The Official Natty Thread - No Gear Talk - Moderated

[Gxp23]

His back is gonna look beastly.

Dis, for reals.

[TypeNirvash]

I a little theory, that I would like to get your take on:

When watching tested competitions, the competitors often look more conditioned than what you see at NPC shows. They often has deeper muscle definitions and striations, where enchanced bodybuilders struggle to get that amount of definition and instead have crazy vascularity, which you very rarely see at natural guys.

Anybody else noticed something similar? Or different?

Don't really watch comps, but I would say it has to do with the stretching of skin. I would think it's easier for skin to conform over something that is small as opposed to large. When you put a tight bag around a large object, only some detail is visible--ie; take a cube that has a divot in it and stretch a tight bag (that you can't see through) around it. Chances are, you won't be able to find the divot.

This is a fairly uneducated opinion, and just a guess. We all know that there are ways to beat tests, so even tested competitions can be bunk. Unless they test you three/four times yearly.

[Luc1fer]

11 months ago:



Now:



Lot of muscle atrophy (primarily shoulders and chest) due to shoulder injury, but I've stayed relatively lean. Stayed on maintenance calories and nutrition consistent. I hope muscle memory exists.

[Gxp23]

You have done a great job holding on to those gains man ^^

[Turtora]

You have done a great job holding on to those gains man ^^

dude so much this lmao you're looking very good, mirin the fk out your chest development in both pics, srs

[Luc1fer]

You have done a great job holding on to those gains man ^^

Thanks man, I've done my absolute best. Dealing with this injury is the toughest thing both physically and psychologically I've encountered in the last 12 years of lifting. It's difficult going into the gym motivated and not being able to lift 100%. I'd say it was easier the first 4/5 months when I just stopped lifting completely.

[Gxp23]

Thanks man, I've done my absolute best. Dealing with this injury is the toughest thing both physically and psychologically I've encountered in the last 12 years of lifting. It's difficult going into the gym motivated and not being able to lift 100%. I'd say it was easier the first 4/5 months when I just stopped lifting completely.

Working through an injury is a brain game, you need to know when or if you are going to be able to continue to exercise where you can, or completely stop to let the body heal, its a tough sacrafice to make, but the smart one is usually the best one.

[Luc1fer]

Working through an injury is a brain game, you need to know when or if you are going to be able to continue to exercise where you can, or completely stop to let the body heal, its a tough sacrafice to make, but the smart one is usually the best one.

I'll be honest I fcuked up at the beginning. When I first messed it up, I went back a couple of days after and tried to do bench and push through it. So I came out worse. Sometimes I can push through these injuries, sometimes I can't. The best lesson I can give people is: if you're in doubt, rest it. A few missed days is better than months of setback due to aggravation and re-injury.

[sumusikoo]

I'll be honest I fcuked up at the beginning. When I first messed it up, I went back a couple of days after and tried to do bench and push through it. So I came out worse. Sometimes I can push through these injuries, sometimes I can't. The best lesson I can give people is: if you're in doubt, rest it. A few missed days is better than months of setback due to aggravation and re-injury.

^^ I injured my shoulder when doing DB bench to the point where I couldn't do any kind of shoulder/tricep/chest work, let it rest a week and I became a bit better but far from healer so i just thought "I don't wanna stagnate, I'm gonna try to go through the pain".

Next workout injury came back and took me 3 weeks to get to the point (in terms of pain relief) that I was in just 1 week when the injury first started.

Did back/legs/bicep whole month and then it eventually healed itself now I don't feel ****

[Luc1fer]

^^ I injured my shoulder when doing DB bench to the point where I couldn't do any kind of shoulder/tricep/chest work, let it rest a week and I became a bit better but far from healer so i just thought "I don't wanna stagnate, I'm gonna try to go through the pain".

Next workout injury came back and took me 3 weeks to get to the point (in terms of pain relief) that I was in just 1 week when the injury first started.

Did back/legs/bicep whole month and then it eventually healed itself now I don't feel ****

Ye, I've had a couple of those ~month long injuries. I've also torn my supraspinatus tendon 3 times, once put me out of bench for 6 months. This one is by far the worst though, I have a subacromial impingement due to a bone spur so I'm basically trying to avoid surgery.

[500hzq]

Still looking good luc1fer

[JRMoore82]

Don't really watch comps, but I would say it has to do with the stretching of skin. I would think it's easier for skin to conform over something that is small as opposed to large. When you put a tight bag around a large object, only some detail is visible--ie; take a cube that has a divot in it and stretch a tight bag (that you can't see through) around it. Chances are, you won't be able to find the divot.

This is a fairly uneducated opinion, and just a guess. We all know that there are ways to beat tests, so even tested competitions can be bunk. Unless they test you three/four times yearly.

I agree with your hypothesis and I believe Arnold touched on the testing issue when he ripped the judges and all.

11 months ago:



Now:



Lot of muscle atrophy (primarily shoulders and chest) due to shoulder injury, but I've stayed relatively lean. Stayed on maintenance calories and nutrition consistent. I hope muscle memory exists.

Still better than most of the misc!!

[sumusikoo]

Ye, I've had a couple of those ~month long injuries. I've also torn my supraspinatus tendon 3 times, once put me out of bench for 6 months. This one is by far the worst though, I have a subacromial impingement due to a bone spur so I'm basically trying to avoid surgery.

Damn how did you get all those injuries? Holy **** I don't know how I'd react if I couldn't do a proper workout for 6 months

[JRMoore82]

Damn how did you get all those injuries? Holy **** I don't know how I'd react if I couldn't do a proper workout for 6 months

I would become a fat ass again. Srs

[Znik]

I hope muscle memory exists.

Sucks about all the injuries.

But on the bright side everything points to muscle memory being very real. So far in animal testing you have:
CNS memory.
Cellular muscle memory (aka muscle nuclei is not lost upon muscle atrophy)
DNA encoded muscle memory.

[White-Belt]

Muscle 'memory' IMO is absolutely real.

The only detractors seems to be those that don't lift , the armchair lifters.

[D-Wade7288]

Alright brash-last time I will be mentioning this haha.

Yesterday was my first bodybuilding competition. I placed 1st in Debut (first time competitors) and 4th in Open class B out of 5 competitors.

Had a blast, and the fact that I was the youngest in my class and didn't place dead last, well haha its motivation. Everyone competing against me was 5-8 years older than me. Give me time brah.


Ready to get on that bulk mode. I didn't binge TOO hard last night. I had an Outback double burger with bacon cheese fries. And a poptart and two bowls of fiber one cereal. I came into the show at 180 and woke up this morning at 183 haha. Not trying to be the gentleman that puts on 20 lbs in 3 days. It happens. I am going to take it slow and enjoy foods in moderation. I feel that it is best on my stomach and my health.

Thank you guys for your kind words every time I post nothing but support here. Cannot wait to put on some quality gains. I'll be back fellers. Lets get BIG GET BIG!!!

[-Gin-]

dude so much this lmao you're looking very good, mirin the fk out your chest development in both pics, srs

This. When will it be mine turn for a joocy chest?

Also on board the muscle atrophy train...same weight as my avi (from two years ago now lmao), but slightly less shreds...

[Turtora]

Alright brash-last time I will be mentioning this haha.

Yesterday was my first bodybuilding competition. I placed 1st in Debut (first time competitors) and 4th in Open class B out of 5 competitors.

Had a blast, and the fact that I was the youngest in my class and didn't place dead last, well haha its motivation. Everyone competing against me was 5-8 years older than me. Give me time brah.


Ready to get on that bulk mode. I didn't binge TOO hard last night. I had an Outback double burger with bacon cheese fries. And a poptart and two bowls of fiber one cereal. I came into the show at 180 and woke up this morning at 183 haha. Not trying to be the gentleman that puts on 20 lbs in 3 days. It happens. I am going to take it slow and enjoy foods in moderation. I feel that it is best on my stomach and my health.

Thank you guys for your kind words every time I post nothing but support here. Cannot wait to put on some quality gains. I'll be back fellers. Lets get BIG GET BIG!!!

congratulations!!! well done, m8. hard work pays off ^^

[Znik]

Alright brash-last time I will be mentioning this haha.

Yesterday was my first bodybuilding competition. I placed 1st in Debut (first time competitors) and 4th in Open class B out of 5 competitors.

Had a blast, and the fact that I was the youngest in my class and didn't place dead last, well haha its motivation. Everyone competing against me was 5-8 years older than me. Give me time brah.

Thank you guys for your kind words every time I post nothing but support here. Cannot wait to put on some quality gains. I'll be back fellers. Lets get BIG GET BIG!!!

Congratulations on the 1st in Debut and 4th in Open! Not bad considering everyone had 5-8 years on you.


In other news, found a pic that shows the depressing truth of diminishing gains:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25739559
UT=untrained
T= trained

[Turtora]

Congratulations on the 1st in Debut and 4th in Open! Not bad considering everyone had 5-8 years on you.


In other news, found a pic that shows the depressing truth of diminishing gains:
[img]http://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t1.0-9/11703119_10206931831275319_5479557960708753488_n.j pg?oh=72d244456c2d7d8cd6eb71860fbdea2b&oe=5613A9DC[img]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25739559
UT=untrained
T= trained

nah brah i'm not giving in to that (not disagreeing so much as giving another view point):

http://www.strengtheory.com/grow-lik...086.1437922093

Key points

1. Myonuclei are the “control centers” of a muscle fiber.

2. Muscle size is ultimately determined by how many myonuclei a muscle fiber has; there is a maximum area they can “oversee,” and once they reach that limit, you stop growing unless you can add more.

3. The primary way to gain more myonuclei is through reasonable amounts of muscle damage.

4. Over time, it becomes harder to damage your muscles due to the Repeated Bouts Effect.

5. This article discusses how to make your muscles more susceptible to muscle damage, and thus the addition of myonuclei and ultimately more growth.

6. Myonuclei-related factors help explain “muscle memory,” the effectiveness of [redacted], why men generally have an easier time gaining muscle, the difference between genetic freaks and everyone else, and a bunch of other neat stuff.

[KRANE]

I a little theory, that I would like to get your take on:

When watching tested competitions, the competitors often look more conditioned than what you see at NPC shows. They often has deeper muscle definitions and striations, where enchanced bodybuilders struggle to get that amount of definition and instead have crazy vascularity, which you very rarely see at natural guys.

Anybody else noticed something similar? Or different?

Based on my empirical data you're either one or the other. I suspect that like many other aspects of aesthetics like separation, density, etc., its a factor of genetics more than anything else.

Alright brash-last time I will be mentioning this haha.

Yesterday was my first bodybuilding competition. I placed 1st in Debut (first time competitors) and 4th in Open class B out of 5 competitors.

Had a blast, and the fact that I was the youngest in my class and didn't place dead last, well haha its motivation. Everyone competing against me was 5-8 years older than me. Give me time brah.


Ready to get on that bulk mode. I didn't binge TOO hard last night. I had an Outback double burger with bacon cheese fries. And a poptart and two bowls of fiber one cereal. I came into the show at 180 and woke up this morning at 183 haha. Not trying to be the gentleman that puts on 20 lbs in 3 days. It happens. I am going to take it slow and enjoy foods in moderation. I feel that it is best on my stomach and my health.

Thank you guys for your kind words every time I post nothing but support here. Cannot wait to put on some quality gains. I'll be back fellers. Lets get BIG GET BIG!!!

Forget that. Give yourself several days or even a week to just eat what you want whenever you want. Just have a clearly defined out date. This psychology will keep you stable and training for many years to come.

[D-Wade7288]

Based on my empirical data you're either one or the other. I suspect that like many other aspects of aesthetics like separation, density, etc., its a factor of genetics more than anything else.Forget that. Give yourself several days or even a week to just eat what you want whenever you want. Just have a clearly defined out date. This psychology will keep you stable and training for many years to come.

Thanks bro! Truthfully like I said eating some things I enjoy but trying not to go overboard. Feel like its quite easy to do so. The sodium bloat is all too real right about now. Things are going great thus far. Taking a day or two to myself and staying out of the gym. Not for the fact that I do not want to train because I do. I just want the mental break. I know after about two days I am going to be fully recharged and ready to go.

Congratulations on the 1st in Debut and 4th in Open! Not bad considering everyone had 5-8 years on you.

Thank you bro. Now its time to put on some size like you guys!!

congratulations!!! well done, m8. hard work pays off ^^

Thanks dude! Mirin that profile pic. Thought you were Arnold!

[Drayg00n]

Give yourself several days or even a week to just eat what you want whenever you want. Just have a clearly defined out date. This psychology will keep you stable and training for many years to come.

Yup feels more natty that way as well.

[xSwiftx]

Curious to know what everyone's current training programming is looking like?

Currently running this

Monday: Legs (strength)
Tuesday: chest/back (strength)
Wednesday: shoulders/arms (strength)
Thursday: Legs (Volume)
Friday: chest/back (Volume)
Saturday: shoulders/arms (Volume)

I do some form of core and cardio every day. Cardio simply because I enjoy having decent cardiovascular health. Something which I believe is severely overlooked nowadays

[TypeNirvash]

11 months ago:



Now:



Lot of muscle atrophy (primarily shoulders and chest) due to shoulder injury, but I've stayed relatively lean. Stayed on maintenance calories and nutrition consistent. I hope muscle memory exists.

Had to requote this for emphasis. Fuark man. You look amazing still. You've done a wonderful job maintaining mass.

I agree with your hypothesis and I believe Arnold touched on the testing issue when he ripped the judges and all.

One thing I have always like about Arnie is that he is pretty honest and open about his practices.

Curious to know what everyone's current training programming is looking like?

Currently running this

Monday: Legs (strength)
Tuesday: chest/back (strength)
Wednesday: shoulders/arms (strength)
Thursday: Legs (Volume)
Friday: chest/back (Volume)
Saturday: shoulders/arms (Volume)

I do some form of core and cardio every day. Cardio simply because I enjoy having decent cardiovascular health. Something which I believe is severely overlooked nowadays

I run a modified PPL. I always train heavy.

Monday: Chest
Tuesday: Back
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Full Upper
Saturday: Legs
Sunday: Rest

I modified it this way to keep me from spending too much time in the gym during a cut. I have been tempted to cut it down to a 4x a week plan, but my cut is ending shortly.

[Gxp23]

Modified PHAT

[TypeNirvash]

Modified PHAT

That's insensitive. All programs are beautiful.

Yours just happens to be big-boned.

[Gxp23]

That's insensitive. All programs are beautiful.

Yours just happens to be big-boned.

Haha haha hahahahaha haha ha.















































Ha

[JRMoore82]

That's insensitive. All programs are beautiful.

Yours just happens to be big-boned.

Cartman voice "I'm not fat I'm big boned!!"


Also with what you said bout arnie. Agreed. Plus what they used back in their days was ****ing child's play. He was right when he said these guys look like nuclear test subjects. Plus they sign a contract that they are "clean".

Ya at the moment of testing. Everyone knows those guys are all ****ed up on ****.