Why do you train? [gym rats thread]

Freefaller · 6 Dec 2007 at 00:20

This thread has been split from the show your pics thread to discuss why you lot are into bodybuilding and what is your motivation behind it etc...

It does start a bit abruptly as it's just a copy from the previous threads - if you want me to move other posts just RTM them explaining the posts you want moved into here.

sunama · 27 Jun 2008 at 14:42

Why do you train? [bodybuilder's thread]

Killa_ken said:
I didn't want to be that mean incase he was like my dad and doing odd things with dumbbells like swinging them back and forth to "get big shoulders"

But yes. He clearly is a bicep monkey.

I see a lot of them in my gym. I think its just an age thing. When you are young you want big arms (so they think biceps are what I need to work on, even though triceps are a larger muscle group). Eventually, if they stick at it and watch what everyone else is doing, then they get light-bulb moments and start doing other exercises.

There is a youngster in my gym who is very committed. Ive seen him coming religeously for the last 6 months, and all he ever does is biceps. I mean, he will be in the gym for an hour and be doing about 25 sets of different bicep exercises.

Oh and he does abdominal work. Nothing else. And he's matchstick thin.

I guess its a learning process.

benjo plz. · 27 Jun 2008 at 14:53

a lot of girls seem to view big biceps and abs as hot theses days, I guess different people have different reasons for being in the gym.

Morba · 27 Jun 2008 at 14:55

not in my gym. 2 of them come in (in rather summery shorts and top), do db curls and bb curls. nothing else. been doing that for last 6 months!

benjo plz. · 27 Jun 2008 at 14:57

not that bench monkies who think that bench is the end all and be all of bodybuilding are any better.

Killa_ken · 27 Jun 2008 at 15:12

benjo plz. said:
not that bench monkies who think that bench is the end all and be all of bodybuilding are any better.

Bench and bicep monkeys are as bad as each other.

Squat monkeys on the other hand. Those arnt even monkeys we are gorillas. :cool:

benjo plz. said:
a lot of girls seem to view big biceps and abs as hot theses days, I guess different people have different reasons for being in the gym.

Yeah, until they get absolutely battered by someone such as myself for walking around thinking they're well tough because they have big biceps.

And I absolutely agree with you, Girls love the biceps, it rilles me up good and proper but at the end of the day I don't do what I do for them. They are just dumb.

heeeed · 27 Jun 2008 at 15:53

Girls love the biceps, it rilles me up good and proper but at the end of the day I don't do what I do for them. They are just dumb.

Ever thought the other guys in gym ain't doing what they do for you either?

controversial in a body building thread I know, but maybe those guys who do nothing else and have big biceps are getting exactly what they want from the gym. Now if someone is doing stuff and not getting any benefit then I grant you it seems like a waste of time, but if they keep coming back every week then they are clearly perceive some benefit even if its just they enjoy it.

It always slightly amuses me how passionate some of you guys can get about what someone else does if it's not similar to your ideas. I'm not slating your advice, because I frequently follow a lot of it. I just also find it amusing at the same time haha

sunama · 27 Jun 2008 at 15:59

heeeed said:
It always slightly amuses me how passionate some of you guys can get about what someone else does if it's not similar to your ideas. I'm not slating your advice, because I frequently follow a lot of it. I just also find it amusing at the same time haha

I think because this is a bodybuilding thread, the people in it seem to be thinking only about building as much muscle mass as possbile.

But I do see your point. People want different things. In fact most guys just want to look good when wearing clothes - slim, lean and not skinny.

Makunouchi · 27 Jun 2008 at 16:20

sunama said:
In fact most guys just want to look good when wearing clothes - slim, lean and not skinny.

I would however also settle for looking good naked :cool:

richard104 · 27 Jun 2008 at 16:44

Killa_ken said:
I didn't want to be that mean incase he was like my dad and doing odd things with dumbbells like swinging them back and forth to "get big shoulders"

But yes. He clearly is a bicep monkey.

I'm a bicep monkey??? Yeah right my biceps are probably the weakest part of my body. i do a 4 day split chest/tris- legs- shoulders-back biceps. I do bb dumbel curls once a week can u not see how much broader i've got in my shoulders and back? your warped Ken

MTA99 · 27 Jun 2008 at 17:02

Killa_ken said:
Yeah, until they get absolutely battered by someone such as myself for walking around thinking they're well tough because they have big biceps.

And I absolutely agree with you, Girls love the biceps, it rilles me up good and proper but at the end of the day I don't do what I do for them. They are just dumb.

Oooooo touched a nerve Kenny? Thought you had no probs with the women? Some bicep boyz tryin' to slide up underneath you?

I've said it before but 99% of people in the gym are doing it for the sex............the other 1%? Liars!!

Women don't know what they want at the best of times! If you're in a club and there's a bicep boy trying to chat up a girl you're gonna make him look pretty ordinary if you've got "thickness". Women don't realise they want a man with powerful legs, a thick back, broad shoulders, strong chest and big arms, they know they find it attractive but they just focus on biceps and abs. Its the same when they say they've seen a really nice car and you ask what was it like and they'll reply "blue". You shouldn't let it wind you up Ken.........'roid rage tbh :rolleyes:

sunama · 27 Jun 2008 at 19:05

MTA99 said:
If you're in a club and there's a bicep boy trying to chat up a girl you're gonna make him look pretty ordinary if you've got "thickness". Women don't realise they want a man with powerful legs, a thick back, broad shoulders, strong chest and big arms, they know they find it attractive but they just focus on biceps and abs.

If the bicep boy is a good looking fella, while the big guy is ugly as sin, I would put money on the bicep boy pulling, while the big guy will go home alone.

Some women do go for the bald and big look, but I think most will go for the better looking man (face-wise) and in decent shape.

As an example, most women will like the waif like look of Brad Pitt in Fight Club, while very few will go for the big and bald look of someone like Bill Goldberg.

If you look at lists of male celebs who are considered attractive, most are slim and lean and not big and bald. The likes of Brad Pitt and Mathew McConaughey are examples.

And not everybody trains for sexual reasons. I for one, wish to remain single for the rest of my life, as I have no trust in women. I still goto the gym religeously as I dont like to be out of shape. I dont like seeing myself in a mirror with a big fat belly. It doesnt make me feel good at all.

MTA99 · 27 Jun 2008 at 22:42

sunama said:
If the bicep boy is a good looking fella, while the big guy is ugly as sin, I would put money on the bicep boy pulling, while the big guy will go home alone.

Of course. The reverse is equally true......

sunama said:
Some women do go for the bald and big look, but I think most will go for the better looking man (face-wise) and in decent shape.

As an example, most women will like the waif like look of Brad Pitt in Fight Club, while very few will go for the big and bald look of someone like Bill Goldberg.

Morba and OddJob have feelings too you know!!

Hardly far comparing Brad Pitt to Bill Goldberg, you might as well have compared Brad to Geoff Capes. A more even comparison might be Pitt vs Diesel.

sunama said:
If you look at lists of male celebs who are considered attractive, most are slim and lean and not big and bald. The likes of Brad Pitt and Mathew McConaughey are examples.

Why does big = bald? I'm not talking about mass monsters here, I'm thinking 14-15st kinda size FF and Chong are packing.......oh and little old me

Bigger than your average bicep boy without looking out of proportion or overdeveloped.

sunama said:
And not everybody trains for sexual reasons. I for one, wish to remain single for the rest of my life, as I have no trust in women. I still go to the gym religiously as I don't like to be out of shape. I don't like seeing myself in a mirror with a big fat belly. It doesn't make me feel good at all.

So you're in the 1% then

Freefaller · 27 Jun 2008 at 23:25

Woohoo I got a special mention (though I'm 15 1/2 st

). I agree with you though, the "nice" bulky physique, whilst not having arms raised owing to over developed traps, or bow legged walking is a nice size to be. If I could drop 2% BF and retain my weight (i.e. replace the fat with more lean muscle) I'd be happy at or around 100kg.

Then it's relatively easy to maintain. To be a big beast it takes a lot harder work and more dedication and as such relationships tend to struggle after that.

I have to say that I don't do it predominantly for the sexual chase, I'd like to think it makes me more attractive or certainly desireable, but I'm doing it predominantly for me believe it or not.

Though I am balding!!!!

Morba · 27 Jun 2008 at 23:32

I bet a lot of women would go for Goldberg, more than many men think tbh.
Also, Pitt in FC was just ultra skinny / low bf%, mconoughy (wtf spelling!) has a much much more appealing body, looks like he has actually done some work in the gym :]

Rimm3r · 27 Jun 2008 at 23:45

Most women are more attracted to that lean look though I'd say! It's the footballer, small amount of muscle with lots of definition kind of look. Personally I've got a bit of bulk with an average body fat, I'd like to get a lower body fat but I always slip up with my diet and end up on a 10pint bender or eating a whole packet of buscuits

Morba · 27 Jun 2008 at 23:54

women are attracted to footballers for more than just the body (and im not talking only money) ;]

sunama · 28 Jun 2008 at 01:25

MTA99 said:
A more even comparison might be Pitt vs Diesel.

Pitt still comes top.

MTA99 said:
Why does big = bald?

I'm just using the big and bald stereotype as the extreme. The other end of the extreme is your Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Most people who train regularly will fall in between the 2 extremes. Its not really aimed at anyone in particular.

Freefaller said:
I have to say that I don't do it predominantly for the sexual chase, I'd like to think it makes me more attractive or certainly desireable, but I'm doing it predominantly for me believe it or not.

After seeing your deadlift video I can totally believe that. Obviously if there were a bunch of women around you while you were doing that sort of thing, then one could argue you were showing off, but we know that wasnt the case.

Now, if all you ever did was chest, biceps and abs, then one would suspect that you were doing it for the ladies.

sunama · 28 Jun 2008 at 01:32

Morba said:
I bet a lot of women would go for Goldberg, more than many men think tbh.

I'm sure there are some women who go for the big/bald look. Just as there are some men who go for women who are not classically beautiful.

Morba said:
Also, Pitt in FC was just ultra skinny / low bf%, mconoughy (wtf spelling!) has a much much more appealing body, looks like he has actually done some work in the gym :]

Mathew McConaughey (spelling taken from IMDB, as its such a difficult name to spell), was actually pretty bulked up in Reign of Fire. He then leaned out after that and has kept the same physique, since. His movies are consistently bad - chick flicks with terrible storylines. Sahara is the one movie that sticks out as being the worst that I have watched. Ever. And I watch a lot of movies. The guy knows how to pick a bad film.

For Fight Club, Brad Pitt wouldve done a lot of work to get so lean. Remember, it isnt just the big/muscular guys who spend time working out. The thin, lean guys also spend time working out. In fact, I spend a lot more time in the gym when I'm leaning out than when buildling up.

Killa_ken · 28 Jun 2008 at 07:41

Why do you train? [bodybuilder's thread]

In America the women go for the big,broad,thick look. Honestly Bicep boy can do what he likes but one flex of my quad and the women will be struck down by my supreme muscle definition and mass.

Obviously I would be lying if I said I didnt put all this effort in for the women, I do, i'm not gay so of course I do. But I would go with 97% for me, 2% for football 1% for women.

And no MTA, bicep boys arnt sneaking past me, my british accent, incredible looks and ravishing physique all draw them to me like a scrap car to that big ole magnet