Would you like to look like this ???

[Root beer]

One question: Why?

[Fish Chris]

One answer:

So you don't have to be just another one of this 6 1/2 billion people crowd.

Fish

[Daniel My Brother]

I don't want to look like that. I don't even want to look AT that.

To each his own.

[Nice_Bass]

I wrestled grade school, high school, and college and I always was at most 4-7%.  Most trainers would recommend nowhere near just 4% for health reasons. 

Looking strong and fit is much different than being strong and fit.  When I see people that big I think they look like the most unathletic people in the world.  I have seen heifers in Wally world that could run a 40 faster if they decided to get off the public use scooters. 

Not a chance I would ever want to look like that, nor could I. 

Big props for taking control of your life though- I am sure you are happier and healthier....

The other dude though- hope is acne does not get too bad... :-X

[Redlinerobert]

Chris,

I think you've found your 2nd passion/obsession besides chasing monster bass.

I will ask one favor.  Please, for the love of God, do not post pictures of yourself here in purple man panties once you reach your goals.   ;D

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Chris,

I think you've found your 2nd passion/obsession besides chasing monster bass.

I will ask one favor. Please, for the love of God, do not post pictures of yourself here in purple man panties once you reach your goals. ;D

Aye.

[Milton Waddams]

Been there done that, got the high blood pressure and damaged kidneys too.  There's a big difference between eating right and getting healthy and doing long term damage to your body.

[christopherjake]

No thanks.  I'm happy with the way I look.  Well, maybe I could lose a couple of lbs.

[Fish Chris]

Redline, I promise

SSS, that sucks. 15 months ago, before I got onto this whole fitness / lose fat / get buffed kick, my blood pressure was averaging 150, 102 ! Yikes !

I check it pretty often now, and it averages 100/60.

Fish

[J Francho]

I just got a nice kick in the nuts by my endocrine doc. Despite kicking smokes, my blood work looks pretty shabby.  So does my BP, and weight.  All that, coming from an October where I was nearly indistinguishable from an athlete, on paper.  If that's a lesson never to start in the 1st place, I don't what is. It's not like I'm a fat guy either - 5-7, buck and a half wet, strong as a bull. I've got a plan though, nad I'll report back in month.

You can't really take for granted that once a skinny, healthy dude, always a skinny healthy dude.

I've never owned any purple clothing, BTW.  LMAO.

[SirSnookalot]

One answer:

So you don't have to be just another one of this 6 1/2 billion people crowd.

Fish

Nothing out of the ordinary, countless numbers of people that are into health & fitness have been on this bandwagon for years, Chris you have only joined a new crowd.

Some 30 years ago I knew a guy that was close to being a world class squash player, he was consumed with it.  Gave up his prosperous business to work out and play squash 24/7.  You would never see him with out a backpack full of dietary supplements and his "special foods", no longer had a car as finances dwindled.  Wherever he needed to go he just jogged regardless of the distance( did some marathons as I recall ).  He didn't hunt, fish, take photos, work, date, he just worked out.  This guy was unlike anyone I have ever seen before, but I'm sure there are others just like him.

[Milton Waddams]

Here ya go, NSFW there is some language in it but nothing other than language.

http://stagevu.com/video/npsaexnfxkfp

[bassfisherjk]

Na,looks like he's in pain.LOL

[senile1]

Chris, this is my story. (In answer to your question, no - I wouldn't want to be that big and genetically I can't get that big.)

I did the bodybuilding routine from the early 80s into the early 90s. I did not and never have taken steroids. I read every book and magazine I could, ate the proper meals, ingested amino acids and a complex carb drink that provided 80 grams of complex carbs, and did a 6 day a week split routine at about 2 - 3 hours a day. I am 5'11" but I have fairly small bone structure. My weight when I started was around 165. I reached 205 lbs at 4 - 7 percent body fat depending on where I was in my cycle. I was always pretty lean even before I got into this so my body fat was always low. At my best I could bench 345, squat 440, and deadlift about the same as I squatted. My general routine for large muscle groups consisted of starting with high reps and low weight to build the red muscle fiber and I would perform an altered pyramid up to the apex where I would do three sets of 5 - 8 reps to work the white muscle fiber. (For example, on the squats I would start with a high rep set at 135, then do another high rep set at 225, then a medium rep set at 285, and then at the apex of the pyramid I would do three sets of 5 plus reps at 345 lbs. Then I would drop back down and do a burn out set at 225.) With my bone structure and genetics I feel that I went as far as I could with this as a natural bodybuilder.

Now at 50, I weigh 185 - 188 and I am still pretty stout and in good shape. My blood work is all good and my blood pressure is low. High cholesterol is a genetic trait on my Mom's side and I inherited that trait so I do have to take cholesterol medication even though I eat in a healthy manner and exercise (though I do like my Boulevard beer ). I work out enough to maintain health but I do not spend very many hours on it compared to a bodybuilding routine.

What are the results of my foray into bodybuilding? First, I'll give the positives. Due to the amount of muscle mass I have retained over the years and my higher metabolism, if I gain a few pounds it is very easy for me to lose it so at this time weight control is not a problem. The added strength comes in handy when moving awkward heavy objects. I assume that it also was an instrumental factor in my good blood work and low blood pressure.

And the negatives . . . . well, my knees are shot. I damaged my knees playing football in high school and was able to run up to about age 40. Now sprinting is difficult because the pain in my knees is excruciating, though I can still jog at an average pace without exceeding my pain threshold. If you squat very heavy weights after damaging a knee over time it does wear it down. (All of the bodybuilding magazine statements ran counter to this. I believe they were incorrect.) I can run a straight line but if I have to make a cut I die in my tracks. My shoulder joints also ache and one of them grinds and I believe this is from all the heavy lifting as well because I never damaged them at any time in the past. I now ride a bike rather than doing squats. I still lift but at a lighter level that doesn't tax my joints. I stretch and stay active because I don't won't to lose any mobility due to my damaged joints. So far, so good but we'll see how they respond when, or if, I reach 70 or older.

My negatives may be a result of my situation and my bone structure but I do believe you can overdo it. If you have large bones and joints and your testosterone levels are normal you can build larger muscles and go to great weights. If you have small bones and joints like me and go too heavy I believe you can damage your joints. And maybe a big guy can do the same if he goes too far as well. So if you are a skinny, little guy I would say be careful how far you go with this.

Also, I stopped fishing for a few years while I was doing this. Between work, family, lifting weights, and playing my guitar there wasn't a whole lot of time left for fishing. Bodybuilding requires tremendous discipline and dedication. Looking back, I wish I had eased up on the bodybuilding and kept fishing in the mix. But this is just my story and my opinion.

[Fish Chris]

Excellent post Senile1. Lots of food for thought.

Like I say, I would LOVE to look like Zack Kahn, but I know I never will. Don't really want to fill my body up with chemicals, and I think an even bigger thing is, I just don't have the genetics he does. In fact, I think only 1 in millions do.

Thanks again for your response,

Fish