DVD-Pumping Iron

In 1977, Pumping Iron came out. This documentary highlighted bodybuilding and has gone on to become the best of its category. Thanks to Netflix, I was able to watch this flick, and here's my review.

I am not a bodybuilder. I just wanted to get that out of the way. If it was up to me, I would weigh 140 pounds and look like an Auschwitz survivor. But I still enjoy learning about things I will probably never do like ultrarunning or surfing. I watched Pumping Iron because I had heard a lot of things about this flick, and it delivers. Even if you aren't into this subculture, you will find this documentary entertaining as hell.

The "star" of Pumping Iron is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Even then, you could tell he was a different breed of man. He was and continues to be a character. He's a scoundrel, but that's why you like him.

The DVD covers the Mister Universe contest which is for amateurs. But it doesn't get really going until it starts to cover the Mr. Olympia contest which is for the pros. Lou Ferrigno and Arnold are going head-to-head, and you can tell that Ferrigno is the bigger man. But Schwarzenegger breaks down Lou mentally such that Lou can't pose for shit. He lacks confidence and swagger which the judges pick up on. Schwarzenegger is a mindfucker. It will blow you away what he does. You'll laugh your ass off at his antics.

Here's Arnold on the pump:

"The greatest feeling you can get in a gym or the most satisfying feeling you can get in the gym is the pump. Let's say you train your biceps, blood is rushing in to your muscles and that's what we call the pump. Your muscles get a really tight feeling like your skin is going to explode any minute and its really tight and its like someone is blowing air into your muscle and it just blows up and it feels different, it feels fantastic. It's as satifying to me as cumming is, you know, as in having sex with a woman and cumming. So can you believe how much I am in heaven? I am like getting the feeling of cumming in the gym, I'm getting the feeling of cumming at home, I'm getting the feeling of cumming backstage, when I pump up, when I pose out in front of 5000 people I get the same feeling, so I am cumming day and night. Its terrific, right? So I am in heaven."

The guy is amazing to look at, too. Not that I'm a fag or anything.

The only downside of Pumping Iron is that it never touches on steroids. Undoubtedly, they were being used, but the documentary never mentions this dark side. Arnold has admitted to using steroids, and the dirty secret of bodybuilding is that you can't look like Arnold without juicing.

Here's what natural bodybuilder Layne Norton looks like:



Nice, but not Arnold.

Overall, I give high marks to Pumping Iron. It is a must-see.

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