It’s always tough to pick out who had the best physique in the sport’s history. We have to consider the time and era, along with other hallmarks of greatness, like symmetry, size, and proportions. Recently, on May 1, 2025, judge Terrick El Guindy revealed his greatest physiques of all time.
There are some Men’s Open physiques that have stood the test of time. Many come to mind, like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronnie Coleman, both of whom redefined the standards of the sport. For El Guindy, there’s seven specific IFBB Pros that made his list, which he detailed below.
Terrick El Guindy’s List of the 7 Greatest Physiques of All Time
Find a quick overview of his list below, featured in a recent YouTube video:
- Arnold Schwarzenegger (1973)
- Sergio Oliva (1969)
- Phil Heath (2013)
- Lee Haney (1988)
- Jay Cutler (2009)
- Dorian Yates (1993)
- Ronnie Coleman (1998/2003)
Arnold Schwarzenegger
In an era where leg size wasn’t as heavily scored as it is today, El Guindy highlighted that Schwarzenegger’s lower body was the best of his career in 1973.
Level Up Your Fitness: Join our đź’Ş strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
“The greatest year for Arnold Schwarzenegger was 1973. When he walked onstage, it was over. A lot of people said that his legs were big and his legs were peeled.
If you could ever point out a weakness of Arnold it would be the legs, but in 1973 people said this is not a normal human being. This is one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time.”
Sergio Oliva
El Guindy emphasized that many fans and historians of the sport believe Sergio Oliva Jr. had the best genetics of anyone in the IFBB Pro League.
“That’s the year that he beat Arnold, right? He beat Arnold. Arnold walked off the stage and said I’ll never lose to this guy again,” he said. “A lot of people say that this is the greatest genetics in the history of bodybuilding.”
He shared that if Oliva competed today, who knows what his potential would have been, given that he’d have access to machines and newer technology.
“Look at the year, 1969. People, imagine if this guy was starting his career right now. Everybody onstage would be running backstage and saying guys we can’t do this. Imagine this guy right now with the technology, the machines, the supplements.”
Phil Heath
El Guindy explained that Heath’s signature three-dimensional muscle volume is why he easily made the list.
“Three-dimensional, right? For the longest time, people were drawing bodybuilders as characters. They were putting muscles on it, but when it came to reality, bodybuilders were two-dimensional.
They were large. They had a little bit of chest. When this guy showed up in 2013, it was the first time we understood the word three-dimensional. He was just different.”
Lee Haney
He can’t ignore the dominance of former eight-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney throughout his reign, adding that he regularly defeated mainstays of the sport like Lee Labrada and Rich Gaspari.
“The guys that placed second to him most of the time you’re talking about Rich Gaspari, Lee Labrada, great bodybuilders. Those guys were looking at 1988 and they said it’s over.
There’s nothing anybody can do. 1988 was the year that he looked the biggest, the fullest, the most conditioned, and it looked like he had made some improvements to the legs. I think this was his best year.”
Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler easily made the list as El Guindy looked back on his unforgettable Olympia comeback in 2009.
2008, he loses to Dexter Jackson, he places second. There’s a cover of FLEX Magazine where they put a picture of half Phil Heath and half Dexter Jackson, signifying that Dexter Jackson is the Mr. Olympia and Phil Heath is the guy coming next. They did a half-body, it was in the FLEX Magazine. He was pissed off.”
“Jay’s not going to tell you he’s pissed off but I know him, he was pissed off. What he did he delivered one of the most powerful performances in the history of bodybuilding.”
Dorian Yates
El Guindy explained that Yates ushered in a new era of mass monsters, making him one of the greatest bodybuilders the world has seen.
“The addition of muscle that he had from 1992 to 1993 was incredible. That’s when ‘The Shadow’ came to life and people said this is the era of mass monsters. We had never seen anything like it. He changed the game.”
Ronnie Coleman
He also credited Ronnie Coleman for a one-of-a-kind physique. He believes “The King” was at his best in 2003.
“His first Olympia was his favorite physique. He’s not as big as 2003. 2003 he freaked out the entire audience. People were like this is massive, huge, muscle on top of muscle but the waist is tighter here, the waist in 1998 is tighter,” he shared.
Other notable bodybuilding talents have offered their take on who they believe to have the best physique of all time. In Paul Dillett’s opinion, Lee Haney had the greatest look the sport has seen.
Spanning multiple bodybuilding eras, El Guindy believes these seven Pros elevated the sport to new heights. Do you think El Guindy’s list is missing anyone? Let us know!
RELATED: Greatest Arms Ever? Chris Cormier Picks Robby Robinson & Olympia Judge Says Phil Heath
Watch the full video from the OlympiaTV YouTube channel below:
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
