Why do the pros of today have "the gut"?

[dparm99]

I'm sure you all know what i'm talking about. It seems that most of the pros today have "the gut", but the older bodybuilders eg. Arnold etc didn't have it. Why exactly is this?

[aiwass]

Human Growth Hormone. It causes the internal organs to grow.

[MinisterOfLust]

They take too much growth hormone. They eat too goddamn much.

[Number69]

I don't think it's GH, I think it's a few factors.

1. A genetic disposition
2. Mixing GH, Slin and IGF-1 in high doses.
3. Huge off season diets (+10000 cals) don't help either.

[F W Nietszche]

I'm sure you all know what i'm talking about. It seems that most of the pros today have "the gut", but the older bodybuilders eg. Arnold etc didn't have it. Why exactly is this?

1. Heavy abdominal training, everyone in the iron age did not train with weights, they did some decline crunches at most, you see that pros now have very defined bulging obliques/abdominals.

2. GH, it enlarges yoru gut, it also causes the growth of bones (eg head and chin of Culter)

3. Eating a lot does somewhat bloat the body.

4. No vacuums, everyone has a little bit of distention, but the pros of yesterday had the ability to suck it in.

[2pounds]

slin

[craz1]

slin

slin is a fat burner, I would say hgh.

[drewkowsky]

slin is not a fatburner
King Kamali and others have said its from slin and IGF1

[F W Nietszche]

also as you grow bigger your whole body will grow to support the mass if nothing else, it was thus be wise to conclude that a 300 pound man will never have a 28 inch waist.

[meathead320]

also as you grow bigger your whole body will grow to support the mass if nothing else, it was thus be wise to conclude that a 300 pound man will never have a 28 inch waist.

I agree, a 28 inch waist itself would look stupid and out of place on a 300 pounder.

Honestly I think the reason is that some guys are just getting too damn big. How often do you see a guy who has ****ty pecs, arms, lags, and back, but has a big distended stomach? No not fat guys, I mean 3% bodyfat contest shape bodybuilders. I cannot think of any.

Also how many guys who are 230 lbs range, and over 5'10" have guts? Not any.

You have to realize that the abdominal muscles are not just the abbs you see on the surface, but are infact several sheets of muscle under the "pacs" of muscle you see. When the body is exposed to anabolic hormones, and you are doing heavy compound lifts, then those sheet of mucle must expand.

Also if you have the muscles of a 300 pounder, then your body has to feed that, and so the intestines themselves may actually be addapting to new nutrition requirements.

It is also interesting that most of the guys who have the distention have shorter waists to begin with. The shorter the waist, the less room for growth of the abdominal wall, and the organs.

Lee Priest for example has a long waist, he may get fat in the offseason, but on contest day he has a very narrow waist.

Ronnie Coleman has a very short waist, and when his abdominal wall grew to support the rest of his size, it ends up bulging outward. The abdominal wall has the ability to grow and bulge out just like any other muscle in the human body.

As far as no 300 pounders with a slim waist? I dissagree. Take Noah Steere for example. Well, then again he is just a half inch away from being 6'7" and he has a long waist, so on his frame 300 is sort of like 245 at 5'11".
Big but, not big enough to have a gut. Quincy Taylor who is 6'4" 290 contest shape, and a little over 300 offseason, and has a long waist, also has not gut.
I think it is safe to say that if you are really tall you CAN be 300 lbs. with a flat stomach.

I honestly think that in Pro bodybuildig one of the biggest problems is that the shorter guys who get sooo thick , is that it is starting not to look good.

I admire what Ronnie, Jay, Gunter, and Markus Ruhl have accomplished, but to tell the truth, I would rather look like Mark Dugdale for example.

I wonder if we have reached an era in bodybuilding when we have to ask; IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE TOO BIG?

Was not bodybuilding about having the perfect, or as close to perfect as possible physique? We decided long ago we preffer big for the ideal male look, but have we gone to a point where it is possible with training, eating, and hormones to get so big we have actually moved far away from the ideal of "perfect" physique?

[LatsMakeTheMan]

I wonder if we have reached an era in bodybuilding when we have to ask; IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE TOO BIG?

I agree......the pros are literally getting "big enough." The only way more size would be acceptable would be if the bodybuilder in question was taller. But if Ronnie gains much more weight on his 5'11 frame, it's only going to make him look ridiculous (as though that weren't the case already).

There comes a point when your bodyparts start to "run out" of space to pack on more muscle, so it just starts bulging out in weird places (such as the gut).

I always think of the bodybuilders of today as being clay statues that were built with too much clay.......as though the artist insisted on using every little bit he had rather than just calling it quits after he had acheived perfection.

[meathead320]

The thing is I do not want to insult any one by saying it either, it is just a matter of taste.

I like the analogy of a sculptor who wants to put every piece of clay onto the statue. Bodybuilding in competition, is more art than sport. If you look close at a lot of pros, and guys in the NPC you could fit into that analogy.

I respect what it takes to get uber huge, but couldnt have we settled for more refinement?

I DO think that bodybuilding should involve bigger physiques, and big muscles is part of the apeal, but I do not think it was ever inteded to be a contest where we would just try to get the biggest muscles possible.

I think it is sort of like a Woman going into a beauty contest with 170-ZZZ size cup implants. Big is beatiful, but eventually you got to draw the line.

Now, I think that there is a place for a 330 pound contest weight on perhaps a 6'6" frame, and maybe 250 at 5'10", and maybe 225 at 5'4", but once you start getting bigger than those weighs for height, well now you are just starting to look weird.

Take for example Arnold, suposedly 6'2" with 235 contest weight. Now if that physique had slightly bigger back, and legs, with shoulders a little more capped off, jut to bring everything up to match the arms, and pecs, and lets say the end weigh would be 255, then why get any bigger?

[stealth114]

Excellent post guys. Agreed 101% with the fact of being too huge as compared too proportion and just perfection. The cartoon superhero look is good but for a muscle god size., if bodybuilding is goign to evolove with 310+ monsters and even heavier, they just wont look good unless it's on 6ft5 + frames in my opinion .I agree there has to be a certain weight/height ratio that is rational.

[Ciups]

I hear what we are saying about too big, but how much more "perfect" can a bber get than say Shawn in the early 90's? What would be the determining factors when all bbers lose there size and achieve this? There are many bbers that can be symmetrical and muscular. There are few who can get so huge as Ron and still look "ok"

I personally think Shawn should have been winning O's since that time.

[Ciups]

I hear what we are saying about too big, but how much more "perfect" can a bber get than say Shawn in the early 90's? What would be the determining factors when all bbers lose there size and achieve this? There are many bbers that can be symmetrical and muscular. There are few who can get so huge as Ron and still look "ok"

I personally think Shawn should have been winning O's since that time.

Point of Reference

[fire]

GROWTH HORMONE without question.

[r0ckyb4lboa]

hgh

[Number69]

slin is a fat burner, I would say hgh.

Slin is lipogenic and actually can cause localised fat gains if injection sites aren't rotated.

[meathead320]

I could care less what is being used, hgh, AAS, slin, etc...

My point is that a lot of the 280 pound bodybuilders looked great when they where 240.

If I could have the physique of a Guy like Ronnie Coleman I would pick his physique from what is looked like years ago, back when he was just under 250 for a contest weight.

I am not calling Pro Bodybuilders drug addicts or abusers.

Even if you had a guy who just Naturally produced 2,000 mg of test a week, and did not need AAS and was a pro, if he got so big his quads looked like giant baloons with striations and viens I would have to say it just does not look right.

The "gut" is just a side effect of being so damn big.

I however am not a fan of the Frank Zane look either, I would prefer a much bigger look than that, but just not as big as Coleman, Cutler, and Ruhl etc...

For example he is a pic of a guy named Rich Piana, he competes in the super heavies at the NPC, and he is 6'0" by 260 lbs in these pics about two week sbefore the 2004 Nationals. I really see no reason why we should expect a physique to be bigger than this on thier frame. Also I will include a picture of the 5'11" 245 lbs Lee Haney to compare.

I do not think that a weight/height ratio needs to be imposed, but I think that the judging critera may need to be looked at, and maybe they should not be encouraging the uber thick look.

Nor do I think that it is cool that Pro Bodybuilders have proven that a human being can get that thick, but I just prefer that now that it has been done maybe we take a step back. Not all the way back to the 70s, but maybe actually accept the idea that being too big eventually looks bad.

Personally I think that the size that Lee Haney brought was about as big as things ever needed to get.

Now if you want to look like Haney and you happen to be really really tall (like 6'6" or 6'7"), then, and only then should you be 320 lbs. contest weight.

[craz1]

Slin is lipogenic and actually can cause localised fat gains if injection sites aren't rotated.

Always heard it burned fat where it was injected, and sped metabolism up. My cousin is a diabetic and she showed me her legs where she injects and it makes a dimple in her skin where it looks like fat has been sucked out, but have no idea of what type of slin she takes. I also thought it burned sugar so asumed it would lean you out b/c sugar can cause fat gain. Thanks for the input, I never used it, and never new it could cause fat gain. Thanks I learn everyday that no matter how much I know I always have plenty to learn.

[mike131st]

My opinion the old bodybuilders looked better

[Jotun]

Know why bodybuilders looked better when they were 240 as opposed to 270+? Because they used insulin to gain that 30+lbs. Insulin is the only major difference between the drug use of today's bodybuilders and the drug use before 90s-era bodybuilders. Hgh was around and so were massive dosages of AAS, T3, Clen, etc.

[Max Protein]

For example he is a pic of a guy named Rich Piana, he competes in the super heavies at the NPC, and he is 6'0" by 260 lbs in these pics about two week sbefore the 2004 Nationals. I really see no reason why we should expect a physique to be bigger than this on thier frame.

The tattoo on his back r0x0rZ. But the one on his hips sux0rZ.
As for the brown-nosing Lee Haney bit, (his legs sux0rZd btw) I think Dorian Yates was the perfect size - 260lbs contest weight is acheivable, even for natural would-be competitors like me. 300lb is just way off limits and too unhealthy.
THAT'S why these guys get fat - too many calories mixed with too little physical activity (particularly cardio). Ronnie wins shows at 289 and that sets a bad example for his challengers - I can name a time Jay was 260 and proud of it.

[chad12121]

[QUOTE=meathead320]
Honestly I think the reason is that some guys are just getting too damn big. How often do you see a guy who has ****ty pecs, arms, lags, and back, but has a big distended stomach? No not fat guys, I mean 3% bodyfat contest shape bodybuilders. I cannot think of any.
QUOTE]

Greg Kovacs

[Natural Science]

All I can say after all these great posts is that Im glad Ill never look like Ronnie Coleman. I finally realized just how ridiculous its getting after this years Olympia when there was so much craze over Ronnies weight. I was thinking to myself..."wow hes really heavy, but he doesnt look that great" Or maybe Im losing the point of bodybuilding. If thats the case, I dont think Im alone. Bodybuilding is heading in a sad sad direction, as if it wasnt already sad enough.

[meathead320]

Last year at the Arnold Classic Greg Kovacs came in at about 320, and yes it did not look good. I will give credit where it is do, his stomach was not bulging out in that contest. Wide from side to side? Yes very wide, but not bulging out, although that has been problem of his in the past.

I do think that bodbuilding is not heading in a very very sad direction. I am more an optomist.

I think what Ronnie has done, is shown how big it is possible to get. That was sort of the thing to prove. Now I think bodybuilding may be moving away from that again.

I think that after a while the judges will start looking for physiques with great proportions, and good aesthetics.

Some of the more classic physiques are starting to make a come back. Take Mark Dugdale for example.

I think that in 10-20 years there will be less freaks, but bodybuilders will still be big. Honestly I see the trend of the super freaks dominating the sport ending.

[Ironager]

I think Ruhl looks pretty ridiculous too...

Now compare Ruhl to a 195 pound Zane.

[Fluff]

I would love to be called "too big"
Is it possible to improve a bulging waist? I think Ruhl's waist was wider at some point, but he managed to tighten it.

[Art_Atwood]

[QUOTE=chad12121]

Honestly I think the reason is that some guys are just getting too damn big. How often do you see a guy who has ****ty pecs, arms, lags, and back, but has a big distended stomach? No not fat guys, I mean 3% bodyfat contest shape bodybuilders. I cannot think of any.
QUOTE]

Greg Kovacs

Damn Greg looks good

[Fluff]

He really does in some pics
http://www.nicbri.addr.com/Greg+Kovacs.jpg
http://body.builder.hu/imagebank/pictures/974033098.jpg