They did. You just need to click on them.
WIthout me reading through the entire thread, do you know what OP’s goal is?
I skimmed the start and found OP to be 6’4" tall. Is he planning to compete in bodybuilding?
From the last three pics his symmetry looks balanced. He needs to get fuller muscle bellies to get a better major muscle group separation, Bigger muscle bellies is what must be addressed first.
What I don’t know is whether OP has any beginner gains left or is he firmly in the intermediate phase?
His posing is at a good starting point. He has no odd body positioning. That is, he is getting accurate feedback from the mirror and has the body coordination to respond to what he sees. This is a bigger deal for a beginner than many think.
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Thank you for your time. From what I see you’re the guy to listen to so appreciate your opinion.
I’m 38 and have been training forever. I’ve a strength background but would love a crack at a classic show before it’s too late.
I’m actually really surprised you said the posing wasn’t too bad for starters.
Any tips on improving the muscle belly? I’d assume some drop set, super set high rep pumps?
Everyone is different and most everyone responds to periodic program changes. My best success was getting stronger on the compound exercises in the 8 to 10 rep area, aiming for 1 RIR on the working sets. Also, occasionally (once a month) do a body part where you are just trying to feel (and see) the muscle contract. You are not trying to test your strength, but doing what Weider called mind and muscle connection. (I am not a Weider follower, but he was the first to make that training concept known nationally via his magazine)
And it is okay to try any of the drop set or superset, etc strategies. Those strategies you should feel a burn.
I am not following the local and state bodybuilding scene, so I don’t know what is generally offered at those contests. I would say look for an Over-35 or wait for some Over-40 contests.
I’ll try that with the contractions and spend an entire workout on that every now and then. I do try and feel the muscle work, particularly on the slightly lighter sets where I’m not using all my concentration on just moving it.
Most of my compounds I train more in the 6-8 range but will usually hit a set or 2 with a few extra reps.
My plan is to wait until 40 (just so I’ve time to improve) but I haven’t thought on what sort of competition yet other than classic
I am not much help with contest (type) selection. When I competed and judged there was only men and women divisions. I find Men’s Physique where the only thing below the waist that is judged is the color of your long shorts to be odd.
I suppose full bodybuilding and classic in the Over-40 division would pull the same competitors, with the exception of a National level contest. But I don’t actually know.
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Leg day
Leg extension x4
Belt squat x4 (top set 240kg)https://youtube.com/shorts/Iv8oCysiS6w
Leg press x4 drop sets (top set 350kg)
Body weight lunge x3
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Have you considered using leg extensions as more of a finisher than a pre exhaustion exercise. Then focus the compound movements as a strength and size builder?
Ive tried it both ways because in theory I agree with you that using them as a finisher is better. But personally I get more out of my squatting movements by doing leg extensions 1st, my hips and knees feel better and I actually feel I can squat slightly more that way
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Shoulders & Back
Dumbell press x4 (top set 52kgx7)
Machine side lateral x4
Cable rear fly x3
D/bell side late reverse drop set 10kg,14kg,18kg
Hammer strength pullover (160kgx9)
Lat pull down x4
Seated cable row x3
Seated high row x3
Realised I didn’t put any back pics on the other day. Lighting is a little 1 sided. Also I know my hamstrings are covered, just assume they’re a weak point and I’m working on them 
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Hamstrings
Seated hammy curl x4 (top set 125kg)
Good morning x2 (top set 130kg)
Laying hammy curl x4 (top set 95kg, too heavy in honesty)
Standing hammy curl x4 (top set 25kg)
Adductor x4
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Never a dull training log!
Thank you mate
Chest
Incline dumbell press x4 (62.5kgx5 top set)
Chest fly machine x3
Decline press machine x3 (90kg top set)
Incline cable fly x4 (15kg top set)
Did triceps and biceps after, nothing worth recording and talking about but got a little pump on
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So today I took @RT_Nomad advice and lowered the weight for a session and concentrated more on that ‘mind muscle connection’.
I feel like I probably struggle to push myself as hard or as close to failure this way, maybe because I have more time to think, or the sets longer so I feel the pain more and I’m just weak. Or perhaps I’m still going closer to muscle failure and not mechanical failure which will surely be a bonus anyway. Either way it’ll be interesting to see how my legs feel tomorrow!!
Quads
Leg extension x4
Belt squat x3 (top set 170kgx12 slow slow reps)
Pendulum x3 (top set 50kg)
Leg press x4 (low&narrow foot position)
Lunges x1 to literal failure
Post quad session
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The worst my thighs looked was into and at the end of a leg day. The pump and inflammation smoothed the definition in my legs. I quit all leg training a week out from a contest.
I’ve heard something similar before, not sure if it was you perhaps actually.
On that note then did you not pump legs up backstage before a comp?
Not at all. I flexed them some. But once I got on stage I had to flex my thighs almost the entire time. That is a real challenge.
Flexed my thighs are wider than when relaxed, and they look much wider.
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Shoulders & Back
Dumbell press x4 (top set 54kgx5 PB)
Dumbbell side raise x3 (top set 24kg)
Cable side raise x3
Cable rear fly x3
Wide lat pull down x3
Narrow lat pull down x3
Narrow cable row x3
High machine row x3
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Hamstrings
Seated hamstring curl x4 (top set 115kg)
RDL X3 (top set 180kg x7)
Laying hamstring curl x4 (top set 85kg)
Standing hamstring curl x3 sets
Adductor machine x3
Finished as usual with calves, but today I did 3 minutes of hell to finish them. Has anyone else tried these? I was shown these and they really are a test of will power, how much do you want it
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