Blaming your own shortcomings on Genetics...

[tmuscle]

Is it a justifiable "excuse" to blame your shortcomings on the lack of genetics?

Or do you see it as a cop out, wussy excuse, etc because you are lazy, unmotivated, unwilling to work hard to overcome your "genetics"?


For example, if I had a training partner who had great response to hormones and training, while I had not so great response to hormones and training, would it be "ok" for me to blame my shortcomings on the difference in genetics? Or is it because i'm just lazy, not working as hard, not eating as well, etc...


Interested in everyone's opinions.

 

[ajdos]

Genetics are reality for a lot of us, but they arent the defining end.

Sure Ill never have Phil Heath genetics, but the hand I have been dealt just means I have to play up my strengths and beat my weaknesses.

For years I struggled with back development and blamed shitty genetics but I was still determined more than ever to get back development, well this year I broke the ice and it grew a bit, what was the trick?
It wasnt more drugs, it was learning technique, lightening up the weight and going for the squeeze, and what do ya know, it grew a little.

Just an example but genetics if they arent especially good are just a challenge to me.
Blame and excuse? well if thats your persona I guess than thats the way someone handles it, personally it only motivates me to try and beat them.

 

[tmuscle]

Here is a possible real-life scenario


Guy A: Damn brutha, you got a great upper chest! What do you do for those?
Guy B: I hit the inclines very hard buddy! Just gotta get on those inclines and lift heavy ass weight and you will get there!
Guy A: I have been working on incline benching for a long time now actually! I have been consistent with my Incline barbell and dumbbell benching and my upper chest doesn't seem to respond? I don't get it man... I think I just have bad genetics for that area of my physique
Guy B: Bro, you just aren't hitting the inclines hard enough... Trust me, eat more and work harder and your upper chest will come...
Guy A: (muttering under his breath) but I have been...


Guy A: (thinking to himself) is this guy just outworking me? out-drugging me? out-eating me? maybe i just have bad genetics for chest...

 

[heroOFtheDAY]

I think genetics play a role to an extent. human bodies differ from each other, but not by THAT much. I believe everyone can get big and strong, but genetics play a role in the shape of muscle bellies and overall shape. If someone does not "respond" to a certain compound or workout routine, then they are simply doing it wrong.

 

[ajdos]

Here is a possible real-life scenario


Guy A: Damn brutha, you got a great upper chest! What do you do for those?
Guy B: I hit the inclines very hard buddy! Just gotta get on those inclines and lift heavy ass weight and you will get there!
Guy A: I have been working on incline benching for a long time now actually! I have been consistent with my Incline barbell and dumbbell benching and my upper chest doesn't seem to respond? I don't get it man... I think I just have bad genetics for that area of my physique
Guy B: Bro, you just aren't hitting the inclines hard enough... Trust me, eat more and work harder and your upper chest will come...
Guy A: (muttering under his breath) but I have been...


Guy A: (thinking to himself) is this guy just outworking me? out-drugging me? out-eating me? maybe i just have bad genetics for chest...

Guy A needs to think outside the box and experiment stop paying attention to what works for others and start concentrating on what works for him.
Just sayin...

 

[tmuscle]

Guy A needs to think outside the box and experiment stop paying attention to what works for others and start concentrating on what works for him.
Just sayin...

While I do agree, upper chest is a problem area for a lot of guys... A problem that not many overcome. Genetics? I would say so.

Some guys have that natural shelf on their chest, others have that droopy chest. Genetics.

Guys who have great upper chests have always had great upper chests. IMO. Same thing with calves, hell, just about all bodyparts for the most part...


My personal opinion is that genetics means everything. But I hate to see guys blame their subpar genetics for their lack of results. I'm a fighter at heart, so naturally I will work as hard as I can to overcome my shortcomings. But at a certain point, you wonder if whatever you are doing is ultimately futile.

 

[Incognito1]

I will admit that I have terrible genetics for bodybuilding and to be honest a hell of alot of people with my genetics would have given up years ago. When I started out I had a very typical ecto frame, tall, long limbed and very skinny.
But I learnt a couple of years ago to not blame everything on my genetics, but more so to think of my poor genetics as a challenge. Ive set a goal and if it takes ten more years to get there than so be it, thats my challenge.

 

[jay_dub]

I think genetics strictly limit you to a certain look, such as the waist size, bone structure, muscle lengths and bellies, height, etc.

But I think anyone can attain that freak status SIZE with enough time, drugs, and hard work.

That doesnt mean you will look anything like a genetically blessed guy with the same sort of stats standing next to you though.

And as ajdos said, you'll need to think outside the box if not blessed with the best genetics. THats where I believe DC has great ideas as well as Meadows. They come up with some "weird" stuff and get creative which is exactly what you gotta eventually end up doing.

 

[petersouth]

I learned this early on in high school.

I worked out like a fanatic, I had a friend who was into working out too but he was pretty lazy 70% trainer, he ate once in a while, drank and didn't get much sleep from what he told me.

Dude looked like a mini Arnold after 6 months, I looked more like Bruce Lee after 2 years.

 

[tmuscle]

I think genetics strictly limit you to a certain look, such as the waist size, bone structure, muscle lengths and bellies, height, etc.

But I think anyone can attain that freak status SIZE with enough time, drugs, and hard work.

That doesnt mean you will look anything like a genetically blessed guy with the same sort of stats standing next to you though.

Sometimes I wonder while I am training, I look around and I see some guys who look great, but they have always looked great. Now, I am merely forming this sole opinion based off of the times I have seen him in the gym and his progress. Hell, maybe he actually had worse genetics than me and started far behind me initially, but I really wouldn't know that. In my opinion these guys have above average genetics, usually. Most guys with subpar/average/shit genetics tend to give up early on and take on another hobby. But for those guys who work hard in the gym, especially the genetically gifted ones, you can't help but wonder how much more advanced you would be than you are now if you were in one of those genetically gifted man's skin.

I tend to wonder about that myself. It is a really intriguing thing to think about, even though it will get me nowhere. You get curious, though, when you begin to think of how you would look in another man's body if you were able to start the bodybuilding journey in that man's body and how much further along or how much worse off you would be than you are now.


It's a weird thing to wonder, but it is definitely an interesting concept.

 

[tmuscle]

I learned this early on in high school.

I worked out like a fanatic, I had a friend who was into working out too but he was pretty lazy 70% trainer, he ate once in a while, drank and didn't get much sleep from what he told me.

Dude looked like a mini Arnold after 6 months, I looked more like Bruce Lee after 2 years.

I took weight training in high school when I was around 17. I weighed around 115 lbs there at about 5'6" or so, athletic and not concentration-camp looking because I have a narrow frame but just lacking mass and i'm asian so we are a little smaller naturally. At the end of the term we would test out our max and I went from something like a 65lb bench from the very beginning to a 100lb bench. I mean, maybe I was lazy but that 100lbs was hard at the time. Meanwhile, other guys who were naturally large and more built men would bench 185, and some husky and athletic white and black guys skyrocketed to something like 275-315+.

Genetics?

 

[magnus82]

I learned this early on in high school.

I worked out like a fanatic, I had a friend who was into working out too but he was pretty lazy 70% trainer, he ate once in a while, drank and didn't get much sleep from what he told me.

Dude looked like a mini Arnold after 6 months, I looked more like Bruce Lee after 2 years.

Same here. My old lifting partner was like this. Full nuscle bellies, tiny joints and waist. Always had the "on" look when off and was a complete freak when on. No idea about nutrition. Ate like shit and sleeps 4 hours a night. Those people are few and far between. I knew long ago i had some work to do. Good thing i dont mind.

 

[raw33man]

I don't agree with this

A guy who is 5'9'' is going to have a hard time joining the NFL maybe 1 out of MILLIONS. and that's just GENETICS... You can go tell him don't blame your genetics on your shortcomings all you want, but that's just the way it is man. Now this guy goes and practices perfectly 8 hours a day, yes he will be GOOD but compared to guys who are 6'5''+ he will not stand a chance... SORRY FELLAS GENETICS do matter

How hard is it to EAt and train ? Not so hard !

 

[tmuscle]

Here is a relevant snippet of information based on this topic, by my former strength and training coach, Wesley Silveira (Iron Addict) who is now deceased. Dante (Doggcrapp), holds IA in his highest esteem when it comes to getting results for his trainees. This is from his "Body of Work" book, which he released before his death:
**broken link removed**

 

[tmuscle]

I don't agree with this

A guy who is 5'9'' is going to have a hard time joining the NFL maybe 1 out of MILLIONS. and that's just GENETICS... You can go tell him don't blame your genetics on your shortcomings all you want, but that's just the way it is man. Now this guy goes and practices perfectly 8 hours a day, yes he will be GOOD but compared to guys who are 6'5''+ he will not stand a chance... SORRY FELLAS GENETICS do matter

How hard is it to EAt and train ? Not so hard !

Actually, just to clarify, a lot of guys in the NFL who are runningbacks are 5'9" and below. These guys are like bowling balls, naturally big guys who are stocky and fast, just amazingly gifted athletes.

Wes Welker, one of the current wide receiver greats, is also 5'9"

There are more "short guys" in the nfl than you would think.

Now, the NBA is a different story. 6 foot is the minimum for the most part, for the most competitive position (point guard). There are plenty of guys (statistically speaking) that are in the mid 6 foot range but don't have the speed to move like the guys in the NBA.

 

[TrenBrah]

Genetics play the biggest part in bodybuilding so I think it is a legitimate "excuse" to say you are limited because of your genetics.

 

[jm425]

I took weight training in high school when I was around 17. I weighed around 115 lbs there at about 5'6" or so, athletic and not concentration-camp looking because I have a narrow frame but just lacking mass and i'm asian so we are a little smaller naturally. At the end of the term we would test out our max and I went from something like a 65lb bench from the very beginning to a 100lb bench. I mean, maybe I was lazy but that 100lbs was hard at the time. Meanwhile, other guys who were naturally large and more built men would bench 185, and some husky and athletic white and black guys skyrocketed to something like 275-315+.

Genetics?

Welcome to the club my asian brother! I'm asian as well and like you I have a small and narrow frame. Think Dexter Jackson. Some guys are naturally a lot stronger. It's definitely genetic. I'm pretty sure there are studies conducted on this subject. As for musculature genetics, it's definitely real but it shouldn't be an end all. You'd be surprised how much you can bring up a lagging body if you train it hard enough and eat right. I think most guys that bitch about how genetics limit them are not doing one or both right. I'm like Phil Heath in that my chest is lacking but my arms and shoulders outrace my chest because they are so much bigger. What I have done over the years is train my chest with a little more volume and do more advanced sets for them like drops, rest pause, tris, giants, FST-7, etc. I also eat more carbs and protein after a hard chest workout as well. It has helped quite a bit and I have brought up my chest quite a bit. If you know you've done all you can for a lagging body part and it's still lagging, at least you know you worked your ass off and genetics is partly to blame.

 

[pinpoint5]

Genetic disposition will always determine the magnitude of difficulty that a specific goal may present. That doesn't mean it determins the outcome of ones efforts.

I once thought that I may be the least genetically gifted bodybuilder around. Now i have learned to embrace what i was given. I don't grow muscle as quick as others, but i can get freakishly lean while eating high calorie diets with cheat meals and daily pop tarts (post training) while doing 30 min daily cardio (walking on treadmill). This makes the whole process of contest prep very enjoyable. Im patient enough to work my ass off for years to earn what i want, but am now grateful for my high metabolism instead of considering it a curse.

I have been a personal trainer for five years. I have seen members come in for two-three years and get no results. Is this because bad genetics? No. It is the lack of hard work and their lifestyle. Even when given free advise the response is sometimes "ive been doing this my whole life, i know what I'm doing" good genetics or bad, they will not succeed without knowledge and hard work

 

[onynx4]

i agree that your gentics/strcture do play apart to a certain extent. you have different body types in body bodybuilding. Paco bautista, sean rhoden, martin kjellstrom,micheal kaflianos,toney freeman. u have five different structures right there. so i guess if your willing to get after it it wont hold you back

 

[danzd]

Is it a justifiable "excuse" to blame your shortcomings on the lack of genetics?

Or do you see it as a cop out, wussy excuse, etc because you are lazy, unmotivated, unwilling to work hard to overcome your "genetics"?


For example, if I had a training partner who had great response to hormones and training, while I had not so great response to hormones and training, would it be "ok" for me to blame my shortcomings on the difference in genetics? Or is it because i'm just lazy, not working as hard, not eating as well, etc...


Interested in everyone's opinions.

NO genetic limitations to me mean lack of muscle shape and symmetry.. things that nobody can actually work towards to attain and just have. anybody can build muscle with proper nutrition not training like a pussy and hormones.

some people might have to work harder for mass, but i know plenty of ectomorphs who can put it on with the above mentioned.