Hi guys,
I’ve been lifting for many years:
30 years old
5’10
42-44imch chest
197lbs
32 inch waist
18% bf
Max numbers: BP-335, Front SQ-265, Push Press-215, DL-405
I’ve historically been. Full body ripptoe/Starr workout routine guy but just finished Thibedeaus Power Look program…my arms have always been something I’ve wanted bigger so I’m tending to flag them. I’ve always wNtes a linebacker/big safety look but also wouldn’t mind more definition…What say you?
Thanks and pull no punches 
Your BF% appears to be somewhat greater than 18, but the number itself is of little concern or use.
Your stated goal is to look like a safety or LB. You’re carrying enough mass to where, if you cut deep, you would have the lean, muscular look of a safety not named Laron Landry. On the other hand, looking like a LB would require gaining a significant amount of LBM. How you should proceed is, of course, up to you.
yeah i’d focus on leaning out a bit for next training phase. If like Thib templates give ‘Zombie apocalypse’ or ‘Athete Lean’ a whirl
Well full disclosure I went awol on my diet that day… that was 2hrs after a Chinese buffet… i also recently bought a scale that gives body fat an BMI (29 or 43 or 46). I know Im all over with that one but I can double check tonight.
I wrestled 103 in HS and the idea of “eat whatever, as much as you want” has always stuck with me… I’m debating his 6 weeks to superhero program… Arms look ok size wise?
Thanks again and keep em coming boys!
I would say they are proportional to the rest of your physique, so yes.
You’re looking good man. From the pictures my opinion is that if you were a bit leaner, and worked on your deltoids, you would look incredible.
Keep it up man!
Your arms are proportionate. You need to work on your delts and rhomboids. You have good lats. Be more conscious of your posture. In every picture, your shoulders are rolled forward.
Thanks for the kind words and advice! It’s nuts to hear all the advice I’m getting is pointing to cutting… I don’t disagree, I’ve just had a bulk mindset my whole life… I’m considering doing the above mentioned zombie workout for 4 weeks before doing Thibedeaus “6 weeks to super hero”… before I start lifting heavy and trying for size again…
The one concern I have is that I’m not sure I can swing the 5 days a week (or 7 if I go with the athlete program). Anyone have any other recommendations of a plan that won’t take me forever to do? I’d really like to to the superhero one but was told to wait 4 weeks before I do so anything in that realm, a meadows bodybuilding plan (which I can’t find) was suggested to me.
Also what exercise would you target for delts and rhomboids… I have the iron woody bands and an able to hook them to a pull-up bar on a nightly basis of that helps!
I’m presently doing face pulls and band pull apart nughtly… woulda thought it would have helped
Any advice for posture would help too-maybe up the farmers carries to every workout?
First of all, i’m glad you took my words as they were meant, complimentary and constructive, not critical.
Second, I have no idea what you’re referring to in hardly any of your post about what you are doing or planning to do.
Maybe i’m disconnected, but I don’t follow any specific plans, and i know very little about “functional” movements for training.
Specifically referring to your physique, and how to improve your delts and rhomboids (for posture); I would recommend overhead presses and lateral dumbbell raises, for your deltoids, and primarily rowing type exercises for your rhomboids (really emphasize the squeezing your shoulders together). That’s just for starters.
Forgive me if this is too basic. Just trying to help.
Yeah not at all… I very very much welcome constructive criticism…
My ultimate goal is to look like a, “Big Saftey”. Because of that, my workouts have typically been based on bench/cleans/squats because I was size focused.
Based on what I’m seeing and hearing, I now need to get rid of some of the fat I’ve picked up along the way.
I’m looking now for something-a program- that will cut my body fat down substantially and not obliterate my current muscle/strength.
I’ve read about the benefits of working your triceps and traps on a daily basis with resistance bands (typically until you get a good pump), and was wondering if there was an excerise(s) you’d recommend with said bands to target the muscles you spoke of.
You’re going to need much more glutes and you need more thickness and width to parts of your back. Reckon your delts could use some work as your traps and arms over power them.
More definition will require you to drop fat. This will help with the look of your back as well.
Which parts in particular on my back?
completely irrelevant. You don’t look the way you do because of one meal, don’t make excuses.
Your arms are proportional, if not big compared to everything else. That should be the least of your concerns, tbh. Your back looks underdeveloped, and your leg numbers are terrible as compared to your bench press. You clearly care a lot more about your upper body than you do your legs. So if that doesn’t bother you, fair enough. Your priorities are your own. But in my opinion, a balanced physique from top to bottom would result in a higher front squat than bench press. For me, when I was benching mid to high 300’s, I had a 400+ front squat and around a 550 back squat, 600 DL. But again, not everyone cares about legs, and you don’t have to.
I definitely would not do this. If you’re capable of doing farmers carries every workout, you’re not doing them heavy enough. That would involve such a light load that it will be ineffective for growth. I also don’t think farmers carries are a great movement for posture. The band pull aparts and face pulls ARE good. Keep that up.
I agree with others that dropping fat will make you look better. You don’t look like an athlete with your current bf level. I would prioritize fat loss, and I wouldn’t try to lose the fat through a workout program. That should be done through diet modification.
Hey man,
Thanks for the review and suggestions…I recently started doing the front squat, my back is probably somewhere around 350( been a while) so the spirit of your statement is true. And yes, my chest has recived the lions share of my attention over the year… for whatever reason my back never got a ton of attention.
Cool, yeah I’ve been thinking about adding pull-ups/chin-ups as well… my diet def needs to change
I love pull ups, they’ve been a staple for me for a long, long time. The vast majority of the back work I’ve done over the last 5 years has been pull ups, along with deadlifts and more recently heavy carries. I think those 3 movements alone can build a tremendous back. I think very heavy dumbbell rows are great too, I don’t do those as much as I should.
Thanks again! Yeah recently I’ve noticed my traps are really improving… until Christian Thibaudeau wrote about it, I never really realized the power look it can give ya…
Gents,
I was told (by Thibedeau) It would actually be best to do more of a bodybuilding program, like a Meadows plan for 4 weeks or so before doing something neural again.
I can’t find a meadows template and was wondering f anyone had a tried & true tempelate they like, before I start the “6 weeks to Superhero” by Thibedeau program. Would this be ok?:
Looking for a 3/4 day split
That’s great to have received direct advice about what you should do from one of the great coaches on this site.
There are more than one on this site, c’mon man.
I would listen to the direct advice that you were given from one of the great coaches on this site. Sure this would be OK, any program on this site would be OK. Do you want to do what is OK or what is best?
Edit: Damn, this thread was recommended to me and I didn’t realize it was 13days old. I’ll let myself out.