OcUK Health Seekers: Post your progress pics

Freefaller · 2 Sep 2009 at 11:56

Good attitude to have.

I know I shouldn't hate arms, and although they're strong and sizeable (17.5) I just find it frustrating training them when I could be doing more fun stuff like legs or back work outs - but they are starting to look small

BennyC · 2 Sep 2009 at 13:49

They 'Look' small. And just that. They deffinatley are not small 17.5" arms are something to be proud of. The illusions caused by proportioning are deceptive.

My brother said to me yesterday 'That chest/back workout we've been doing for GVT hasn't worked for me, my chests smaller than when we started!'.

I wanted to slap him. His chest has grown as has his back, arms and shoulders making his chest look smaller. The same has happened to me but I have been taking regular measurements so I know for a fact it isn't. Where as he did not and just has my word

If you begin to feel your (applies to everyone) arms begin to look small its a good thing in my eyes.

It *should* mean the rest of you is deffinatly growing which is good! and gives you even more incentive and determination to work on your proportioning.

I know you already know this but though I'd remind you incase you had forgotten

Freefaller · 2 Sep 2009 at 13:53

Thanks Benny that's a good way of looking at it

The thing is I don't see in the mirror what other people see... and like has been mentioned many times You're never 100% satisfied with yourself. I know the stats *should* speak for themselves, but it's the mirror that kills me

Bah, I'll just keep training and not worry about it - it's not demotivating me to training, it's just frustrating me

BennyC · 2 Sep 2009 at 14:53

Freefaller said:
Thanks Benny that's a good way of looking at it The thing is I don't see in the mirror what other people see... and like has been mentioned many times You're never 100% satisfied with yourself. I know the stats *should* speak for themselves, but it's the mirror that kills me Bah, I'll just keep training and not worry about it - it's not demotivating me to training, it's just frustrating me

I understand completely.

I don't think I'll ever be 100% happy, or anyone for that matter, but I don't think I would want to be. Isn't perfection supposed to be unachievable? i.e. nobody is perfect. I think if you got to this stage you wouldn't need to train like a mad man and wheres the fun in not pushing yourself? For now I'm quite happy to make slow but steady progress as it means I can keep doing what I absolutley love.

Photographs can be even more disappointing than the mirror. What helps make it worthwhile for me is when photos crop up on say facebook for example. But at an unconventional angle, like the back of you, or side on as your in the background chatting to someone else and you think 'holy ****! is that me? Is my arm, lat, shoulder really so big you can see definition through my clothes?!' Or when people around you look considerably smaller.

thats one of the little things that spurs me on. (Not meaning to toot my own trumpet!)

Take a look at the strong man pics during your rope pull. If your arms get bigger than your head it's time to stop!!

Freefaller · 2 Sep 2009 at 15:03

LOL! Yeah it's funny how perception can change owing to environment.

^TANK^ · 2 Sep 2009 at 22:05

Freefaller said:
Good attitude to have. I know I shouldn't hate arms, and although they're strong and sizeable (17.5) I just find it frustrating training them when I could be doing more fun stuff like legs or back work outs - but they are starting to look small

Starting to look small lol, its all in your head man

.

Freefaller · 2 Sep 2009 at 22:38

Probably

But I have this inability to like what I see in the mirror - it's never good enough, and meh, I guess I'm just too self critical

Participant · 3 Sep 2009 at 07:05

If you're concerned about appearance rather than size, maybe you should train for such? Not trying to teach you to suck eggs as I know fa compared to yourself, and from what I remember reading from your posts you are more concerned with size and strength rather than aesthetics. However couldn't you get all that hair waxed every couple of months, get a tan, and try a serious cut to show all that muscle (even though you say you don't believe in bulk / cut cycles)? Then you'd look bigger and better even if you lost a little bit of muscle and maybe you'd be happier looking in the mirror.

Freefaller · 3 Sep 2009 at 08:01

I'm not overly concerned with aesthetics, though it did sound like I was. I'm more concerned about functionality and physical ability... The reason I'm predominantly not into aesthetics is that I'll never be happy with how I look so why concentrate on something which I know I won't be satisfied with? Instead I concentrate on a) becoming powerful b) being strong c) getting a decent shape (in terms of size) d) keeping my fitness in check.

I know it sounds as though (and I was) I was whinging about my appearance, but hey we all have our bad days.

I would never get my legs and chest waxed I'm afraid. It's just not that important to me. I don't particularly see myself ever competing either. I like being bulky and strong more than I like looking good in the mirror (which to me will never happen anyway). I seldom look in the mirror - I just don't like what I see, but that's a deeper rooted problem which we'll leave at that.

I appreciate your comments and support though Robbie and they are totally worthwhile but unfortunately don't really apply to my ethos. However you're right, the lower the BF the "bigger" you do look. It's just not for me. Don't get me wrong, if I start to cut up more as a result of my routine and lifestyle I won't say no, but it's not my primary goal.

ConTRo13R · 3 Sep 2009 at 19:40

Freefaller said:
I'm not overly concerned with aesthetics, though it did sound like I was. I'm more concerned about functionality and physical ability... The reason I'm predominantly not into aesthetics is that I'll never be happy with how I look so why concentrate on something which I know I won't be satisfied with? Instead I concentrate on a) becoming powerful b) being strong c) getting a decent shape (in terms of size) d) keeping my fitness in check.

So if anyone does take the **** he can crush them in his pecs haha

Freefaller · 3 Sep 2009 at 20:05

Dude I'm not that big!

ConTRo13R · 3 Sep 2009 at 20:10

Freefaller said:
Dude I'm not that big!

Dude your hoooge! 44 chest iirc?

BennyC · 3 Sep 2009 at 20:18

ConTRo13R said:
Dude your hoooge! 44 chest iirc?

You'll find the majority of serious lifters here and anywhere have chests around that size and bigger. A 44" chest isn't huge, it's on the large side. Chest size isn't everything. Nor is a persons bench press.

dun · 3 Sep 2009 at 20:25

I have a 45" chest and its probably my weakest part.

Freefaller · 3 Sep 2009 at 20:37

Just over 46" - no way where I want to be and it isn't huge - strong, but not huge.

DarkShadow · 4 Sep 2009 at 02:48

Stop willy waving

ConTRo13R · 4 Sep 2009 at 04:20

Freefaller said:
Just over 46" - no way where I want to be and it isn't huge - strong, but not huge.

must have been a really old thread i read it in then haha that's hooooge! well compared to my skinny 36" chest

Hmmm in 20 will i ever get any bigger?

^TANK^ · 4 Sep 2009 at 04:32

52/53" chest now

.

megatron · 4 Sep 2009 at 04:55

Morba said:
so I am guessing that drugs are ok (at this comp) as long as you are not currently on a cycle or can test -ve for something.

This competition was brought to you by the Ministry of Muscle, there is about a nat's **** chance in helll that it was tested or that they would even if they had the cash to waste. Just take a look at that picture, you can see that it doesn't matter to Jimmi if I'm not trying to get as big as him and it doesn't matter to me if he's bigger than me partly due to "cheating".

Freefaller · 4 Sep 2009 at 06:30

dark_shadow said:
Stop willy waving

You have your willy on your chest?! :confused:

^TANK^ said:
52/53" chest now.

Now THAT's a chest.