T Nation

Big Guys... Horrid Lifting

Bodybuilding
#1

There are a lot of big dudes at my gym. But I noticed something about them. Only ONE of them squats, and he squats 1/2 reps on the Smith machine. I’ve never seen any of them deadlift. One guy was doing tricep extensions lying on the bench with some 130 lbs on a dumbbell, and his reps involved letting it drop so fast it would BOUNCE off the floor, and his partner would lift the rest for him (he did about 20 of these). I’ve seen the same two guys doing bent over rows, about 10 sets, each set progressively worse and more weight. They would grab the bar in the rack, use momentum from pushing off the ground to lift it about 4 inches away from their chest, and let it fall as if no one was holding it. Then they’d repet this 3 times, re-rack, add more weight, and do it all over again.

I’ve seen a truly HUGE fucking guy go from doing chin-ups to doing the lat pulldown machine, pulling it down MAYBE past his forehead, and letting it go back up without any resistance.

The point is, how do these guys get so big? They train horribly!

#2

Genetics.

#3

I don’t know, ask them. Maybe they’re just talented.

#4

Size doesn’t equate to strength, its been commented before that bodybuilders are generally weaker than they appear but strength althetes never are.

#5

Sorry, I meant huge, not necessarily strong. They don’t lift any impressive numbers (at least not with good form).

#6

Sorry for the double post, I wish not all posts would be moderated so I can edit quicker heh.

The most important thing I’m wondering is, have any of you come across this? I keep reading about these guys who use horible form and use half reps and keep on loading the weight etc etc, but they’re all skinny and tiny. My gym is mainly all big guys doing these things.

#7

Ya know, you can get “huge” without lifting like everyone on this site insists you must.

I have lifted with some big, strong dudes who never lifted the T-way. I mean, I never lifted the T-way until recently.

These guys may also have jobs that have built their bodies, not unlike farmers or heavy construction workers.

Who cares.

And please, don’t tell me about the non-functional muscle of the bodybuilder.
I’m betting most could outlift most of these type responders. No, they don’t lift for power most of the time, but most have built quite a strong base before they chose bodybuilding over whatever else.

It’s about being the best you can be, it has nothing to do about beatin’ down guys who don’t lift like you.

#8

A lot of it has to do with these things I think.

Lift big weights, get big.
Lift weights fast, get big.
Keep lifting big weights fast for a while, keep getting big.

I don’t make any judgements about people who get violent with the weights.

Why don’t you just try talking to them… you know, like asking some questions about their training.

#9

Try not to judge what others are doing in the gym unless it’s really, really obviously bad.

The other day I heard someone say to a guy “that’s a good weight you’re using but your cheating way too much with those curls”

The response? “that’s why they’re called cheat curls”

So who knows, maybe it looks crazy to you but they have their own plan they’re working on.

#10

Yeah I’m going to have to agree with Sasquatch here. This has nothing to do with who can kick who’s ass or who’s stronger. Either way though throwing heavey weights around ALL the time will increase your chance of fucking yourself up and not being able to lift for awhile/ever again like you could if you kept your form in check more often.

#11

[quote]Boyle wrote:
Size doesn’t equate to strength, its been commented before that bodybuilders are generally weaker than they appear but strength althetes never are.[/quote]

I think this is bullshit. I truly believe there are some of you who would look at a bodybuilder with 20" arms and assume he’s weak. That’s retarded. It takes much strength to gain a lot of size. Also, this form issue has been touched on before. Someone much larger can get away with cheating more while still working their target muscle group more than a beginner could ever hope to.

I personally don’t go through a text book full range of motion when bench pressing. My training evolved into that, however, and I know what part of the exercise stresses my chest the most while also keeping me out of injury.

I think some of you could possibly learn more from the people you wanyt to critisize than you even realize. If some guy is truly that damn large and trains consistently, what honestly makes you think that they are dumber than you?

#12

Well X, that’s a pretty good point.

#13

[quote]Boyle wrote:
Size doesn’t equate to strength, its been commented before that bodybuilders are generally weaker than they appear but strength althetes never are.[/quote]

I’m just curious…

do you know of any top bodybuilders who are not strong?

the few top rated bodybuilders that I’ve seen are all strong a fuck…

do you know of any who are not?

#14

[quote]Professor X wrote:
I think this is bullshit. I truly believe there are some of you who would look at a bodybuilder with 20" arms and assume he’s weak. That’s retarded. It takes much strength to gain a lot of size. Also, this form issue has been touched on before. Someone much larger can get away with cheating more while still working their target muscle group more than a beginner could ever hope to.

I personally don’t go through a text book full range of motion when bench pressing. My training evolved into that, however, and I know what part of the exercise stresses my chest the most while also keeping me out of injury.

I think some of you could possibly learn more from the people you wanyt to critisize than you even realize. If some guy is truly that damn large and trains consistently, what honestly makes you think that they are dumber than you?[/quote]

[Applause, Applause] [Clapping loudly]
Thank you X again for busting through the bullshit.

#15

[quote]BIGRAGOO wrote:
[Applause, Applause] [Clapping loudly]
Thank you X again for busting through the bullshit.[/quote]

Ditto

#16

Should I also take the nutritional advice from the most muscular guys I know?
Like don’t consume pre or post workout nutrition, get really drunk two nights a week, eat at most 3 times a day.
Riiiiiight.

[quote]rswa wrote:
BIGRAGOO wrote:
[Applause, Applause] [Clapping loudly]
Thank you X again for busting through the bullshit.

Ditto

[/quote]

#17

[quote]NNNNate wrote:
Should I also take the nutritional advice from the most muscular guys I know?
Like don’t consume pre or post workout nutrition, get really drunk two nights a week, eat at most 3 times a day.
Riiiiiight.

[/quote]

Now does anyone really have to answer such a question? Take what’s good and leave the shit out. Come on man, don’t be an ass.

#18

Take what’s good and leave the shit out? To do that, I’d have to know what’s good and what’s shit before paying attention to these guys . . . so there’s really no point to paying attention to them.

[quote]BIGRAGOO wrote:
NNNNate wrote:
Should I also take the nutritional advice from the most muscular guys I know?
Like don’t consume pre or post workout nutrition, get really drunk two nights a week, eat at most 3 times a day.
Riiiiiight.

Now does anyone really have to answer such a question? Take what’s good and leave the shit out. Come on man, don’t be an ass.[/quote]

#19

[quote]NNNNate wrote:
Take what’s good and leave the shit out? To do that, I’d have to know what’s good and what’s shit before paying attention to these guys . . . so there’s really no point to paying attention to them.

[/quote]

I was assuming that you knew that getting drunk and the rest of your comment was the “shit” part.

#20

[quote]NNNNate wrote:
Take what’s good and leave the shit out? To do that, I’d have to know what’s good and what’s shit before paying attention to these guys . . . so there’s really no point to paying attention to them.

BIGRAGOO wrote:
NNNNate wrote:
Should I also take the nutritional advice from the most muscular guys I know?
Like don’t consume pre or post workout nutrition, get really drunk two nights a week, eat at most 3 times a day.
Riiiiiight.

Now does anyone really have to answer such a question? Take what’s good and leave the shit out. Come on man, don’t be an ass.

[/quote]

If that is the way your mind works, then I feel sorry for you. I have learned something from everyone I have ever worked out with, whether it was the simple concept of pushing past perceived limits or the realization that we do not all recover the same.

You learn what is crap and what isn’t by learning what is basic as fact. That means open a biology book and learn how your body works. Learn the names of each muscle and their actions. Those things are constants. By your logic, you might as well die now because you will never know who to learn from in life and who is telling you straight bullshit.