When others notice ...

[Jaekel]

I saw a friend last weekend whom I haven't seen for about a year. I've always been sort of "squishy," and that was how I looked at our last meeting. I started P90X about three and a half weeks ago (after a couple of months of preparation to get me up to the level to actually do it), and have been having a wonderful time.

When I stepped out of the car to greet my old friend, his eyes got wide. As I walked up, he said "Wow... you look good!" It is definitely a motivator to keep growing.

[Calgary]

I got the fun "Fuck you're getting big" comment today...
I've actually lost weight dieting down, but the definition and hardness is starting to come in and it sure pops, even through clothes.

[helliot]

Last night I met up with some friends I see about once a month. We had been wandering around a local car show for several hours when one ended up walking behind me and said, "I didn't recognize you. Your shoulders have got so wide!" It made my night.

Then this morning I was wrestling around with the boyfriend when he said, "You're so substantial now."

[Grasshoppertoo]

I've been more serious about working out since last August and since the start of the new year I've been hearing often "have you been working out?"
I must say it's quite motivating to keep on going!

[Aielyn]

I suppose this goes here.

Today, I got a bit of an ego boost, even though I probably didn't really deserve it.

Was doing 45 degree leg presses, and I looked over my shoulder between sets to see a couple of guys looking at the leg press machine. My first thought was that they were waiting for the machine, so I asked them. One of the guys said "no, just working out how much weight you've got on there". I had 280 kg, I don't think that's a huge amount (not small, but not huge). I was doing it for full sets of 10, though.

As I said, it was a bit of an ego boost. Planning on pushing harder on it next week, when it's leg day again (was planning to do so prior to them noticing, it wasn't because of them). It's been a while since I pushed hard on the legs.

[rickdaddy]

............

[WhoDunIt]

Lol, hope it still works fo you too!

[dallasmsl]

RickDaddy,
You look great. Keep up the good work!

[1bigwoof]

Congrats on getting some attention! I think your friends here deserve to see the look in the tank top, too

[saab]

Met an old friend tonight. We used to work together about a year ago- he's not a big guy- maybe 5'3 and 120lbs- Before we were about to leave the bar he patted my arms--and exclaimed-- your arm is bigger than my leg!! I was relaxed- but when he said it I flexed my right arm (everyone at the table was shocked). It was such an awesome feeling. I'm pretty sure my arm was bigger than his leg, too. Since I have a 110lb advantage on him. Just more motivation to work out harder. On a quest now to put on about 30lbs!

[Vallance]

Back home from school for summer, and I went to the gym at home early before work the other morning, and there was a guy I had never seen at the front desk before. He greets me and says Hi and asks if I'm new because he's never seen me before (its a smaller gym in its chain, not as many people go to it). Anyways I go about my workout and as I'm leaving the guy at the front desks, starts asking me questions, how many days I work out, etc etc. And that he was surprised he had never seen me before, because I'm a "big guy". It was nice to hear! I don't really think I'm that big of a big guy! Still need to keep working hard, and packing on the muscle!

[arpeejay]

@ Vallance:

The usual, please...

Pix, dammit, pix!

Stats, dammit, stats!

xoxo

Richard

[Stealthwolf2]

As most recently as Saturday, I go to dinner with friends, and the first thing my friend says to me as I'm sitting down is "omg, your arms! You are bigger!" (this is the follow up response to another friend who had said this of me the night before. Granted, they haven't seen me for two weeks, but I couldn't imagine I was any bigger between then and now. But they swore I was.)

Anyway, as I'm sitting, she constantly stares at my arms. And then she starts to stare at my chest, and I become self conscious. Everyone around the table starts laughing and starts pretending how I talk is always coupled with bodybuilding poses, or how moving about makes me bump into things and people because of my shoulders or triceps.

"LET ME CHECK THE TIME!" [flex flex]
"I WANT TO GO OVER THERE!" [flex flex]
etc.

And then it becomes a game of making me feel self conscious staring at me as the night goes on. The shirt was an extra large and wasn't meant to be tight. I didn't think it was. But apparently, it's still revealing enough of my figure.

[latinherc]

Wow stealh..you deserved all that hard work is showing !!! next time wear an underarmour

[1bigwoof]

Originally Posted by latinherc

Wow stealh..you deserved all that hard work is showing !!! next time wear an underarmour

Good idea, latinherc!

Stealthwolf, how about a pic in the XL shirt you were wearing so we can judge for ourselves?

[bulkybud]

Was at a work/cookout gathering at a couple's house this weekend and I was wearing a sleeveless T-shirt and the wife kept checking out my arms. I caught her staring half a dozen times and knew she noticed I'd been putting in time at gym.

The husband and I were in the kitchen later rooting around in the refrigerator for beers and he found a protein shake I'm put in there and commented disdainfully, "Oh, it's some of your muscle stuff," and pushed it aside. He doesn't have a very high opinion of me spending so much time working out.

Later at the grill (it was a BYOP- 'Bring Your Own Protein' affair) I got out this huge chicken breast I brought and put it on to cook and the wife said, "You eat all that protein regularly? No wonder you look like that!" I just shot a glance at the hubby who didn't look very pleased and went on grilling.

Those two should talk.

Bulkybud

[raven79]

-That was a pretty funny story bulkybud!


Was at a work/cookout gathering at a couple's house this weekend and I was wearing a sleeveless T-shirt and the wife kept checking out my arms. I caught her staring half a dozen times and knew she noticed I'd been putting in time at gym.

The husband and I were in the kitchen later rooting around in the refrigerator for beers and he found a protein shake I'm put in there and commented disdainfully, "Oh, it's some of your muscle stuff," and pushed it aside. He doesn't have a very high opinion of me spending so much time working out.

Later at the grill (it was a BYOP- 'Bring Your Own Protein' affair) I got out this huge chicken breast I brought and put it on to cook and the wife said, "You eat all that protein regularly? No wonder you look like that!" I just shot a glance at the hubby who didn't look very pleased and went on grilling.

Those two should talk.

Bulkybud

[Jim USA]

Hey, Raven79. Great story. I'm pretty sure that is what working out is all about. Protein shakes, chicken breasts and having people notice the muscles when you go sleeveless. Sounds like a great day to me! Keep it up.

[geo07]

After working out for a while now, I finally got my first complement! (at least the first one that wasn't "you lost weight/got skinny") This past weekend, I was shopping with my mom and I tried on a shirt that was a little snug. I asked her opinion and she said I shouldn't get it because I wouldn't fit into it in a couple weeks due to all my lifting! Needless to say, I felt awesome!
Thinking back, I should've gotten it, just so I can have a shirt to rip in a month

[1bigwoof]

Congratulations, geo07....no problem, just work a little harder and you can still rip the BIGGER one!

[tautomer4314]

I haven't even been lifting weights for a month yet, and when my grandma grabbed my arm to hug me a little bit ago she said "WOW! You really are getting muscles!".

That was an awesome confidance boost to say the least, and shows that I am not just tricking myself into thinking I look bigger .

[saab]

Saw my parents for the first time in 8 months. Met them at the airport and I was wearing a loose fitting hawaiian shirt. Once we made it to the condo, I changed clothes to go to the pool with my sister and niece. When I walked out of the bedroom, everyone was staring at me. Dad asked if I was on steroids! When I last saw them I weighed around 205, now i'm sitting at 235. Feels great to be putting on some size again. Going to bulk up another year or so to try and get to around 270- then lean out for a clean 240-250. Probably won't see my family again for another year, so can't wait for the reaction again!

[arpeejay]

Originally Posted by saab

Saw my parents for the first time in 8 months. Met them at the airport and I was wearing a loose fitting hawaiian shirt. Once we made it to the condo, I changed clothes to go to the pool with my sister and niece. When I walked out of the bedroom, everyone was staring at me. Dad asked if I was on steroids! When I last saw them I weighed around 205, now i'm sitting at 235. Feels great to be putting on some size again. Going to bulk up another year or so to try and get to around 270- then lean out for a clean 240-250. Probably won't see my family again for another year, so can't wait for the reaction again!

Excellent!

Pix, dammit, pix! :-)

xoxo

Richard

[saab]

When I get back from vacation I will. Not sure how to do so though.

[powerlifter938]

I've gotten a few compliments at work. I work different locations, and each requires a different uniform. One day, I worked a location I hadn't in a while, and ran into a co-worker who almost immediately said to me, "Damn, dude, you been working out?!" Ran into him a few nights later in a different uniform that isnt as tight a fit and he says to some people around us, "This guys buff as fuck under that shirt!" which was very flattering.

Had a bigger guy squeeze my arm the other day. He didn't believe I worked out, but after he felt the arm he exclaimed, "Damn! Have you been working out???" too lol.

Here's a pic for reference, I'm hoping to get A LOT thicker:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...s/CIMG1870.jpg

[arpeejay]

Great pic, Powerlifter938! Stats?

xoxo

Richard

[annoyingone]

So I've always been really lanky, but over the past year I've been lifting more on top of being on my college's swim team. I barely fit into my medium shirts that line my closet so I've had to resort to tank tops for now if I want to be comfortable. And everyone in my family, even my own mom has said that I look like I've gotten bigger which is a great feeling because I was always the runt of my family

[powerlifter938]

UPDATE:

So I was out with friends tonight, and one tries to grab me by my arm, and touches it and my chest and exclaims, "Damn dude, youre buff! You've been working out!"

Him and another friend then started asking me to flex and started punching my chest to see how hard it is and checking out my arms. Then they asked to see me flex my back to see if I trained evenly, and as soon as I started flexing they were like "Oh, yea, yep, you can see it." and thats through my shirt! Very motivational since I'd been having doubts about my back. We were gonna arm wrestle but it didnt come quite come to that. Would've loved to assert myself as the strongest though

[1bigwoof]

Congrats, bud...it's very gratifying to get noticed like that. Use it as even more motivation!

[saab]

Got back to work and boss was handing me my paycheck- which includes a handshake. When he was shaking my hand he grabbed my bicep and asked if i had moved in to the gym- i laughed and said pretty much. He said i was going to have to get bigger shirts if i'm going to get bigger cus i didn't need to intimidate the clients-- lol, how awesome! Need to shop for some XXL shirts tomorrow!

[brent]

A couple weeks ago, I was picking up my mom & a friend of hers to a meeting. When the friend's husband dripped her off, and met me, he ended the meeting by saying, "Take care of those arms of yours!" I then dripped them off, and did some grocery shopping, and this little kid was pointing at me and saying stuff like, "Daddy, look at the big, strong man! Daddy look: he's really big and strong!...etc..." I felt really bad as this was only 2 days before Father's Day. I tried thinking of something nice to say, like, "Your dad's stronger since he takes care of you, and I don't have the patience to care for a kid" or something, but it seemed to complex, so I kept my mouth shut.

I work at a nutrition store, and lately I've had customers ask what they can take to look like me. Which is very flattering.

[bulkybud]

Today in the gym this big, buff guy walked into one of the rooms and I overheard him asking these two young guys if they were using a certain machine.

One of them said, "not us, that big guy in the tan shirt... him" and pointed at me as I returned to the room.

Kinda' made my day.

Bulkybud

[arpeejay]

Originally Posted by bulkybud

Today in the gym this big, buff guy walked into one of the rooms and I overheard him asking these two young guys if they were using a certain machine.

One of them said, "not us, that big guy in the tan shirt... him" and pointed at me as I returned to the room.

Kinda' made my day.

Bulkybud

You know the drill:

Pix, dammit, pix!

Stats, dammit, stats!

xoxo

Richard

[bulkybud]

Originally Posted by arpeejay

You know the drill:

Pix, dammit, pix!

Stats, dammit, stats!

xoxo

Richard

Pix probably won't be happening, but stats are about 6', 250 lbs., chest- 54", waist - ... too big but smaller than chest, arms- 18" cold, and as long as I wear a t-shirt, people tend to not notice the lack of abs.

When I commented that people were now calling me the "Big Guy", rather than the "Fat Guy", my gym owner said that once your chest is bigger than your waist, you start to look like a bodybuilder.

I'll take that.

Bulkybud

[bulkybud]

It's amazing how a few nice comments get you all fired up to work out.

This weekend I went to spend time with my family at a lake. We all decided to go swimming and I went and changed into my trunks and walked back out to the group. Apparently they had not seen me without a shirt for a few months.

My nephew said, "you're looking big."
My sister asked, "What are those muscles either side of your neck? Wow!"
I asked my sister to put some sunscreen on my shoulders and she said, "You've really been working out your back!"
Later, when we were bringing the boat into shore and I jumped off the bow to haul it in and the front of the boat bobbed way up and my brother-in-law said, "No, that wasn't a wave, it was just that gorilla jumping off the boat."

All in all, a good day.

Bulkybud

[Ragetiger]

Originally Posted by bulkybud

Pix probably won't be happening, but stats are about 6', 250 lbs., chest- 54", waist - ... too big but smaller than chest, arms- 18" cold, and as long as I wear a t-shirt, people tend to not notice the lack of abs.

Pretty impressive stats, big guy. Yeah it seems when people think of muscle they always think of cobblestone abs. Such an unfair stererotype, IMO. Like you my waist is smaller than my chest, which is great. I did a chat where i used my webcam and the guy liked seeing a bit of a "belly", still trying for a "muscle gut". As long as it's firm and doesn't look like flab, I'm okay with it.

[traveller]

Yesterday at my local Peets Coffee, one of the workers asked what I was doing lately because he noticed my traps are getting bigger. That helped get me out of my morning fog.

-traveller

[bulkybud]

Originally Posted by traveller

Yesterday at my local Peets Coffee, one of the workers asked what I was doing lately because he noticed my traps are getting bigger. That helped get me out of my morning fog.

I'm finding that it's hard to hide traps. Pecs, arms, and abs can disappear under fabric, but traps push right up through any shirt you wear.

I hear that in Sweden's crackdown on steroids where they are "muscle-profiling" any overly muscular person to haul in for a drug test, they mainly look for trap development as it's hard to conceal.

You must be growing- people are noticing!

Bulkybud.

[stronguns]

One of my co-workers grabbed my traps, squeezed and commented, gee you're really tight. Need to loosen those things up, feels like warm marble. Nah, I'm just in the loading phase of creatine. Always makes my muscles hard to the touch even when relaxed.

[dodoria21]

i like reading these various scenarios you guys have shared. can't wait until I start getting reactions from people, particular friends who have only known me to look average