How many years of training? Bodyweight? Approximate bodyfat %? How heavy were your lifts by that point?
As for myself. On one hand, I’ve added 20 pounds since June and stayed lean; on the other, I only kind of sort of barely look like I might have picked up a weight once upon a time. Not that I’m expecting much from A WHOLE THREE MONTHS of serious lifting. (It was a really long time, I swear.)
This is supposed to be an interesting, fun, and maybe even informative thread, which is why it’s here and not BB or beginners. I don’t genuinely expect to look like I lift for another couple years.
What is your current height weight approx BF and lifts out of interest?
i would say if you can do between 1.5-2 times your BW for a few reps in bench squat DL and are not fat, you will look like you lift weights.
Obviously is subjective, if you have some shoulder and upper back development, your average person in the street will probably think you lift weights/ are athletic/ play sports in my opinion.
Yeah, it’s obviously subjective, and it’s obviously not a clear cutover. It’s not like you wake up and one day look like you lift.
I went from 5’11 138 to 5’11 157. I don’t really expect much until I’m 190-210.
Otherwise, I haven’t trained my chest and shoulders enough (shoulder issues and a bad elbow), and my arms started out small to begin with. Most of that 20lbs went toward my legs and glutes, and some to my upper back. Squat is 155x30/200x20, and low pulley rows are 170x12 after 3 months. I’m currently ironing out the shoulder/elbow issues, so I should be able to get some real OHP and bench numbers soon.
Basically, I’ve not really trained my mirror muscles enough.
Started lifting at 13, but was prepubescent at the time so didn’t really make much progress.
Puberty hit full-force around 14 or so. By the time I was 16 I looked like I lifted. So about 2 years of training with actual testosterone in my veins. I was somewhat chubby, so that didn’t help matters. I also didn’t have internet at the time, so my training info was limited to magazines and a few books.
I didn’t actually look big until I was 19 or 20, and didn’t look “good” until I was 27.
[quote]Steel Nation wrote:
Started lifting at 13, but was prepubescent at the time so didn’t really make much progress.
Puberty hit full-force around 14 or so. By the time I was 16 I looked like I lifted. So about 2 years of training with actual testosterone in my veins. I was somewhat chubby, so that didn’t help matters. I also didn’t have internet at the time, so my training info was limited to magazines and a few books.
I didn’t actually look big until I was 19 or 20, and didn’t look “good” until I was 27.[/quote]
Did you add much weight from 20-27, or was it mostly just refining what you’d already built?
Depends on how lean you are and how tight the shirts you wear are lol.
You’re gonna look like you lift around 190 I’d say as long as you don’t turn into a blob… But that 190 is just a generalization, using my own self as a reference since we’re the same height.
I don’t think I look like I lift … I am 220 and have some abs showing. I have larger arms/chest/shoulders/back then average. But I get asked all the time if I am in the military or if I am a cop.
I was so skinny when I started, even aftter the initial 20 lb weight gain my first month, I still didn’t look like I lifted. Took about 2 years with an additional 20 lbs gain to achieve that look.
And even then it was a thin muscular look.
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
I was so skinny when I started, even aftter the initial 20 lb weight gain my first month, I still didn’t look like I lifted. Took about 2 years with an additional 20 lbs gain to achieve that look.
And even then it was a thin muscular look.[/quote]
Oh yeah when I started it was the same I was 160lbs at 6’0 …definate hard gainer. I earned all the muscle I have. With good diet/eating/good lifting from power lifters showing me the ropes.
when you have shoulders like cannonballs, 18" gunz, and traps that poke through your dress shirts, then people no longer ask you ‘if you work out’, they ask you how much you bench, what is your diet, are you on steroids, and…believe it or not, even the dudes check you out as much as the wimmenz.
[quote]Steel Nation wrote:
Started lifting at 13, but was prepubescent at the time so didn’t really make much progress.
Puberty hit full-force around 14 or so. By the time I was 16 I looked like I lifted. So about 2 years of training with actual testosterone in my veins. I was somewhat chubby, so that didn’t help matters. I also didn’t have internet at the time, so my training info was limited to magazines and a few books.
I didn’t actually look big until I was 19 or 20, and didn’t look “good” until I was 27.[/quote]
Did you add much weight from 20-27, or was it mostly just refining what you’d already built?[/quote]
Added about 10 lbs of muscle and got a LOT leaner. Gains would have probably come faster but injuries and changes in focus dragged it out a bit.
I’m 6 feet tall and when I started lifting I was 18, about 175lbs and did only cable crossovers, arms, and leg extensions.
Nevertheless in about 3 months people said they noticed. I guess it was the biceps, as people are judging you with your clothes…most of the time.
After a year and the proper bloody exercises I got up to 200 and slowly have risen to 250, but I’d say about 18% body fat.
As a freshman in High School I came in at 6 ft and about 150 lbs. I had been officially lifting since 7th grade in an athletics class vs. PE that school athletes were moved to. I had some bumps sticking off my body and it looked like I worked out enough for female attention and random male aggression and pissing contests. Unless I wore tight clothes though (I didn’t) I looked like a normal kid outside of pool parties.
Next to senior athletes however, I was still a little 14 year old boy.
Once I hit the 200 mark it was pretty hard to deny I lift, clothes on or off. Even suits fit in a way that usually have to be tailored and tapered, bringing the shoulders out and the middle in.
[quote]CargoCapable wrote:
Even suits fit in a way that usually have to be tailored and tapered, bringing the shoulders out and the middle in.
[/quote]
How do you bring the shoulders out in a suit? It’s not like they’re made with extra fabric hidden inside the seams!
[quote]CargoCapable wrote:
Even suits fit in a way that usually have to be tailored and tapered, bringing the shoulders out and the middle in.
[/quote]
How do you bring the shoulders out in a suit? It’s not like they’re made with extra fabric hidden inside the seams!
[quote]CargoCapable wrote:
Even suits fit in a way that usually have to be tailored and tapered, bringing the shoulders out and the middle in.
[/quote]
How do you bring the shoulders out in a suit? It’s not like they’re made with extra fabric hidden inside the seams!
lol[/quote]
Usually the taylor takes extra fabric from behind the shoulder blades. I’m not sure how they ultimately stitch it. I think they just pull tighter, giving extra room in the shoulder seams.
[quote]CargoCapable wrote:
Even suits fit in a way that usually have to be tailored and tapered, bringing the shoulders out and the middle in.
[/quote]
How do you bring the shoulders out in a suit? It’s not like they’re made with extra fabric hidden inside the seams!
lol[/quote]
Usually the taylor takes extra fabric from behind the shoulder blades. I’m not sure how they ultimately stitch it. I think they just pull tighter, giving extra room in the shoulder seams.[/quote]
Really?
I think they usually get you into a larger size, then taper the midsection and alter the sleeve length.