[quote]Yogi wrote:
look to be a pretty decent level of leanness. A good “gym look” if you know what I mean.
I’m not sure if you’re looking for criticism or whatever, but it looks like your lats could come up a touch. Ever tried pre-exhausting them? Made a big difference for me.
Also, I learned this from a video I watched on this site years ago. Very spicy way to really brutalise your lats. You may have tried it, but in case you’ve not it’s a tri-set where you do:
Straight Arm Pulldowns → leaning back pulldown (kneel down in front of the cable station) → leaning forward pulldown (still just kneeling in front of the cable station).
Absolutely horrible lactic acid burn in your lats after. 3 sets of that hits your lats harder than 10 sets of regular pulldowns, in my opinion.[/quote]
Thanks for this. I am all for constructive criticism.
For some odd reason my lats are pretty strong (even when pre-exhausted I can bust out a good amount of reps on dead hang pullups and chinups) but, like you say, they need some work. They will become more prominent when I get leaner too.
[quote]Yogi wrote:
look to be a pretty decent level of leanness. A good “gym look” if you know what I mean.
I’m not sure if you’re looking for criticism or whatever, but it looks like your lats could come up a touch. Ever tried pre-exhausting them? Made a big difference for me.
Also, I learned this from a video I watched on this site years ago. Very spicy way to really brutalise your lats. You may have tried it, but in case you’ve not it’s a tri-set where you do:
Straight Arm Pulldowns → leaning back pulldown (kneel down in front of the cable station) → leaning forward pulldown (still just kneeling in front of the cable station).
Absolutely horrible lactic acid burn in your lats after. 3 sets of that hits your lats harder than 10 sets of regular pulldowns, in my opinion.[/quote]
Thanks for this. I am all for constructive criticism.
For some odd reason my lats are pretty strong (even when pre-exhausted I can bust out a good amount of reps on dead hang pullups and chinups) but, like you say, they need some work. They will become more prominent when I get leaner too. [/quote]
I’m sure you know more than anyone else strength doesn’t correlate to size all the time. My back is half way ok at least on my body lol since everything else is crap. And I’ve found high volume twice a week and a majority of the work is 8-15 rep for a lot of sets. Lots and lots of sets. Pumps until you cramp. Seems to make them grow nicely
backs just seem to love volume. I’m way stricter with my reps for back than I am other exercises too. I’m a bit of a form nazi all round, but particularly so for my back. Just doesn’t seem to grow otherwise.
[quote]chobbs wrote:
What are your current macros? [/quote]
Now they are:
Training days
300 gram carbs
200 grams protein
60 to 80 grams fat
Non-training days:
200 grams carbs
200 grams protein
60 to 80 grams fat
I don’t count incidental macros. So far it’s working slowly.
As I have said, I am not in such a rush job considering what I have to do now and the fact that although I do try my best to stick with a diet, I have a life and am involved with my fiance’s family that REALLY likes socializing and eating. I NEVER over eat though, even if macros are thrown off by a social meal; I am totally not the type that stuffs oneself with sample upon sample of food at a get-together. With me, it’s a protein, a starch, some veggies, and maybe, MAYBE some dessert (I am NOT a sweets guy).
So the plan is to get down to like 12% and maintain it and then down the road pick a show when I can. I have an engagement party coming up and then there’s wedding planning. So I think will have to pick a show shortly after I get married and do it. As I’ve said elsewhere, I just want to do one show to see what I can get out of myself, for fun and personal reward, nothing else. And I don’t plan on doing any shows once I have a kid, which is why I regret not doing one in the past.
You look great , but dont loose sight of your upper pecs. You have well round powerful shoulders , with that said if you loose sight of your upper pecs density and whit. you can end up getting that hunch look. Keep up the good work.!
[quote]316reo wrote:
You look great , but dont loose sight of your upper pecs. You have well round powerful shoulders , with that said if you loose sight of your upper pecs density and whit. you can end up getting that hunch look. Keep up the good work.![/quote]
Thanks!
You’re right; I don’t have the best upper pecs. Being closer to average genetically, I have those annoying areas that are probably NEVER going to pop out.
[quote]Yogi wrote:
look to be a pretty decent level of leanness. A good “gym look” if you know what I mean.
I’m not sure if you’re looking for criticism or whatever, but it looks like your lats could come up a touch. Ever tried pre-exhausting them? Made a big difference for me.
Also, I learned this from a video I watched on this site years ago. Very spicy way to really brutalise your lats. You may have tried it, but in case you’ve not it’s a tri-set where you do:
Straight Arm Pulldowns → leaning back pulldown (kneel down in front of the cable station) → leaning forward pulldown (still just kneeling in front of the cable station).
Absolutely horrible lactic acid burn in your lats after. 3 sets of that hits your lats harder than 10 sets of regular pulldowns, in my opinion.[/quote]
Thanks for this. I am all for constructive criticism.
For some odd reason my lats are pretty strong (even when pre-exhausted I can bust out a good amount of reps on dead hang pullups and chinups) but, like you say, they need some work. They will become more prominent when I get leaner too. [/quote]
I’m sure you know more than anyone else strength doesn’t correlate to size all the time. My back is half way ok at least on my body lol since everything else is crap. And I’ve found high volume twice a week and a majority of the work is 8-15 rep for a lot of sets. Lots and lots of sets. Pumps until you cramp. Seems to make them grow nicely
[/quote]
Yeah, most people say back grows from a lot of sets with a lot of exercises.
No, I did not. Like for many people, LIFE got in the way. HOWEVER, I believe now I am in the right position to compete, and as said before, I just want to do at least one show. My fiance and I are planning on trying for a kid in August, right after we get married in July, and then during the nine month window, I can do a show. This might sound funny to some, but I believe it will be an ideal time for me to do this. I want to do “full physique”, a show that allows for tight shorts, not the saggy, long board shorts, but some of my friends and acquaintances are encouraging bodybuilding. Thanks for reading the thread.
[quote]BrickHead wrote:
New pic of the quads. [/quote]
Be careful man, those monster quads can swallow your knee caps very soon
What rep ranges do you use while training your quads? Are they a bodypart that you were genetically blessed with from the beginning or did you have to work innovatively hard to bring them to this level?
I am all ears because even though im pleased with the separation in my quads, i still have a lot of mass missing.
Fortunately, I lucked out with genetics for quads. That’s just the way they are shaped and they responded to training very well. I THINK this goes for my arms and traps too. Unfortunately my pecs do not respond to training well. Everything else responds just DECENTLY.
I have never had to pay much attention to how I train quads. They have responded to high reps and low reps. I mostly do 5 to 10 reps, and occasionally higher reps, for squats and conventional deadlifts. With lunges I have usually done 8 to 12 reps. And that’s all I’ve needed for quads: high bar squats, lunges, and conventional deadlifts. I’ve done leg presses and hack squats, but not much anymore.
I’ve got a structure that allows me to target quads easily: slight anterior pelvic tilt, short legs, and a long torso.
I think a lot of people fall short on quad training due to excessive weight, subpar form, and short range motion. They can get a lot more out of lowering the damn weight and not loading the leg press machine with every 45 plate in the gym, slow down the reps and do a good ROM.
Same with squats. Set the bar high on the traps and squat to parallel or below–CONTROLLED–and bury every rep, not the sort of style in which the guy is shaking, turning purple, and having to do some dramatic reset between reps.
[quote]BrickHead wrote:
I have no clue why my pics are coming out sideways. [/quote]
After seeing the photo (and the caption below it) I thought you wrote “I have no clue why my pecs are coming out sideways.”
I thought “they don’t look sideways…” Anyway, you’ve got some good leanness. I too am genetically screwed with pecs. Shoulders, arms and quads come relatively easy, back is “ok”, but pecs always suck for me. Gonna try adding a ton of dips and see if that helps.
