Muscle sightings

[ethernet_jock]

just had to comment. I've only started actually going to a *real* gym about 6 months ago and it's really pretty shocking to me:

a.) How many incredibly buff guys there are in the world that go to my Bally's. I had no idea that I was such a wimp. LOL... well yeah I did... I just didn't want to fully admit it. Makes for GREAT inspiration tho.

and...

b.) How cool some of them can be. Sure, there are a few conceited pricks that hang out in thier little "clique" but most of them will gladly smile, nod, and say hello in passing in the free-weights area after they recognize you as "regular" for a couple months. They don't seem to care that I'm a total fat-ass wimp. :P

But given that, in reading through this thread. Some of you guys are incredibly brave!! I wear headphones and an mp3 player to work out and I generally stare at the ground as much as possible so that I don't have to worry about making eye contact and so that I can focus on what I'm doing instead of on that super-stud 2 machines down the row. The most I've ever done with someone I recognized regularly was nod and smile. One occasion a guy asked to rotate in-and-out with me on a very busy fly machine and on another rare occasion a really hot young and VERY cocky hispanic guy asked me to spot him on bench. I think he just wanted the attention, really, because he spends more time talking to the girls in the free weights area than he does lifting generally. But anyway - to my source question - guys really offer to let you feel their biceps and stuff when you remark about how impressive they are? this happens regularly??

Feeling biceps? I've had it offered to me a couple of time and a couple of times I've had guys feel mine when I offered it after some sincere complements from serious people I came to know as "regulars".

I can't say it happens regularly. I go to the gym to workout. I don't go there to cruise. Yeah, I see good lookin' guys but I don't stare at them. Primarily I watch their weights. If their pecs or tri's or bi's or traps or glutes happen to come into my view so much the better, but I'm watching the form and intensity of the guy.

When working out, I concentrate on my own actions. Must "stay in control of the weights". However, between sets, I have no reason to not watch other guys workout. I might learn something. If they notice me watching, I nod and smile and usually about then it's time for my next set. If they were ever to voice an objection to me watching them I'd apologize and say "sorry, just watching your form", but that hasn't happened yet.

I love to see a well performed set, and watch the guy "come down" from it after putting that last ounce of effort into it to park the weight. When he takes a breath and if he looks up and catches my eye I'll smile and ask "good set?" Usually he's pleased and will give a tired "yeah" and little smile back. If he's a grump I won't do it again.

[ottomun6]

Yeah, I am pretty much the same way, I don't really pay much attention to others until my rest between sets. At that point, I figure that I may glance around the room and casualy look at something. Sometimes it happens to be the guy that grunting out a set. And if he looks up at that time, I just knod.
Mirrors are probably the greatest invention of all time in the gym, because you are not looking at someone directly and you can't always tell if someone is looking at you directly or something else in the room.
As far as getting to feel someone's bicep, (I think I mentioned it before somewhere) There was this pretty buffed guy with some serious pectoral genes (he looked muscular like a intermediate bodybuilder but his pecs looked like they had gone pro!!) This guy came in with a couple of friends, saw me working out and a little later commented me on my biceps and then asked if he could feel them. I told him sure- IF- I can put my hands on those thick pecs!! We both exchanged compliments as well as a good feel, talked a bit then went back to our workouts. Dang , it would have been great if we were working the same body part, I definitely would have trained with him!

[ottomun6]

A while back, I worked at a factory. I was still in pretty good shape (about 180). And there was this other guy in another department that looked even bigger than me (around 5'11 and 215). Never knew him personally. I was a bit astonished a few months later when I bumped into him, he definitely expanded in overall size (about 245-250). He was so big that his inform was tight (He probably already outgrew the uniform from a few months ago, and was about to need another up-sizing!) I remember seeing this bull lumber to his car and I could see his pants almost scream from the strain of his big quads and glutes moving as he walked. After seeing all that musclebulk, I was bulking myself up as much as possible. I think this was noticed by another co-worker(about 6' and 190), because he told me that he used to workout and was now back to the lifting. And sure enough, a couple of months later, his build which previously was unremarkable was now suddenly so pronounced that his shoulders, chest and back were filling up the uniform (about 210). You could tell that another couple months would cause him to need to order a larger size as well. I think I noticed a couple of other guys getting veins on their biceps that year as well. PHEW!!

[ottomun6]

Last year, I was shopping at a wholesale club. As I approached the checkout, I noticed a very buffed guy at the front of the line (about 5'8" and 215-220lbs). And here I am about 10 people back in the line. Then as he turned to leave, I recognized his profile as one of the guys I knew at the gym several years earlier! I remember that he had these huge veins on his arms. But I can't remember his name. There was no way I was going to yell "Hey you!" across this crowded store.

[MJ1978]

Hehe, you never know. Missed opportunity. Could be that he noticed you as well, and might have been too shy to say anything. Be daring, be bold, and at the worst....you can cop out and say you mistook him for someone else. *wink*

[ottomun6]

Hey guys,
I hope these experiences give you some inspiration for getting to the gym and making those workouts count.
Man, I know we'd all would love hearing from your experiences too. It dosen't matter if you are buffed or not, but I bet there are some really interesting muscle sightings that would be great to hear about too. (But if you DID outgrow some old shirt, c'mon bud we wanna hear it!)
Seems like this is a popular topic (close to 4000 views at this point)

(P.S. -thanks you other guys with your posts!)

[ethernet_jock]

well - since you guys like hearing about this stuff.... :P

There's a ton of hot guys that frequent my gym, much hotter than me in various ways.... but there's 2 that stand out to me any time I see either of them.

#1 - I just saw on Tuesday. He's about 6'2" or 6'1" and gotta be at least 250 or 260lbs of just pure muscle and no older than 25. It's not the MOST lean muscle you've ever seen but his features push out through anything he decides to wear. Cotton t-shirts stretch to the limit around his pecs, well rounded shoulders, and super thick traps/neck. He looks like a walking advertisement for Nike during football season. Tuesday he came in and walked up to one of the sqat cages near to where I was shoulder pressing, picked up a barbell with a 45 and a 25 on each side already and immediately started to CURL it repetedly... like it was nothing (that's 185lbs total including the BB for those of you who aren't gym savvy). A few minutes later this hot bimbo chick that I sometimes see him with comes up and basically just drools and giggles all over him (sick and disappointing). Anyhow he does like a sick number of reps and sets of this weight barbell curling and I move to another piece of equipment before he's done. The whole time this girl is hanging on him and trying to talk to him and he's just pumping and CLEARLY checking himself out in the mirror. When he rests between sets he feels and squeezes his biceps and pecs in self-admiration.... sick and so hot. He just has this look tho of incredible strength and confidence... something about that kind of arrgance I find incredibly hot. I just sat and stared as his massive biceps flexing and inflating with blood and stretching the sleeves of his t-shirt, already stretched before pumping, to the utter limit. Very friggin' hot. I wish to hell that he'd wear a damn tank top or something but I probably wouldn't get any lifting done if he did that.

About a week before this, I happened to catch him on bench, pressing 275lbs over and over again like it was absolutely nothing. Sick.... in a really hot way. I just stood and stared as his huge pecs so obviously flexing and striating through his t-shirt that day. He's the only guy I've ever been so taken by as to not even pretend to not be looking and... from the appearance of his attitude, intentionally not even making eye contact with anyone watching him, he knows it. He seems to love the subtle attention and pretending like he's too important to even bother with a return look, smile, or nod.

I'm usually the guy in "control" if you know what I mean, when it comes to things of the not-so-straight variety.... this is the only guy I've ever seen who I immediately began wishing would put me in my place in EVERY way. Damn, can't get that boy outta my head.

The only thing disappointing about him was his tiny calves. He had pretty good thighs (but still not nearly as hot as his upper body) but his calves I think were about as thick as his forearms, maybe 15" or less. That would be the ONLY part of my body that would be stronger than his. I also wondered why he always wears t-shirts instead of muscle shirts or tank tops, if maybe he's trying to cover some steroid-induced acne. I don't like to think that about people, because it's so much hotter to me if he's that buff naturally. All the same I'm willing to ignore it for fantasy purposes. LOL

I'll tell you guys about #2 some other time. :P

[claygrant]

lol... I was wondering when you'd get to #2!

Thanks for sharing EJ! Did you happen to catch his name? It's interesting that he doesn't make eye contact with anyone. Maybe that arrogance is actually shyness.. you should talk to him to find out which!

[ethernet_jock]

my impression was that he was too busy admiring himself in the mirror to worry about anybody else looking at him... but you could be right.

Hmmm.... how much courage does it take? :P

[ottomun6]

Ouch! sorry to hear about the puny calf thing! I haven't seen much of that, but there were a couple of guys I remember that had just poor legs overall topped with a thickly developed upperbody. We called them the lightbulb look
And there seems to be so many guys out there that have these ENORMOUS calves that don't even workout. (20" or more) You can tell these guys have problems with full length socks because it would stretch out the elastic to the breaking point!
It always makes me wonder what would happen if they were the hit the weightroom?

I've seen a few puny calves during my time and it's not a pretty sight on a really buff upperbody and legs. It's so easy to train calves. I'd sometimes do it between sets.

Just stand on the edge of something a few inches off the floor and lower and raise your heels. (Couple times a week I'd stand behind an incline bench. The bottom support beam was about 2 or 3 inches off the floor, I'd hang on lightly to the top of the incline at about chest level. The balls of my feet on the edge of the beam then I'd do 50 or so calf raises (no weight) twice during each workout. Then once a week I'd have a torture calf session with 3 or 4 sets of HEAVY weights on a machine designed for that.

But since we've sidestepped to muscle sightings of unbalanced muscle, I always get a kick out of seeing the guys who think biceps are everything. Oh, yea guy, you've got great biceps, but your arm would be three times as big and a hell of a lot thicker if you worked that non-existant tricep!. Yea guy, you got a good arm but how the hell do you lift it with no deltoids. Sure you've got a good arm and delts but your head looks like a basket ball on a shelf, work on your traps boy!

My advice...Get somebody to take good physique photos of you every year at least, and see yourself as others see you. You don't have to publish them but they are priceless if you're serious about bodybuilding.

(PS: I've been a physique photographer too! Have camera, will travel (*grin*)

[ottomun6]

Come to think of it,I think I remember a guy that had these outrageous biceps, he was thin overall (about 5'9" and 155 lbs) but he had to be pushing the 19 inch mark on those arms!
Another thing that I am amazed over are the speed skaters, I never realized what I was missing until I was mesmerized by the sight of Eric Heiden back in his olympic days. Wow! those guys may not be much to look at in the upper body (typically skinny) but it looks so dramatic to see with such thickly developed legs!
Come to think of it, I seem to remember a reporter mentioning that several of the athletes had to have their offical Levis jeans special ordered to fit their legs. I have no idea of the measurements were typically, but I'd have to guess that a lot of these guys are close to 28-30" in the quad department.
I almost passed out a couple of years ago, when a big Russian (about 6'4") showed up towering over the other competitors. He even had the nerve to have huge quads as well. Would somebody please tell these guys (at least when they retire from the speed skating) to get to the gym and build up their upper bod? I would bet it would be comparatively easy for them.

[arpeejay]

If I recally correctly, Heiden in his prime speedskating day was 6'2, 195 lbs., with a 31 inch waist and 29 inch quads.

Mercy.

xoxo

rpj

[Bull]

Being a trainer in a gym, I have a good excuse for "looking" all I want, and no one thinks anything of it. I've never had anyone offer to let me feel their muscles, however! But yesterday, this hot guy asked me to measure his biceps. I took my time, let me tell ya! He was disapointed that they turned out to be only 16" pumped. I was surprised myself, as I would have guessed bigger. He is ripped though, so it just shows how much bigger muscle can appear when there is no fat on it.

[ottomun6]

Yo RPJ,
thanks for the Heiden stats!! I also remember him in an interview talking about his training- he used a board slicked with axle grease for resistance (slowly moving his feet back and forth) to help build up those tree trunk thighs. I know he's settled down and become a doctor, but can you imagine what he'd look like if he got into bodybuilding? (I'm thinking 35+ on those quads!

Hey Bull,
I know that guy was dissapointed, but he's gotta try to remember that's how the BIG BOYS are too. I mean, the guys bulk up and have mind boggling measurements and weigh a ton for the off season but, you don't hear as much about those measurements when they're ripped and contest ready.
I know how that feels to choose the bigger is better road vs. smaller but ripped look. Shoot! wouldn't it be great if you could build up to your biggest size ever AND be ripped to shreds?

[Notbigenuff]

This isn't so much a sighting as an up close experience...

A couple of years ago I finally talked a close friend of mine from college into working out with me on a regular basis (we live in the same town) and we started on a new bench routine I wanted to try. I guess because of his natural size he never really had an interest in getting bigger. He's always been a big guy and even before training regularly he had some of the best biceps I've ever seen--he did a lot of curls in his youth but not much else--and his arms were about 16 - 16.5" when we started working out together.

Well, within about three months not only did his bench increase dramatically, but he moved up a full shirt size (from XL to XXL) and most amazing to me, he put nearly 2" on his arms going from 16.5" when we started to nearly 18.5"--I've never seen anyone grow like that! And to the best of my knowledge, he was completely natural. It seemed that he grew a little every workout. His growth started to slow down though and within about 6 months he lost interest in training. But even now he has retained a lot of the size he gained and still wears XXL shirts that, frankly, are a little tight on him across the chest.

The oddest thing is that I always benched more weight than him--but never caught up to him size-wise. It seems a shame to me that here's a guy with the kind of potential many of us would give anything to have and he chooses not maximize it. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted!

[ottomun6]

Heynotbigenuff,
that sounds pretty wild. What was the height/weight of your buddy? And is there any chance you can look him up and talk him back into training with you? There have been times that I lost interest too, but when you run into a friend that has still been packing on the muscle, it seems to spark that natural competition that friends have.

[Notbigenuff]

He's just shy of 6' 2" and when we started training he weighed 220 lbs. As I said his gains came pretty quickly and by the time he stopped working out with me he was a fairly solid 235 lbs. Don't know if he will ever work out with me again as he is now a family man and that keeps him pretty busy. But, I think the main reason he started working out with me in the first place is because he noticed I was getting pretty close to his size and my workouts have been going real good lately so who knows?

[ottomun6]

Notbigenuff, I hope you get big enough to change his mind .
In fact I will be stopping by to vistit an old co-worker/ buddy/workout partner and his family sometime this summer. I haven't seen them for almost 10 years. And back then, my buddy was stunned at how buffed I was. As I recall, he went back to the weightroom after that visit. But I think he eventually quit again because of a growing family. But I have a feeling that he is going to start hitting the gym again this summer

[ottomun6]

Come to think of it, even though circumstances put my buddy in another part of the country, I have been invited to move out there several times. Maybe one day I will. Of course if I do, you can bet that we would be trying to out muscle each other.

[ottomun6]

I just remembered a sighting I had last summer, I was kind of creeping along in traffic and I just happened to look over at the gas station I was passing. There was a guy pumping his gas and he had a serious case of muscle-bound-ism (he was built like a sh*t brickhouse!) I wasn't close enough to see all details on him but I would guess that he had to be about 5'10" and about 230-240 lbs. His shoulders were huge, his back was thick and wide and his arms were just plain big! If only I needed to fill up (I had a full tank ) I'm gonna have to remember not to top it off so often.
Its amazing how you feel that you have to somehow say something to fellow bodybuilders, its almost like striking up a conversation with total strangers when you have the same model of car. I guess there's always that little bit of a bond of common interests.

[Notbigenuff]

Ottomun6,
Your last comment about feeling the need to talk to fellow bodybuilders got me to thinking ("a dangerous past-time, I know"--to quote a well known well-built animated character, guess who?) and my feeling is that it's out of a need to feel a sense of community.

For example, in my case, I am the only person in my circle of friends, aquaintances, and coworkers that is interested in getting big/buff for the sake of getting big/buff. Granted there are others I know who clearly workout, but their goals always seem to fall short of mine (not that I've been very good about reaching my goals or staying on track--which should change this summer as my workouts are going well and I am currently motivated). So when I see a guy who is well built I'm usually tempted to start a conversation--but rarely do. Fear of rejection maybe?

Anyway, one of the few times I actually talked to a guy who was clearly a bodybuilder turned out very well. This guy was, and still is, in the best shape of anyone I have ever seen. I approached him and started a conversation about nutrition and he was more than happy to talk. Turns out he is a competitive bodybuilder and we still email and talk on a regular basis (he's a few states away from me). In fact, we have even gotten together for a couple of days to work out. Glad I took a chance in this case.

Didn't mean to go on so long. But man, I like this thread!

[Notbigenuff]

I'm also reminded of a sighting I had this past summer at a visit to an amusement park. There was a guy who had huge well defined arms and a solid chest under his t-shirt--but like some of the guys mentioned earlier in this thread no hips or legs, which is probably why he was wearing jeans on what had to be on of the hottest days of the year. I ran into him several times that day--we seemed to be following similar paths to the rides--and noticed that he got several appreciative looks from quite a few people. He, of course, seemed oblivious to any of it.

By the way, in general, I think that amusement parks are great places for muscle sightings. There always seems to be quite a few men at these places who are eager to "show off" their development.

[Bull]

Speaking of uneven development, this guy at the gym the other night had these great arms; so of course I chatted him up. Then he took a shower, and I saw him in just a towel, and he literally had no muscle anywhere else! It was really bizaare. And of course all he trained was arms. What are guys like that thinking?

"What are guys like that thinking?"

I don't know, perhaps they're hoping that excess muscle on the arms will ooze to other parts of the body somehow. (*ROFL*)

-- LG --

[ottomun6]

Notbigenuff, I guess in my history, I have rarely run into the
"bad attitude" bodybuilders. I do remember a time where one guy just seemed to snub me when I did the "acknowledgment nod" when I passed by him. It eventually came up one day as I was about to use a machine that he had just finished with. And when I mentioned it to him, he flat out apologized. Turns out it had something to do with his pre-contest diet, he was a touch cranky. (I'm glad that all it was, because he had about 40 lbs of muscle on me, I wouldn't want to get into a tussle with him )
But generally, so long as you don't interupt a set, most guys are pretty decent and a lot are plain friendly.

Bull and Leathergryphon,
I think that type of development is called "osmosis"
But yeah I wonder if its just that nobody just pulled the guy aside and told him that he's gettin way out of balance. I confess that I never took that moment to say something to the kid with the big arms for fear of sounding like a jerk. (in hindsight, I know I should have said something)

I know I've mentioned this before but this is a different slant on it.

If you are one of the guys in the gym who generally knows what you're doing and it sort of shows, but are not a cream-of-the-crop, muscle stud and you see a guy making bad mistakes, what do you do? How do you approach the subject of his mistake and not seem like a know-it-all jerk? What do you do if they take it that way?

We hear talk about big guys not talking to little guys and getting labled as standoffish. My position (as sometimes the biggest guy in the gym) was that, I was perfectly willing to help someone but they didn't seem to be interested in asking for help. Sometimes when I saw really bad technique I'd tactfuly try to mention a better way but I got attitude back from them a few times and so I got shy about doing it and crawled into my safe little world of concentrating on my workout. Although sometimes I'd really wish they'd ask me to spot or something so I didn't have to butt in to their space uninvited.

Another big thing I learned when advice is given in the gym, was to give your advice and then leave him alone. If he wants more he'll come back. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

[Bull]

Yes, giving advice can be very tricky. One time this guy started lecturing me because I wasn't going full-range on seated rows. What he didn't realize was that I was at the end of a long drop-set and was finishing off with partials. So I try to remember that when I see someone doing something that appears wrong. On the other hand, if they are doing something that is flat-out dangerous, I'm going to correct them, whether they like it or not. They'd like an injury even less.

[brent]

You do need to be careful about deflated egos before you offer advice. You can offer a spot, or advice, but people are already scared enough blindly following some routine they read in some random magazine. You could also ask them for a spot (then use light weights) gain confidence, and show them how you do something (just an idea, but not one I'd use...) Personally, I'd prefer someone more knowledgeable showed me a better way of doing something. I watch trainers constantly when I am at the gym, eavesdrop, and try to see what I can glean for free!

On a more positive note, I weighed 221 today! I was up to 227 last Summer when I stopped working out, then I was down around 210 in January when I started up again. I will hopefully be back where I was soon, & improve from there!

[Notbigenuff]

Man, if I took the time to correct all the bad form I saw in the gym...of course, who knows how many people might think my form is bad, too.

Ottomun6,
I haven't run into too many bodybuilders with bad attitudes either. In fact, today at the gym I saw one of the best built guys there (about 5'8"--solid build with what I estimate to be 19+ arms, very ripped to boot) go out of his way to suggest a different exercise to a couple of women who were clearly new to the workout game. I find this action on his part great because both women were of average looks at best--and I am sure he wasn't "cruising" but took a genuine interest in helping them learn. I could tell that they were also appreciative that this "hunk" (in every sense of the word) cared. Before this I got the feeling that he was being somewhat aloof--but now I realize that he's always focused on his workout--and it shows.

And hey, Brent, congrats on your gains! I'm sure you'll be back where you were and beyond in no time!

[brent]

Originally posted by Notbigenuff
Man, if I took the time to correct all the bad form I saw in the gym...of course, who knows how many people might think my form is bad, too.

That's funny because it's so true. Just don't look at the squat rack, because you'll find a constant stream of crazies with horrible form there. Also, thank you very much, with each click on the scale (crossing 220 today) I get far more motivated.

[ottomun6]

Hey Brent, I know I must have missed it, but are you trimming down? I saw that you were changing a lot in the weight department. I think it sounds like you were heavy, but the training is making your musclemass heavier. Sort of a build-up/ trim down routine?

[claygrant]

At the gym the other day I saw a pair of studs in their 30s or so. The guys caught my eye as they were both around my height and built thick and solid, like firemen. I got to see them several times since we were on a similar routine. One guy wore a tanktop, the other a short sleeved shirt. Ironically, the guy wearing the short sleeved shirt seemed a lot bigger... damn. Anyway it was a great sight since I thought to myself, I'm gonna look like that when I hit 30!

[ottomun6]

Yeah, that's one thing you have to appreciate about the male physique, if you workout it just seems to get better and harder even as you get older.
But anyway, I remember another sighting I had last summer. I was in a store talking on my cellphone, and as I turned toward the door, I happened to catch the profile sight of a musclestud leaving.
He wasn't tall (about 5'7") but he had some genuine muscles putting some serious strains on his clothes, ESPECIALLY HIS JEANS!! Holy moly! the quads were like BAM!!!
Those Levis looked like they were just trying their best to cope with what had to be 29" thighs and a pair of bowlingball glutes to match! And oh MAN!, the way the rear pockets curved out over those glutes!! this guy knew how to build a lower body (phew! did it just get hot in here?) I remember I forgot the person on the phone for a second and thought, how the heck could I have missed all of that walking to the door?

[Mdlftr]

I gotta tell you, the best place I've yet seen, to see some majorly HUGE people walking around, is a pro bodybuiliding show, at the exhibit hall before the BBing show!

I went to this year's Arnold in Columbus Ohio.
WHOA! Major beef on the hoof! And everyone was staring/oogling/checking out everyone else, so it was cool. I had no idea there were so f---ing many guys who were so d--n huge! I remember one guy, the first one I saw as I walked in the door: about 5'7", maybe 190#? Italian, dark hair, large dark "bedroom" eyes, wearing a t-shirt, jeans and a fanny pack. He was hanging around the entryway, waiting for a buddy to come out of the john. Major thick chest, big gun arms and muscular legs even through the baggy jeans he was wearing. Also, of course, the requisite backwards baseball cap!

Another dude, striding through the exhibit hall, bare chested--not bad. About 6'2", maybe 210# blond hair, blue eyes, girl friend in tow. I stopped and asked him about the lack of shirt - everyone else, except for the pro BBrs' in the booths had a shirt on. His excuse: "I'm waiting for my spray-on tan to dry!"

Um, yeah, right--and I suppose you had to walk with your lats out to keep your arms away from your sides so they'd dry better!

One more: Dude picked up (one-handed) a 167# dumbbell with an extra thick handle--it was a definite strength exhibition, since about 50 guys in the audience tried (and failed) to grip and hoist this sucker before this guy swaggered up and did it. I talked to him and his buds a bit later--nice guy, modest. Major piercings in his ears and eyebrows, dyed blonde hair--not at all the look I associated with seriously beefy, football player types from the Midwest!

Mdlftr

[Notbigenuff]

Guess I'm going to have to get to the Arnold next year!

I've been to a couple amateur shows, including one pro qualifier, and noticed a similar phenomenon--in fact, some of the guys in the audience were bigger than the guys on stage. A contest is almost like watching a transformation story come to life (for those that haven't been) it starts with the smallest of the big guys, then the middle weights, the light-heavies and finally the big boys. A little something for everyone. Then when the pro who is guest posing comes out...whew!

[ottomun6]

Yeah, I know what you mean about the audience guys being bigger than the guys on stage. I think its because the guys on stage are ripped totally to shreds, dieting down to show that extra cuts. The big boys in the audience are usually off-season, so they may be packing those extra 30-50 lbs. And I have seen how some friends have gone from contest weight to off-season weight in just a week. I remember a guy that competed at 165 then 4 or 5 days later was stomping around at 210 (I know its not healthy but damn, the thought of him expanding so much that he was too big for his clothes just blew me away )
And I wish you could have seen the muscleman swagger he developed it was too beefy for words!

I'm gonna have to get my butt out to some contests, its been a while.

[Notbigenuff]

The bodybuilder I met at a couple of summers ago (see my previous post for details ) usually weighs about 210 but only goes down to 180 for competition--and I used to think that was a huge difference. Unfortunately, he lives in a different state so I don't get the chance to watch him "grow" after the contest...

But a difference of 40-50 lbs. That is mind blowing--imagine the focus and willpower it takes to get down to the low weight to start with.

[jco2007]

Another thing that I am amazed over are the speed skaters, I never realized what I was missing until I was mesmerized by the sight of Eric Heiden back in his olympic days. Wow! those guys may not be much to look at in the upper body (typically skinny) but it looks so dramatic to see with such thickly developed legs!

ottomun6

Thickly developed legs are great. They really convey power and strength. I wonder what leg routine they follow?

Would somebody please tell these guys (at least when they retire from the speed skating) to get to the gym and build up their upper bod? I would bet it would be comparatively easy for them.

I can agree with you that if they were into bodybuilding and developed their upper body, they'd be totally awesome, but even a relatively undeveloped torso looks great to me ontop of magnificent legs.