problems but between Yates and Coleman I don't see how he could've beat either one for an Olympia title

i have 2 catagories for this classic look and mass monster :

Frank Zane : classic appealing lines, really what a body builder should look like,decent size legs,small waist and big upper body. excellent physique from the past.

Phil Heath : the only mass monster that still has the classic look, small waist,big chest arms and back,decent size legs and conditioning through the roof.

darrem charles : very appealing lines aswell,just never shaped up but i loved his posing.

then we come to the mass monster freaks!

Ronnie coleman, 275 pounds,shredded to the bone with those lines! amazing stuff.

Jay cutler,what more can be said,he is excellent,just very very blocky.

alexi luskov,he is an up and coming and he is only going to get better!

Phil may have a small waist but his shoulders are too narrow, he lacks width from the front

yet he is still mr o.