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I ran across this video of Lou Ferrigno competing at the Mr Olympia in 1992 after a long layoff. He looks incredible – yet he finished 12th! Dorian Yates began his phenomenal run that year, winning 6 times in a row.

Mohamed Makkawy

One of my favorite bodybuilders of all time is Mohamed Makkawy. Fluent in 4 languages, he tore up the IFBB pro scene in 1982 and 1983, winning more than his fair share of Grand Prix titles. Short, at 5′4″, he possessed a ruggedness and chiseled musculature that was far ahead of most of his peers.

He did his contest training with Vince Gironda, who took awesome artwork in the form of a body and turned it into a masterpiece.

For all of that, Mohamed Makkawy is #20 in Muscle-Build.com’s Hall of Fame!

Who are the top bodybuilders of all time? How does one decide? Is it based subjectively on who has the best body? Or is it based on titles, influence, or fame?

I’ve taken on the task to assemble my list of the best bodybuilders of all time. I won’t divulge all of my criteria, but I will tell you that this list is for the men only (a best women of all time will come!) and that EVERY Mr Olympia will be on here.

So, without further delay, here’s my list, in order of who I think the best bodybuilder of all time is.

1. Arnold. Mr O 7 times, six of them in a row. Fame, fortune, show business, politics. He’s done more to raise the awareness of bodybuilding as a viable sport than anyone. Plus, his body was the best amongst his peers for a very long time.
2. Franco Columbu. Great “short man.” Strength was his most incredible asset, but I’ll never forget him in the WSM, obliterating his knee, and then coming back in ‘81 to win the O again. Won Mr Olympia twice.
3. Frank Zane. To me, pound-for-pound the body I most want to look like. Just exquisite symmetry and definition. Won Mr O 3 times in a row
4. Lou Ferrigno. This guy looks better now than he did in 1975. Phenomenal. Movie star and Incredible Hulk. Probably best-known of all bodybuilders, other than Arnold, of course. Never won an O, but he was competing against Arnold. And, he’s gotten bigger and better since.
5. Larry Scott. Those arms! First Mr Olympia (won twice).
6. Sergio Oliva. Biggest and baddest 3 years in a row.
7. Ronnie Coleman. Won Mr O 8 times in a row.
8. Dorian Yates. 6-time winner. Huge.
9. Tom Platz. Never won an O, but once his upper body matched his incredible lower body, he became all-world. I’d love to see this guy do a leg routine!
10. Samir Bannout. Best-built after Zane. Great symmetry and proportion. Won in 1983.
11. Chris Dickerson. Won the O in 1982. Short biceps detracted from overall physique, but maybe the best calves in the game. Ever.
12. Steve Reeves. First “mainstream” bodybuilder with mass appeal.
13. Bill Pearl. Best of his era.
14. Lee Haney. Won the Mr O 8 times in a row. First truly huge bodybuilder I remember.
15. Jay Cutler, two time winner.
16. Dexter Jackson, latest winner.
17. Tim Belknap. Diabetic high intensity trainer. Never did much as a pro, but he was perhaps the best amateur I’ve ever seen. Thighs second to Platz, in my opinion.
18. Mike Mentzer. Never won an O, but placed in the top 3 several times. Hard as nails. Proponent of High Intensity Training. Great proportion and an excellent trainer.
19. Bertil Fox. Massive. Never won an O because he never peaked on time, but pound for pound one of the most muscular men on the planet.
20. Mohamed Makkawy. Never won an O, but he was darned good in the 80s, always losing out to Haney. But he did put together some pro wins. He trained under Vince Gironda, too. Great overall body symmetry and proportion, right up there with Zane and Bannout and Mentzer. Maybe the best forearms ever.

There you have it. My Top 20. It’s a personal thing. I’m obviously biased toward the 80s bodybuilders. I think the ’90s marked a turning point from symmetry, balance, proportion, and definition to mass. But that’s just me.

Tell me what you think in the comments. (I’ll put up some pix of each of these superstar bodybuilders in an edit of this post later on.)