Ferrigno: Most Underrated?

[BigGreen]

I'm not saying he's the best bodybuilder never to win the "O", though I do think that at times, i'm simply saying that relative to the "respect" and mythologizing he receives, I would put him as the most underrated builder in the sport's history. The evidence:

[BigGreen]

And another, one that shows his overall aesthetic appeal, in my opinion. Keep in mind this guy was about 6'5"...truly an inspiration for those of us who were initially better suited for hoops than the weightroom.

[BigGreen]

Ahh, the classic black adn white photo. Of course, I'm pretty biased, this was taken when lou finally developed quads. Again, hate to keep playing the height card, but it takes a while when you're over six feet tall...or so i tell myself when my quads are pissing me off.

[BigGreen]

Just another that I think shows unreal proportions for a guy with an upperbody about the same height as all of lee priest

[BigGreen]

Finally, one that just freaks me out....don't recall his upper chest swelling like that in competition, but it sure as hell looks like he could throw a glass of water on top of that thing and balance it without any problems.

[Destructo]

Ferrigno is definitely one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. He deserved more titles.

[KunipshunFit]

Definately deserved more titles...HOWEVER,

WHen he was competing against arnold in arnolds last O, he was out matched, and that was due to his lack of quads, and his age/experience.

Now he did get that beloved muscle maturity with age, and a few cycles I agree, he's 6'5 and a FREAK, Very deserving!!!!

BIG LOU IS THE MAN

INSANE ARMS AND VEINS

K

[BigGreen]

KunipshunFit:

I agree, a lack of quad development plagued him well into (one could reasonably argue) his late 30's. I do think it has a bit to do with height, but I've also heard he never even started squatting until his mid 20's. Unsure of the truth to that, but the fact remains that those quads kicked his ass. What impresses me most about big lou is, as you stated, how he just seemed to improve with age like few bodybuilders (robby robinson and a few others come to mind) are capable of doing.

[sd11]

Shawn Ray is the uncrowned Mr. O, big Lou may have been a little under rated, but he never deserved to win the O imo.

[Decoder]

man his face has aged soo much since pumping iron..

[ripsid]

I think he lost the essay part of the padgent....
No seriously, I know when I was a kid I saw him as the hulk and then saw some expo's on him and I was like he's the man! He was psyched out by Arnold back in those days...I think he was probably very self concsious when it came to his hearing and speach and was easily spooked. But Lb for LB he's a monster one of the biggest! even as he aged!

[KunipshunFit]

yeah he was a freak as the HULK...

Lee Priest is the mold for the new Hulk movie...only this time they are doing it right...

Blowing the hulk up to 8 ft tall, and taking lee's proportions and making the ratio between Midget and Giant.

So lee's 23" arms on a 5'3 frame will be freaken HUGE on a 8ft MONSTER

i'm guessing he will have 36" arms in the movie! hehe, I cant wait to see the freak they create.

Lata

K

[retired]

I don't think that Ferrigno was underrated as a competitor- just look at the exposure that he has received without having won a major competition since 1974!

He has the kind of physique that is truly inspiring in photos- it conveys unbelievable power and mass (what Jeff Everson used to call "animalia").

Things about Ferrigno that piss me off:
1) After all his bitching about wanting to win the Olympia, he signed-on with Vince McMahon's now defunct bodybuilding federation instead of facing Lee Haney in what would have been one of the most anticipated matchups ever. He only returned to the IFBB when McMahon told him that he would be tested for 'roids;

2) He complained like a little pussy when Robbie Robinson deservingly beat him at the 1994 Master's Olympia;

3) He went around promoting his autobiography by crapping on his elderly father- the same father who built his son a basement gym with the little money he made as a NYC cop.

[KunipshunFit]

I've gotta disagree with the Father comments from above..

Lou and his father had many many problems...

Lou's father was over-bearing and basically an ass.

Now granted that's no reason for bashing ya dad.. I just think they had issues. It is widely known that Lou didnt want his father in the Pumping Iron video and that he was brought in simply for story line help.

HOWEVER, Watch the video...Lou is busting his ass hitting the weights, and his dad is over there sweating talking about "Oh what a work out" LIKE he did anything? And also, he's trying to critique Lou's posing and putting him down. This is your only shot, blah blah blah...He made Lou think it was now or never, and fucked with his head more than arnold did.

When they were eating with arnold, Lou's dad just agreed with Arnold saying that he was the best and could win forever...i mean that fucks with Lou...espeacially when he's telling Lou that he can beat the man...He made Lou out to be an idiot.

It was Lou's first olympia, he should not have expected to win. Also, he had no legs.

At any rate. Just wanted to rant..I'm at work and very bored

[BIG TEXAN]

With the new "HULK" movie coming out they are using Gunter and Preist's body type's to create him. As for Lou.....he'll always be one of my fav's. I'm only 6'2" and seeing how damn big he is and Gunter(spelling?) at 6'2" and weighing in at 300 lbs for '02 Olympia really sparked some hope in me.

[retired]

Kunip, I'm not defending Lou's father- especially the abuse that Lou reported- but the fact that his son USED the story to promote his book on the talk show circuit struck me as wrong. Sure, his father may be an ass, but you don't have to publicize that to the entire world just so you can sell a few copies of your book...

[KunipshunFit]

agreed...but domestic voilence sells almost as good as sex...but again, agreed!

[ZachG_85]

I wanted Lou to win in Pumping Iron personally. He's there busting his ass off hardcore style, and there's Arnie in Gold's being Mr. Hollywood and flouncing around with a ballet instructor.

I've used the analogy before, but it's like Rocky IV. Arnie is Ivan Drago, being all Hollywood and using fancy stuff and basking in the fame. Lou is Rocky, in his little rathole gym, nothing overly fancy, busting his ass and doing nothing but looking to the victory. This time Rocky lost, though.

[retired]

that's how the movie tried to present things, but apparently it was deliberately scripted to look that way. Lou had actually been training in LA with all the other "stars," and returned to NY at the urging of George Butler.

[JollySwagman]

ehh dunno what you guys are talking about.....it looks like Arnold was training much more hardcore than Lou......all Lou does in curls and military press while you see Arnold doing it all
also, Arnold trained alone while Lou had a bunch of people telling him how to train....the movie really did make him look like a baby who didnt know what he was doing

[Za_S|ick]

I saw the movie too and my opinion is Arnold defintely trains more hardcore than most bodybuilders, not just Ferrigno!
But what's the story with Lou's father, I saw he was abusing him sentimentally, did he abused him physicaly too??

[sd11]

Zach G I don't know what you were watching, if you don't think Arnold was training intensely you are off your rocker, and the ballet was for posing purposes.

[retired]

I think that what Zach had in mind was the "rags to riches" underdog theme associated with Ferrigno in the film. Lou only returned to Brooklyn for the purposes of making the film- before that he had been living it up in LA with all the other top guys. Butler (and Weider, presumably) wanted Lou to represent the young fan who dreams of one day "making it" in bodybuilding.

Yes, Arnold's training in the movie is pure hardcore. Too bad the film did not follow the '74 Olympia, when Arnold came in at least twelve pounds heavier and did not have to build himself back up (after filming "Stay Hungry" with Sally Fields) from a lowly 209lbs.

[mrdraco]

Uhh... the ballet scene was a plant. They made it up for the movie.

[decadbal]

i really dont think of him as one of the all time best BBers, but that dont mean im not wrong, but he wasnt developed as well as others of his time, and his show was great, but thats not what this sports judged on. he never deserved the same treatment as arnold or franko. columbo, now theres an underated bodybuilder.

[hoss827]

Lou is my favorite....youngest to when Mr. Universe, he deserved more titles. He was the greatest in my opinion..he did it naturally, and was bigger then arnold for awhile (pumping iron).

[hoss827]

I read Lou's bio, his father didn't abuse him. He always criticized him and pushed him, drove him to be the best. Lou said that his father never gave him praise though, and he respected him for that. He said if it wasn't for him he wouldn't have made it that far. Read "The Incredible Lou Ferrigno"