“When Olympia Had Natural Competitor”: Frank Zane’s Posing Routine Takes Bodybuilding World Down a Golden Memory Lane
Frank Zane is among the most influential bodybuilders ever. Despite not being the greatest bodybuilder of his era, Zane won the Mr. Olympia title three times in a row. Zane’s chiseled and symmetrical physique earned him the nickname, The King of Aesthetics. Former Mr. Olympia was also known for his elegant posing routine. So when former IFBB pro Milos Sarcev posted Frank Zane’s 1980 pose routine, Mr. Olympia, she amazed bodybuilding fans.
The King of Aesthetics has such an iconic physique that it inspired the creation of the Classic Physique division. The current Classic Physique champion, Chis Bumstead, is known for his vacuum. However, it was Zane who made the pose famous. Most fans couldn’t help but praise the bodybuilding icon in the comments section. However, some also had different opinions.
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The Beauty King’s posing routine
Milos Sarcev, who has trained bodybuilding icons like Flex Wheeler, Lee Labrada and Bob Paris, praised the three-time Mr. Olympia’s masterful pose. “Remembering the ART of bodybuilding,” Sarcev wrote in the caption. The video shows Zane’s full pose routine at the 1980 Mr. Olympia.
During the routine, former Mr. Olympia passed all the mandatory poses. However, he added some flair, hitting slight variations on standard poses. Although the routine was long compared to what bodybuilders do today, Zane’s slow and methodical posing showed off his physique from every angle, highlighting his strengths.
Frank Zane transported fans to another era
The bodybuilding icon’s physique and posing routine left fans in awe. “When Olympia had natural competitors,” one fan wrote. “Total control, holding poses, no heavy breathing or silly faces,” wrote another. A third fan praised the former champion. “Multitasker routine pose, vacuum pose forever, definition, muscle, cleavage, legend,” the user wrote.
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Some fans say that Zane doesn’t get enough credit. “He has a lot of disrespect. Maximize all areas of bodybuilding aside from size. The pose, the symmetry, the conditioning, everything perfect for his time”, wrote the fan. “One thing that seems to be lacking in today’s posing is holding the pose long enough. Many go through their poses too quickly. The presentation is much better when we can see the muscle. Zane does it perfectly here,” wrote another.
However, some fans disagreed. “To be honest, that physique in a classic physique row today will smoke and not settle,” one fan wrote. Another fan dismissed the era. “The Boring Years of Bodybuilding. “Nothing compares to the measure of the years 93-2006”, he writes.
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What do you think of Zane’s posing routine? Would the King of Aesthetics win if he competed in the Mr. Olympia Classic Physique division? Write your thoughts in the comments.
