Tag: Rich Gaspari

Rich Gaspari Says Classic Physique Is Saving The Art of Bodybuilding

Rich Gaspari Says Classic Physique Is Saving The Art of Bodybuilding

Rich Gaspari has seen bodybuilding progress through the years and worries the artful aspects of the practice have fallen by the wayside. In a recent Fitness, Fame & Fortune Podcast, Gaspari argued why bodybuilding should be considered an art form, not a sport. 
Artistic expression and bodybuilding go hand in hand. For as long as the sport has been around, competitors have crafted unique posing routines to complement their respective physiques. There is no doubt bodybuilding has changed since Rich’s time on stage. After wrapping up his tenure, mass monsters were slowly taking over the top of the Men’s Open division. 

In the 1990s, Dorian Yates proved mass and conditioning to be an Olympia-winning combination. Following Yates’ six-year reign, another massive albeit conditioned bodybuilder took his place as Ronnie Coleman made his ascension into the history books with eight Sandow trophies. 
Many believe Hadi Choopan’s win at the 2022 Mr. Olympia show signaled a shift to conditioning and balance in bodybuilding. Gaspari thinks the sport has temporarily lost its artistry and blames dull posing routines.
Rich Gaspari Says Bodybuilding Is Not A Sport It’s an Art Form: ‘It’s Something That’s Subjective’ 
In Gaspari’s opinion, the subjectivity of bodybuilding makes it an art form, not a sport. He supported his argument by comparing it to other sports like track and field, where an athlete reaches a finishing line following a contest. 

“You talked earlier about what is bodybuilding, is it a sport or an art? I consider it an art form. Do you have to go through physical training to get to this art form, yes you do. You’re building a statue by throwing clay to build up your chest or your shoulders but what are you doing? You’re displaying your body after all this physical exertion that you’re doing to build that body. Is it really a sport? It’s something that is subjective.” 
“You really don’t sit there and run through the finish line and pick a winner. When someone argues with me that it’s a sport, I say it’s not a sport. It’s an art form. You have to go do the gym to get to look like a certain way to be that art form but is it really something that you can say I don’t know. 
I can’t really say anything about sports because in the Olympics you got curling, which I think is a ridiculous sport, throwing that thing across the ice. Could bodybuilding be considered a sport, in that sense sure, since curling is a sport, why not bodybuilding. I kind of think when people tell me I said it’s art form, it’s not a sport,” Gaspari said. 

According to the 59-year-old, artistic expression might have been lost but he believes Classic Physique is resurrecting the concept. 

“A lot of what you’re doing is training, but people don’t see what it takes to make that body. The dieting, the training, the tanning, all the preparation it takes to get ready to go on that stage. That’s the part that it’s all the stuff that comes together to get you to be that bodybuilder on stage. I mean – I spent hours posing too because it’s good that lately that the art form is coming back because of Classic Bodybuilding but for the last couple of years, the last five or six years it was lost, it was a lost art.” 
“Back – go five, six, eight years ago, bodybuilding posing was completely lost. I thought the routines were shit. The only guy that really posed that gave a good show was someone like a Kai Greene. That still saw something in that even though there wans’t – I guess they didn’t score it. Back when I posed or when I competed, they did score the posing round.” 
Industry expert John Ramano also drew attention to the lack of vacuum poses in the Men’s Open division compared to the Golden Era of bodybuilding, which hosted the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, the late Dave Draper, and Lou Ferrigno. 
“Ferrigno was famous for that, think of the huge guys from then that could do a vacuum. Draper, Arnold, Louis, all these guys that we talk about – Mentzer – he was pretty big at one point still sucking up a vacuum,” added John Ramono. 
Before wrapping up, Gaspari underlined how busy Venice Gold’s Gym was and likened it to a circus. 
“It was such a show [at Gold’s Gym Venice], guys like Lyle Alzado, you knew Lyle Alzado, he was nuts, the Barbarian Brothers — guys if you went to this gym back then, it was a circus. It was a circus. You really couldn’t train in that – I would train, like I said, train in the valley, I would go to World’s Gym with Lee and he would never want to go to Gold’s.” 
Rich Gaspari is far from the first retired pro to highlight how the Men’s Open has changed over the years. Perrenial Olympia contender Lee Labrada pointed out that symmetry, proportions, and balance have been ‘tossed to the side’ as of late. Moreover, he took issue with the lack of creative posing routines and described the Open class as ‘tanks clunking’ between each other with no transitions. 
RELATED: 63-Year-Old Lee Labrada Looks Jacked in Father-Son Posing Session with Hunter
Samson Dauda’s win at the 2023 Arnold Classic revived the importance of balance, symmetry, and posing in the Open. Nevertheless, Gaspari is adamant that bodybuilding should be considered an art form, not a sport. 
Watch the full video below: 
https://youtu.be/2s5ne_2PGtc
Published: 14 April, 2023 | 2:50 PM EDT

Rich Gaspari on Building Bigger Legs: ‘Train Super Hard and Go to Failure’

Rich Gaspari on Building Bigger Legs: ‘Train Super Hard and Go to Failure’

Seasoned bodybuilding veteran Rich Gaspari has amassed a wealth of knowledge related to the sport following a decorated career. In a recent Instagram video, Gaspari shared tips for legs and techniques to utilize in lower-body training sessions. During his days of competition, Rich Gaspari boasted a refined lower body and stellar conditioning as a Men’s…

Rich Gaspari Speaks On Chris Bumstead’s Brand, Physique Compared To Open Bodybuilding: ‘Their Physiques Are Unattainable’

Rich Gaspari Speaks On Chris Bumstead’s Brand, Physique Compared To Open Bodybuilding: ‘Their Physiques Are Unattainable’

Rich Gaspari favors Chris Bumstead’s brand and physique over that of Open bodybuilding.
Rich Gaspari is a bodybuilding veteran who remains up to date on the comings and goings of different athletes in the sport. Recently, he sat down for a conversation with John Romano about the current state of bodybuilding and how Chris Bumstead has been able to build such a big brand.
Bumstead is the reigning three-time Classic Physique Olympia champion. He is approaching 10 million followers on Instagram and has even more on other social media platforms, such as YouTube. He has built such a following sharing different content, such as workouts and diets during his preparation for shows.
Gaspari, who joined Romano on Dragon Slayer Media’s YouTube, credits Bumstead for what he has been able to build and compares Classic Physique and Open Bodybuilding.
“Well first of all, Chris Bumstead gets credit that he really grew his popularity. He grew during the time of Instagram when it first started. You can gain followers very quickly,” Gaspari said.
“He’s got three million followers on TikTok. 9.5 plus three million on TikTok. Then, he’s very popular on YouTube. What he’s done is he’s used the vehicle of YouTube to show his training, his progress, how he eats. That has gone into his Instagram that’s grown tremendously, at 9.5 million. He’s become really really popular.”
READ MORE: Rich Gaspari Answers How A Bodybuilder Can Use Posing To Beat A Superior Physique
Rich Gaspari continues to tell a story about a show he attended in New York. The store where the show was taking place gave fans the chance to meet their favorite celebrities. Gaspari recalls the line to meet Bumstead being “just incredible.”
“He has his own brand. I mean, he’s really smart. He’s one of the few competitive bodybuilders that also has a business and a brand.”

Rich Gaspari on Open Bodybuilders: “It Takes Them A Lot Longer” 
Rich Gaspari is not the first to make the comparison of Classic Physique to Men’s Open. There are many who believe Classic Physique is the future of the sport, and competitors like Chris Bumstead are a big reason why.
When discussing the current state of Open Bodybuilding, Gaspari comments on how long it takes to attain this type of physique.
“You look at these guys and their physiques are unattainable. It takes them a lot longer. I can’t say that for Nick Walker. Normal guys that are in the Olympia are in their 30s to 40s. It takes that long to gain all that muscle.”
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Gaspari highlights Nick Walker as the exception because of the size he has been able to put on at such a young age.
“Nick Walker is in his 20s and is that big,” Gaspari said.
There is no doubt that Chris Bumstead is one of, if not the most, popular bodybuilders on the planet today. He is preparing to win his fourth consecutive Olympia title and this will only continue to build his reputation and brand.
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Arnold Classic Moments: Rich Gaspari & The First Ever Arnold Classic Victory

Arnold Classic Moments: Rich Gaspari & The First Ever Arnold Classic Victory

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The moment Rich Gaspari won the first ever Arnold Classic.
ARNOLD CLASSIC MOMENTS – is a special video series commemorating the 30 year anniversary of one of the biggest bodybuilding competitions in the world. Legendary bodybuilders tell their personal moments in the Arnold Classic and share the oral history of what makes this specific competition rise above the rest – making a lasting impression for years to come. Each new moment airs every Thursday.
Rich Gaspari is a legendary name for many reasons. He landed in second place multiple years in the Mr. Olympia and is considered one of the top uncrowned champions in that competition. He started Gaspari Nutrition – which changed the game for supplements in bodybuilding.
He is also the first ever Arnold Classic champion – winning the original contest when he was only 25 years old. It’s a stellar accomplishment that can never be taken away from him and an integral part of the epic history of the Arnold Classic.
To this day and for that very reason – Rich Gaspari has been constantly involved with the Arnold Classic Ohio competition and expo. He has nurtured the Arnold Classic Amateur – a testament to his own historical underdog status and his keen ability to sniff out future champions before the rest of the pack. He has consistently been a presence in the Arnold Classic over the past three decades.

So to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Arnold Classic – Rich Gaspari retells in vivid detail the moments leading up to his unforgettable victory. Transporting us all back to a very different time and revealing intimate details that make for a fascinating story. Watch the full oral history of the first ever Arnold Classic win above.