Hey you guys! Leave off Cleric! Brad Pitt looks well fit in Fight Club, why do you all knock him so? Yes, he’s a big headed git, but really, he did look FIT in that film. I do think some of you are too obsessed with huge bulking muscles and forget that some guys wanna look fit, streamline and healthy. I’m a professional dancer (dont scoff), and whereas I have complete respect for any dedicated bodybuilder or weightlifter, I really do prefer a look that is evidence of aerobic ability and capacity, not just power and strength. I’m obviously very specialised in my training as it’s mainly cardio related dance or flexibility, though I do some weights also. Even so, to me, track athletes and swimmers etc have much ‘better’ bodies then big fck-off body builders because they also are ‘fit’ not just strong. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to look ‘athletic’ as opposed to like the incredible hulk. And besides, get too big and you’d fail any BMI test… fat bastards! 
Coming soon to T-Mag, the Tyler Durden Forum…
MBE: “The question, T-freques, is what do you want to be…Since 0004.”
I think the point is being missed here. While not all of T-Mag is about getting “hyooooge” - it is about training smarter and being smarter in the realm of physical fitness. Now, with that in mind. When you realize how Brad Pitt acquired his “Tyler Durden” physique, why would anyone want to acquire that? Something that appeals to thousands, if not millions, of “wannabes” - meaning, “general public”. Why relegate yourself to “average” when you can acquire more?
Yes, film adds at least 10-pounds. And knowing that, Pitt's physique isn't all that impressive. Remember Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2? How everyone went a ga-ga over her "buffed" physique? Well, it wasn't buffed. It was ripped. Due to zero carb dieting and practically 2-hour a day workouts. Is that smart? Nope. But it created the right "cosmetic" effect for the movie. Probably the same thing Pitt did. As well as consumed his soy milk shakes. Since in Hollywood, soy is "healthy".
So, if this dude wants to relegate himself to what many average people consider to be the epitome of "health": a brain dead celebrity who is more useto following orders than thinking on his own. Cool. Fine.
So, think of all this in terms of just "cosmetics". Nothing more. Do a low to zero carb/high protein diet for 6-weeks. Train no less than 2-hours - include a decent amount of pilates. Lots of abs. No big compound movements. Lots of machines. Don't up your poundages either. That thar be your ticket.
Just as a side note, I love the part where he says to “Jack,” on the subway:
"Does that look like a man to you?"
And I'm sitting in my chair thinking... wait, that looks like Brad Pitt to me.
I say how you look is mostly a function of genetics. Lift weights and eat right and see what happens. Trying to train a certain way to look a certain way is mostly (not all) an exercise is futility. It’s like a big boned white guy who’s always been bulky thinking that training like Bruce Lee will make him look like Bruce Lee. Sure, being really lean will help, same with Brad Pitt, but mostly you’ll look like your genes have predertmined you to look. My God, what if Kaz had tried to look liek Bruce Lee early in his career? The horror! Go with your genetics!
With all due respect BMI test are crap. I know for a fact that it is almost impossible for me to get to a healthy BMI. When I first started training, knew nothing and did the starvation and all aerobic shit I almost got to what my BMI says I should be at. Never mind I looked like a terminally ill piece of shit. Sorry this is off topic but BMI’s and ideal weight tables bother me. Maybe I’m biased.
Im surprised Vin Diesel hasnt been mentioned yet.
Lose a bunch of weight through exercise and low calories. Brad Pitt is 6’1" and 165. Why would you want to do that though?
“I want you to hit me as hard as you can…” “I make and sell soap”
Guys, this is the funniest damn thread I ever read…“We’ve all been raised thinking we’ll be moviestars and rockstars…but we won’t.” Cleric, stop trying to look like me, and look like me!!.." Cleric, you watch too much TV!! Don’t believe everything you see/read…
Dude why not try to look like Edward Norton in American History X.
well i think an interesting irony of the movie is the underlying message of “ignore societal expectations” yet pitt in his character creates a very desirable one, for myself at least.
all i was trying to say in one of my earlier posts, is i’m 6’1" and 190 pounds, and while i’m not as lean as pitt is in fight club, i’m pretty close. when i compare pictures of myself to him, i don’t feel i’m nearly as muscular in the upper back and shoulder and upper chest area. so i can’t see your figures of 165 pounds being accurate. by my best guess i’m around 10% bodyfat, max 15%, so if i lost all my bodyfat i would be 162 pounds, which is what you put ‘tyler’ at. the math doesn’t work…
the general tone i’ve gotten from the forum members is somewhat irritating. i have an ideal i would like to get to look like. i know i can’t become exactly like him, all i was asking for was recommendations for a workout that would approximate the muscle mass distribution that he had in the movie. some people responded well to that, but most of it was a trite criticism that he wasn’t that big or i should have some sort of other ideal. while that might be your opinion, i didn’t ask for that, i want training advice on my ideal, so please offer that instead of criticizing what i want to be. i think the responses of the forum members demonstrate a sort of close mindedness that t-mag has created/attracted. many of you seem to not accept the idea that someone may not want to be a massive hulk of muscle. not only do i beleive my genetics would prevent me from becoming particularly huge, i don’t think being massive is very attractive or socially empowering. there are still a lot of negative stereotypes that revolve around the bodybuilder look that I don’t want to be associated with. i like the fit athletic look…
maybe i should ask some more specific questions. I was particularly impressed with pitts upper pectorial development in fight club, how it seemed to smoothly blend into his anterior deltiod. i would work on this through primarily incline type presses, what do you guys think? I also liked the exceptional development of the MIDDLE part of his traps. many guys at the gym have excellent upper trap development from shrugs, cleans, etc. but don’t have the thickness all the way down the middle of the traps creating the manta ray look. how do you think he acheived this, aside from ‘genetics’?
Couple of responses…
Patricia, my point was more there’s nothing ‘wrong’ with wanting to look more ‘fit’ as opposed to just huge. Yes, it’s likely Bradd Pitt just did some intense cardio work out etc a few months before filming, but my main argument really is it’s BETTER to want NOT to be huge, but rather fit, healthy and flexible. It makes me laugh how many body builders have no cardio ability whatsoever, that is positively not a good thing.Ask them to touch their toes and it’s painful to watch! Re the aesthetics thing, well, isnt wanting to be huge about aesthetics? Most men would like to be big muscle freaks, but it aint gonna help their fitness and health in the long term.
To Stumpy, yes, BMI is a very crude measurement, but most people in the medical profession ‘allow’ up to about 28 on the BMI scale if the guy/gal shows they have the right build and make up. I used to work in the Occupational Health Unit for the UK’s biggest Police force and we constantly had to turn down huge f*ck-off body builders down because their BMI was too high. We had to consider the LONG TERM consequences of being so huge. What happens if they get a serious injury and cant train, what happens then? You also need to have a certain amount of dexterity and speed. Obviously we were looking for something particular to the job, but the rule is still pretty good. It’s ‘unnatural’ to be a huge bulking hulk, and generally not healthy. I also cant believe the amount of body builders that are on 'roids, it’s sooooo pathetic!!! Talk about wishing for an early death…
The bottom line is, most people are of average build, others are slim and some big. It’s wise to do sports, but something that is all-round that helps strength but also (and mainly) cardio ability. Include flexibility in there too. Body building is not about being ‘healthy’ it’s about being big, period.
lastly, Brad Pitt aint 165. No way. He has to be more like 180.
Cleric - first off, the math does work - your image of yourself compared to that of Pitt may not. Also, take into consideration the weight of one’s legs. I would bet that you have much more mass in your thighs than Pitt does. Also subtract about 10-15 pounds for the height differential between you and him.
There is nothing wrong with having the ideal that you do. Most of us here obviously don't have the same ideal, but I see it as wrong to criticize people for their opinions, especially something as mainstream as yours. (Wanting to look like Chris Farley...well...I might allow for a double standard there.) I'm sure having the Durden body type is relatively healthy compared to many alternatives, but not much healthier than a "true" bodybuilding lifestyle. You will also look a lot better in a suit than most of us overgrown monkeys will. Personally, I would rather have a bit more muscle than the Durden body type, but that's my choice. I like to feel stronger than that look would make me feel.
As far as how to get that body type, I believe most of that has been covered (excessive cardio, light weights, eat very little). I think the focus on the muscle groups that you've mentioned should wait until you've reached your target weight, whatever that ends up being, as it would be easier to spot imbalances then. I had a friend several years ago who was 6'3'', 215lbs, with very little bodyfat (6-, maybe 8-pack). I thought he looked really good, but he got some kind of modeling job, and they wanted him to drop 30lbs. It was funny watching a former 300+lb bencher poke around with benching less than 100 lbs while spending a lot of time in the sauna and doing cardio. He made the weight, but I honestly thought he looked better at 215.
UKFitGuy - I think American cops are a bit different in their goals, or so it seems. I've known many that are quite large - large enough to blow the hell out of any BMI scale - but they see that as desirable, since 6'4'' and 275lbs is much more of a resistance deterrent than 6'4'' 175lbs. Actually, and maybe this is just the American south, but steroid use seems to be much higher among those in law enforcement than those in "regular" jobs. Also, did you read the "Steroids for Health" article this week? As far as big people's longevity, I've known many 50+ year old bodybuilders who are quite healthy and quite functional as well. Also, muscle doesn't equate to a lack of flexibility (on the contrary, it correlates to it) and it doesn't necessarily reduce functionality. I hate to use this as an example, but consider the recent race between Kevin Levrone and Dwain Chambers. While I doubt many of us would consider Levrone tiny, he was still able to run quite well for someone of any size.
First of all, to me “bodybuilding” is just what Chris Shugart said to Bob “Well, Bob, I guess you could use the term bodybuilder if you really need a label for what it is we do. Most of us actually don’t stand on stage and compete, though. We lift weights and manipulate our diets so that we’ll look good naked. Sure, it’s healthy too, and we’ll probably live a longer and more productive life than the average guy, but mostly it’s about the naked thing. Truthfully, it goes beyond even that.”
Most fit and not so fit women I know don't like the steroid puffiness of today's pros, they want more of a trim, athletic physique. Go over to the Photos forum and take a look at Fitone, George J, Johny Lighting and Chris Merrow. Those guys have a ripped athletic look with better development than Mr. Soybuddha.
I don’t figure he was that light either. I’m built pretty similar to Pitt in that movie and I’m about 155-157 when I’m that lean and I’m only 5’7". I think I’ve got bigger legs than Pitt though. From shots that I’ve seen of him on the net, he ain’t squatting.
Cleric, you just don’t get it, do you? You’re too busy feeling insulted by responses to see that you’ve gotten the general feeling of the forum on this. Brad Pitt does NOT have great development of of upper pecs or his middle lats. There’s nothing thick at all about him. Ten people have told you this and yet you still will not take it to heart. He’s lean. That’s it. Chances are that he does very little weight training and is simply built that way. You don’t want to hear it apparently, but that’s the bottom line.
UKfitguy, you’re being a hypocrite. You said that there’s nothing wrong with wanting to look more “fit” as opposed to huge, yet you’re attacking those (without good reason) who would rather be big. Your main reasoning seems to be that being big makes you not “fit, healthy, and flexible.” What unsubstantiated bullshit. Having more muscle mass is directed correlated with improved quality of life into old age. Many bigger guys can do cardio (for whatever that’s worth) and are just as flexible as smaller, “fit” guys despite what you’ve said. Claiming the opposite without any evidence is not an argument.
I do like your claim about “most people in the medical profession.” Usually when I hear this, it’s from somebody not in the medical profession who hasn’t a clue about which they’re speaking. BMI’s are NOT made for people with any substantial muscle mass, period. If you truly worked to discredit big guys and deny them jobs based on being muscular, you did them a huge disservice. BMI’s are for fat people. The long term consequences of being huge are no different than yours for being ignorant.
“What happens if they get a serious injury and cant (sic) train, what happens then?” What happens if a small guy gets injured? What’s the damned difference?
“It’s ‘unnatural’ to be a huge bulking hulk, and generally not healthy.” Again, more unsubstantiated bullshit.
"I also cant believe the amount of body builders that are on 'roids, it’s sooooo pathetic!!! Talk about wishing for an early death… " Do you just read M&F all day long. Get a fucking clue. This site is about truth and dispelling common myths while all you seem to be doing is propogating them to further your weak argument.
“Body building is not about being ‘healthy’ it’s about being big, period.” You’re obviously on the wrong site, buddy. Have you ever read a thing this mag has published?
And I’ll leave the Brad Pitt thing alone, as that’s been beaten to death already.
I really feel like I was reading a clueless Flex article when I read your post.
So you think that today’s “cartoonish” Pro bodybuilders that compete over 250 and regularly bloom to over 300 in the off season that regularly shoot up a bunch of roids, insulin, HGH, and god knows what else are healthy? You’ve got to be kidding me, right?
Everyone hear that Flex Wheeler got off the roids? Now he’s taking a medically prescribed 200mg shot of test each week cuz his testes just don’t work anymore. Does that sound healthy? I would imagine that high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels are normal among these monsters and there’s guys everywhere idolizing them and striving to look like them by any means necessary.
Although this site seems to promote a healthier style of bodybuilding (albeit not natural which is the optimal way to go in my opinion), I still get the feeling that many of the posters on this forum idolize the big freaks anyhow. I’m not saying that Pitt’s physique is anything special but it is very desireable to the general public … Ronnie Coleman’s isn’t.
If you want to discuss aesthetic “real” bodybuilder physiques then I recommend we take a look at Frank Zane, Bob Paris, Lee Labrada. Opinion forumites?