Wrist / Ankle Size as Predictors of Size

I think @kleinhound may be closer to 180 but I get your point and agree, both of them are beasts.

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Well now I really feel bad about myself. Thanks

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Yeah, I know. Somewhere along the line it went from “how much should I measure” to “how much CAN I measure”. I know there was some analysis of Mr America winners for that.

But guys have been measuring their wrists for over a century trying to figure this out, lol.

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Is there anything that backs this up ? I’ve never read that it was possible to increase the size of your bones, at least not once you’re an adult

“Appositional growth” is the relevant search term.

Even though bones stop growing in length in early adulthood, they can continue to increase in thickness or diameter throughout life in response to stress from increased muscle activity or to weight. The increase in diameter is called appositional growth. Osteoblasts in the periosteum form compact bone around the externalbone surface. At the same time, osteoclasts in the endosteum break down bone on the internal bone surface, around the medullary cavity. These two processes together increase the diameter of the bone and, at the same time, keep the bone from becoming excessively heavy and bulky.

https://training.seer.cancer.gov/anatomy/skeletal/growth.html

Edit: it still comes back to

I have the skeletal structure of a geisha
minus my obliques.

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What stood out to me about “My Standard” is the 34" waist on a 5’8" man. I doubt this person would be close to what we consider lean. At least 15% body fat, or more. But, IMO, a 5’8" lean 170lb man would be quite impressive. Maybe not winning bodybuilding contests, but surely wouldn’t look out of place.

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Good pick up, I didn’t notice the waist. 34 does seem a little thick at that weight. LOL

I’d be a lot more worried about a really fast metabolism than ankle bones.

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My wrists are 7”. Is this good or am I doomed to be DYEL?

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It depends on what type of shoe you are holding and how wide your clavicles are ?

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It is a white-soled Sketcher that has been stained green from mowing the lawn. I don’t have an exact clavicle measurement but it’s probably around the length of 2 Mr. Coffee machines next to each other lengthwise. My goal physique is 1974 Arnold but I would settle for ‘73 Arnold if you think my genetics aren’t quite there based on the given information.

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My wrists are enormous.

Make of that what you will.

lmfao Quality

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Same, I am sure that is the sole factor in my ability to build muscle over all the years.

I move to make this a new standard unit of measurement.

Honestly, what rabbit hole do folks have to go down to latch onto this “topic” (for lack of a more descriptive term)? Like many here, I have been studying information on lifting/bodybuilding for 2 decades now and in the last year is the only time I have seen this come up (at least twice).

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@SPECAl

ronnie

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Attempting to answer that is a rabbit hole on its own :slight_smile: Lots of probable factors.

I think a lot stems to a lack of good guidance when people start out. They know very little, and don’t know who to trust, where to look, etc. Lots of seemingly mixed messages like “I want to look better, like X celebrity” while also hearing how bad celebrity workouts are. “I want to be bigger” mixed with “I don’t want to look like a bodybuilder (or train or act like one)” as well as “I don’t want to look like a powerlifter”.

But I think there’s also probably another simple explanation too. They’re familiar with math (because of school), and not usually familiar with sports or lifting (because of modern life). It seems easy to latch onto “calculators”, and the internet is rife with those. Frame size calculators, genetic potential calculators, maximum muscle potential, strength standards and strength ratios, calorie calculators, etc. Confusing the map for the territory.

Plus there really was this whole thing talking about ideal proportions, usually based off wrist/ankle measurements. Writers from the “golden age” of bodybuilding talked about it a lot. I think that was about the last time that the aesthetic ideals of the average person (today) overlapped with the actual bodybuilding/strength training world.

It’s also always a question asked by people with skinny wrists :slight_smile: E.g., I have skinny wrists, am I doomed to be skinny forever? Is it even worth trying?

Lots of factors.

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:sob: fml

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Hard to believe with all the great guys out there, but I guess when “Coach Greg” and AthleanX are the first ones that shows up on youtube - you’re going to get a bad path.

I mean, I learned a lot by reading Muscles magazines for about 12 years straight, but I learned more from actually going into the gym and lifting.

I have not once seen a guy who eats properly and trains hard (doesn’t have to be anywhere near optimal) not be able to put on decent size. Plus the “worth it or not” argument is BS in the 21st century. Almost every study says resistance training is nothing but beneficial.

As someone who loves math - calculators are absolutely pointless if you don’t understand the math/reasoning behind them.

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Life lesson right there.

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