OcUK Health Seekers: Post your progress pics

gambitt said:
Out of interest, do most of you guys train for looks only or for a functional purpose as well? I see many comments along the lines of "looking thick, but your legs should be bigger and you back/shoulders/butt cheeks needs more mass".

I'm 6'1 and around 100kg at the moment. I've been training properly about 5 years and when I first started I really got into it and was near 110kg after lots of squats and deadlifts. But I also play tennis and I noticed my game really suffered with bigger legs and upper back so I dialed it back a bit and settled around the 98kg mark which felt the perfect balance for speed and strength. Plus I could fit into jeans that weren't only extra loose fit :D

So what are the advantages to having huge legs and upper back? Is it only for looks?
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As you probably know the majority of your strength, be it for boxing, athletics, rowing and most sports comes from the legs. In terms of bodybuilding it's about having an even symmetrical physique. Personally, I'm not into bodybuilding, but power/strength development - so I'm not that bothered about symmetry or aesthetics. However, when people reply to posts, I think they are (I may be wrong) replying with a "bodybuilding" pair of glasses on.

Personally, I think there's nothing more ridiculous than having a big upper body and no legs - because really that chap will be about as powerful as as an asthmatic 1 legged chihuahua. However, I agree that in day to day life having excessively powerful legs can also be a hindrance. Most of my mass came from playing rugby, where having power is paramount and since that's where power is generated from I was happy to train them.

Most of the lifts I'm interested in require powerful legs (deadflifts being my favourite). Even benching needs some leg power.

There are 2 very different type of people in this thread/forum. Those that are after a nice chiselled physique, and those that are after power and strength.

Personally, I can deal with having large legs and strong back as they are 2 crucial muscle groups in your body for posture, strength and power and really care not for the "looks" - because believe it or not (I know you probably don't) I have got other things going for me :p
 
I hear stories on here about nobs in the gym how they strut around the gym and do stuff that annoy you.
We got 3 in my gym, theirs one who gives me and any other lad the dead eyes like he could take any of us on. Then theres another who squeezes spots in the mirror leaving puss on their. And the last guy screams his lifts out as if he was being tortured. But the 3 lads i will give them that they do train bloody hard, just not there legs.
 
bakes0310 said:
I hear stories on here about nobs in the gym how they strut around the gym and do stuff that annoy you.
We got 3 in my gym, theirs one who gives me and any other lad the dead eyes like he could take any of us on. Then theres another who squeezes spots in the mirror leaving puss on their. And the last guy screams his lifts out as if he was being tortured. But the 3 lads i will give them that they do train bloody hard, just not there legs.
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I've a few of these people at esporta in bristol(i recall a few here know where it is or even attend here?), one guy who is a 'whistler' and will NOT shut up, another who I swear goes home and plays with himself he looks in the mirror that much, and another group of 3 lads who 'look down' on everyone else, and smirk and make comments to each other about other peoples training (which makes me sick)
 
Delvis said:
Haha, no worries :)

I'm the same...I can put weight on like anything but losing it takes time!!! As well as putting mass on...I swear i'm smaller already after being off
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really? you're lucky, i'm the complete opposite

I can eat and eat and eat, and struggle to put on mass, but losing it is a complete doddle

obviouslly not the right way to lose weight or by any means a cut, but I didn't work out for 5 weeks (doctors orders) when i had knee surgery, not an ounce of weight (even body weight) was allowed on the knee, and i lost 20lb, so 1.5 stone it was insane... :/

Although having said that, ladies loved the fact I lost a bunch of weight in my face and it was a lot more defined ^^ lol
 
zuludawn said:
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You mentioned 400 cal a day, 15 stone to 12 in 12 weeks that is phenominal work. How did it make you feel though only consuming so little? I'm currently on a cut and am on 1800 - 2400 calories with working out and 30 mins of cardio + cardio days) I get tired a lot and well any less food would probabally wipe me out all day. how did you cope?
 
BennyC said:
Think he meant 1400 calories, typo? Would be more realistic as his metabolism would probaly stop completey on 400 calories a day!
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No Benny it was around 400 cals, 4 oz of rice twice a day with 4 oz of chicken or fish, though i might of added a bit more sometimes, dont forget this was a comp diet in which i had to drop 3 stone on less than 12 weeks, the only way you can get though it is because there is a goal at the end of it and everyone was encouraging me. After the first 3 weeks your body gets used to it and the hunger pains subside.
Even though most of you think the cals are to low to survive on dont forget 3rd world countries only get about that much and the whole idea of the diet is to fool youre body into thinking is dieing, so when you carb up 3 days before youre muscle stores one and a half times more glycogen to counter the depletion for that perfect cut look (bloody stupid if you ask me but i didnt make the rules)
 
Wow. a lot of admiration for your competition prep! Lowest I went was around 1800-2000 and found that tough. Obviously could have gone lower but didn't realise competition diets were that low, thought they were nearer to 1200-1400 calories!

Looking good though, even if you weren't feeling it which I probaly wouldn't be tbh! Very nice set of genes you have there :cool:
 
Benny I have to level with you even though i have said it before i wasnt clean in those days, unfortunatly steriods were such a big part of gym culture in the late eighties and if you wanted to compete you had to join the bandwagon and without lots of chemical help i wouldnt really know how hard that diet is. Lets put it this way i would struggle to do it today which when my roto-cuff repares im going to have too cause i want to compete again, now thats going to be hard......

On 1200 cals plus a day you got no chance of dropping 3 stone in that time unless you want to live on a treadmill not forgetting training 2 hours a night as well.
 
That's fair enough, I was pritty sure you were 'assisted' but didn't want to ask! Still some good symmetry & balance and it's not exactly going to be a walk in the park when on gear.

However we can't discuss this here or the big french bear will smite us with his ban hammer!
 
Took a quick back snap today, I'll get there one day!

9587-back.jpg
 
Freefaller said:
As you probably know the majority of your strength, be it for boxing, athletics, rowing and most sports comes from the legs. In terms of bodybuilding it's about having an even symmetrical physique. Personally, I'm not into bodybuilding, but power/strength development - so I'm not that bothered about symmetry or aesthetics. However, when people reply to posts, I think they are (I may be wrong) replying with a "bodybuilding" pair of glasses on.

Personally, I think there's nothing more ridiculous than having a big upper body and no legs - because really that chap will be about as powerful as as an asthmatic 1 legged chihuahua. However, I agree that in day to day life having excessively powerful legs can also be a hindrance. Most of my mass came from playing rugby, where having power is paramount and since that's where power is generated from I was happy to train them.

Most of the lifts I'm interested in require powerful legs (deadflifts being my favourite). Even benching needs some leg power.

There are 2 very different type of people in this thread/forum. Those that are after a nice chiselled physique, and those that are after power and strength.

Personally, I can deal with having large legs and strong back as they are 2 crucial muscle groups in your body for posture, strength and power and really care not for the "looks" - because believe it or not (I know you probably don't) I have got other things going for me :p
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Smile and your shlong?
 
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