10 Bodybuilders With A few of the Greatest Legs within the Sport’s Historical past

Bodybuilding is about extra than simply having massive biceps, spherical shoulders, and a large back — rivals additionally should have an equally spectacular lower body in the event that they wish to tie their physique collectively. And over the past a number of a long time, loads of rivals have stepped on stage sporting some huge quads, calves, and hamstrings that helped them safe prime spots on the greatest exhibits.

There’s no scarcity of spectacular legs in bodybuilding historical past, however these 10 rivals, particularly, are among the many better of one of the best. From the person synonymous with the squat to probably the most adorned lady to ever compete on the Olympia, these legends are robust to prime.

10 Opponents With the Greatest Legs in Bodybuilding Historical past

Tom Platz

With a nickname like “The Quadfather,” it shouldn’t come as a shock that Tom Platz discovered his means onto this checklist. Leg improvement was all the time vital in bodybuilding, however Platz’s bulging quads and granite calves introduced a wow issue to his decrease physique that helped redefine what elite legs ought to appear like.

However Platz’s legs weren’t simply there for present — his squatting strength was additionally completely legendary. Look no additional than his guest-lifting stint at a powerlifting occasion at FIBO in Germany in 1993, when he squatted 525 pounds for 23 reps. Although there’s some hypothesis in regards to the validity of this beautiful feat, there’s no denying that his legs packed an actual punch.

Ronnie Coleman

Eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman is taken into account by many to be bodybuilding’s G.O.A.T. And whereas his unbelievable again improvement is often the primary attribute many level out, his titanic legs aren’t far behind. His quads stood out in any entrance pose he hit, whereas his hamstrings and glutes made his back double biceps probably the greatest ever.

And like Platz, Coleman’s legs had energy to match. A lot of “The King’s” mystique comes from his 2003 coaching video The Value of Redemption, the place he’s proven squatting 800 kilos for a double, adopted by a set of leg presses with 2,300 kilos for eight reps. If there may be one piece of footage that completely encapsulates bodybuilding’s “mass monster” period, that is it.

Jay Cutler

The person who in the end dethroned Coleman as Mr. Olympia in 2006 additionally had stable legs to face on. Jay Cutler gained 4 Mr. Olympia titles and three Arnold Basic championships in his profession — however in a sea of accomplishments, his well-known “Quad Stomp” pose from the 2009 Mr. Olympia is head and shoulders above the remaining.

That 12 months, Cutler seemed to regain the title after dropping it to Dexter Jackson in 2008. Throughout his routine, Cutler aggressively stomped the stage and flexed his quadriceps, which undulated hypnotically in entrance of the packed crowd.

Photographer Per Bernal was available to snap a photograph of the pose, cementing it as an iconic second within the sport. These extremely developed legs helped Cutler safe the title that 12 months, and that picture has since turn into part of his legacy.

Department Warren

One of many solely rivals able to holding his personal within the decrease physique division with Cutler was Department Warren. A Texas native, Warren skilled in the identical Metrofelx health club as Ronnie Coleman in Arlington — and once you’re in the identical constructing as “The King,” it’s onerous to not be impressed to go a bit heavier within the squat rack.

Warren got here up one spot wanting Cutler on the Olympia in 2009, however he did win two Arnold Classics of his personal in 2011 and 2012. And an enormous a part of that success was the unreal leg improvement that earned him the becoming nickname: “Quadrasaurus.”

Irene Andersen

The Girls’s Bodybuilding division isn’t any stranger to beefy leg improvement, and on the prime of that checklist is Irene Andersen. As one of many greatest athletes within the division, Andersen is maybe finest identified for her ultra-muscular higher physique — however don’t sleep on these wheels.

Her spherical quads and ripped hamstrings are among the many finest within the sport, and so they’ve helped her place as excessive as fifth within the Ms. Olympia (2020 and 2021) and third within the 2019 Rising Phoenix World Championships. However the true spotlight right here could be her calves, which greater than maintain their very own when in comparison with the remainder of Andersen’s beautiful mass.

Dorian Yates

Following the retirement of eight-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney in 1991, Dorian Yates took the torch and ran with it as probably the most dominant bodybuilder of the Nineteen Nineties. “The Shadow” was identified for his high-intensity coaching fashion generally known as “Blood and Guts,” which targeted on one or two all-out units that pushed his muscular tissues to absolute failure.

And whereas most bodybuilders on the time opted for extra quantity of their coaching, Yates proved his technique labored each time he walked on stage with a set of legs that carried him to 6 Sandow trophies.

Yates was pressured to retire resulting from accidents following his win on the 1997 Olympia, however he was thought of to have one of the best pair of legs since Platz on the time. And to attain that mass, Yates stated he leaned closely on Smith machine squats, relatively than free-weight barbell squats, as his profession progressed.

Kai Greene

When Kai Greene first hit the scene in 2006, folks thought he was in line to be the subsequent Ronnie Coleman resulting from their comparable muscle construction. And like Coleman, Greene sported a pair of well-defined, muscular legs that completely complemented his broad again and rounded shoulders.

One of many secrets and techniques of Greene’s success was his showmanship and top-tier expertise as a poser, which allowed him to current his legs higher than almost anybody else within the sport on the time. His full bundle earned him the runner-up spot on the Mr. Olympia from 2012 to 2014, together with three Arnold Basic titles in 2009, 2010, and 2016.

Yaxeni Oriquen

Regardless of competing in opposition to multi-time champions like Lenda Murray and Iris Kyle, Yaxeni Oriquen nonetheless discovered a technique to seize the vaunted Ms. Olympia title in 2005, together with 5 Ms. Worldwide wins in her profession. And one of the vital components of her sport was an elite pair of legs that few — if any — might match.

Although there have been occasions that Oriquen’s legs really overpowered her higher physique, the judges didn’t appear to thoughts, as she nonetheless walked away with a fair proportion of {hardware} throughout her profession. Whilst the ladies within the division get larger and greater yearly, Oriquen continues to be remembered as one of many greats.

Iris Kyle

In a sport stuffed with dominant champs and long-lasting dynasties, there is just one athlete who can lay declare to 10 whole Olympia titles: Iris Kyle. Her assortment of Ms. Olympia wins throughout her 15-year profession is a testomony to her consistency within the health club and her skill to refine and enhance her physique from contest to contest.

Whereas Kyle is thought for a show-stopping pair of quads, you’ll be able to argue that her hamstrings actually introduced her physique collectively. When she circled and showcased her full physique from the again, it was virtually all the time sufficient to separate herself from the pack.

Mamdouh “Huge Ramy” Elssbiay

The trendy-day instance of leg day targets might be two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay. Even again at his professional debut on the 2013 New York Pro, Ramy’s excessive quad improvement separated him from everybody else on the stage. They have been so massive, in truth, that they overpowered his calves — however that didn’t cease him from successful the present and serving discover to everybody else within the Males’s Open division.

Elssbiay did his homework after that present, and he improved his calves and hamstrings within the years to come back. Ultimately, his hulking quads have been extra in step with the remainder of his legs and flowed extra seamlessly together with his higher physique. The end result was arguably one of the best physique within the sport in 2020 when he gained his first Mr. Olympia title after which efficiently defended his crown the next 12 months.