Is Frank Zane Natural?

Who Is Frank Zane

Frank Zane is a Mr. America, Mr. Universe, and Mr. Olympia winner – often regarded to be one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time.

Known for his impressive proportions, crazy aesthetics, and flawless posing – Zane is only one of a handful of men that can say they've defeated Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Even more impressive is the fact that he managed to do so weighing in at less than 200lbs and standing at 5'9.

To this day, the competitive scene has yet to witness a physique that can compare to that of Zane's – he truly perfected his craft.

Frank Zane Physique

Outside of competing, the legendary athlete has dedicated a big part of his life to both teaching and writing.

Although the last time he competed was nearly four decades ago, he still holds a strong influence on bodybuilding and the culture that surrounds it.

In this article, we are going to explore who Frank Zane is, and how we believe he built his iconic physique.

Is Frank Zane natural? Here are our thoughts.

Frank Zane Measurements

There's no better way to measure if someone is natural than by looking at their stats.

Although measurements will never show the entire picture -because they ignore muscle shape, definition, etc.- they give us a general idea of a person's size.

Oddly enough, Frank Zane is considered to be one of the “smaller” Mr. Olympia winners.

Don't let these comment fool you though, because -in his prime- he was actually a very large bodybuilder with insane genetics.

  • Height: 5'9 (175 cm)
  • Weight: 185lbs (84 kg)
  • Arms: 18 Inches (45.7 cm)
  • Chest: 51 Inches (129.5 cm)
  • Legs: 26 Inches (66 cm)
  • Calves: 17 Inches (43 cm)
  • Waist: 29 Inches (73.6 cm)

Competition History

As far as Frank Zane's competition history goes, there isn't a single important title out there that he didn't win.

Frank Zane is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished bodybuilders in history.

As it was previously mentioned above, Zane is only one of three men to have ever defeated Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The other two? Sergio Oliva and Chet Yorton.

Let's take a quick look at some of his most impressive, career accomplishments.

  • 1968 Mr. America (IFBB): First Place
  • 1968 Mr. Universe (IFBB): First Place
  • 1972 Pro Mr. Universe (NABBA): First Place
  • 1977 Mr. Olympia: First Place
  • 1978 Mr. Olympia: First Place
  • 1979 Mr. Olympia: First Place

Golden Era Icon and Mr. Olympia Winner

The Golden Era of Bodybuilding is when -many would consider- the sport reached its maximum splendor.

Back then, bodybuilding was all about living in sunny California, spending time at the beach, and working out at Gold's Gym with the world's best bodybuilders.

The Golden Era -and its iconic personalities- continue to inspire millions of aspiring bodybuilders to follow their dreams and build the ultimate physique.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu, Serge Nubret, Dave Draper, Ed Corney, and Frank Zane are just a few of the many names that defined the legendary era.

Original Gold's Gym Crew

Frank Zane stands out as being one of the most aesthetic and well-proportioned Mr. Olympia champions of all time.

There have only been fourteen Olympia winners since the competition was first conceived in 1965, and Zane is one of them.

To this day, no one has been able to match Zane's combination of size, conditioning, and symmetry.

Is Frank Zane Natural?

Frank Zane has never directly addressed his natural status.

In a couple of interviews, he has voiced his thoughts on unnatural forms of performance enhancement – saying that he's against younger bodybuilders using them.

Some fans believe there's a possibility that Frank Zane built his physique naturally because his stats aren't over the top like today's athletes.

With that being said, the possibility of winning the Mr. Olympia competition, naturally, is very unlikely.

Is Frank Zane Natural?

Zane went up against some of the best bodybuilders of all time and came out on top, three consecutive years.

The bodybuilding legend wasn't known for his sheer size, he was known for his amazing shape, proportions, and conditioning that are still unmatched to this day.

A lot of this was due to his scientific approach to bodybuilding, intelligent training, and elite genetics.

Although Frank Zane probably wasn't natural during his competitive days; he did manage to build one of the greatest physiques of all time.

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