Who's got big without EVER getting fat?

[fontyyy]

I don't want to hear from 185lb children, you are not big, no one outside of the lifting community even notices your physique at all

But has anyone got really big, as in look big in clothes, probably 250+lb presuming 6' tall, without getting a bit chubby on the way?

Basically what I'm asking is "is lean bulking a lie? (presuming you want to look like you lift)", I think it is.

[jademonkey]

I doubt anyone has ever got to a lean 250 at 6'-0" natural. That's like 29-30 FFMI. That would be like a real life hulk.

Also 185 lean depending on height could be big. Hell I still haven't been over 180 at 5'-10" and people notice. People notice long before one reaches "big". But yeah I'd probably have to hit 200 before I look big bundled up.

[MrCarrot]

Sorry, I don't fit your 250 pound criteria, but in my 20's I went from somewhere in the region of 160 pounds to 210 pounds in less than a year, doing a dirty-ish bulk.

I didn't eat things like candy and ice cream bit I did consume tonnes of carbs, butter, cream, etc. I didn't track calories but would guess I was eating 4,000 - 5,000 a day.

Did it work? Kind of. I packed on a lot of size and strength but a lot of fat too. When I look back at photos with my shirt off, I was basically a fatty with muscular arms. Although probably not "fat" according to your average persons definition, since I did have muscle too. I never got round to cutting so can't ever really know if I'd have looked good once losing the fat.

With that said I was fortunate to look good with a shirt on which was probably just as well.

After a 10 year break I started again and had to spend almost 12 months losing all the fat. I'm 170 pounds now and happier with my physique. I'm currently bulking but would never attempt to do it as fast as I did last time.

[jlsnyderTypeR]

Calling people out right off the bat isn't going to get you anywhere!

185 lbs. and jacked will certainly get you looks if your under 6', and I believe you have to put on a little fat to get 200 lbs.+ size.

Me, I guess, I'll stay like a child.......lean and mean! Lulz!

[induced_drag]

Maximizing mass growth requires caloric surplus. I am not a super big guy, but at 5'9 my 'bulk weight' was about 235ish top. Dropping down sub 10% I would be in the 200 range.


I have gained and lost 100's of lbs literally over about 5 years of trying to maximize mass. (given up gaining a long time ago just passing my 10 year return to training, with 20 years total) I would usually eat "up" aprox 40lbs then diet down hoping to hold on to 2-3 lbs. That would be 5 months of suprlus and 3 months of deficit. Most of this mass gaining was done when I was still lifetime natural. I am no longer but the same rules apply. I tried to continue this process until it no longer yielded results.

There is a spectrum of non-natural training also, but as soon as you share that you are not natrual, guys assume you can put on mass like an IFBB guy. Not going to happen. What I can say the change has been for me, is I have over the last 5-6 years been able to still gain about 1lb per year where as I dont think I would have held that mass getting as lean as I have gotten had I not had my hormones controlled externally.

Anyway, I say the same rules apply to anyone. If you really want to push the limits of mass, you have to be prepared to put on some weight of which some will be fat. Any gains beyond what comes in the first 3-4 years of training all become very hard fought and my experience is the body has to be force fed. I am a big believer in smaller surpluses though. 250cal / day is my magic number. I allows one to maintain the surplus the longest. Now if one's supplement were something in the way of an IFBB guy, or some of the crazy things lots of young guys throw around, maybe you can eat a 500-750 cal surplus consistently, but I just dont see that as being effective.


Here is a good example of the extremes of weight.

First pics is me at 235. Lat pics are me currently at 205. I stay lean year round now because trying to gain mass at this point is fruitless for me and I am not willing to do what it would take to get any bigger. I am OK with where I am at.

[kyle38]

No, I'm 246lb but have a gut, but I'm 5 11. I haven't been cut since 190lb in my 20s.

[KidFreeze]

I don't want to hear from 185lb children, you are not big, no one outside of the lifting community even notices your physique at all

Wow, great intro. Did you know Frank Zane won his first Mr. O at 185lbs? But you are right no one in the lifting community even noticed that, what a ridiculous comment to make.

[fontyyy]

Wow, great intro. Did you know Frank Zane won his first Mr. O at 185lbs? But you are right no one in the lifting community even noticed that, what a ridiculous comment to make.

Zane in normal clothes, next to Arnold, he proves my point,

https://i.redd.it/24a58e76awiz.jpg

DYEL

[KidFreeze]

Zane in normal clothes, next to Arnold, he proves my point,

https://i.redd.it/24a58e76awiz.jpg

DYEL

If you are fascinated by always looking big I get where you are coming from. I'd rather be like the illusionist Mr. Zane, normal looking until he shed the cloths. Plus at 250 not much you can athletically.

[induced_drag]

Zane in normal clothes, next to Arnold, he proves my point,

DYEL

For that matter, even a guy at arnolds size at his peak, does not really look that big in clothes. If arnold did not have his sleeves ripped off, you might ask DYEL about both.

FWIW, as I approach 240, I do fill out clothes much better. But I am soft looking without. At 200, I can blend in pretty well, and not draw any attention. I actually like being able to blend in better. I purpously wear clothes that do not show my physique for initial business meetings. A physique can be a distraction. There are also not all that many great stereotypes that go along with being overly muscular. (and many of them hold true).

So, if you want to just look massive, get fat. (srs). No one except guy at the ifbb level look big in clothes at 10%bf.


Pic of me in clothes. I look pretty much 'normal'. Shirt and pants custom made helps also. But I can buy pants off the rack sometimes. Shirts I can not.

[NearlyBigAngus]

For that matter, even a guy at arnolds size at his peak, does not really look that big in clothes. If arnold did not have his sleeves ripped off, you might ask DYEL about both.

FWIW, as I approach 240, I do fill out clothes much better. But I am soft looking without. At 200, I can blend in pretty well, and not draw any attention. I actually like being able to blend in better. I purpously wear clothes that do not show my physique for initial business meetings. A physique can be a distraction. There are also not all that many great stereotypes that go along with being overly muscular. (and many of them hold true).

So, if you want to just look massive, get fat. (srs). No one except guy at the ifbb level look big in clothes at 10%bf.


Pic of me in clothes. I look pretty much 'normal'. Shirt and pants custom made helps also. But I can buy pants off the rack sometimes. Shirts I can not.

This looks like a great ensemble for initial business meetings - do you coordinate your socks with the hat for such occasions?

[Garage Rat]

Usually the slower you bulk up the less fat you aquire if your eating clean.
Eating more than your base calorie intake will help you gain weight but each person will more than likely be different in the type of weight they gain.
A natural lifter can take quite a bit longer than the assisted lifter so this question is it depends on a lot of variables.
At say at 250 pounds a lean physique could be more genetic on someone with a good metabolism.
So your question can have a complex answer.

[kyle38]

I think the point is being missed, without steriods you are not going to bulk like that. Period. As far as being athletic at 250lb. I can still touch a basketball hoop and walk on my hands.

[willybrokeback]

I think the point is being missed, without steriods your not going to bulk like that. Period. As far as being athletic at 250lb. I can still touch a basketball hoop and walk on my hands.

I think Bo Jackson and The Bus were pretty athletic at near 240.

[MCrow]

IDK, anyone that's not overly tall will looked pretty damn big at 200lbs if they're shredded.

Some of the biggest dudes I know don't look big in clothes, in fact most people who are ripped don't look as big as they are in clothes.

Most of the guys that look huge in clothes are guys that are like 15-20% BF but have a lot of muscle mass.

[jdesey]

I don't want to hear from 185lb children, you are not big, no one outside of the lifting community even notices your physique at all

But has anyone got really big, as in look big in clothes, probably 250+lb presuming 6' tall, without getting a bit chubby on the way?

Basically what I'm asking is "is lean bulking a lie? (presuming you want to look like you lift)", I think it is.

It’s a big ass lie that you have to get fat while building muscle. Not sure where this lie comes from but it is just plain wrong. I went from 190 to 220 without gaining fat % one bit. I actually lost body fat. But this myth does persist

[TAWS6]

Probably not. You really don't see naturals coming into shape over 200 lbs. I usually aim for 1 lb per month which is lean bulking. Most of it ends up being fat anyways lol. That's why I'll never eat in a large surplus again.

[bodyhard]

Naturals
Fat guys always look big in clothing regardless of hieght, but look like crap with their shirt off. Built guys look small in clothing but big with their shirt off.

Juiced
Look big in clothes and bigger with their shirt off.

[drudixon]

49 and wants to get even bigger. Sounds really smart.

[kyle38]

Naturals
Fat guys always look big in clothing regardless of hieght, but look like crap with their shirt off. Built guys look small in clothing but big with their shirt off.

Juiced
Look big in clothes and bigger with their shirt off.

There is a reason I leave my shirt on.

[kyle38]

49 and wants to get even bigger. Sounds really smart.

When not competing, Arnold has stated his target weight is 210lb. I am sure in his 70s that is a bit off the Mark now. He also use to bulk to 270 and cut to 250 and was around Billy Graham a lot, so he wasn't natural as much as he claims to be.

[drudixon]

When not competing, Arnold has stated his target weight is 210lb. I am sure in his 70s that is a bit off the Mark now. He also use to bulk to 270 and cut to 250 and was around Billy Graham a lot, so he wasn't natural as much as he claims to be.

Have nothing against being big at all. Op is clearly already pretty big. At his age what toll will the extra size exact on his overall health? Muscle or not, it's more work for his heart.

[willybrokeback]

When not competing, Arnold has stated his target weight is 210lb. I am sure in his 70s that is a bit off the Mark now. He also use to bulk to 270 and cut to 250 and was around Billy Graham a lot, so he wasn't natural as much as he claims to be.

I saw Arnold in person at the premier of Jingle All The Way (my ex was in it and dragged me to the premier). Anyway, I remember thinking- He's doesn't look that big. He was wearing a suit and he was past his competing days I believe, but I think I had Conan in my head and it surprised me. He looks taller in movies also.

[MCrow]

I saw Arnold in person at the premier of Jingle All The Way (my ex was in it and dragged me to the premier). Anyway, I remember thinking- He's doesn't look that big. He was wearing a suit and he was past his competing days I believe, but I think I had Conan in my head and it surprised me. He looks taller in movies also.

I lived down the street in from where they filmed Jingle All The Way. We could see from the upper floor of the building when they were filming. He also was cool enough to come out and sign some autographs a couple of days. I can say from that he's definitely 5'11 +/- an inch. He's not 6'2, that's for sure.

[Millz12323]

Currently in the process of getting fat. I never get big. Just fatter and stronger.