T Nation

BB Miscellany

Bodybuilding
#1

So, I’m on the road this week in Colorado. Had to fly from the east coast to Chicago. There was a guy, who, I swear could have (might have) been a pro BB. I didn’t get a chance to ask about his training, but estimating him to be about 5-9, 5-10, 220? Huge traps and calves and his arms were easily 20-plus inches (I’m probably being way to conservative). He had that ‘dry’ look to him, that pre/post/near competition look. He was up in first class and I honestly don’t think he’d have fit in coach, well, his shoulder girth anyway.

Anything going on in Chicago or Denver?

I’ve made some pretty good gains this year, certainly not even close to goal yet, but noticeable. So, I go to the local gym here in CO, a big commercial gym in a college town, and there are just some big guys.

I don’t have these kind of folks at my normal gym. It’s inspiring to be there, but ironically, it’s also kind of frustrating. I usually don’t pay attention to folks in the gym, but shit, when you have a bunch of folks who dwarf you, it’s tough not to notice.

Another cool thing is that when I come out here, I get to use the Hammer Strength machines. It’s like a shock once a month or two. Today, I just went down the line doing chest work. I got a pump in my chest like I’ve never had before.

OK, back to work…

#2

Yeah, never fails. Just when you look around and you’re the biggest guy in the gym, in walks some fucker that makes you hang your head in shame. Always makes me want to lift a little harder though.

#3

Was he a young black guy?

Phil Heath lives in Colorado…

DG

#4

dude i saw one of the biggest people ive ever seen in my life at Nahant beach. like i felt stupid and immasculated.

#5

Try staying at Mandalay Bay over the Arnold weekend and laying by the pool. Expect to see several pros in the pool the next day. That is an impressive thing to see. One of them had their girlfriend or wife and she was bigger than me and I am 220. At least she looked bigger. FREAKS!!

#6

I one saw someone exactly like that come to a freshman football game at our school (JV plays right after freshmen).

#7

DG -

In fact, it was a young black guy. It wasn’t Phil Heath, but he had some serious proportions, at least the monster traps/shoulders/arms busting out of his t-shirt, and some hellacious quads and calves had shorts on.

#8

[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
dude i saw one of the biggest people ive ever seen in my life at Nahant beach. like i felt stupid and immasculated.[/quote]

That same feeling is why so many of these guys lash out at bodybuilders lately.

Anyone who can make people feel less than by simply standing there is going to catch hate.

#9

[quote]Professor X wrote:
LiveFromThe781 wrote:
dude i saw one of the biggest people ive ever seen in my life at Nahant beach. like i felt stupid and immasculated.

That same feeling is why so many of these guys lash out at bodybuilders lately.

Anyone who can make people feel less than by simply standing there is going to catch hate.[/quote]

yeah. im not sure if every person is gonna feel that way. i mean me and that guy are after the same thing, we live in the same world and hes accomplished it. …im sure he doesnt feel that way though.

i can see your point too though. amongst my peer group im usually the biggest. even fat people who others think are “big” dont appear that way to me. so if a guy like that made me feel that way i can only imagine how hed make some sloppy guy at 42 feel. well, actually i would know how that person would feel. either theyd think damn, that guys huge and it would be positive or damn that guy looks like an idiot.

when you take anything to the very end of the spectrum for anything youre either going to love it or hate it.

#10

[quote]Professor X wrote:
LiveFromThe781 wrote:
dude i saw one of the biggest people ive ever seen in my life at Nahant beach. like i felt stupid and immasculated.

That same feeling is why so many of these guys lash out at bodybuilders lately.

Anyone who can make people feel less than by simply standing there is going to catch hate.[/quote]

I feel neither stupid nor immasculated by guys that are huge (bodybuilder huge). I have the utmost respect for them, especially knowing how much cumulative work has gone into the physique. It’s inspiring.

It’s like any long journey, where you say to yourself “Damn, this is a LONG trip”.

One nice thing happened last night. I waited literally a 1/2 hour for the rack to clear up to squat (lots of upright rowers and curlers). I got in and started squatting and a big dude who started squatting in the rack next to me that also cleared up said “It’s nice to see someone actually SQUATTING in these things.”

#11

[quote]SteelyD wrote:
Professor X wrote:
LiveFromThe781 wrote:
dude i saw one of the biggest people ive ever seen in my life at Nahant beach. like i felt stupid and immasculated.

That same feeling is why so many of these guys lash out at bodybuilders lately.

Anyone who can make people feel less than by simply standing there is going to catch hate.

I feel neither stupid nor immasculated by guys that are huge (bodybuilder huge). I have the utmost respect for them, especially knowing how much cumulative work has gone into the physique. It’s inspiring.

It’s like any long journey, where you say to yourself “Damn, this is a LONG trip”.

One nice thing happened last night. I waited literally a 1/2 hour for the rack to clear up to squat (lots of upright rowers and curlers). I got in and started squatting and a big dude who started squatting in the rack next to me that also cleared up said “It’s nice to see someone actually SQUATTING in these things.”[/quote]

The gym I trained at before I moved only had one power rack.

I got fed up with the “curlers” and “upright rowers” so I went home and printed out a professional sign, laminated and all, that said “FOR THE SAKE OF OUR MEMBERS PLEASE ONLY USE THIS RACK FOR SQUATTING OR DEADLIFTING” - THANK YOU “yourname gym”

It lasted about 10 days before somebody complained about it and the employees figured out it wasn’t put up by their management. It soon got back that the “big kid who uses chalk and wears chucks” (dirty gerdy) did it and I was scolded :stuck_out_tongue:

I’ll do it again in a heartbeat tho ;D

I’ve printed out simple stuf like “NO CURLING IN THE SQUAT RACK” and posted them, but they never last long. The lamination adds some professionalism and people abide by it more. lol

My new gym doesn’t have that problem…

DG