When others notice ...

[arpeejay]

@ MB82000:

You know the drill...

"Pix, dammit, pix!"

"Stats, dammit, stats!"

xoxo

Richard

[lgarms77]

I found this thread pretty cool and had two stories that just happened to me recently. I have a friend who has been lifting on and off for years. He's an arrogant fuck who thinks he's jacked but is a cut like 165lbs so he looks alot bigger then he really is. well anyway, we hadnt seen each other for about 4 to 5 months and I went by his place the other day to pick somthing up right after the gym. I was wearing a tight sleeveless muscle shirt and was pumped from the gym when I got there. He couldnt stop staring at my arms! which btw are like 2-3 inches bigger then his now! i asked , What? and he just said your gettin big. I asked him if he wanted to see the gun show and he just got embarresed. fuckin sweet!

then this guy at work walked into me today. I barely budged. He says you're like walkin into a concrete wall! I just started laughing...

[lgarms77]

I found this thread pretty cool and had two stories that just happened to me recently. I have a friend who has been lifting on and off for years. He's an arrogant fuck who thinks he's jacked but is a cut like 165lbs so he looks alot bigger then he really is. well anyway, we hadnt seen each other for about 4 to 5 months and I went by his place the other day to pick somthing up right after the gym. I was wearing a tight sleeveless muscle shirt and was pumped from the gym when I got there. He couldnt stop staring at my arms! which btw are like 2-3 inches bigger then his now! i asked , What? and he just said your gettin big. I asked him if he wanted to see the gun show and he just got embarresed. fuckin sweet!

then this guy at work walked into me today. I barely budged. He says you're like walkin into a concrete wall! I just started laughing...

[RyBearATL]

I was having some blood drawn the other week. The phlebotomist said "oh, I have an easy time finding the vein on bodybuilders like you!"

I still think she was just being flattering, but it still made my day!

Best,
R

[inm]

I was walking out of the gym today, wearing a tight T over shoulders and arms pumped to max (well.. its tight over my chest. Where do people get shirts with a good taper?).
An instructor walks out of the elevator with me. "You've grown"! we talk a bit about what I was doing, all the while his eyes run all over my pecs, shoulders and arms. Finally I thanked him for the feedback and went on my way; its nice to be appreciated by a professional!

[WhoDunIt]

Apperently my boss has figured out what I'm up to, she keeps coming up to me had having me open her overly tightened bottles of Snapple every once in a while

[bulkybud]

Been back at the gym for about 7 months now and have had a few comments lately:

First-
I got to hear the words no bodybuilder wants to ever hear: "Are you still working out?"
"Yes," I said, trying not to look stricken, "why do you ask?"
"Your shirts aren't as tight as they used to be."
"I bought bigger shirts," I answered.

Second-
While in the lunch room at work a co-worker said, "How much more are you going to do this? You're huge!"
I was smiling the rest of the day.

Third-
Another friend commented when walking behind me: "I can tell you're getting somewhere with this weight-lifting- your hips are slimmer."
My pants are still tight through the waist and hips so I know that my hips aren't any slimmer. I think that my back and shoulders were starting to make my waist look smaller.

I'm okay with that.

Bulkybud.

[gogr2]

I was at RFI yesterday (Rapid Fielding Issue, army talk for "new equipment that you will have to haul to war that may or may not be useful"). Well, one of the issued items was a newer version of the IBA (Individual Body Armor). They had dudes fitting us to make sure we were comfortable and covered protection-wise. I get up there for a fitting and the guy says "are you planning on gaining weight?". My response, "oh no, I tend to loose the belly completely while on deployment." His response, "no, I meant up here." as he pats my chest. I guess I blushed because he smiled, yanked the IBA off and fitted the next size up. "Now you got room to grow a little more without loosing protection." He writes the size on my size sheet, takes the IBA off me and says, "Don't get too big, that back is already going to be an issue to keep covered." I was caught so off guard, all I could do was blush and say thanks.

[WhoDunIt]

Hahaha, nice and congrats on the compliment!

[inm]

Originally Posted by bulkybud

Been back at the gym for about 7 months now and have had a few comments lately:

First-
I got to hear the words no bodybuilder wants to ever hear: "Are you still working out?"
"Yes," I said, trying not to look stricken, "why do you ask?"
"Your shirts aren't as tight as they used to be."
"I bought bigger shirts," I answered.

Second-
While in the lunch room at work a co-worker said, "How much more are you going to do this? You're huge!"
I was smiling the rest of the day.

Third-
Another friend commented when walking behind me: "I can tell you're getting somewhere with this weight-lifting- your hips are slimmer."
My pants are still tight through the waist and hips so I know that my hips aren't any slimmer. I think that my back and shoulders were starting to make my waist look smaller.

I'm okay with that.

Bulkybud.

That's right, its your back and shoulders that create this nice V taper.. you're doing well indeed!

[Stealthwolf2]

Over the past 2 years I've been working out, I've gotten used to people I work with talking about my body, even if I still feel shy and uncomfortable about showing it. Comments like "Damn, your arms are so big" and the constant but subtle and polite (not to mention complimentary) gropes and touches I receive from women and men alike at the restaurant I work at have become common place.

But the other day, I went to a bar where there was a bartender who I used to work with before I started working out, about 4 years ago. He, to me, was always a wonderful muscular guy that I would picture in my mind as having the type of body I wanted. Well, during those 4 years, I've grown in both height and weight, and being about 6'3 and 225 now, I'm hard to miss. When I sat down, I noticed he kept looking at me as if he recognized me, but couldn't place from where, so I let him keep looking and wondering. Eventually though I flagged him down and told him I worked with him, and when he realized who I was his jaw hit the floor. lol. For the rest of the night he couldn't believe how "massive" I'd gotten. And then he told his friend to come over, came from behind the bar, and stood beside me. We were about the same height when we worked together, around 5'11-6'0, but I was 19 and he was 23, and he was a lot wider than me. But as I stood there beside him, the top of his head just about reached my eye level, and his friend said I looked "beastly" standing next to him. The bartender gave me a handshake and feigned a pained facial expression when I shook his hand as if I was crushing it. lol.

I couldn't explain how I felt. That night I realized that subconsciously I had always wanted to be his size when working with him those 4 years ago, thinking "that's how I want my clothes to fit on me/how I want my body to look" etc. But now that I was bigger than him in height and size...I couldn't wait to hit the gym even harder the next day!

And then yesterday while waiting for someone in the mall, pretty muscular guy asked me "do you play football for your college too?" I was wearing a UNC hat (I live in NC), but I told him "No. Recreationally, but not for a college or anything" he said "You've got the build of a fucking great tight end man. You definitely should play. Your height and size is ideal for a college tight end."

[Mdlftr]

Stealthwolf2,

All props to you, man, for your hard work!

GREAT Story!!

Congratulations!! May you get even bigger! Shoot, if you're only in your early 20's, you've got lots of time and room to grow!

Mdlftr

[traveller]

This past week some co-workers have asked if I've been losing weight. I told them in all honesty that I haven't. What I didn't tell them is that I gained 5 lbs. in the past two weeks because I'm on a mild cycle. My goal is to lean out for summer, so my weight gain wasn't intentional. I just hope to see my abs again in a few weeks.

On a side note, I find it odd that quite a few people at work freely discuss how they drink to excess during company outings/celebrations, but I would never mention that I'm taking chemical enhancements. I don't feel any resentment about the situation. I just have to make sure I censor myself. C'est la vie.

As for pictures, I may post some if I reach my goal.

--traveller

[Jim USA]

I, like so many people, am catching up with old college and high school friends via Facebook. One of my profile pics is in a t-shirt with arms crossed a la Mr. Clean and a friend from college commented that the more muscular I get, the smaller my head looks. And you know what? It's true!

[bodyman75]

I never thought I would get to the point where I can write an entry here, but here goes.

I've been working out on and off for several years now. I've never been able to include a workout routine for a long time for one reason or another, mostly I've got a three month run at the best.

I've finally reached a point in my life where I am able to concentrate on training as much as possible. I've had a three month run now, and now there is no end in sight. Besides irregularity my biggest culprits are my height (193 cm) and my belly, which still is a bit too large. I've noticed that if I'm not wearing a shirt any muscle gains are hardly noticeable because of my height and belly.

It's been unusually warm here for this time of year, and though the gym I go to has air conditioning, it still gets warm there when the sun is shining. For the first time in over a decade I dared to put a tank top on.

I've been a member of the same gym for some years now. The membership includes workout routine planning from a specified instructor. My instructor is basically also the best built guy in the gym: not the largest, but could definitely earn some points for perfectly balanced physique should he enter a bodybuilding contest. Anyways, the first year or so he phoned me regularly to ask if my routine needs updating, have I been able to attend or some other stuff that's part of the service. Anyways, last time he contacted me was over a year ago. I guess he had noticed that my training had been irregular and I don't that much of his help --- which he has been correct in assuming. Anyways, he's seen me at the gym almost every time I've been there the last few months.

Back to the tank top. I noticed that my arms actually got a pump during my workout, and since the shirt covered my midsection, I also noticed that my arms had actually grown in size. That felt a bit satisfying, but when I was leaving my instructor came in, said hello --- and I couldn't help but notice that his eyes widened a bit as he stared at my arms for a moment. This was yesterday.

Today he contacted me and asked if my routine needs updating. Simple as that, but I felt another six feet taller, and I no longer think that people will laugh at me should I wear a tank top to the gym.

[1bigwoof]

Congrats, bodyman! Tall guys definitely have to work even harder to make noticeable muscle gains. Take him up on his offer and let him put your routine into overdrive! Good luck.

[wolfman]

Recently I was helping my friend moving and we had to move some tables and my two buddies were shocked when they saw me carrying the table by myself and one said that I became an animal cause they had to carry it together and the other one said but look at his jacked, veiny arms (my arms were pretty pumped cause of heavy lifting and moving). I guess I am becoming stronger then my buddies, cool feeling I have to admit.

[mewletter]

Since I had being going to gym regularly for over a year, some of my friends had notice I had grown 'bigger'. Which is weird since my weight had not changed...

Still, if they can see the changes, I'm ok with that even though I hardly notice myself! I wonder how a person like me can be bigger and more buff without weight changes?

[niko777]

Maybe you lost some fat and gained muscle... lol.

[monstermusclebe]

You probably have gotten leaner? Less fat, more muscle? That is likely.

If it isn't that, well, the other possibility could be your newfound level of confidence in yourself, or what might be called your "presence." One way to put that is that you are more "here" than you were before.

When we try (generally unconsciously) to not be who we really are, or when we think less of ourselves than we really are, others sense this quality of self-diminishment.

And, FYI, 99.9% of people on the planet come from this place in themselves i.e. they have a core belief (often unconscious) that they are less than who they truly are, in one way or another. How can I know this? I have decades of experience in the field of self-development and personal growth, and have heard many stories from people with far more experience that I, from across the world.

It's funny that many of us, when we come to realize that we feel that we are less than who we truly are, go on to think that we are unique in this, that we are the only one who feels we are less. When the truth is, on one level or another, nearly all of us feel this way.

Anyone disagree with this? I'm curious.

Then, when we become more certain of ourselves, or when we are more authentic, more real; when we claim more of who we truly are, then we become more "present," and people notice this.

However, people don't generally know how to describe this difference. They see a difference, but they don't know exactly what it is or really how to describe what they are witnessing. In their mind's effort to fit this change into their boxes/categories of life, they'll come up with things that fit what they may already know about you. "Did you change your hair?" "Did you get laid?" "You look great today!"

For the guy they know is working out consistently and aiming to grow bigger muscles, they'll say: "You look bigger."

[mewletter]

At first I thought it's a myth that anyone could gain muscle and lose fat at same time, but I do kind of notice my pants slightly loose and my shirt sleeves tighter. Even one of the gym staff commented that I looked 'plain' before I started lifting weights regularly.

I think my mind is too slow to 'see' the positive changes.

[cyber]

My dad saw me shirtless the other day and his jaw dropped, he was left without comment, only few hours later he said that I build up some good muscles and that I am getting strong and he even squeezed my bicep and said to flex and commented 'oh, and this is all hard muscles, man!'. It was good feeling cause I was always weakest child in my family.

[Mdlftr]

Originally Posted by cyber

My dad saw me shirtless the other day and his jaw dropped, he was left without comment, only few hours later he said that I build up some good muscles and that I am getting strong and he even squeezed my bicep and said to flex and commented 'oh, and this is all hard muscles, man!'. It was good feeling cause I was always weakest child in my family.

Way to go, CYBER! I know the feeling

"It was good feeling cause I was always weakest child in my family."

been there, done that. Am DOING that! My Dad has always been kind of weird about bodybuilding and getting big and strong. Although he played sports in school, and won a city championship in tennis and medals in swimming, he always referred to himself as "skinny". He gave me and my older brother major complexes about the whole "strength and muscles" thing, as tied to "being a man" which has taken us both a lifetime to process and grow out of!

Good for you!

Mdlftr

[bigbob111]

I came accross someone elses musclegrowth experience last week. Two men were taking turns on the bench press with one of their girlfriends tagging along as a spotter at my gym. During a rest break she started rubbing her boyfriends chest and arms complimenting him about how much progress he had made and how much stronger he was. His friend also got the same treatment as she started inspecting the two of them and saying how much extra weight they were managing than before.

[bobbyboy]

A coworker told me my arms looked puffy the other day, then he asked if Ive been working out. I told him my arms are always like that..lol

The same day I caught my female manager checking me out.

[newmus]

last night i was doing back when two, yes 2! guys asked me to spot them on bench because "you look like you know what your doing". mind you these guys weren't scrawny (although the younger guy - with massive arms to die for, especially when you're leaning over his head while he's benching 365- was way too top heavy).
i think being asked to spot someone is probably one of my favorite examples of being noticed.

[brent]

Originally Posted by newmus

i think being asked to spot someone is probably one of my favorite examples of being noticed.

I have to agree. There is no easier way to get a spot out of me than when someone (that's well developed, and pressing a few plates) says to me, "...because you're the only one here that looks like they can handle this much weight."

[CanadianGordon]

I do note that when I started to do my legs a lot of the bigger guys looked at me as if I were nuts. Who does this stocky, fat little while guy think he is...

Then I rolled up the shorts and blasted my legs with the max for the machine.
I like to think they did a double take when I did the whole weight.

[Ragetiger]

Originally Posted by CanadianGordon

I do note that when I started to do my legs a lot of the bigger guys looked at me as if I were nuts. Who does this stocky, fat little while guy think he is...

Then I rolled up the shorts and blasted my legs with the max for the machine.
I like to think they did a double take when I did the whole weight.

I know that feeling all too well, even i doubt at times the weight I'm capable of lifting. Today I ended up doing 2 sets of 10 reps on sissy squat at the max weight 450 lbs. Even my trainer will sit there and pick up his jaw when I play with that machine.

[muscleboy82000]

My cable died last weekend and had to have the tech's some to repair it. For some strange reason, they actually showed up early and I did not have time to shower and change from the gym. Was wearing working shorts and a tanktop. I noticed that one of them kept looking at me. As they were about finished, one of them had to do some things outside, so we were alone. He stated asking questions about working out and stuff. He made the comment that he wished he had the time and motivation to lift and get big, like me. He asked a couple of questions, including what gym did I work out at. As he was finishing, he partner came back in and saw that he had not finished. He looked at his partner and said "will you stop talking with the bodybuilder and finish up because I want to go home" I was kind of funny but I did feel sorry that he was buster by his partner.

[WhoDunIt]

I had been talking with a couple co-workers about trying to find another job tonight since money's been tight lately and the so-so luck I've been having at it. One of them suggested trying to get a job as a repo man while figuring "Nobody'll give you any shit."

[Tronald]

After returning to the gym and losing 10lbs of torso fat, and on my way to adding 18lbs of muscle, I was doing yard work in a royal blue (but loose fitting, I thought) tee...

Neighbor (from across the street): "Hey [tronald] have you been working out?'
Me: "faithfully"
Neighbor: "Well your shirt...you should paint a big 'S' on it"
Me: "thanks! I'll consider it!"

Stats: 6' tall, 193lbs, 40-something

[bulkybud]

Went over Friday to de-virus a friend's computer wearing a sleeveless tee and as I was getting out of my car her husband said, "You didn't wear that to work today, did you? That would just be too intimidating."

Made my day.

Bulkybud

[dain45yl]

I'm still a long way from even my modest goal of putting on enough muscle to no longer be mistaken for a skeleton but those small compliments were a nice confidence boost.

My nephew has gained over 25 pounds of muscle in the past year (oh to be 16 again). anyway yesterday he ran into a kid that has been picking on him for years and as usual he started in on him again. Mike, who was only wearing a t-shirt, took off his coat, did a most muscular pose. The kid stopped in mid sentence, turned and walked quickly away mumbling something about arms being as big as his thighs. When Mike got home he had one of the best workouts of his life.

[WhoDunIt]

Lol, good for your nephew, I hope that kid thinks twice about who he picks on from here out!

[musclematt]

Yesterday during football i was asked to take off my shoulder pads, i wasn't wearing them and the ref actually checked and just replied "DAMN" made my day

[inm]

Originally Posted by musclematt

Yesterday during football i was asked to take off my shoulder pads, i wasn't wearing them and the ref actually checked and just replied "DAMN" made my day

JPGs, please! even just a partial of those shoulders

[TopHeavy]

I was driving home from the gym the other day when two guys pulled up next to me at the lights. They shouted to me and when I looked across, they laughed and did biceps-kissing actions. Made me feel like a huge, freaky bodybuilder! :-)

[1bigwoof]

Originally Posted by inm

JPGs, please! even just a partial of those shoulders

I agree! I used to be a football ref...I should double-check to make sure