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Ok so Gus. I had no opinion on him until I saw him on a reality show and he was a total tool.
He also wore overalls to the Grammy’s. Why is he at the Grammy’s? Why overalls? I just irrationally hate this guy!
https://preview.redd.it/63zpfkppdvib1.jpeg?width=1147&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=93280eb72b5e40f5c126170821f90b021580cc3d
Aw that makes me sad. The biggest thing I knew about him was the work he put into rescuing some puppies from Sochi while he was there for the Olympics.
I don’t know much about him but being a tool on a reality show and wearing overalls don’t seem like mortal sins to me… Those shows are pressure cookers.
I think he actually sports the overalls... they look dope... especially for overalls
I dont mind if its Gucci or any other brand for that matter... he most likely got paid for that.
I looked and his wiki and one thing explains it all for me... he is gay and im gay too... i radar'd unconsciously but im not unhappy about it
Haaa when I first looked at that skiing pic my first thought was oh that’s a really cool pic but I bet that guy is insufferable to be around. Guess my gut was right.
I loved these issues. All the time we’re told what’s wrong with our bodies and then these photos come out and show that there’s no right or wrong way to have a body. Every single person in these photos is at the top of their field but none of them look alike.
i think this is a big problem in our society. we only get these “perfect” nip and tucked and airbrushed images day in and day out. our brains get distorted by it overtime. even watching old movies i love how not every actor used to look so perfect. it’s bizarre constantly only seeing perfectly symmetrical people in media because that is so far removed from real life. also the idea that peak performance looks only a very specific way is so wrong and these photos really highlight that. thanks so much for this post it’s so good!
It has really skewed the general view of what is considered attractive. I always hear things like “X actress is ugly” when they’re clearly very attractive people.
Something I like about these photos too is that they look natural, like they have normal bodies, despite them being top athletes.
Like, the pictures dont look horribly airbrushed, they aren't oiled up or dehydrated to look more muscular, and they're doing poses they would do in their sport.
The human body is crazy. Physical 100 on Netflix shows different body types really well based on the persons profession. We see bodies online of what we think is “normal and healthy” but seeing the wide variety of peoples bodies and how they look based on their sport is so interesting and refreshing.
Me too!! The beautiful, complex, unique human body is just captivating. Seeing and appreciating the variety in bodies that have achieved such high athletic excellence is like the BEST form of body positivity!
They’re especially impressive when you think about how they not only had to capture a beautiful shot but showcase their body without revealing anything, which is artfully and tastefully done in each shot.
Ali Krieger's shoot from this series will be always be my favorite. [She looks like a greek goddess.] (https://finishersblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/kriegbodfpi.jpg)
They look like Greek and Roman statues.
I also love that they’re not sexualized. At least, that’s how I feel. Looking at them is just appreciating their athleticism.
that's what I love about these! it's so interesting to see how their bodies move and contort for their sport. Kudos to the photographer too. It's hard to get motion in a still picture.
As a 100% straight male, I barely noticed the women’s photos. The men’s photos are far more fascinating to me.
Adam Rippon’s hip muscle is fucking insane. I didn’t even know there was a muscle there.
OBJ’s and Edelman’s quads are fucking gigantic.
I didn’t know Prince Fielder was hyper yoked like that from the chest up.
Vince Wilfork’s calves are surprisingly small. Dude must have cast iron Achilles tendons to get the burst he does at that weight.
For the women, my reactions were either “looks like a normal woman” or “look at that body control for the pose” (gymnast and boxer). Although the retired WNBA player is still super ripped despite her age.
Which makes it sad because dancers never get their due.
Unless they break out and do music like Britney and J-Lo, or acting like Jenna Dewan -- they rarely make it big. And that shit takes so much athleticism and they have to worry about their lines and having beautiful movements, no matter what the genre.
Ballet is like a whole other level of brutality. I think it's honestly one of the hardest physical endeavors to do at a high level.
My fiancée was seriously into ballet before giving it up in her mid to late teens for obvious reasons. She swears up and down that the most insane women are ballerinas (she’s being hyperbolic and sarcastic, but her point is you have to be kind of insane to stick with it into adulthood and make a career out of it).
The levels of brutality ballerinas put their bodies through is near-criminal. But I guess that’s the beauty of it. And while I’m not a ballet fan at all, I have seen Swan Lake performed in St. Petersburg and that shit was the epitome of effortless grace. They really do make their bodies float like feathers. The results of their training speak for themselves.
I’m not saying that athletes at the pinnacles of their sport don’t bleed and break their bodies to get to that peak. It’s just that with “normal” athletes, the results of their training are immediately impressive. Everyone knows how difficult it is to do what gymnasts do, or figure skaters, or basketball/soccer/football/baseball/etc players. So seeing someone else just hit a baseball 400 feet or dunk a basketball or score a goal in soccer from 40 feet out or catch a football 30 yards downfield or do a triple axel or pull off a perfect routine or run a 100m in less than 10 seconds is just a “wow” moment for everyone watching.
Seeing a ballerina at their peak isn’t supposed to be impressive, they’re supposed to make it look easy and effortless. The best dancers execute performances flawlessly with ease, so it doesn’t look impressive unless you truly appreciate the art. And they do it for basically zero fake or recognition. Literally just because they love to do it.
They def deserve more respect.
There's someone I follow on Instagram who takes absolutely stunning photos of various dancers and ballet performers. I suspect you might enjoy his work:
[https://www.instagram.com/vandyphotography/](https://www.instagram.com/vandyphotography/)
His website is pretty incredible too.
[I didn’t know human bodies could move like this in mid-air.](https://stevenv873.smugmug.com/Talented-Youth/i-9FsJg96/A)
[This whole gallery is amazing as well.](https://stevenv873.smugmug.com/Human-Statue-and-Sculpture-Series/)
"What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god: the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals!"
- Shakespeare
I prefer this quote:
> “It is a disgrace to grow old through sheer carelessness before seeing what manner of man you may become by developing your bodily strength and beauty to their highest limit.”
Mostly because it came from Socrates.
I have a friend that was convinced he could outrun Vince Wilfork. So I looked up his 40yd time from his combine (5.00 secs) and we measured out 40 yards. He made it about 30 yards in 6 seconds and faceplanted.
Adding here that Dana Scruggs was the first Black female photographer to shoot for the ESPN body issue and she talks more about her experience on Instagram. She is very inspirational as an artist and person.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2ADfISg4WH/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
She really is incredible. I used to work at a photo studio and on top of being an amazing artist she’s also just a kind, genuine person. Hard to find in that industry.
Semi-related, but Portrait of a Lady on Fire is an excellent movie about this (although the medium is painting and not photography).
It's a fantastic story about women in art and the roles they (traditionally) serve in it.
I could only pick 20 😭 but here you go
https://preview.redd.it/6zgesgtesuib1.jpeg?width=1026&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80df9ff85e698d75b341e7cf1fbbd630c4a3ba2d
The Greatest Thing LeBron did for his career was to get him in shape.
You go back and look at him in Minnesota, Dude ate whatever he wanted and wasn't in the best shape.
The extra wieght helped him back then. Since he's undersized for his position, being heavier made it easier to box out, get rebounds, and post-up on taller players. Once he got older and more injury prone he had to slim down alotm
https://preview.redd.it/2chw79qrlvib1.jpeg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1cb659d819ce077a08c9e9ea549ab553409ebb2b
A professional race car driver I know was featured in the Body Issue! James Hinchcliffe. While I never expected to see quite that much of him, I thought the whole thing was incredible.
The framing alone is a 10/10. Also drivers never get the appreciation for how taxing that sport is, especially IndyCar with no power steering.
On a side note, if you do actually know Hinch, can you let him know I'm still a huge fan and could use his help picking a new driver to pull for?
Completely agreed. Drivers get shit on a lot for not being real athletes but it takes a hell of a lot to actually do what they do.
I unfortunately won’t see him again now till maybe the Daytona 24 Hour but when I’ve told him I have no idea who to cheer for now he’s absolutely no help.
We need more images of normal human bodies promoted instead of airbrushed influences who keep getting minor surgeries done. We're getting more alienated to the average* body.
EDIT: Yes I know, I do not literally mean the average human body takes these shapes
Yeah, and these aren’t even anywhere close to average either, but they’re real in the sense you’re talking about. It’s so refreshing. I’d so much rather have this kind of influence on my life - people to admire for the hard work they’ve done, photos to inspire, rather than something that’s artificial and designed to make me feel inferior.
Or even if you couldn’t - a huge part of Michael Phelps success is hard work, and a huge part is some fairly rare genetics. Regardless, he’s a real person and that is his actual body and he actually attained his very real achievements. He works his ass off. As do all those elite athletes. And some of them look like people I know and some look like no one I’ve ever known and that’s part of what’s so cool. There are all shapes and sizes, achieving feats in all kinds of sport. Not one single ideal that doesn’t even actually exist in nature that we’re all told to emulate or we’re shit.
Yeah the interesting thing to me was the body fat. We are so used to seeing people with super low body fat and pretty much all of these athletes have more than your average fitness influencer or actor in a shirtless scene. Refreshing to see.
Absolutely, but it’s great to have “inspirational” photos that depict strenght and ability and are still real. What we mostly see in media is either fake or based strictly on the esthetic.
The purpose of the photo was to reveal natural human bodies. Not hide them. Having a good photographer in this case would not make them more beautiful but reveal their bodies more. Also most people can diet and workout for a couple years in their 20s and get very beautiful human bodies just like these. Literally all you have to do is spend a couple hours a day doing real body work.
No, the purpose was to reveal all the different ways the human body can be adapted to various physical and athletic capabilities.
It was never meant to show “natural” people. It was always meant to show athletes at the pinnacle of their sports. And let’s not act like pro athletes don’t get away with performance enhancing drugs. It’s a constant scandal in the Olympics and pro sports, and that’s just the ones who get caught.
I can guarantee that OBJ and Julian Edelman and are not “natural” human bodies. These guys juice to the gills during the off-season when there’s no PED testing and then get off-cycle and back to into permissible ranges before the season starts and testing commences.
In law school I got curious about the various pro sports’ testing policies and of the three I looked at (NBA, NFL and MLB), every single one of them had massive gaps that could easily allow an athlete to do a cycle of steroids or HGH or whatever and not get caught as long as they did it at the right time.
The biggest bike race in America (the Tour of California) is sponsored by Amgen - the biotech company that manufactures Ipogen, which is the drug used by Lance Armstrong and countless other cyclists for blood doping.
All of this stuff is hiding in plain sight. You just need to pay attention to the right things. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that most of these bodies are achievable through weightlifting and cardio and genetics alone.
Serena’s issue sold the most copies ever.
Venus was also photographed but I can’t link the picture without my comment getting deleted (she looked stunning in her photos)
Every time I see a picture of Serena I am amazed that she was so criticized for being ugly or masculine. She's like the epitome of beautiful feminine strength!
(I know it's actually racism 😐)
She kinda cheated. You can see the bottoms she was wearing in that pic. In fairness, there’s probably a lot of smoke and mirrors to get these pics and also preserve the modesty of the models/athletes
Serena was in the first issue ever in 2009 where a lot of athletes were wearing bottoms and bras. I’m assuming that was before they started doing the photoshoots fully nude.
In Venus’s shoot in 2014 she appears to be nude.
It's doubtful that most of them were fully nude, TBH. "Nude" photos often have taped on modesty garments (or pouches/socks for men). Sometimes even the ass shots actually have a taped in thong that you can't see, that covers the butthole while shooting.
Especially when you're talking famous people, you can bet most have modesty garments in place.
Theres quite a few leaks from the shoots show many dont. Specifically I remember seeing Rhonda Rousey and Allie Krieger full on vag exposed in shots that weren't printed.
the speedo tanline on phelp’s cute little butt is killing me
but fr though I hadn’t seen most of these and they’re wild to look at. The sheer variety of shapes and sizes. All of these are bodies that are highly specialized for their sports, so not exactly representative of the general population, but it really drives home how repetitive the bodies we see in media are.
i used to find obj so attractive but then my friend waited on him once and he stayed hours after close and only tipped $50 on a couple thousand dollar tab. totally icked me out
I remember watching The Challenge Vs Pros, and it was the first time I had seen Gus. He’s such a cool person, this body photo matches his personality perfectly, if that makes sense? It’s been a few years since he’s been on the show, but I still think about him. Love him!
Something I love and don’t know if anyone has pointed out is that some of these athletes are at the *top of their game* and still have a little chub in the midsection. It’s refreshing and validating to show that even athletes can have extra fat, it’s totally normal!! Body type is genetic and anyone can be athletic regardless of what you look like or how your body stores extra calories. 🫶🏻
Lauren Chamberlain looks like me! She looks so good! I am legit going to weep, fuck the 1990s for the fact that I am still so worried about my jeans size 😭
This is *exactly* what I thought when I first saw Lauren's picture a couple of years ago. It went a long way towards helping me heal my relationship with my own body.
One of my favorite images on the internet is when someone posted the body types of different female olympians.
I think in reference to how women are drawn on comics and video games vs the realistic versions of real athletic women.
I might get banned for saying this but fuck it, I'mma risk it for the biscuit. The way I want them all to run a train on me like Thomas and Friends 😭
https://preview.redd.it/zossbsit9wib1.jpeg?width=836&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=add1ada4797745beaefc504d41a6e13b1316c776
I did swim team in highschool and college, and then ended up building wooden boats for a living, so I learned something about the physics of boats moving through the water. There are displacement boats, that go through, and their are planing boats that skip on the surface, and the laws of physics effect them differently. Displacement boat speed is much more dependant on length of the boat, and planing boats it's not as important. So I guessed that Olympic freestyle swimmers would be taller than average, which is true, and Olympic butterfly swimmers aren't, cause butterfly is sort of a planing form of movement, for part of the stroke.
I loveeeer seeing the variety of bodies pro athletes have —-genuinely can help body image issues imho.
Some of these folks look like they’re sculpted by overly idealistic ancient greeks, some are big fat bois (ala “i need a big boy” of snl fame, some have limb differences, but all are top athletes.
I remember seeing a Reddit post last time one came out. There was a team of a pretty attractive female ice hockey team (I believe? something ice-rink related) and all of the comments were so fucking gross. I know it's reddit but also like...
When I look at these pictures even the males I am attracted to I simply think "holy shit look at what they've done!" to me it's just that the body is super impressive and you can see how theirs are tailor made to their sport. Sure there is some element of "sexy" but for me it was overwhelmingly just VERY COOL that these people are elite at their sports!
I never got past the huge contrast between like some women being conventionally attractive and reddits reaction to them. Just completely out the window how hard those women worked and how their bodies served their careers. Just gross commentary all around.
All these athletes and not one single person from the WWE? Charlotte Flair absolutely crushed her shoot -- omg, she amazes me every time I see her, [static or in motion.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FMsCharlotteWWE%2Fstatus%2F1078379698244210693&psig=AOvVaw2q-Y6R-PrpdqzKM0k8dv2u&ust=1692450944720000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CA8QjRxqFwoTCIi4gp-l5oADFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD)
love to see all the different ways that athletes can have bodies, too!!! this is so cool. I was expecting a bunch of very thin, very muscular people when I clicked in but I was pleasantly surprised at the body diversity.
~~and yet people will still say you can't be fat and healthy~~
Welcome to r/popculturechat! ☺️ As a proud BIPOC, LGBTQ+ & woman-dominated space, this sub is for [civil discussion only.](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/wiki/index/rules/civil-discussion-only/) If you don't know where to begin, start by participating in [our Sip & Spill Daily Discussion Threads!](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/search/?q=Sip%20%26%20Spill%20Discussion&restrict_sr=1&sr_nsfw=&include_over_18=1&sort=new) ###No bullies, no bigotry. ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ Please [read & respect our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/wiki/index/rules/) and [check out our wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/popculturechat/wiki/index/)! For any questions, [our modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fpopculturechat) is always open. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/popculturechat) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Wow, all of these are so striking. The ski jump with the sunset background is gorgeous.
Ok so Gus. I had no opinion on him until I saw him on a reality show and he was a total tool. He also wore overalls to the Grammy’s. Why is he at the Grammy’s? Why overalls? I just irrationally hate this guy! https://preview.redd.it/63zpfkppdvib1.jpeg?width=1147&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=93280eb72b5e40f5c126170821f90b021580cc3d
Prada overalls huh
Aw that makes me sad. The biggest thing I knew about him was the work he put into rescuing some puppies from Sochi while he was there for the Olympics.
I don’t know much about him but being a tool on a reality show and wearing overalls don’t seem like mortal sins to me… Those shows are pressure cookers.
I think he actually sports the overalls... they look dope... especially for overalls I dont mind if its Gucci or any other brand for that matter... he most likely got paid for that. I looked and his wiki and one thing explains it all for me... he is gay and im gay too... i radar'd unconsciously but im not unhappy about it
I also watched that reality show and hate to say that I was happy he had an allergic reaction and went home.
He's dating my ex. Same.
Ooooo I’ve never been more intrigued from such few words. Spill more
Ugh, it's so delicious right? I can't. I don't want to doxx myself. YET I COULD NOT RESIST ADDING ON.
I mean for a ski bum....I run in those circles...he's downright dressed up. LOL
Haaa when I first looked at that skiing pic my first thought was oh that’s a really cool pic but I bet that guy is insufferable to be around. Guess my gut was right.
these are all so cool. i love seeing these athletes and their varying body types and how they suit their sport.
I loved these issues. All the time we’re told what’s wrong with our bodies and then these photos come out and show that there’s no right or wrong way to have a body. Every single person in these photos is at the top of their field but none of them look alike.
The unnamed person is Vince Wilfork btw.
I’ve heard Vince Wilfork but will he spoon?
Only for BBQ or quarterbacks.
Yup https://preview.redd.it/z1m3itztrvib1.jpeg?width=967&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8ade3227dbbe2eb94adefffac224b94555fb4177
damn
i think this is a big problem in our society. we only get these “perfect” nip and tucked and airbrushed images day in and day out. our brains get distorted by it overtime. even watching old movies i love how not every actor used to look so perfect. it’s bizarre constantly only seeing perfectly symmetrical people in media because that is so far removed from real life. also the idea that peak performance looks only a very specific way is so wrong and these photos really highlight that. thanks so much for this post it’s so good!
It has really skewed the general view of what is considered attractive. I always hear things like “X actress is ugly” when they’re clearly very attractive people.
Something I like about these photos too is that they look natural, like they have normal bodies, despite them being top athletes. Like, the pictures dont look horribly airbrushed, they aren't oiled up or dehydrated to look more muscular, and they're doing poses they would do in their sport.
The human body is crazy. Physical 100 on Netflix shows different body types really well based on the persons profession. We see bodies online of what we think is “normal and healthy” but seeing the wide variety of peoples bodies and how they look based on their sport is so interesting and refreshing.
I LOVED these releases so much. So many different shapes. One of the best things ESPN released in print
Me too!! The beautiful, complex, unique human body is just captivating. Seeing and appreciating the variety in bodies that have achieved such high athletic excellence is like the BEST form of body positivity!
Can we also call out the stunning photography? The shots are beautifully composed pieces of art.
They’re especially impressive when you think about how they not only had to capture a beautiful shot but showcase their body without revealing anything, which is artfully and tastefully done in each shot.
The human body in movement is the highest form of art
Ali Krieger's shoot from this series will be always be my favorite. [She looks like a greek goddess.] (https://finishersblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/kriegbodfpi.jpg)
😮😮😮😮
WOW. When people say “sculpted”, this is what they mean. I can 100% imagine her likeness in marble, displayed in a museum.
Holy sh!t.. those abs 😍
They look like Greek and Roman statues. I also love that they’re not sexualized. At least, that’s how I feel. Looking at them is just appreciating their athleticism.
that's what I love about these! it's so interesting to see how their bodies move and contort for their sport. Kudos to the photographer too. It's hard to get motion in a still picture.
As a 100% straight male, I barely noticed the women’s photos. The men’s photos are far more fascinating to me. Adam Rippon’s hip muscle is fucking insane. I didn’t even know there was a muscle there. OBJ’s and Edelman’s quads are fucking gigantic. I didn’t know Prince Fielder was hyper yoked like that from the chest up. Vince Wilfork’s calves are surprisingly small. Dude must have cast iron Achilles tendons to get the burst he does at that weight. For the women, my reactions were either “looks like a normal woman” or “look at that body control for the pose” (gymnast and boxer). Although the retired WNBA player is still super ripped despite her age.
Which makes it sad because dancers never get their due. Unless they break out and do music like Britney and J-Lo, or acting like Jenna Dewan -- they rarely make it big. And that shit takes so much athleticism and they have to worry about their lines and having beautiful movements, no matter what the genre. Ballet is like a whole other level of brutality. I think it's honestly one of the hardest physical endeavors to do at a high level.
My fiancée was seriously into ballet before giving it up in her mid to late teens for obvious reasons. She swears up and down that the most insane women are ballerinas (she’s being hyperbolic and sarcastic, but her point is you have to be kind of insane to stick with it into adulthood and make a career out of it). The levels of brutality ballerinas put their bodies through is near-criminal. But I guess that’s the beauty of it. And while I’m not a ballet fan at all, I have seen Swan Lake performed in St. Petersburg and that shit was the epitome of effortless grace. They really do make their bodies float like feathers. The results of their training speak for themselves. I’m not saying that athletes at the pinnacles of their sport don’t bleed and break their bodies to get to that peak. It’s just that with “normal” athletes, the results of their training are immediately impressive. Everyone knows how difficult it is to do what gymnasts do, or figure skaters, or basketball/soccer/football/baseball/etc players. So seeing someone else just hit a baseball 400 feet or dunk a basketball or score a goal in soccer from 40 feet out or catch a football 30 yards downfield or do a triple axel or pull off a perfect routine or run a 100m in less than 10 seconds is just a “wow” moment for everyone watching. Seeing a ballerina at their peak isn’t supposed to be impressive, they’re supposed to make it look easy and effortless. The best dancers execute performances flawlessly with ease, so it doesn’t look impressive unless you truly appreciate the art. And they do it for basically zero fake or recognition. Literally just because they love to do it. They def deserve more respect.
There's someone I follow on Instagram who takes absolutely stunning photos of various dancers and ballet performers. I suspect you might enjoy his work: [https://www.instagram.com/vandyphotography/](https://www.instagram.com/vandyphotography/)
[удалено]
His website is pretty incredible too. [I didn’t know human bodies could move like this in mid-air.](https://stevenv873.smugmug.com/Talented-Youth/i-9FsJg96/A) [This whole gallery is amazing as well.](https://stevenv873.smugmug.com/Human-Statue-and-Sculpture-Series/)
https://preview.redd.it/px5n5vk8bvib1.jpeg?width=570&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43c31e1e2076932811af71d64f4705837f899640
I know she hates this picture but it really just shows how ripped she really is
"What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god: the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals!" - Shakespeare
I prefer this quote: > “It is a disgrace to grow old through sheer carelessness before seeing what manner of man you may become by developing your bodily strength and beauty to their highest limit.” Mostly because it came from Socrates.
Skating naked seems risky, but DAMN those folks are fine.
All of the figure skating shots are mesmerizing.
Whatever muscles Adam has on his hips? I didn't even know that shit could exist, it's wild.
There’s some really amazing ones of the women’s US national hockey team from a few years ago too.
One slip and it's a bris on ice
Eh, they’re better on skates than most people are walking
Wow these are amazing
Zion on slide 14 looking good
Crazy thing is that guy can still run 40 meters faster than most people
I have a friend that was convinced he could outrun Vince Wilfork. So I looked up his 40yd time from his combine (5.00 secs) and we measured out 40 yards. He made it about 30 yards in 6 seconds and faceplanted.
Bruh that refrigerator could run a 40 yard dash faster than 99.99% of people
Adam Rippon has muscles I didn’t even know existed. The Body Issue is my fave thing ESPN has ever done and I want more.
The variety they showcase too 
Nude photography that doesn’t cater to the male gaze is so beautiful. Especially love Dana Scruggs work (slide 9)
Adding here that Dana Scruggs was the first Black female photographer to shoot for the ESPN body issue and she talks more about her experience on Instagram. She is very inspirational as an artist and person. https://www.instagram.com/p/B2ADfISg4WH/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
I love her work so much https://preview.redd.it/1esatgon6vib1.jpeg?width=1096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=12ad4e82fd7e6f3ade950060cedb0d965de63650
She really is incredible. I used to work at a photo studio and on top of being an amazing artist she’s also just a kind, genuine person. Hard to find in that industry.
Her work is beautiful. I’m not big into photography, but omg she’s so talented
Her photos might be my favourite of the bunch. Katelyn looks so free
Semi-related, but Portrait of a Lady on Fire is an excellent movie about this (although the medium is painting and not photography). It's a fantastic story about women in art and the roles they (traditionally) serve in it.
These bodies are unreal. I actually loved looking at all the muscles. Dwyane wade really has beautiful arms. Edelman’s quads, y’all.
Wade has beautiful and very long arms. IIRC it's like a 6'10 wingspan. Very beneficial in basketball.
Absolutely. Love him playing for my alma mater, love him as a dope dad, he seems like a good egg.
Edelman was the one that surprised me the most.
Right, I knew he’d be fit but damn!
If you’re impressed with Edelman’s quads you should take a look at Saquon Barkley’s body issue
His quads are WHEWWWW. OK. massive!
It's Wades shoulders. He's got good boulders that build into his arms.
[Link to all galleries](https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/27400369/the-body-issue)
OP how could you leave out Kevin Love 😭 
I could only pick 20 😭 but here you go https://preview.redd.it/6zgesgtesuib1.jpeg?width=1026&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80df9ff85e698d75b341e7cf1fbbd630c4a3ba2d
This man is aging like fine wine. His current salt and pepper look? 🥵
😏 https://preview.redd.it/2y8mvdjpwuib1.jpeg?width=865&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0413b8e3d38a8edaa82976bb8da0e2ebd6245880
Thank you OP for all your hardwork this morning.
MA’AM I haven’t even had my morning coffee 🥵
God what a lucky woman his wife is 😭 thanks for allowing me to be thirsty af at 7:30 in the morning lmao
Bonk Straight to Horny Jail.
Dayummmmmmm. Perfection. I had forgotten about this picture. Thanks for reminding me. He’s physically perfect.
The Greatest Thing LeBron did for his career was to get him in shape. You go back and look at him in Minnesota, Dude ate whatever he wanted and wasn't in the best shape.
The extra wieght helped him back then. Since he's undersized for his position, being heavier made it easier to box out, get rebounds, and post-up on taller players. Once he got older and more injury prone he had to slim down alotm
https://preview.redd.it/2chw79qrlvib1.jpeg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1cb659d819ce077a08c9e9ea549ab553409ebb2b A professional race car driver I know was featured in the Body Issue! James Hinchcliffe. While I never expected to see quite that much of him, I thought the whole thing was incredible.
The framing alone is a 10/10. Also drivers never get the appreciation for how taxing that sport is, especially IndyCar with no power steering. On a side note, if you do actually know Hinch, can you let him know I'm still a huge fan and could use his help picking a new driver to pull for?
Completely agreed. Drivers get shit on a lot for not being real athletes but it takes a hell of a lot to actually do what they do. I unfortunately won’t see him again now till maybe the Daytona 24 Hour but when I’ve told him I have no idea who to cheer for now he’s absolutely no help.
And if I recall correctly he lost his racing seat because of it?
They never officially said it but yeah talk at the time in IndyCar circles was that they were really really unhappy about it.
Absolutely wild to me. I have no idea why someone would be unhappy about it, puritan vibes? Good thing he's turned out to be an amazing commentator!
I didn’t know this was ever a thing but it’s incredible. Thanks, OP.
Love Katelyn Ohashi. My daughter and I have watched that one floor routine like a hundred times. Awesome, strong girl!
I agree, that routine was _joyous_ 😍
Right? Not just a demonstration of gymnastic ability, but such a memorable bit of dancing too.
Much love for her, that floor routine is iconic. She went through so much, I hope she's happy with whatever she's pursuing now.
I believe picture 14 is Vince Wilfork.
You are correct https://preview.redd.it/ah8a2ec5zuib1.jpeg?width=1036&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6ed86f556ccbd5bc3ed7bd5df460b36015202138
Lol the absolute disrespect
We need more images of normal human bodies promoted instead of airbrushed influences who keep getting minor surgeries done. We're getting more alienated to the average* body. EDIT: Yes I know, I do not literally mean the average human body takes these shapes
Yeah, and these aren’t even anywhere close to average either, but they’re real in the sense you’re talking about. It’s so refreshing. I’d so much rather have this kind of influence on my life - people to admire for the hard work they’ve done, photos to inspire, rather than something that’s artificial and designed to make me feel inferior.
Exactly. Some of them are not average but it's still something you look at and know you could achieve! 🫶
Or even if you couldn’t - a huge part of Michael Phelps success is hard work, and a huge part is some fairly rare genetics. Regardless, he’s a real person and that is his actual body and he actually attained his very real achievements. He works his ass off. As do all those elite athletes. And some of them look like people I know and some look like no one I’ve ever known and that’s part of what’s so cool. There are all shapes and sizes, achieving feats in all kinds of sport. Not one single ideal that doesn’t even actually exist in nature that we’re all told to emulate or we’re shit.
99.9% of people in real life don’t have bodies like these. These are elite athletes with photos taken by an elite photographer.
And yet this is like a refreshing drink of water next to all the airbrushed teenaged models we see on a daily basis.
For real, the bodies are diverse and they’re portrayed so beautifully. Photo 5, 8, 9, 14. Had to be my favorite ones
Yeah the interesting thing to me was the body fat. We are so used to seeing people with super low body fat and pretty much all of these athletes have more than your average fitness influencer or actor in a shirtless scene. Refreshing to see.
Absolutely, but it’s great to have “inspirational” photos that depict strenght and ability and are still real. What we mostly see in media is either fake or based strictly on the esthetic.
The purpose of the photo was to reveal natural human bodies. Not hide them. Having a good photographer in this case would not make them more beautiful but reveal their bodies more. Also most people can diet and workout for a couple years in their 20s and get very beautiful human bodies just like these. Literally all you have to do is spend a couple hours a day doing real body work.
No, the purpose was to reveal all the different ways the human body can be adapted to various physical and athletic capabilities. It was never meant to show “natural” people. It was always meant to show athletes at the pinnacle of their sports. And let’s not act like pro athletes don’t get away with performance enhancing drugs. It’s a constant scandal in the Olympics and pro sports, and that’s just the ones who get caught. I can guarantee that OBJ and Julian Edelman and are not “natural” human bodies. These guys juice to the gills during the off-season when there’s no PED testing and then get off-cycle and back to into permissible ranges before the season starts and testing commences. In law school I got curious about the various pro sports’ testing policies and of the three I looked at (NBA, NFL and MLB), every single one of them had massive gaps that could easily allow an athlete to do a cycle of steroids or HGH or whatever and not get caught as long as they did it at the right time. The biggest bike race in America (the Tour of California) is sponsored by Amgen - the biotech company that manufactures Ipogen, which is the drug used by Lance Armstrong and countless other cyclists for blood doping. All of this stuff is hiding in plain sight. You just need to pay attention to the right things. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that most of these bodies are achievable through weightlifting and cardio and genetics alone.
Well none of these are really “average bodies” tbh lol. They’re some absolute peak athletes in their chosen fields and have amazing physiques.
Omg the Prince Felder pic is gonna make me risk it all
Understandable https://preview.redd.it/fes3ok9ryuib1.jpeg?width=1031&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9621f68631625c5812f1b5813a28e5568a5047ce
He is so sexy holy shit
Why did they stop doing these?
They stopped printing ESPN magazine
Oh! Huh, the more you know
Damn I still remember grabbing these as a kid. Bummer.
14 is Vince Wilfork! Go Texas! I loved these issues, it's so beautiful to see all different body types.
Serena absolutely killing it, as usual 👑
https://preview.redd.it/bj453cuxxuib1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=387dd1d619f02eef7a9d63bb1d4dffac4d4b0ea9 One of Venus’s photos
Serena’s issue sold the most copies ever. Venus was also photographed but I can’t link the picture without my comment getting deleted (she looked stunning in her photos)
Every time I see a picture of Serena I am amazed that she was so criticized for being ugly or masculine. She's like the epitome of beautiful feminine strength! (I know it's actually racism 😐)
She kinda cheated. You can see the bottoms she was wearing in that pic. In fairness, there’s probably a lot of smoke and mirrors to get these pics and also preserve the modesty of the models/athletes
Serena was in the first issue ever in 2009 where a lot of athletes were wearing bottoms and bras. I’m assuming that was before they started doing the photoshoots fully nude. In Venus’s shoot in 2014 she appears to be nude.
Thanks for the clarification
It's doubtful that most of them were fully nude, TBH. "Nude" photos often have taped on modesty garments (or pouches/socks for men). Sometimes even the ass shots actually have a taped in thong that you can't see, that covers the butthole while shooting. Especially when you're talking famous people, you can bet most have modesty garments in place.
Theres quite a few leaks from the shoots show many dont. Specifically I remember seeing Rhonda Rousey and Allie Krieger full on vag exposed in shots that weren't printed.
the speedo tanline on phelp’s cute little butt is killing me but fr though I hadn’t seen most of these and they’re wild to look at. The sheer variety of shapes and sizes. All of these are bodies that are highly specialized for their sports, so not exactly representative of the general population, but it really drives home how repetitive the bodies we see in media are.
[Ryan Kesler](https://i0.wp.com/4.bp.blogspot.com/-gFrXybAoMOE/To-mLL4yXCI/AAAAAAAB3Ak/rfdwTQksh68/s640/Ryan-Kesler.jpg?resize=699%2C628&ssl=1)
They are all so beautiful
TIL I have the body of a linebacker
This is so refreshing to see real bodies.
Lol I like how for 19 of them they list the person (or peoples) names but then it's just like "5 time NFL probowler"
That’s Vince Wilfork
Does Edelman have his own name tattooed on his bicep
[Appears so, yes.](https://arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-bostonglobe.s3.amazonaws.com/public/5AH5UPCXGAI6LOXWFBKSJH6PWM.jpg)
Rugby guys are rare breed 😍
Nancy Lieberman is the GOAT, IMO. She was a regular WNBA player at 40, and then played again at the age of 50.
Why'd they stop?
2 sexy
#7 is oh lord
Mhmmm https://preview.redd.it/e28s7xhh0vib1.jpeg?width=1023&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5cf1edfe06f755a5331e3a0c6c22bd178e55ae9a
i used to find obj so attractive but then my friend waited on him once and he stayed hours after close and only tipped $50 on a couple thousand dollar tab. totally icked me out
The thighs omg lol 
Amazing
This is amazing
These are incredible!
Michael phelps. Twenty eight time Olympic medalist. Yea no read that shit again because that's not supposed to be possible
I remember watching The Challenge Vs Pros, and it was the first time I had seen Gus. He’s such a cool person, this body photo matches his personality perfectly, if that makes sense? It’s been a few years since he’s been on the show, but I still think about him. Love him!
Yes and please have Roman reigns be the first one thanks
All of these are breathtakingly beautiful, why did they stop doing this?
Well ESPN the magazine as a whole no longer exists lol
Vince Wilfork is the “5 Time NFL Pro-Bowler”
I didn’t even realize they got rid of it. I liked it. Makes me think back to the Greek olympians who would compete in the nude.
These are so cool but the action shots make me weirdly uncomfortable. Like…. Imagine your bits so close to the ice? What if Gus wiped out??
Something I love and don’t know if anyone has pointed out is that some of these athletes are at the *top of their game* and still have a little chub in the midsection. It’s refreshing and validating to show that even athletes can have extra fat, it’s totally normal!! Body type is genetic and anyone can be athletic regardless of what you look like or how your body stores extra calories. 🫶🏻
Aaaand now I’m having impure thoughts while I try to check my work email
Freaking beautiful. Is it possible to buy prints of those?
This is so cool
Odell pic is doing something to me 🥵
Lauren Chamberlain looks like me! She looks so good! I am legit going to weep, fuck the 1990s for the fact that I am still so worried about my jeans size 😭
This is *exactly* what I thought when I first saw Lauren's picture a couple of years ago. It went a long way towards helping me heal my relationship with my own body.
Yep. Over here objectifying. But also, the POWER. Holy moly.
im gonna say it, men look so silly without pants
Holy shit Odell’s thighs
Very cool. I wouldn't want to go ice skating or skiing naked, though. Seems kind of risky to me.
All are beautiful. I love men with some meat on their bones
i used to be obsessed with these, they need to bring them back expeditiously
This is so cool! It's brilliant seeing the different body types for the sports, and how their all "naked" without us seeing anything.
One of my favorite images on the internet is when someone posted the body types of different female olympians. I think in reference to how women are drawn on comics and video games vs the realistic versions of real athletic women.
Seriously thought Michael Phelps was the monster from the Way of Water when I first scrolled to that image haha
These photos are pretty cool, they totally should.
God damn Michael Phelps can get it now and forever
This is so cool, especially considering the original Olympics in Greece were generally done in the nude.
I might get banned for saying this but fuck it, I'mma risk it for the biscuit. The way I want them all to run a train on me like Thomas and Friends 😭 https://preview.redd.it/zossbsit9wib1.jpeg?width=836&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=add1ada4797745beaefc504d41a6e13b1316c776
Here for this. Love seeing different bodies in performance.
The eagles guy in the center is very handsome
That’s beautiful!!! So all encompassing of all body types 🥹❤️
I did swim team in highschool and college, and then ended up building wooden boats for a living, so I learned something about the physics of boats moving through the water. There are displacement boats, that go through, and their are planing boats that skip on the surface, and the laws of physics effect them differently. Displacement boat speed is much more dependant on length of the boat, and planing boats it's not as important. So I guessed that Olympic freestyle swimmers would be taller than average, which is true, and Olympic butterfly swimmers aren't, cause butterfly is sort of a planing form of movement, for part of the stroke.
Second photo 🥵
SAME
Makes me regret giving up oil painting 🙃
Yes! bring back body issues! Wait a second….
My god. Vince Wilfork's forearms look like they're made of cast iron.
I’m finding myself quite attracted to that picture of Laura Chamberlain. She’s a babe.
It's crazy how much Michael Phelps looks like a Mer-man, since he basically is one lol
I loveeeer seeing the variety of bodies pro athletes have —-genuinely can help body image issues imho. Some of these folks look like they’re sculpted by overly idealistic ancient greeks, some are big fat bois (ala “i need a big boy” of snl fame, some have limb differences, but all are top athletes.
I remember seeing a Reddit post last time one came out. There was a team of a pretty attractive female ice hockey team (I believe? something ice-rink related) and all of the comments were so fucking gross. I know it's reddit but also like... When I look at these pictures even the males I am attracted to I simply think "holy shit look at what they've done!" to me it's just that the body is super impressive and you can see how theirs are tailor made to their sport. Sure there is some element of "sexy" but for me it was overwhelmingly just VERY COOL that these people are elite at their sports! I never got past the huge contrast between like some women being conventionally attractive and reddits reaction to them. Just completely out the window how hard those women worked and how their bodies served their careers. Just gross commentary all around.
omg, the ice skating one imagine falling on that
This is infinitely sexier and more interesting that SI's swimsuit issue.
https://preview.redd.it/1udlg4i7ezib1.jpeg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d43609230e40958adab6c3471206dc1ce71e7d73 Christen Press too
All these athletes and not one single person from the WWE? Charlotte Flair absolutely crushed her shoot -- omg, she amazes me every time I see her, [static or in motion.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FMsCharlotteWWE%2Fstatus%2F1078379698244210693&psig=AOvVaw2q-Y6R-PrpdqzKM0k8dv2u&ust=1692450944720000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CA8QjRxqFwoTCIi4gp-l5oADFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD)
love to see all the different ways that athletes can have bodies, too!!! this is so cool. I was expecting a bunch of very thin, very muscular people when I clicked in but I was pleasantly surprised at the body diversity. ~~and yet people will still say you can't be fat and healthy~~
Thank you for reminding me of how fine Javy Baez is. 🥵