I appreciate your response. I didn’t mean that you actually would beef up to that weight. I was just curious from a theoretical perspective. Max potential and reality don’t line up very often because if real life. Ya know, jobs, wives, kids, alcohol, etc.
I know I could improve with a diet coach and even strength coach but I’d have to treat it like a full time job with 100% commitment…like a competitive bodybuilder. But I like having a job and family so there’s no point in obsessing that way.
I said I was happy with where I’m at considering my circumstances and I meant it. I still want to improve but it doesn’t define me. Husband, father, son, brother, friend, weightlifter in that order.
In regards to your body set point I’ve experienced similar results. It’s like I have a factory default weight. I train hard and gain or get sick and lose but I always end up between 220-230 depending on body fat. It may not be proven yet but I believe it.
all i do now is rings and some explsoive bodyweight as warmup
then a bastardized layers on 2 lifts (SGHP, bp press from pins), front squat as auxiliary
with lots of ring rows and pullups
and my body has morphed to be very lat heavy but smaller evyerhwere else.
i even find i walk differently, my gait now is like a gymnast, motor patterns ingrained to walk around with wide lats but seemingly nothing else (this is just internal feeling, exteranlly everyone remarks i’m too muscular…esp. in japan now)
my body looked and felt very different when i did built for bad or focused heavily on barbell lifts (vs. rings)
I’ve actually noticed that too… my gait is different when I train for bodybuilding, powerlifting, weightlifting, crossfit of gymnastics… I think the muscles worked and type of muscle action plays a role, but also the psychological mindset… it’s almost like my psychological mindset changes depending on the type of training I’m doing.
i prance around a lot now, i mean i guess you can call it graceful (hopefully not effiminate). my workouts feel much more like skill practice (rather than poudning the weights), less violent
when i did the layers and heavy barbell i had much more of a gorilla swag and my workouts felt much more aggressive, violent
when i used ot do lots of DB work (especailly for chest) and didn’t have full body balance/ideal posture, i had puffy pecs and nothing else, looked very silly
have you seen the studies on how POWER POSING/your posture effects your hormonal output?
basically the more expansive your body position throughout the day (i.e. lat spread) the more testosterone you produce and less cortisol
i find that it impacts my gym performance and even apperance
Tangentially on the genetic elite primarily being involved in football (and other well-paid sports) - I think the reasons we’re seeing powerlifting records being shattered all the time in frequent years, and you just see much better and higher lifts overall all over the gyms/internet is because of the increased popularity, thus just a lot more people with better genetics competing. Powerlifitng, especially raw, really has exploded in popularity over the last years. There is also something to be said about the plethora of really really good information and resources that is now freely available. It’s probably a mix of both.
That’s so interesting you say that. I was curious about it and asked years ago but I couldn’t phrase it right.
Basically my thought was that you have a total amount of muscle to distribute, and you can either have a total body distribution that is “even” or you can sacrifice certain areas to enhance others (both within limits, you can’t whittle your legs to 10" to have 30" arms)
I’ve recently been slightly deemphasizing my legs to spec my shoulders/chest area. Only like 6 weeks in so no major shifts yet but after 6 months I should be able to tell.
Sorry to continue the thread hijack, but I also totally feel as though I have a different gait after switching to olympic lifting last year, especially recently when I cleaned up the form and began focusing on rhomboid activation/high pulls. I feel much more upright (I’m a desk jockey) and even find myself walking more quickly around the office. Very intriguing thread.
Thought I would chime in. I have had verbatim, the exact same experience.
I noted that you mentioned that you knew someone who was 5’6" at 170 and about his genetic limit. I’m at the same height but with a very below average skeletal frame (currently ~160 at 8% with 27" waist). For past few years I figured I was simply doing things wrong that I couldn’t get much further muscle wise. Any time I would do a spec it would “eat” muscle else where in favor of the focused group.
I’ve made some progress recently but too much an emphasis on anything and it costs me.
There is definitely truth to the hypothesis!!!
I thought it would be also important to note that poliquin had mentioned something along the lines of the space of your bicep tendon at the elbow when flexed 90° and the relation to one’s genetics.
If you could fit two fingers in then that would be considered average. One finger or less and you are genetically gifted. Three fingers or more and your on the less fortunate. (Don’t remember if its supinates or neutral as I get 3 and 2 respectively). But this may have relative value to the “guideline” of realistic expectations.
[Same as those with high gastrocnemises have poor calves vs low ones]
In the long run be the best version of “you” you can be and find happiness with that
Great statement. Hard to accept sometimes. For example, why the hell can’t I look like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson?! We’re the same height. It’s probably because he was already a beast as an adolescent. He’s gifted. I’m average. Some might say he’s paid to look awesome so it’s easier for him but he busts his ass to work out while filming movies.
Hey CT, your book looks great from the pictures, however on what status is this book? What I mean is do you have the same view on things in this book as you have now ? Your most recent way of thinking is probably included in the article for naturals (at least the official thinking ) however I know you started working on the book a year ? ago. I don’t want to say this negatively or anything I am just curious!
CT, one common theme in diet recommendations is EAT MORE PROTEIN. Eat your body weight in grams, eat double, triple, and on and on. Any recommendations on how to reach the right amounts without Frankenstein foods? I weigh 235 and I’m barely able to get 235 grams and that’s with a shake here and there. I already go through 6lbs of chicken breasts or thighs every week. I also mix in red meat and pork but not 6lbs worth.
Most of the chapters I personally wrote are more theory as well as training methods and do not talk about volume … so most is in line with my most current system. I also added a chapter about my latest findings as well as a training program.
I personally believe that there is no need for the natural athlete to go over 1g per pound of body weight. And that can be done without Frankenstein foods, especially if you can use shakes once in a while.
