Sylvester Stallone, Hulk Hogan, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The 1980s saw an explosion of butt-kicking in America, observes Christopher Bell in the raucously funny and surprisingly insightful prologue to his debut documentary, "Bigger, Stronger, Faster*." And as a 12-year-old kid from a loving but undeniably short and doughy family in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Bell and his brothers were particularly susceptible to the message. As he reminds us, the don't-mess-with-the-U.S. Reagan years were an overheated response to '70s downers such as the Iran hostage crisis. But for the Bell boys, it was simply a call to ripped, bulging arms.
What began simply as a documentary about steroid use in America, "Bigger, Stronger, Faster*" (The asterisk refers to the movie's subtitle: "The Side-Effects of Being American") turns out to be a surprisingly comprehensive and insightful look at a culture predicated on might and obsessed with achieving success at any cost.
To read more of this content at Newsvine, click here.
Showing posts with label bodybuilding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bodybuilding. Show all posts
Friday, May 30, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Bodyworks: Photos from the Weird World of Bodybuilding
Popeye biceps, rippling six-packs, and supernaturally dark tans: these pumped-up people have trained for a Scandinavian bodybuilding contest by shaking off every last ounce of fat. But even if you admire their commitment, it is hard not to recoil in confusion at such asexual specimens.
It was this reaction – something between respect and disgust – which prompted the Danish photographer Joachim Ladefoged to photograph this slew of hard-bodies. He took a mixture of black and white and colour photography at the Danish Bodybuilding Championship in 2001 and similar events in the ensuing years, underexposing the subjects to make them appear darker still. The resulting snaps are assembled in a book, Mirror (the title a nod to his models' narcissism), to be published later this year.
To read more of this content at The Independent, click here
It was this reaction – something between respect and disgust – which prompted the Danish photographer Joachim Ladefoged to photograph this slew of hard-bodies. He took a mixture of black and white and colour photography at the Danish Bodybuilding Championship in 2001 and similar events in the ensuing years, underexposing the subjects to make them appear darker still. The resulting snaps are assembled in a book, Mirror (the title a nod to his models' narcissism), to be published later this year.
To read more of this content at The Independent, click here
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Catalyst Zone Covers The Arnolds
The Arnold Sports Festival, brainchild of actor and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, wrapped up March 3 after three days of competition in 18 different sports, from armwrestling to fencing to bodybuilding and weightlifting.
Winners of the prestige events this year were: Dexter Jackson of Jacksonville, Florida, who won the Arnold Classic bodybuilding competition, raking in $130,000; Zydrunas Savickas of Lithuania won two events over an international field to capture the 7th Annual Arnold Strongman Classic title for the sixth year in a row; Yaxeni Oriquen of Miami, Florida took the Ms. International bodybuilding competition, and Gina Aliotti of San Diego, California, won the Figure International Championships. Kimberly Klein of Belmar, New Jersey, won the Fitness International competition.
In other news from the Arnolds,
Olympic bronze medalist (2000) and two-time Olympian (2000 and 2004) Cheryl Haworth (Savannah, Ga.) won yet another USA Weightlifting National Championship in the women’s 75+kg weight class today in Columbus, Ohio, but she will need much bigger lifts in May at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in Atlanta, Ga. to make her third consecutive U.S. Olympic Team. Haworth, easily won the women’s 75+kg weight class, but has lifted much heavier weights in the past and will need to again if she wants to return to the Olympic platform. Haworth totaled just 232kg today (102kg snatch and 130kg clean and jerk) easily outdistancing her nearest competitor today of 210kg, but far from the 250kg that she totaled despite being under 100% healthy in September at the 2007 World Weightlifting Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand. (to read more of this content at the Official Site of the U.S. Olympic Team, click here.
Dean Narcisco of the Columbus Dispatch was on the scene, providing this look at the fortunes of previous winners of events at The Arnolds.
Not slow to recognize the phenomenal appeal of mixed martial arts, this year organizers arranged for the UFC to hold an event at the festival. UFC 68, the Uprising, saw veteran comeback artist Randy "The Natural" Couture upset Tim "The Maine-iac" Sylvia to take the heavyweight crown.
It wouldn't be The Arnolds without a visit from the founder and inspiration, the Governator himself. And Arnold didn't disappoint.
At least not all of them. There were a few disgruntled folks who hoped to get some facetime with the bodybuilding legend who were left with a bitter taste in their mouth. I'll be back? Probably not these fans. Or middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik.
Winners of the prestige events this year were: Dexter Jackson of Jacksonville, Florida, who won the Arnold Classic bodybuilding competition, raking in $130,000; Zydrunas Savickas of Lithuania won two events over an international field to capture the 7th Annual Arnold Strongman Classic title for the sixth year in a row; Yaxeni Oriquen of Miami, Florida took the Ms. International bodybuilding competition, and Gina Aliotti of San Diego, California, won the Figure International Championships. Kimberly Klein of Belmar, New Jersey, won the Fitness International competition.
In other news from the Arnolds,
Olympic bronze medalist (2000) and two-time Olympian (2000 and 2004) Cheryl Haworth (Savannah, Ga.) won yet another USA Weightlifting National Championship in the women’s 75+kg weight class today in Columbus, Ohio, but she will need much bigger lifts in May at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in Atlanta, Ga. to make her third consecutive U.S. Olympic Team. Haworth, easily won the women’s 75+kg weight class, but has lifted much heavier weights in the past and will need to again if she wants to return to the Olympic platform. Haworth totaled just 232kg today (102kg snatch and 130kg clean and jerk) easily outdistancing her nearest competitor today of 210kg, but far from the 250kg that she totaled despite being under 100% healthy in September at the 2007 World Weightlifting Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand. (to read more of this content at the Official Site of the U.S. Olympic Team, click here.
Dean Narcisco of the Columbus Dispatch was on the scene, providing this look at the fortunes of previous winners of events at The Arnolds.
Not slow to recognize the phenomenal appeal of mixed martial arts, this year organizers arranged for the UFC to hold an event at the festival. UFC 68, the Uprising, saw veteran comeback artist Randy "The Natural" Couture upset Tim "The Maine-iac" Sylvia to take the heavyweight crown.
It wouldn't be The Arnolds without a visit from the founder and inspiration, the Governator himself. And Arnold didn't disappoint.
At least not all of them. There were a few disgruntled folks who hoped to get some facetime with the bodybuilding legend who were left with a bitter taste in their mouth. I'll be back? Probably not these fans. Or middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik.
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