Ripped ectomorph but still skinny?
Discussion
Centurion07 said:
Muscle may well be attained at the same rate regardless of body type, but 1lb of muscle on a tall, skinny guy is going to look very different than on a short, stocky guy, no?
If the current fashion is for large muscle over the long bones, then yes. If it's not, or the skinny guy isn't bothered with the current 'gym look', there's ways of making yourself stand out: Front deltoids, traps, upper pecs, lats. Arms and legs will never be easy to develop because of the length of the levers.popeyewhite said:
Centurion07 said:
Muscle may well be attained at the same rate regardless of body type, but 1lb of muscle on a tall, skinny guy is going to look very different than on a short, stocky guy, no?
If the current fashion is for large muscle over the long bones, then yes. If it's not, or the skinny guy isn't bothered with the current 'gym look', there's ways of making yourself stand out: Front deltoids, traps, upper pecs, lats. Arms and legs will never be easy to develop because of the length of the levers.For what it's worth, I think if you want to look "big", given what you've already said, you should hit your chest & lats hard. It will certainly give the impression of size through your clothes, but may accentuate the other areas that are contributing to your skinny look i.e. arms & legs, when it's not all covered up.
Your posture can also make a huge difference to how you look. Slouching and allowing your shoulders to roll forward makes you much narrower as they pull inward, and forward, hiding any size in your chest.
Have a look at this link, notice the difference when he rolls his shoulders forward to when he straightens up again. Easy to check for yourself in a mirror.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6MiwC90UIo
Have a look at this link, notice the difference when he rolls his shoulders forward to when he straightens up again. Easy to check for yourself in a mirror.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6MiwC90UIo
Beknown said:
...........As for clothes, well I have to buy large shirts and T-shirts in order to fit me correctly in the shoulder. Then I make sure they are slim fit so they taper in however depending on the brand (Ted Baker) I take them to a tailor to reduce even further.
Cheap stuff like NEXT large slim fit T-shirts fit me perfectly though (I'll try Abercrombie or Holister so thanks for pointing that out).
My trousers have gone up from 30" to 32" although elastically stuff like boxers or jogging bottoms I still wear 30" - which is fking tiny again considering how tall I am.
large slim fit are for 15st chunkers Cheap stuff like NEXT large slim fit T-shirts fit me perfectly though (I'll try Abercrombie or Holister so thanks for pointing that out).
My trousers have gone up from 30" to 32" although elastically stuff like boxers or jogging bottoms I still wear 30" - which is fking tiny again considering how tall I am.
You should be wearing medium slim fit if you don't want to look too skinny in clothing.
Anyways, you have a build that most people (including me) would love so stop ya moaning!
I'm 5'10 and just under 14 stone. If I wear large clothing I look like a shapeless blob, so usually go for medium slim fit (Next) to show off the shape
Grin n Bear (available via Amazon) are pretty good for athletic builds, however I usually have to go for a large there! They're tapered fits so rather than assuming 'large chest = beer gut" or "large neck = due to fatness", they hug the body quite nicely around the waist. They also do hoodies, dress shirts etc
My wife is losing a lot of weight at the moment but was too conscious of her post pregnancy belly (which is there but not as bad as she thinks) to wear the correct size. The result was that she looked like a pumpkin shape.
I lied to her the other week and said that a dress was a size 14 when it was really a 10. She tried it on and loved it! Only downside is the cost of the new wardrobe
Grin n Bear (available via Amazon) are pretty good for athletic builds, however I usually have to go for a large there! They're tapered fits so rather than assuming 'large chest = beer gut" or "large neck = due to fatness", they hug the body quite nicely around the waist. They also do hoodies, dress shirts etc
My wife is losing a lot of weight at the moment but was too conscious of her post pregnancy belly (which is there but not as bad as she thinks) to wear the correct size. The result was that she looked like a pumpkin shape.
I lied to her the other week and said that a dress was a size 14 when it was really a 10. She tried it on and loved it! Only downside is the cost of the new wardrobe
Beknown said:
I'm going to keep going the gym and making gains, but I dont know if I should just accept being skinny.
I'm not actually sure what your (perceived) problem is.Being lean, fit & strong (ie. capable of useful/sporting physical activity at a high work-rate, not just a few reps on a multigym) and healthy should be the ideal, not some fashionable, visible notion of "beauty" or masculinity.
MC Bodge said:
I'm not actually sure what your (perceived) problem is.
Being lean, fit & strong (ie. capable of useful/sporting physical activity at a high work-rate, not just a few reps on a multigym) and healthy should be the ideal, not some fashionable, visible notion of "beauty" or masculinity.
Better to be lean, fit , strong, healthy, big, ripped and awesome though.Being lean, fit & strong (ie. capable of useful/sporting physical activity at a high work-rate, not just a few reps on a multigym) and healthy should be the ideal, not some fashionable, visible notion of "beauty" or masculinity.
Sounds like me, only younger. Embrace the good genes.
I'm 186cm and 85kgs so maybe a little on the heavy side according to the tables. Thanks to being 'tall' and slim build it's not obvious.
I didn't begin any kind of exercise until I was 40 and weight training at 45. I find it quite easy to add muscle though I accept I'll never have a typical body builder's physique but happy with what may be achieved.
Long limbs and body mean the muscle belly is elongated so while a decent size, never rounded or bulky.
I'm 186cm and 85kgs so maybe a little on the heavy side according to the tables. Thanks to being 'tall' and slim build it's not obvious.
I didn't begin any kind of exercise until I was 40 and weight training at 45. I find it quite easy to add muscle though I accept I'll never have a typical body builder's physique but happy with what may be achieved.
Long limbs and body mean the muscle belly is elongated so while a decent size, never rounded or bulky.
Don't like citing brosites but heyho.
T Nation says:
Brachiomorphic Body Type (long limbs)
The lifting emphasis should be on moderate/accelerative work. This body type needs more flexibility training and needs to emphasize distal muscle groups (those toward the extremities). Brachiomorphs need to spend more time on distal muscles since their poor levers predispose them to weaknesses. That means more supplementary work and not just a focus on the major lifts.
T Nation says:
Brachiomorphic Body Type (long limbs)
The lifting emphasis should be on moderate/accelerative work. This body type needs more flexibility training and needs to emphasize distal muscle groups (those toward the extremities). Brachiomorphs need to spend more time on distal muscles since their poor levers predispose them to weaknesses. That means more supplementary work and not just a focus on the major lifts.
Z
Carting around a load of gym muscle is just excess baggage.
Those lads you see with the modern look of big, pumped up arms and not much else don't look particularly awesome.
didelydoo said:
MC Bodge said:
I'm not actually sure what your (perceived) problem is.
Being lean, fit & strong (ie. capable of useful/sporting physical activity at a high work-rate, not just a few reps on a multigym) and healthy should be the ideal, not some fashionable, visible notion of "beauty" or masculinity.
Better to be lean, fit , strong, healthy, big, ripped and awesome though.Being lean, fit & strong (ie. capable of useful/sporting physical activity at a high work-rate, not just a few reps on a multigym) and healthy should be the ideal, not some fashionable, visible notion of "beauty" or masculinity.
Those lads you see with the modern look of big, pumped up arms and not much else don't look particularly awesome.
MC Bodge said:
Carting around a load of gym muscle is just excess baggage.
Those lads you see with the modern look of big, pumped up arms and not much else don't look particularly awesome.
Depends on your point of view, I'd not view 'excess baggage' as as excess or baggage, but as a good thing. Looking like golden age bodybuilder would be awesome, I'd be amazed if anyone disagrees. (think Frank Zane, Franco Columbu, Arnie, Serge Nubert etc)Those lads you see with the modern look of big, pumped up arms and not much else don't look particularly awesome.
didelydoo said:
MC Bodge said:
Carting around a load of gym muscle is just excess baggage.
Those lads you see with the modern look of big, pumped up arms and not much else don't look particularly awesome.
Depends on your point of view, I'd not view 'excess baggage' as as excess or baggage, but as a good thing. Looking like golden age bodybuilder would be awesome, I'd be amazed if anyone disagrees. (think Frank Zane, Franco Columbu, Arnie, Serge Nubert etc)Those lads you see with the modern look of big, pumped up arms and not much else don't look particularly awesome.
I would like to be lean and fit - a bit like I am now (at 6' and 79.5kg), but a bit usefully stronger, without being too heavy, so that I can still run, cycle, carry a heavy pack, turn my hand to anything.
MC Bodge said:
Be amazed, I've no urge to look like Arnie did in his prime.
I would like to be lean and fit - a bit like I am now (at 6' and 79.5kg), but a bit usefully stronger, without being too heavy, so that I can still run, cycle, carry a heavy pack, turn my hand to anything.
What is your ideal physique? The Pistonhead standard appears to be Hugh Jackman judging form recent threads.... Arnie was at the bigger end of the scale, look at some of the other guys I mentioned.I would like to be lean and fit - a bit like I am now (at 6' and 79.5kg), but a bit usefully stronger, without being too heavy, so that I can still run, cycle, carry a heavy pack, turn my hand to anything.
You don't need to be skinny to be lean and fit- being bigger and more muscular doesn't preclude you from any of the things you mention above. But if you're happy with your lot, then that's no bad thing.
didelydoo said:
What is your ideal physique? The Pistonhead standard appears to be Hugh Jackman judging form recent threads.... Arnie was at the bigger end of the scale, look at some of the other guys I mentioned.
You don't need to be skinny to be lean and fit- being bigger and more muscular doesn't preclude you from any of the things you mention above. But if you're happy with your lot, then that's no bad thing.
Ideal physique is not something I've ever given much thought to. I don't know what Hugh Jackman looks like without clothes. I'm more interested in being fit, capable and feeling healthy. I do a fair bit of exercise/training when I can and The resulting "physique"/look is just a side-effect. I'm not Arnie, but I'm not devoid of muscle or carrying lots of fat. "Lean" is fine by me.You don't need to be skinny to be lean and fit- being bigger and more muscular doesn't preclude you from any of the things you mention above. But if you're happy with your lot, then that's no bad thing.
Just like the air-brushed women in adverts, Extremely muscled men with almost zero body fat isn't normal and the blokes on the front of Men's Health probably don't look like that for 51 weeks of the year, if at all, in reality.
More people generally being " happy with their lot" might save quite a bit of anxiety (and debt!).
The OP probably looks ok, but we all think we're smaller/bigger than we really are. I've lost count of the times I see a guy enter the gym in a stringer vest and think christ he looks huge, then find myself working out in the mirrors next to them and realise I'm actually in far bigger and better shape. It's all about perceptions and we all tend to think on the negative side about ourselves.
WarnieV6GT said:
The OP probably looks ok, but we all think we're smaller/bigger than we really are. I've lost count of the times I see a guy enter the gym in a stringer vest and think christ he looks huge, then find myself working out in the mirrors next to them and realise I'm actually in far bigger and better shape. It's all about perceptions and we all tend to think on the negative side about ourselves.
I think you have a point there, as I still genuinely see myself as fat.chris watton said:
WarnieV6GT said:
The OP probably looks ok, but we all think we're smaller/bigger than we really are. I've lost count of the times I see a guy enter the gym in a stringer vest and think christ he looks huge, then find myself working out in the mirrors next to them and realise I'm actually in far bigger and better shape. It's all about perceptions and we all tend to think on the negative side about ourselves.
I think you have a point there, as I still genuinely see myself as fat.Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff