Living with Muscle

[Ogrebear]

I wanted to ask something thats been bouncing around my head for a while- whats it like to live as or with a bodybuilder?

Not just the problems of getting clothes that fit , but things like travel, puiblic reactions, eating out, that sort of thing.

And also what is it like at the real top end- what must it be like to be a big as a competative bodybuilder. How difficult is it to move, bend, or walk? Whats the differances between on and off season? Whats sex like when your that big? Is it easy to break things when your that strong? Do supplements and drugs change the way family life works?

Reason I ask is because so many of the stories I read deal with the transformation, the growth of massive muscle but few seem to deal with the aftermath of what living huge must be like!

So please, please share your experancies!

Thanks.

[brent]

To the best of my knowledge, we don't have any freaky-huge, or pro bodybuilders at this site... yet. I hope that a bunch of us will be there in the next couple of years, and we will be able to tell you then. You do bring up a good point about stories not dealing with the aftermath. They do seem rather idealic. All I can say is that sometimes when things fall behind desks/shelves at work, I either have to carefully move everything (time consuming) or get someone with skinnier arms to reach for it for me. Also, at times when I've had my arms under my husband while we are on the bed, and I accidently flex, it hurts him. I used to think he was a wimp, but sometimes he gets bruises...

[wbhunk]

And not a bad subject for a story either. Absman did a good job of covering some aspects of this in his "Appollyon" series.

My experience, good or bad, was having an unexpected interview where I had to dress better than business casual.....and finding out that not a single shirt in my closet fit, as in I couldn't even get the collars closed!

[optimusx]

Pretty cool descriptions Brent (except for the bruising part)... While I'm not terrible big (by most standards), but there are some minor things that drive me nuts.

Clothing has been a small issue since, it seems, when you go up in clothes sizing everything goes up. Form fitting isn't going to really happen from buying clothes from a Dept. Store. XL shirts that fit well on the top seem to have enough room for a second person in the midsection. Same thing for pants (Std. Clothes were not made for people with larger than avg legs)

Another small little thing, is brushing into things and people. I've been apologizing more often the past year due to my growth and it's sorta annoying having to say "I'm sorry" or "Excuse Me" to everyone I bump into... I've even started to apologize to walls and objects out of habit.

I'm sure there are some other things, but nothing as recurrant.

Scott

[brent]

Originally Posted by optimusx

...
Another small little thing, is brushing into things and people. I've been apologizing more often the past year due to my growth and it's sorta annoying having to say "I'm sorry" or "Excuse Me" to everyone I bump into... I've even started to apologize to walls and objects out of habit.
...

This drives me nuts: why is it always my responcibility to move over? Women are by far the worst. They will walk into you with food in your hands, and not care, or blame you! I've stopped getting out of their way, and I've stopped apologizing. Go to a mall, it's awful.

[RadRx]

Brent,

Surely you can't possibly be referring to the people who assume they're entitled to walk down the middle of a hallway, can you? I also wouldn't consider myself a very large person, but for crying out loud, how much of my shirt am I expected to sand off by rubbing it along the wall before people clue into the fact that I can't move over any more.

Malls are a free-for-all IMO. I'm normally alone, and I don't understand how a family of 8 herding by can't see how much traffic they're stopping. And the 'Brittany and Tiffany's' (I've used that phrase for years) with their strollers and mochalotta chillers should spend more time moving their hips forward than side to side and less time bitching about dietary failures, manicures and the latest unwearable fashions.

On top of that I'm a fast walker, so people naturally assume that I'm overly aggressive when I breeze by. My assistant used to ask for more paperweights because when I was in a real rush my lab coat would flap by and blow papers from her desk. One of my co-workers at another facility used to pin a bell to her coat so that co-workers could hear her coming around a blind turn in a hall.

[brent]

Originally Posted by RadRx

...
And the 'Brittany and Tiffany's' (I've used that phrase for years) with their strollers and mochalotta chillers should spend more time moving their hips forward than side to side and less time bitching about dietary failures, manicures and the latest unwearable fashions.
...

I've always called them Tammies, as in Tacky Tammy, and her Tammettes.

[optimusx]

Originally Posted by RadRx

On top of that I'm a fast walker, so people naturally assume that I'm overly aggressive when I breeze by.

That's actually kinda funny, considering in High School people use to joke with me about how I could get from one end of the school to the other in the same amount of time it takes a "normal" student to go to the next room.

As far as bumping into people, Malls are not THAT bad.... Walmart is where you need a cow prod just to stay safe. The aisles are narrow and you always have people who love to stop and chat, therefore taking up entire aisles. A minor thing that irks me is when mother's have small kids and these kids are circling them like satellites and then the kids expect me to move out of their way. I swear, I'm going to Walmart this week during heavy "holiday" traffic and I'm just going to walk in straight lines all over the place. For every kid that bumps into me I'll just say "Pay attention to where you're going." (Of course "Holier are thy" mothers will probably retort with "Well, you're an adult... you should be watching out where you're going". Oy.


Here is another odd problem that sorta relates to having muscle. "Stupid Questions". It seems to come in waves. I will have a week or two where people ask the exact same things "Do you workout?" and "How much do you lift?". I like the attention and all, but still... I would hope that it would be obvious that I workout (maybe it's not) or that they would ask a more specific questions instead of "How much do you lift". Lift what? Incline Bench, Overhead Press, Squats? I think there are less "irritating" questions that could be asked like "What gym do you workout at?" or "What's your lifting routine" or "What are you specializing in... strength, size, definition?" But on the flipside I guess one must consider that such a question requires some perspective on the matter. So I guess I could let such a thing slide (if it didn't happen so often).

Scott

[Lucas88]

Originally Posted by brent

I've stopped getting out of their way, and I've stopped apologizing.

I'm with Brent. I'm not exactly hard to see coming but people seem to think they have this "right of ownership" when it comes to the middle of a hallway, or, worse, two people walking down the middle of the hallway side by side. I am very conscious of of my size and try to be curtious enough not to do bodily harm when people don't see me coming (like around corners) and if someone gives a little, I'll give...but when they look right at me and continue to take up "the middle lane," we're going to bump and I'm not likely to be the one to get hurt. Some people have this conception that being a generally nice person means you're a whimp...I love surprising them!

[RadRx]

Back to the original question, I'm told that broader shoulders and thicker lats mean having to stack pillows in order to sleep comfortably and not wake up with neck stiffness.

Clothing issue has been covered. AbNFitch had a tapered line last year, but the odds of being able to wear their clothes to work are slim. They may be on a bit of a slide after losing over $60 million in 2 separate lawsuits recently.

Little old ladies complain about being cramped on planes; bodybuilders don't stand a chance.

How tough is it to actually concentrate on a workout with people interrupting you to flirt/interrogate all the time?

[optimusx]

Planes.. ooh... ever been stuck on a plane for 12 hours? Esp. in coach? Not a pretty site. I've been lucky the past few long flights and have had those odd seats where there is no one next to you or you're in one of the tail seats where they've placed two seats in a spot versus three. Forget the dinner trays also. I think you have to be 5'6 and 125 pounds to actually have those things far enough away from you to eat somewhat comfortably.

Hmm.. stiff necks from thicker lats/broader shoulders.. that sounds familiar. I've been having a tight neck/upper back for quite a while (past few weeks since I started to really hit the lats and back more), maybe there is truth to this...

Now that you mention it I have had also an increase in "interruptions" in the gym. Everything from "What are you drinking in that bottle" to "Do you need any help lifting that"... on a Leg Press Seems like people just want an excuse to interupt. Nothings really wrong with that as long as it doesn't mess up my timing between sets.

Here's a question along the same vein for others.... do people tend to leave you alone the bigger you get? I've also noticed that as a seperate trend. Those who workout regularly see me and they "know" me so they don't mind butting in. But those that are "irregulars" seem to avoid all eye contact and quickly scurry away when I approach a machine they are near. Maybe It's just me.

[glammaman2000]

i tend to sleep on my side;&was waking up with terrible shoulder pain,until i realized i was getting broader&needed a second pillow.i've worked out in"gayer"gyms&noticed a reverse problem:smaller guys so concerned about getting pushed around;they push around us(sweet)big guys!i've mentioned this to some of the other,bigger guys&they've noticed it,too.("ok,please tell your therapist i'd like to use the squat rack,now.")

[RadRx]

As for the 12-hour flight -- been there. Although it does nothing for relieving the confinement issues, those U-shaped neck pillows are great for letting one sleep. In case you're wondering it works by preventing your neck from moving side to side, so there's no jerk reflex to wake you up as you doze off. As an added benefit if you're asleep folks may tend to forgive hanging limbs into the aisle of the plane.

Tempur-pedic mattresses and pillows are great at relieving spinal pressure for a good night of sleep. If you're more (ahem) active in the intercourse department they'll probably put you off since there is no bounce to them like ordinary mattresses.

On a slightly less positive note, one of my trainers said that after a certain size it gets difficult to wipe. Not a pleasant thought at all.

In one of Jay Cutler's videos he has to have some help peeling off a tight tank top. I'm sure that tighter fitting clothes might tear easily if you just grab and pull it off like a ragtop.

All of this clothing talk reminds me of a Musclehedz cartoon with some guy answering a huge BB's ad looking to hire someone 'punctual, discreet and can tie shoes.'

The constant grabbing and physicality is probably a real issue. Everyone assumes that a bigger guy won't mind being punched as a bonding ritual. I don't have to worry about that (or being asked exercise advice); there are guys MUCH bigger than me at Gold's in Venice.

[Notbigenuff]

This problem of people taking up entire hallways isn't that new, of course--I've noticed it for years--but I sure think that it's getting worse. Sometimes I like to see which group in the mall, sidewalk, park, wherever is taking up the most walkway with the smallest number of people. My best observation like this is two, fairly thin people no less, taking up a wide airport hall big enough for at least 8 people to walk side by side. They did have the assistance of their "carry on" luggage (which seemed to be the size of old fashioned "steamer" trunks).

It's enough to make me wonder if other people see me as taking up too much space sometimes!

As for questions--my current favorite is one I got this past summer, "so, do you come by those muscles naturally or do you workout." Gee, I wish I knew that there was an easier option to get some muscle!

[brent]

Scott,

Originally Posted by optimusx

...
Walmart is where you need a cow prod just to stay safe. The aisles are narrow and
...
mother's have small kids and these kids are circling them like satellites and then the kids expect me to move out of their way.
...

Yeah, Wal?Mart is like a special new joy for me now that I've moved to Las Vegas. In Portland, we had a great store called Fred Meyer's that is a good enough store that Wal?Mart hasn't been able to get a foot-hold there. So now, no service, little service, depressing interiors, employees that don't speak English or Spanish, and prices that really aren't that low is like a special new joy to me. A new joy that I learned to avoid once the kitsch wore off. I know just the mothers you are talking about, and they rarely speak English either. My suggestion is to tell them to leash those little monsters! Better yet, avoid that Hell-hole altogether.

RadRx,
I don't see wiping as a problem: there are different positions from which to achieve this task! Also, I think you can have a traditional mattress with some bounce, but with a nice foam pillow, and a smaller pillow underneath to get the height needed.

However all of that is an abstraction right now, because of my current dependance on Vicodin.

[falseyedee]

way back when, before multiple injuries, i was a bodybuilder and competed in some local natural contests. at my biggest, off season, i weighed 215 lbs at 5'-9" tall. i had 17-3/4" arms, 27-1/2" thighs, a 49" chest and was still managing to maintain a 36" waist. i wasn't ripped and super defined, but was big and thick. i worked in an office where i could wear polo shirts and jeans on days i didn't have to deal with clients.

it was the men in the office, the straight men in the office, who were most vocally admiring and complementary. two in particular were always admiring my size, especially of my arms and chest. these guys couldn't go a week without commenting on how big i looked, how big my arms were, or asking how i was progressing in the gym. one asked me to flex a couple of times. he was the one who always commented on how big my arms were and marvelled that i couldn't touch my right shoulder with my right hand [or left shoulder with left hand] because the mass of my biceps got in the way. he liked to see that demonstrated. nobody in the office ever asked if they could feel my muscles.

for a while when i was bodybuilding, i was single. i got a lot of attention when i went to the bars or clubbing. the other built guys weren't that interested, but the little skinny guys were always trying to find a way to touch my arms, chest, ass without asking. frankly, i didn't mind. there was one guy i dated a few times who really seemed to get off on how much bigger i was than him. he was about an inch taller and really skinny, 136 lbs or something. my fore arms were bigger than his biceps and my waist was the size of his chest. he was totally into feeling my muscles.

in the gym it was the straight guys who were most supportive of my bodybuilding and weight training. they were really interested in how much i could lift, what my maxes were stuff like that. more than once one of the regulars at the gym would ask me to flex my arms, or complement me on how much i was lifting.

i liked the attention. i was never as big as i wanted to be, nor as ripped as i wanted to be [i'd have killed to have 6 pack abs off season]. there was always somebody bigger, buffer and more defined. but i enjoyed being bigger and buffer than most. i enjoyed dressing to show off, even on the days i had to meet up with clients. given my build and how clothes are cut, it wasn't hard. i enjoyed people's double takes or turning around to get a second look after passing me. i knew it was because of my muscles and that just rocked.

[ottomun6]

Falseyedee, can you workout around your injuries? Maybe machine or cable exercises? I know what you mean about the extra attention you got. I haven't lifted for several months now, but I still get my arm squeezed or grabbed once in a while. A couple months ago, I was talking to a guy about some equipment and I saw his eyes drop down to my chest. And I dress conservatively at work (loose shirts and pants) I guess it still shows a bit.

P.S. yes I think people are becoming rude in the world of common courtesy. I was taught manners as a child. I think most parents have no concept or just plain forgot to teach it. When you think of it, it is the exact same behavior you see on the road. You put you lane change signal on and the other person actually speeds up to keep you from getting over. The whole world is getting neglegent as well, even the police (who are supposed to give out tickets if you don't signal) don't use signals either.

[puxa-ferro]

some pics related to this topic:


http://ruhl-movie.com/galerie/privaten.htm

markus s amazing, a REAL feak!

[RadRx]

Otto:

Speaking of police inaction, I was hit a few weeks ago by an unlicensed 15 year-old in a borrowed car. LAPD does not respond to accidents or file reports unless there is an injury (fortunately there wasn't). We actually did get an officer to stop, but he couldn't arrest the unlicensed driver because he hadn't actually seen him operating the vehicle. 2 people, 2 smashed cars -- logically I must have been driving both.

Back to the subject, how do bodybuilders react when they are not trying to get attention (looser clothes, reading &c) and still have get it anyway? We had a guy at work who competed and there were other employees that could not walk by without squeezing his shoulder or making a comment. It must have been very distracting.

[brent]

I am so sick & tired of people speeding up when I signal! I won't stop signaling, I'm a polite person in real life, but I watch for these people, and if they pull that, I immediately get over, then slow way down. My car is 5,700 pounds, thick steel, diamond plate bumpers, it's bigger, older, and uglier than most everything out there. Since most big guys are nice, and these are mostly women with kids in the back, I can take them, and their minivans on in a heartbeat. If they want to rear-end me, I'm braced for it, and I will F**k their world up!? That's my little thing, so don't cut off someone that's signaling. It's rude.

As for feeling biceps, several people at work feel mine regularly. Mostly straight women, that know I'm gay, so it isn't sexual harassment in any way. I think it's nice to have the hard work I've put in acknowledged, and they enjoy it too. Others, especially really big guys might not have the same attitude as me, but I think the only reason to build muscle is for my own, and other's enjoyment.

This thread has strayed WAY off topic, and as usual I'm as much (or more) to blame than anyone else. So, sorry to the original author.


? Sorry for that little outburst, I'm usually Mr. Positive, but that's something that really gets me going. As if drivers in Portland couldn't get any worse, I find that the drivers here in Las Vegas are like 10 times more aggressive. Too bad they can't work very hard when they get to their destination...

[glammaman2000]

...people are always asking you to help them move.always.

[bodybuilder101a]

I've always wondered about the day to day life as a freaky HUGE mass monster too. I saw a HUGE guy with his girlfriend in the mall in Perth & fillowed him for a about 5 minutes. Everyone that walked past him stared, some suppressed giggles, some simply, open mouthed. It must be amazing to get that sort of attention all day every day - he obviously loved it!
Another time I saw a huge guy in Sydney, he had to get his mate to pick up his wallet when he dropped it on the floor. he couldn't bend over. I've often wondered whether he'd done legs the day before or just was impeded by his BULK. I love the idea that u get so big that there are things that are impossible to do, it's very hot.
Can anyone tell me where the Appollyon story is by absman? Appawerntly it touches on this subject. Thanks.

[brent]

bodybuilder101a,
Very hot stories, thank you much, you should write about them in the Muscle sightings thread of the Real Life section. BTW Apollyon is in the second page of "A" stories here in the Evolution Archives. Please post often, Perth is the only city in Oz that I've ever been too, but God it was fun. Lots of hot guys too if memory serves.

Glamma, I don't mind helping people move, so long as they have a truck with a large payload so they can help me when I need to move. If they live in the city like you, and don't have wheel, then sorry, but "I have to work that day"...
However, I don't mind moving people, I work in a furniture store, and move furniture all day long. I could probably do it for a case of good beer.

[falseyedee]

Originally Posted by ottomun6

Falseyedee, can you workout around your injuries? Maybe machine or cable exercises? I know what you mean about the extra attention you got. I haven't lifted for several months now, but I still get my arm squeezed or grabbed once in a while. A couple months ago, I was talking to a guy about some equipment and I saw his eyes drop down to my chest. And I dress conservatively at work (loose shirts and pants) I guess it still shows a bit

i could work out around the injuries [both shoulders, both knees, et. al.] but there's just no way i could lift heavy again. i've flirted with the idea of just picking a muscle group and going for total freak-dom -- just working pecs or arms or calves. the idea does appeal to me. and i may do that [or just get back to the gym] in the future, but i'm self-employed and barely have time for my significant other let alone the gym. the crush will subside eventually and i'll be rich and living the life of leisure [ha!] and i'll be able to get back to it.

although i haven't been to the gym in quite some time, the muscle one builds does not go away. i was at a meeting and had my sleeves rolled up. out of the blue one of the contractors said, "damn, you've got big fore arms". it was like a little blast of nostalgia. i smiled and thanked him for noticing and then went on with the meeting. funny thing is, nobody else seemed to think his comment was weird...or if they did they didn't say anything.

when i was bodybuilding i had a friend volunteer to help me apply the fake tanning stuff. it was a couple of days before a competition. so i went to his apartment, with a fresh full body shave [i liked that, i'm not a hairy guy, but i really liked being shaved] and got naked while my friend applied the tanning stuff with a fairly small brush. as he painted my body, he'd talk about each muscle group and how big it was and how strong i looked. it was weird. it was embarrassing. but it got me totally hot.

i only mention the story because it's an extreme example of the kind of attention muscular guys get. people you don't know that well will suggest all kinds of mutual activities.

i knew a guy who didn't compete, but he should have. he was about 5'-10" and outweighed me at my biggest by a good 20 lbs. he was never in competition condition, but he was leaner than i was. the guy couldn't find clothes that fit to save his life. he liked being big and wanted to get bigger, but he was totally embarrassed when people noticed or made comments.

i think there was some ambivalence in his attitutde though because he'd workout in a "superman" t-shirt that had fit him at some point, but was now warn thin and really tight. i walked over to him in the gym and offered to be his jimmy olsen if he'd be my superman. that's how we met. he turned 8 shades of red. outside of the gym he was always wearing too big clothes like he was trying to hide. but there was just no hiding that much muscle.

[SithSpawn]

Hi all.

As I'm not of the muscular persuasion I thought I'd ask a few questions of the beefy guys if that's ok.

The first one is about the comment made about helping people move, I was just curious, as moving tends to involve shifting heavy items (pushing pianos upstairs and such) would you tend to do that on rest days, as well as your usual workouts or would you count that as the days workout and skip a day (depending on how hard the work was)?

Another thing that confuses me, why do some guys work out to become absolutely huge and then not compete and get embarrassed about their muscles and cover them up (or at least try)? Doesn't make sense to me.

Lastly, what are your friends like? I mean are they all into working out or do you have some that are overweight/skinny and not into the whole training thing? I don't mean (what we Brits call) mates, as in people that you know/hang out with from time to time, I mean genuine "Have a Kidney, it's not like I need two anyway" friends, ones that you've know for ages or just have a bond with that's unbreakable. (Unless they kill you of course, that'd fuck it right up)

That's all for now, feel free to answer or chat amongst yourselves, Toodle pip.

[glammaman2000]

if i workout FIRST,i can still help friends move.if they want help early,(they usually do,)that's enough for the day.sometimes,you don't feel like attracting attention.other times,it's GREAT!i remember getting on a bus once&hearing peopl making"look at the size of that guy"comments.being muscle-hungry myself;i looked around to see who they were talking about!in my best shape,in summer,i could run down the street screaming&get less attention.but bums will approach me,begging&hang a left when they see the arms,so that's good.i have a few friends of the"spare a kidney?"class,all different sizes.some are very muscular,but none are on steroids(you wouldn't want a juiced-up bodybuilder's organs,believe me!)

[brent]

OK, I'm far from huge, but I figure moving others isn't enough of a workout to alter my schedule: even pianos have wheels! So rest day, arms day, whatever, it doesn't matter.

As Glamma says, how you dress depends on what you're up to that day. If you are going out at night, you might put on a tight tee shirt. If you are hanging out with the family, you might put on something looser. If you are going to work, you might also go loose & conservative (or neutral in English).

Lastly, my friends tend to be skinny. They have their lives, and their own interests. Here in the US at least many people are WAY too uptight you talk enough to become friends.

[SithSpawn]

Um, could I just address a few points from the two posts above? Firstly, Toodle pip isn't a name, it's what some overly posh English people use instead of goodbye, and by overly posh I mean they always wear tweed, at least 3 layers of clothing (including a vest) even in the summer and tend to put the word "what" at the end of sentences.

Second, to quote Brent "If you are going to work, you might also go loose & conservative (or neutral in English)" We use the word conservative in England as well, unfortunately it's the name of a rather embarrassing political party (Maggie Thatchers lot, in case you didn't know)

Lastly, people are extremely uptight in Briton as well so don't think you've got the monopoly on them over there, lol, must be all the American tv we get.

The reason I asked about what type of friends you have is because I got some private messages on here, but as soon as the guy found out I wasn't a bodybuilder (or even remotely fit) he stopped talking, so I just wondered whether you can share interests with your friends besides training and moving furniture.

? plus tard.

[brent]

OK, I heard something about dressing for a job interview, and they said that what we call conservative is call neutral in England, so blme PRI, not me. I've never been to England. I'd like to, but it's sort of an expencive flight. I try to make things in my posts easily understood no matter where you are from, because of the world-wide nature of the world wide web... I also hate the party of the Iron Maiden, but at least England has had female PM, and we have yet to get a feale president.

Originally Posted by SithSpawn

...

Lastly, people are extremely uptight in Briton as well so don't think you've got the monopoly on them over there, lol, must be all the American tv we get.
...

It could be, or it could be the other way around.
It might be that we are uptight since we were an English colony. Who knows?

As for the guy that stopped talking to you because he wasn't your type, f**k him. I'm sure you are smart & have a lot more to offer the world than your bench press stats...

[paarke]

The English? Uptight? Next you'll be saying that it rains all the time and we talk about the weather all day. Anyway, I need to go and dry my umbrella and the 7 day forecast is on News 24 in a few minutes.

[brent]

Originally Posted by paarke

...
Next you'll be saying that it rains all the time and we talk about the weather all day. ...

Boy you make me glad I moved down here from Oregon. I used to keep 6 umbrellas in my car so that I could have a few drying, and still have enough for my friends & I. As much as I love the desert, we are really going off topic. Sorry Sith.

[ottomun6]

Originally Posted by glammaman2000

...people are always asking you to help them move.always.

Yes! That's a big one! Also they always look at you when something needs to be lifted.

[SithSpawn]

Originally Posted by brent

OK, I heard something about dressing for a job interview, and they said that what we call conservative is call neutral in England, so blme PRI, not me.

Really? As far as i knew neutral was when you take the car out of gear, either that or it's what the f**king annoying House doctor bitch keeps calling it when she paints houses in bland colours, thanks for sending her over to us guys .

Originally Posted by brent

I've never been to England. I'd like to, but it's sort of an expensive flight.

You're not missing much, and it's bloody expensive when you get there as well unless there's a damn good dollar rate.

Originally Posted by brent

I also hate the party of the Iron Maiden, but at least England has had female PM, and we have yet to get a female president.

Iron Lady, Iron Maiden are the band, or the medievil torture device, take your pick.

Originally Posted by brent

I'm sure you are smart & have a lot more to offer the world than your bench press stats...

Thanks for that, if you fancy a good laugh then I'll tell you them . Anyway, what was the topic again? Oh yeah, Living with muscle. Umm, no more questions your honor.

[brent]

Originally Posted by SithSpawn

...
the f**king annoying House doctor bitch keeps calling it when she paints houses in bland colours, thanks for sending her over to us guys .
...

You're very welcome! (We didn't want Ms. Maurice here either.) Since I no longer Subscribe to digital cable, I no longer get BBC America, and there fore no more House Doctor! Ha, ha, ha, ha! Seriously though, this country is over-flowing with women just like her. I help at least 20 of them every single day...

[ethernet_jock]

Originally Posted by ottomun6

Yes! That's a big one! Also they always look at you when something needs to be lifted.

Now THERE'S something I can identify with. Don't you just *hate* that?

Standing in a group of people - co-workers, friends, and/or family staring at something that needs to be moved for some reason or another...

why do they always look at me?!? Never once from these people do I get a compliment on physique - never - and yet they always look at me when something needs to get moved or ask me when they need help moving!! why?!?

I mean - what if I'm tired... and I don't wanna move that huge box of copier paper or the 5 gal. water jugs for the 3rd time this week? really... how rude. *snicker*

To answer one of the questions I read earlier in this thread... or to reiterate glam and Brent's answer.... I'm not sure where the point was to which "normal" activity seemed to not be good enough to keep me away from the gym but it happened sometime within the last 12-18 months where helping someone move was not enough lifting to keep me from going to the gym the very next morning or later that same day. It's odd, I can't recall when I passed that line... but I can remember about 5 or 6 years ago that helping someone move or doing heavy yard work would be enough to exhaust me for 2 or 3 days or even a full week!..... and now I can workout the next day without much ill effect at all unless it was a REALLY strenuous activity. What's up with that?

[brent]

EJ, you'll have to consider being asked to move things that others can't as a compliment in itself. I think I mentioned this in another thread, but 5 days ago, hen my store got it's shipment in, I saw 2 of my male coworkers struggling over moving a mirror. The 2 of them couldn't even pick it up together! This was my first day back after my accident, and I felt like crap still, but i felt sorry for them. So I told them to move over, and picked it up and moved it myself. I felt pretty good that even in recovery I was still more useful than 2 regular guys!

[arpeejay]

I'm not the biggest guy in the world (not by any stretch of the imagination) but I've got pretty wide shoulders and, yes, I sleep on my side with two pillows because otherwise I get a crick in my neck. Airplane seats aren't usually too bad unless I'm between 2 guys my size or bigger in which case we're rubbing shoulders the whole way. (They're usually straight, slightly overweight businessmen so it winds up just being uncomfortable, not fun!)

You'd think being bigger might help in a crowded bar but it's really the other way around for me. My much smaller partner (Jeremy was 5'8, 135 lbs. to my 5'10 1/2 & 220 lbs.) could slip and slide through little gaps on dance floor where I'd get stuck. (I'm sorry, I just wasn't brought up to run over people.)

Oh, and who else has this problem? Meaty thighs rub together and wind up wearing out the crotch area of dress pants? I hate to think how many pairs of slacks I've lost because of that!

Good thread!

xoxo

Richard

[BigSteve6ft3]

About being asked to move stuff: Brent's right, EJ. Being asked to move a heavy object is a compliment on your physique. Most people are reluctant to directly compliment your physique. They're afraid it will come across as too familiar/flirtatious/gay or whatever, depending on the person. But when they think of you first when it comes to heavy lifting, they're saying, in effect, "wow, this guy looks strong." Think of it as being the first guy picked for the team.

Personally I usually enjoy these little breaks from the usual routine. And occassionally, they can lead to more direct compliments. A while back a bunch of us were trying to decide how to move a very heavy piece of equipment (well over a ton). After a few vetoed suggestions, one wise-ass chimed in and said "Hell, why don't we just let Steve take one end and Don (another big guy) take the other, and they can carry the thing out of here no problem."

Brent, great story about moving the mirror that two other guys couldn't handle together! Did they say anything to you about it? I hope they were properly appreciative. I have to laugh when I imagine the looks on their faces when they saw that big guy with a bloody zipper in his skull easily walk off with the thing they were struggling with.

[traveller]

MOVING/LIFTING THINGS:
* Strangers and people I know aren't shy about asking me to move/lift things. Depending upon the circumstances I usually help out. On one plane flight, a nasty old crone barked an order to me that I put her suitcase in the overhead bin. I refused. I don't take orders from rude strangers.

SLEEPING:
* At home I have at least 2 pillows in bed to support my head when I'm sleeping on my side.
* The past few years I noticed that I may have sleep apnea which I associate with getting older and heavier. Since I don't intend to lower my bodyweight, I endured 2 overnight tests in a sleep clinic to analyze my sleeping problem. I now use a CPAP machine when I sleep. I asked around my gym about other people having sleeping problems. One heavyweight bodybuilder, who tends to stay lean year round, has sleep apnea but hasn't done anything about it. Another bodybuilder, who's cycling up to 200 from 180, only snores when he's at a heavier weight.

BEING TOUCHED:
* Guys (straight and gay) like to touch or feel my arms. Last weekend, when I helped move my old college roommate's furniture to his new house, he sometimes copped a feel--annoying to say the least.

BODY CHANGES:
* My range of motion for my arms has become more limited over time. I'm seeing a rolfer/ART massage therapist who's helping me restore flexibility.
* I noticed it's harder for me to do pullups at a higher bodyweight; sounds a bit obvious. But, a 10 lb. weight gain causes me to lower the number of reps I do, even though I may have done more reps at a lower bodyweight with an added weight hanging from my waist.
* It's harder for massage therapists to give me a deep massage. My massage therapist has some difficulty at times going deep in certain problem muscles, e.g., radial brachialis, outer pecs, and various parts of my back. He's not weak to say the least.

CLOTHING:
* Usual problem of finding clothes that fit a short and wide person; buying made to measure clothing helps immensely.

Traveller

[ethernet_jock]

LOL - thanks guys.... I suppose in a way you're right, it's like being picked first for the team. I guess I'm just not happy with simply being <the biggest guy currently available in a given group of 10 or 15> but that's me... never accept, always improve. I certainly have a lot of room for improvement before I join the ranks of the Steve's and Brent's

Incidentally - there was a joking/sarcastic tone in there....