I am looking to add some thickness to my frame, not necessarily size as in 2 extra inches of shoulder width but more toward fuller and more developed muscles. I want to add muscle mass but I don’t want to have to buy tailored shirts and xxl or something just to fit. Does that make sense? Is there any specifc guidelines for that? My goal is the fitness model look not a full blown bodybuilder. I was thinking about things like not getting too wide lats, too high traps or too big legs sounds like things I should avoid for the fitness model or mens physique look. How can I tailor my training toward my own goals? Thanks
You don’t trip and fall into having big traps, legs or lats. That takes time and dedication. You seem to imply that you will wake up one day and accidnetly look too big.
Wide lats and big traps might make your clavicles less noticeable though? Seriously though you are not gonna get too big. Just try to gain 10-20lbs first of muscle. That will take you a while. Then see if you want to gain more muscle from there. Just pick a specific goal not something were you say “does that make sense?” Because if you cant articulate what your actual goals are its gonna be impossible to give you the best advice. Just get on nearly any bodybuilder program on here , pick a diet and stick with it playboy. CT and Wendler programs are super popular here and if you need advice on there programs you can ask them.
Don’t be fooled, young man. Bodybuilders are enhanced. You can train hard and never come close to their look. Fitness models are…also enhanced. It’s easier to take drugs and maintain single digit body fat so they’re always ready for the camera instead of actually busting their ass and dieting.
Your diet/caloric intake will determine your size. Pick a program that focuses on the areas that you want to improve and work hard. As stated above it’s tough to give you specific advice until you give specific goals.
You need size everywhere, looking at it from your view the only thing stopping you looking like a fitness model is a bit of shoulder width? Take a real good look at those guys again and notice how much muscle they have everywhere.
also your body will only let you get so much out of proportion, imagine if someone when to the gym and only trained arms. After 10 years of only doing bicep isolation do you think they could have the body of 12 year old boy but arms like a pro bodybuilder. It can’t happen, the body don’t let it happen. It likes to maintain some level of proportion, yes you may be able to get them a bit ahead of the rest of your physique but only a bit.
so the simple advice is to get on a good proven routine, eat like your life depends on it and make that scale move upwards. Add lots of side laterals in varying rep ranges. Keep your head down and stick at it, don’t worry about anything other than getting stronger on the routine your on and making the scale move.
I ment that I want to focus on becomming thicker not wider with no mass if that makes sense. I am happy with my width so I want to focus on other things. I don’t strive toward using xxl t-shirts but rather looking great without clothes, and for that I need a bit more muscle in some areas and eventually a good cut. Forearms, arms, shoulders, chest, abs and upper back is where I am looking to add thickness in the coming years. After that I am pretty good and will probably maintain. Its difficult to imagine how I will look in the future but hopefully I can be proud of what I have achieved.
Like many guys have told you already, worrying about getting “too big” is like worrying about getting “too rich”. It doesn’t happen overnight, so you can and should aim for it from the start, not hamstring yourself by intentionally aiming low. You’re not even 190 pounds. Don’t worry about how to avoid being 260 pounds. Worry about how to get to 195 pounds, and then 205.
As for details, I stand by everything I recommended when you asked how to train last month.
I’ve said it before, but if I had a dollar every time someone said “I don’t need to train legs much because I already have great legs”, I’d have a whole bunch of dollars.
