Has any one ever achieved their “ideal” Physique?
What I mean is, is there a point at which when you are happy with your size and bf% and just want to maintain.?
Honestly I have only ever meet a few people who were just trying to “maintain” and not really grow anymore…granted they were already very developed.
So is there an end goal for everyone?
i dont think i will ever be happy lol. when i finally achieve my ideal physique it wont be my ideal physique anymore, if that makes sense.
I think the closer you get to ‘ideal’ the more you are perturbed by the smallest of flaws, i think physique perfection is like the asymptote of a tangent function, a point you can get infinitely closer to but never reach.
[quote]ryan.b_96 wrote:
i dont think i will ever be happy lol. when i finally achieve my ideal physique it wont be my ideal physique anymore, if that makes sense.[/quote]
Thats EXACTLY how I feel. But I mean at some point Ronnie or Jay culter big, do you throw in the towel? or at leat just lift to maintain…
[quote]putter2712 wrote:
I think the closer you get to ‘ideal’ the more you are perturbed by the smallest of flaws, i think physique perfection is like the asymptote of a tangent function, a point you can get infinitely closer to but never reach.[/quote]
Well said!
A larger effort produces a smaller return the closer one gets to their potential.
Consider the investment over time required to progress beyond the first four or five years of serious training and it becomes clear that those who have optimized/maximized their physiques ‘love to lift’ for its own sake. There will be periods with little to no progress and most will experience an injury or more. Issues with the job and one’s personal life will create difficulties. If a lifter is expecting a continuous ‘pat on the back’ that adding lean muscle provides, there will be dark days indeed.
There is no such thing as maintenance…you improve or you regress, simply as that. I will turn 50 this summer. I started training in 1986 and I am certain my best training/competition days are in the rear view mirror, but I would never approach my training with that attitude.
[quote]Cron391 wrote:
[quote]ryan.b_96 wrote:
i dont think i will ever be happy lol. when i finally achieve my ideal physique it wont be my ideal physique anymore, if that makes sense.[/quote]
Thats EXACTLY how I feel. But I mean at some point Ronnie or Jay culter big, do you throw in the towel? or at leat just lift to maintain…
[/quote]
LOL. There is a reason you were only able to give two names of people like that. I doubt the rest of humanity has much to worry about as far as ever getting that big.
You are never satisfied if you are a bodybuilder. I have heard people say I was “big enough” since I was about 180lbs. I’m not lifting for them.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]Cron391 wrote:
[quote]ryan.b_96 wrote:
i dont think i will ever be happy lol. when i finally achieve my ideal physique it wont be my ideal physique anymore, if that makes sense.[/quote]
Thats EXACTLY how I feel. But I mean at some point Ronnie or Jay culter big, do you throw in the towel? or at leat just lift to maintain…
[/quote]
LOL. There is a reason you were only able to give two names of people like that. I doubt the rest of humanity has much to worry about as far as ever getting that big.
You are never satisfied if you are a bodybuilder. I have heard people say I was “big enough” since I was about 180lbs. I’m not lifting for them.[/quote]
Lol. It shocks me when somone (like my mom or gf) says “you’re big enough.” Just seems like it comes out of left field and is the last thing you expect to hear from anyone, especially knowing that you are not where you want to be.
I’m nowhere close to my ideal. Probably have about 40-50 lbs of muscle to go quite honestly. I’ll check in in ten years lol
Me at 200lbs lean is what I picture as my ideal. That will probably take me well into my 30s though. Then maybe I will grow into my old nickname from highschool “baby hulk”.
Zraw physique is beast atm.
[quote]Maiden3.16 wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]Cron391 wrote:
[quote]ryan.b_96 wrote:
i dont think i will ever be happy lol. when i finally achieve my ideal physique it wont be my ideal physique anymore, if that makes sense.[/quote]
Thats EXACTLY how I feel. But I mean at some point Ronnie or Jay culter big, do you throw in the towel? or at leat just lift to maintain…
[/quote]
LOL. There is a reason you were only able to give two names of people like that. I doubt the rest of humanity has much to worry about as far as ever getting that big.
You are never satisfied if you are a bodybuilder. I have heard people say I was “big enough” since I was about 180lbs. I’m not lifting for them.[/quote]
Lol. It shocks me when somone (like my mom or gf) says “you’re big enough.” Just seems like it comes out of left field and is the last thing you expect to hear from anyone, especially knowing that you are not where you want to be. [/quote]
Yeah I was getting that “you’re big enough” speech 20 pounds ago, Fuck that. As to the original question, I don’t think I’ll ever be TRULY satisfied with my physique. It’s like that saying that goes “you are your own worst critic” Well I’ll always find something that could use improvement on my physique.
Frank Zane has my ideal physique, and when I get there I will start training purely for strength and not for size. I have a few years to go I think. Maybe two if I have no setbacks. He wasn’t that huge, 180 I think, but his proportions are fucking perfect.
[quote]Aopocetx wrote:
Frank Zane has my ideal physique, and when I get there I will start training purely for strength and not for size. I have a few years to go I think. Maybe two if I have no setbacks. He wasn’t that huge, 180 I think, but his proportions are fucking perfect.[/quote]
im with you zane had a damn near perfect physique.
[quote]Aopocetx wrote:
Frank Zane has my ideal physique, and when I get there I will start training purely for strength and not for size. I have a few years to go I think. Maybe two if I have no setbacks. He wasn’t that huge, 180 I think, but his proportions are fucking perfect.[/quote]
So currently at 5’9 and 150 pounds at 24 years old with one year of training experience, you will look like a Mr. Olympia by the time you reach the ripe old age of 26?
Got it.
This forum is AWESOME.
Agree with VT’s sentiments, though Aopoctx’s (dumb) post should not be considered representative of these boards.
[quote]Aopocetx wrote:
Frank Zane has my ideal physique, and when I get there I will start training purely for strength and not for size. I have a few years to go I think. Maybe two if I have no setbacks. He wasn’t that huge, 180 I think, but his proportions are fucking perfect.[/quote]
Zane might’ve been 185 or so in contest, but he walked around at 200+ in (relatively) lean offseason shape. He also had the right bone structures and muscle bellies/inserts to get the absolute most out of that poundage. His may be a good physique to shoot for, but remember to keep your own attributes in mind. Different people look better with different bodyparts accentuated.
My ideal Physique. I understand the love for Zane, but this is the best blend of size and symmetry I’ve seen, plus he’s on the taller side I believe (6 feet??) which I can relate to more then the ‘average heighted’ BB’er.
I know just based on muscle bellies and such, I’ll never achieve this, but it’s something I shoot for, knowing that if I land a few notches under I’ll still look damn good. lol.
I like the comment about how different people’s structures will appear markedly different with various parts accentuated. I’ll also throw in the fact that heights and weights don’t really give a true picture of a physique. If Zane was 5’9, and competed at 180-185, admittedly assisted, you can compare him to some of today’s WNBF pros competing at similar weight, and Zane will look amazingly undersized.
Personally, I’d echo the thoughts about Paris’ build. Labrada is another great combo of size, shape and overall proportions that I’d love to emulate.
S
Mason Ryan
