Others guys already touched on it, but it’s always going to be something that is affected by relationyto the rest of the physique. A really short individual with a slight frame may look jacked with 14" arms if the rest of their physique is smaller, or even defined.
I’m only 5’8, and nowhere near large framed, so when my arms first hit 16", I can honestly say that I felt pretty damn good. Brad’s heard my story of when I was in grad school, walking through the Washington Square area of NY, I passed a very jacked BBer. When he silently nodded his head at me, acknowledging that I was a part of the clique,… well, that did it for me -lol.
My arms did eventually get decently beyond the 16" mark (18 at their largest, but probably 17.5 onstage), BUT, that was a standout bodypart for me, and I’ll openly admit that other areas like my quads weren’t freaking anybody out wondering if I was natty or not
I’m pretty easy to find online,… I’ve got a web page associated with my name, as well as social media pages I use for more non-fitness related pursuits.
Always remember that there are people who are big due to structure (ie. my brother in law has wrists - the bones - larger than most people’s forearms!), and those who are big due to musculature. I was able to build my musculature up considerably to appear somewhat “big”, but wearing an overcoat during winter, I didn’t appear too intimidating -lol.
In discussing arm size etc, bodybuilding is about how everything works together, as a complete package or presentation. Being smaller framed, and somewhat lean, a 15" arm can look damn impressive!
So I just check my wrists they are 6.7 inches but I’m not 5"5 I’m 6"1 looool si I guessed I was not served bodybuilding genetics. With all that said, I’m currently quite lean at 12-14% tops and my 16 inches arms look decent. Probably because they are compared to these tiny wrists.
The usual natty conundrum! Either you almost look like you don’t lift with clothes on, but amazing shirtless, or you’re big but chubbier. A colleague said something around these lines a few days ago “I forgot there was that under the shirt”.
I noticed your reactions about Meadows’ video. I was wondering, aren’t usually natural guys more on the shredded side that enhanced guys? Probably because they can’t be as big so they make a priority of being really lean. Or maybe it’s just all the stuff that the other guys take now?
I like what Nick’s Strength and Power said: “Natural bodybuilding is professional dieting”
Well, not all “natties” are tiny mind you -lol. No one was ever thinking that I didn’t lift, even when wearing a sweatshirt or jacket, just that at 5’8, how big could I appear walking down the street in a jacket, especially when my friend I’m walking next to resembles a human refrigerator, and would even if he didn’t workout? Offseason I was about 205-210, with 18" arms and 17" calves, hopefully that sounds not-tiny to you,…and I frequently admit that I wasn’t one of the bigger pros! -lol
There are plenty of bantamweights (guys who compete under 150 lbs onstage) in the sport who are usually on the smaller size structurally, and I guess in that regard you can make the comment about not looking like they lift when covered up,… but it’s usually made in a disparaging way by guys who could never get in such condition.
The line about natural bodybuilding being a “dieting contest” is something I’ve said myself, when I see guys who have spent almost no time, and put on almost no muscle, and just decide that if they were ripped at 120 lbs, they’d look like a bodybuilder. In that regard, some people (mostly IMO since the advent of social media and the attempt to constantly get attention) have really missed the boat and sort of ruined what I always felt was the ultimate goal, of SIZE and conditioning.
Nick has some good videos, but I’ll also say that his own experience doesn’t always reflect the larger, or even just more outside his personal sphere’s reality.
No that is certainly big! 18" arms is awesome! I was exagerating of course, but I was implying that naturals cannot get as big as enhanced.
Indeed most people underestimate how you can get naturally. But at the same time, you’re forced to play with your own cards, your natural T range and such and for some people well it is just a shitty hand of cards.
I completely agree with you, it’s not just being ripped. Personally there’s no way I’ll go under 170. That’s the absolute rippest, lowest I’d go, even this number feel puny. I mean even 180 feels puny
Man, that’s no joke! Just curious as to you bf% off season? I’ve always understood to be at a manageable bf offseason that you can grow from. Meaning you should feel healthy and not drained.
Honestly, I couldn’t tell you. My yardstick was that as long as I could see abs and I wasn’t embarrassed to lose my shirt in public, I was good. Too many people have to claim “10%” year round, which is just stupid IMO, because if you’re seriously so concerned about what a measurement that 99.9% of people have no clue what it actually means, you’re not focusing on the important things in life, or, even if you;'re a serious bodybuilder, you’re not focusing on visible improvements (ie. The mirror trumps any statistic in my book!)
I’m no saying knowing your bf% isn’t sometimes important, but if it’s the first thing you say when you meet someone new,… well,… you know -lol
Well I only ask because we’re the same height. I’ve been dieting down and have went from 230 to 195 as of this morning. I already feel much better but bf % I think I’ll be 10ish at about 185. I don’t have nearly your genetics. I don’t plan to compete just want to look the best I can for my genetics. Just curious because 5 8 at 205 10% is no freaking joke. It’s amazing I never though I was that over weight when I started dieting when I had lost 20 lbs I was like Jesus I got 30 more to go based an what I saw In The mirror.
lol, well, contest level lean (contest WINNING level lean) is ridiculous for anyone to WANT to obtain unless they’re competing, or doing so in order to see if they can/challenge themselves. It’s not something you achieve and try to hold so you can walk around feeling like garbage and always cold all the time.
Remember, it’s about how you look. No one will ever take out a tape measure on the street and measure your arms, nor will they pull a bench out of their car and see if you really can bench 500 lbs or not (most won’t know the difference if you say you can bench 800 or 200!).
Plenty of people train, and look great, without ever coming anywhere near contest winning levels of leanness, and you know what? 99.99% of people wouldn’t know the difference if they outright lied about winning bodybuilding contests anyway. Look at the online coaches who can’t win amateur masters classes, but have a zillion excuses next to their daily selfies… None of their followers care! It’s only the fans of the competitive side of the sport that can discern the difference.
Don’t make yourself crazy… unless you’re doing a show,… then it’s all part of the prep
Well I don’t ever plan on competing in BBing however I’ve played with the idea of getting to as low bf I can for a one time thing just to do it. And say I did. Feeling like death is a lot of fun on paper…
Lmao! Every time I was in offseason mode and A few of my friends were in prep, I’d miss cutting. Of course that first cardio session of my next prep I’d always think “why would anyone miss this?!”
I know a few guys that compete and they always said the same thing, “I want to be shredded to the bone year round.” However it isn’t logical or healthy to do that. So maybe just the process, seeing the changes in the mirror is all part of it. It’s like when I competed as a powerlifter, when I wasn’t at peak strength I felt weaker and wanted to be back to that stage of preparedness. I ached more in my joints and felt like I was more run down but I wanted it!!
The envy is not something I’ve shared, but at the start of a cut I’ve always felt invigorated, and filled with a sense of purpose. After a while I’ve experienced a laser like mental acuity for a while there as cortisol starts to elevate, but not so bad that it’s starting to eat into sleep quality. And that’s something I sometimes miss.
