Why did Lou lose to Arnold in the 1975 Mr. Olympia?

[Ace Corona]

I have the film "Pumping Iron" on DVD, and though I think I might know the reason, I'd like input from more experienced lifters as to why Lou Ferrigno lost to Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1975 Mr. Olympia.

Lou was 25 or 30 pounds heavier than Arnold, but he got third place behind Serge Nubret and Arnold took first place. Were Arnold and Serge more cut, more defined? I understand that people with more mass sometimes lose to someone smaller, I just don't completely understand why.

[joey54]

It was pretty self evident. Lou was much closer the year before.

[RobmoriRB]

Well what happens, is sometimes they dont make the cut big enough. In this case two things played in hand some politics played part, and also Arnold was even all around then Lou. Lou had a bigger upper body, but his lower body was not the same compared to Arnolds.

[Meat_Head]

It's a tough call, but Arnold had the advantage of great charisma and popularity. Everyone expected him to run away with it, even the film makes that clear. Serge was far more proportionate than Lou, as was Arnold. Still, one of the best Olympias ever, any of those three could've won.

[chris mason]

Arnold had the more balanced physique and was in significantly better condition. He was the clear winner.

[loganchristophe]

Arnold was > than LOU but not so sure regarding Serge nubret... In my opinion, Serge was better than Arnold that year

[Ace Corona]

Thanks guys, I appreciate other points of view. I just figured Arnold was more cut and more symmetrical than Lou.

[Phenom]

Proportials most likely. They seem to have been more critical in the 70s, before the oversized, drug inflated, alien life form looking Ronnie coleman physiques started dominating.

[IFBB David H]

In my opinion, Lou was huge, particularly in his upper body...but softer and less proportional. Arnold and Serge were very very close. Both were very proportional and very lean. Of course, Arnold had politics on his side. Serge would have had to be significantly better than Arnold in order to de-throne him. In 1975, this was not the case.

[chris mason]

Not to mention that next to each other, Arnold dwarfed Serge.