"Today the calf muscle is not as important" - Rich Gaspari calls out modern-day bodybuilders neglecting calves

Rich Gaspari is a well-known former pro bodybuilder among avid followers of bodybuilding. He was widely appreciated for his fantastic conditioning, muscle mass, and definition.

He was one of the toughest competitors to have ever competed in the open division of pro bodybuilding. Despite not winning Mr. Olympia, Rich Gaspari gained immense respect from his fellow competitors and fans for his dedication to the sport.

In a recent post on Instagram, Gaspari criticized modern-day bodybuilders for not paying attention to their calf muscle development. The former pro bodybuilder wrote:

"I found this old video on calf training. Seems today the calf muscle is not as important to train and many of todays bodybuilders neglect calves. As you see I trained calves heavy and hard. It was an important muscle back in the 80s and 90s. I would train them 3 times a week with high reps of 15-20 and heavy. Calves can take a lot to grow. #calves #calvetraining"

Gaspati also share some information about how he would train his calves during his days as a pro bodybuilder. A video of calf training by Gaspari was posted along with the caption.

Reacting to the video of Rich Gaspari's calf training, one of his followers wrote:

"Proven calf training by the legend himself!!👏👏"

During his days as a pro bodybuilder, Gaspari was unable to win the most precious title in the sport of bodybuilding. But he finished runner-up for three consecutive years at Mr. Olympia competitions.

Rich Gaspari faced off against eight-time Mr. Olympia title winner Lee Haney and six-time Mr. Olympia title winner Dorian Yates during their prime. Gaspari retired from pro bodybuilding in 1996. He was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2004.

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Rich Gaspari and his record in Mr. Olympia competitions

Rich Gaspari, known for his incredible muscle mass, conditioning, and definition, gave all other competitors in bodybuilding competitions a run for their money.

He made his Mr. Olympia debut in 1985. In Gaspari's first-ever Mr. Olympia competition, the lineup was stacked with the likes of reigning champion Lee Haney and three-time Mr. Olympia title winner Sergio Oliva. But Gaspari impressed everyone by finishing third in his debut Mr. Olympia competition.

He showed improvements during the next Mr. Olympia in 1986, finishing runner-up. The title was eventually won by Lee Haney. This was Haney's third consecutive Mr. Olympia title.

The 1987 Mr. Olympia was a repeat of the previous year's competition. As Lee Haney won his fourth consecutive Mr. Olympia title, Gaspari once again finished in second place. Lee Labrada finished in third place behind Haney and Gaspari.

At the 1988 Mr. Olympia, Lee Haney was crowned the champion for the fifth year in a row. Gaspari continued his consistency at the top by finishing runner-up for the third consecutive year.

Gaspari dropped out of the top three for the first time in four years during the 1989 Mr. Olympia. After that, he couldn't get back into the top three. At the 1990 and 1991 Mr. Olympia competitions, Rich Gaspari finished in fifth and tenth place, respectively.