Matt C. front picture.

[Matt C]

I figured since John Romano was willing to post a front picture that I would too.

Training:

I don't want to make excuses, but my lack of size is not due to training improperly.  Today I placed 9th in my city's strongest man contest [with only a 445 deadlift by the way].  It made me really question how many of the posted gym stats on boards are accurate.    Funny how none of these strong guys who exist on the boards ever show up at contests, at least where I'm from.

I attribute my lack of size to genetics and nutrition.

Genetics:

I think this says it all [November 2000]:



Nutrition:

If I eat 1,200 calories per day I feel perfectly fine all day.  There is no question about it, if I get 1,200 calories in, I am not hungry whatsoever throughout the day and this includes days where I do fairly heavy [for me] deadlift workouts, e.g., 360 - 5X5, one rep at a time, followed by max singles, 430-455 range.  At 1,800 calories or more per day, it is at the point where I am feeling full.  3,000 would be pushing the point of feeling ill, although I do believe that 3,000 calories is realistic for me to condition my stomach towards.  I have had this low of an appetite my entire life so I think it would take some serious conditioning for my stomach to tolerate over 3,000 calories on a daily basis.

I find that I am never adequately hydrated from a bodybuilding point of view so in the summer I am weaker because I spend a lot of time indoors all year so in the summer I am still sweating indoors or out whereas in the winter I am only dehydrating while outside in the cold.  I intend to be stronger for my next strength contest in October as the weather cools.

Anyway, looking at John's pictures made me wonder whether or not some people will never have good chest size/separation no matter what they do.  I think that my pecs feel thick but they don't look it.

Given that I have a bench 1RM of 315+ and this is what my chest looks like, is it possible that I will always have a weak chest?

My ideal physique would be something along the lines of the two photos following mine.  The first is Tim Wescott who is 5'8 and 165 in contest and the next is my friend who is just under 6'0 and 175.  Would cutting my body fat bring out any chest separation or do I just lack the mass due to genetics?

My weight is around 170.

[Matt C]

This is 165?  

He honestly looks amazing!

[wes]

Thanks Matt,but I only weigh 154 in that bottom pic and about 160 in the top one.

[240 is Back]

matt is becoming a man, no doubt about it

[Boost]

It's all about bodyfat with you. You're bodyfat is actually quite high.

Your chest is much better than the 6ft dude's.

Get down to about 145-150 and your chest will look MUCH better

Like you, I never thought my chest was any good until I dieted

[Boost]

Dropping some weight will also chisel your face.

Chicks dig that

[wes]

Matt,what do you do for your pecs?

I beleive that 5-12 reps in pyramid style,followed by a burnout set is the best method to build them.

Powerlifting is only gonna` do so much,plus sooner or later,you`ll end up hurt.

[240 is Back]

Would cutting my body fat bring out any chest separation or do I just lack the mass due to genetics?

My weight is around 170.

matt, I love ya brother... youre a wise dude and I have enjoyed reading your posts for years.  Sometimes I agree, sometimes not, but i always read.

That being said...


I have shit genetics myself - I was 25 years old and a shitload skinnier than you were in that pic.  120 pounds at 5 foot 10 before I started lifting consistently.  And today, I'm not a bodybuilder, but i look like a new person.  I'm gonna throw my own suggestions at ya, based upon what i've seen in your training clips and what i have learned.  This is my own opinion, of course, so i may be full of shit.  But I'll give it a shot man...

Your training form is too sloppy.  you move a ton of weight in your youtube training clips, but it's all momentum.  Just slow it down and reduce the weight by 25% and pause/contract on every rep.

Your shoulders and triceps are why you bench 315, not your chest.  Use pre-exhaust 15 reps of slow DB flyes, THEN hit your bench in a super set.  You'll pre-exhaust your pecs so they'll do some work in the beching.  Your shoulders are incredible but they're doing the work when you do chest - think about frank mcgrath - biceps so good he can't train back effectively.

Diet... you shouldn't be thinking of 1200 vs 1800 calories... you should be thinking of "4 meals of a big pile of beef/chicken, carbs and gravy, 2 protein shakes, and 2 big ass garden salads" each day.

Being hydrated - HUGE problem there.  Just carry a water gallon everywhere with you (tacky, sure), but make yourself drink it every day.  One gallon a day.  Then you'll get to 1.5 gallons, then maybe even 2.  it's not tough to do.  

I wouldn''t worry AT ALL about losing body fat to get the chest showing better.  I'd be more focused on eating a shitload of food, drinking a ton of water, using creating 3x daily, and hitting pecs every 5 days with prexhaust.  Clean up the form, stop worrying about how much weight you're moving.  Just focus on using shit heavy weight for 6 to 8 perfect reps with no shaking, NO MOMENTUM, etc.

I very rarely give any advice on training cause hey, I'm as full of shit as anyone else and I'm no expert.  but we're in about the same boat.  You just don't look THICK to me.  Drink water, train slow, eat big, and just slow down.  Stop thinking about getting diced.  Anyway, that's just my 2 cents.  Good luck in your journey.

[wes]

Good advice Rob !

[WillGrant]

Your training and diet suck.

Who cares how much you can lift , thats not going to build muscle ..intensity will and muscles need time under tension to grow.

I havent watched your vids but if like Rob says your form is sloppy then theres one of the problems , building muscle is not "weightlifting" its "weight feeling"

Eatting , you need to make an effort to train your self to eat right.

Im tired so cant be assed typing any more 

[keanu]

I figured since John Romano was willing to post a front picture that I would too.

Training:

If I eat 1,200 calories per day I feel perfectly fine all day.  There is no question about it, if I get 1,200 calories in, I am not hungry whatsoever throughout the day and this includes days where I do fairly heavy [for me] deadlift workouts, e.g., 360 - 5X5, one rep at a time, followed by max singles, 430-455 range.  At 1,800 calories or more per day, it is at the point where I am feeling full.  

Here is the problem. Look at your appetite. If you are training properly and building muscle, your body will induce more appetite since muscle growth requires it. Your bird like appetite tells me very little muscle is being developed. Your genetics are quite impressive actually. Being as strong as you are is quite a genetic gift.


For muscle growth,I'd suggest changing your powerlifting routines. Slow down your reps. Squeeze at the point of peak contraction for 2 seconds per rep, each set should last 45 seconds or more (each rep should take 5 seconds) depending on bodyparts. A set of 20 rep forearm curls should take a good minute and a half. Training this way will not only result in using lighter weights but will result in a large reduction of volume as well. You'll have much more functional strength outside the gym, and it will last longer. Your physique will look much better as well with likely gains of 20lbs or more. Just remember to rest 2 days in between workouts, you'll need it!

[Vince B]

150 pound guys will soon be taking over Getbig. Arvillaism has struck.

[Van_Bilderass]

I don't want to make excuses, but my lack of size is not due to training improperly.  

Well you obviously aren't on the Test, EQ and Dbol stack which you were running before. Drop the clen and Winstrol lady-stacks you're on now.

Westcott looks like he's running a nice test, deca, tren and halotestin combo in that outside pic. You know what you need to do Matt.

No diet or training modification matters if the hormones aren't in place. You've been training long enough to have plateaued with that obviously. Sure you could get fatter but you obviously don't want that.

[wes]

Westcott looks like he's running a nice test, deca, tren and halotestin combo in that outside pic. You know what you need to do Matt.

Almost as good at guesswork as GH15 !! 

[WillGrant]

hey matt C,

You have good strength for your size, or for any size for that matter.  Training for strength and size are two diff. things...although they kind of go hand in hand as well.  Don't blame genetics...your genetics dont look that bad.  I think you just need to gain some solid weight, and then diet down all the way and see where your at.  Set a goal of weighing 200 lbs, and then diet down.  After you do, then set a new goal of 220 lbs and then diet down....keep doing this...and eventually, youll be pretty big.  Since people are throwing up progress pics...below are a few of mine.

2003 (18 years old)



2007 (22 years old)



2010 (25 years old)

You looked good at 22 , thats fantastic progress for four years.had you been training at all in the first pic ?

[_bruce_]

You look great Matt - your chest will always be behind... who cares.
At least you have great delts, small waist and good arms - nothing worse than a titman(barrel chest) with stick arms.

[pellius]

Props Matt for posting pics. It takes a lot of guts because this is a very brutal and unforgiving board and some of your harshest critics will be the ones who will never post pics of themselves. I, too have a tough time with my chest. I have long arms and I can feel my tris giving out before it seems like my pecs have even begun to warm up. I believe in pre-exhausting them with a fly movement. I like the Nautilus type pec dec and think it's very important to stretch all the way back. Really rip them off your sternum. And when you can't do any more complete reps do partials in the stretch position until you want to cry. Then hit a pressing movement. I've been trying to really get an improvement in the last 4 months and my pecs are always sore after a workout but I'm 50 years old now. Some have mentioned that they seem "beefier" and I have put on a few pounds. I'm not sure. First one is the "before" and the next one was taken last night.

[WillGrant]

Props Matt for posting pics. It takes a lot of guts because this is a very brutal and unforgiving board and some of your harshest critics will be the ones who will never post pics of themselves. I, too have a tough time with my chest. I have long arms and I can feel my tris giving out before it seems like my pecs have even begun to warm up. I believe in pre-exhausting them with a fly movement. I like the Nautilus type pec dec and think it's very important to stretch all the way back. Really rip them off your sternum. And when you can't do any more complete reps do partials in the stretch position until you want to cry. Then hit a pressing movement. I've been trying to really get an improvement in the last 4 months and my pecs are always sore after a workout but I'm 50 years old now. Some have mentioned that they seem "beefier" and I have put on a few pounds. I'm not sure. First one is the "before" and the next one was taken last night.

I dont think anyone has been harsh other than give Matt the truth , his training and diet are shit end of.

You wont gain anything sitting at 8 % unless you are on a crapload of hormones and gh as well. but hey you look great for an older guy so why would you want to gain size ?

[kevinf]

You look great Matt - your chest will always be behind... who cares.
At least you have great delts, small waist and good arms - nothing worse than a titman(barrel chest) with stick arms.

x2. IMO i dont think its his diet or training, its genetics. Chest will alway be behind and not seperated. Matt has been weight training for years now, regardless of his style and diet, if he was meant to have a separated big chest  he would have had one by now. I have the same problem as you but not as bad,my chest separation sucks. And I've done every rep range, excercise in the book for it...no noticeable changes. The same way Munzer never had abs despite being on a shitload of drugs and a ridiculously low BF. some guys never get separation on some body parts no matter what.
 but your shoulders look sick man. also when you get a chest pump, does your chest look more seperated? or does it always look like that?
i know after a chest workout,mine always looks alot more seperated. But after the pump, its back to minimal separation.

[pellius]

I dont think anyone has been harsh other than give Matt the truth , his training and diet are shit end of.

You wont gain anything sitting at 8 % unless you are on a crapload of hormones and gh as well. but hey you look great for an older guy so why would you want to gain size ?

I don't really know how bad his diet and training is.

I got a rib injury (OK, I got the crap beat out of me in a scrap) so I couldn't really roll. The injury didn't really effect my weight training other over head pull up type movements so I figure since I'll be way less active I'll modify my training a bit and see if it makes a difference. Instead of the circuit type training I do focusing on conditioning I'll slow things down a bit and try to focus more on progression -- moving more weight, getting more reps. Also, eating more of course.

[WillGrant]

I don't really know how bad his diet and training is.

I got a rib injury (OK, I got the crap beat out of me in a scrap) so I couldn't really roll. The injury didn't really effect my weight training other over head pull up type movements so I figure since I'll be way less active I'll modify my training a bit and see if it makes a difference. Instead of the circuit type training I do focusing on conditioning I'll slow things down a bit and try to focus more on progression -- moving more weight, getting more reps. Also, eating more of course.

Ah ok , so just a change of pace.
Well you are in great shape now , even if you let yourself upto a legit 10 % you will still be lean but I think with the heavier training and more food you will still be ripped but your muscles will look alot fuller..
JNN needs to do this as well, his body needs a break ..you guys will still look awesome , you wont get fat you will be lean full and mean. 

[wavelength]

Yes it's amazing how low you must go in weight to look good

[#1 Klaus fan]

Everyone is skinny as a teenager.

[The True Adonis]

Matt C,

You need to lose 30-50 lbs to be truly ripped.  If you are maintaining the fat on your current physique with 1300 calories, something is wrong with you medically (thyroid) or you are mistaken or perhaps you need to really be in the 130 lb range eating at 130 lb physique levels (which does make sense given the amount of fat we see on you at this moment).

Either way you are pretty fat and will be 130-140 lbs ripped which is not entirely too bad.

[Neptune100]

Matt C,

You need to lose 30-50 lbs to be truly ripped.  If you are maintaining the fat on your current physique with 1300 calories, something is wrong with you medically (thyroid) or you are mistaken or perhaps you need to really be in the 130 lb range eating at 130 lb physique levels (which does make sense given the amount of fat we see on you at this moment).

Either way you are pretty fat and will be 130-140 lbs ripped which is not entirely too bad.

This guy doesnt know what he's talking about.  Your skin is very pale and I imagine you're closer to 12-15% bodyfat and only need to lose 10-15 pounds to be shredded.