Dorian's Quads

1fst400 · May 26, 2015

Growman said:
Are you being sarcastic? He was known for doing barbell rows... and having a thick back. Just the 2 pics posted in this thread his lat spread looks pretty good to me....

Lol. Pretty sure he was sarcastic.

1fst400 · May 26, 2015

Mike Arnold said:
9 times out of 10 I prefer the "look" acheived with leg preses, hacks, and regular ham work compared to the guys who use squats as their primary leg builder. In my opinion, the former produces a more aesthetic look in almost all cases.

The guys who perform heavy, full squats regularly often have thicker overall ham development, which can certainly be a benefit in side and rear poses (according to today's standards), but in my opinion, this is one of the only benefits. Yes, consistently incluidng full squats as part of one's leg routine will build more overall mass throughout the entire leg, but does this always make a better leg?

Most regular squatters have proportionately excessive inner thigh and hip development. I hate to use the word "turnip" shaped, as we have all heard this term used 1,000 times before, but it is true.

When using close stance leg presses and close stance hacks as one's primary quad builders, the look achieved is far more aesthetic/impressive when viewed from the front--at least in my opinion. Quad sweep is not only usually superior, but the absence of bulging inner-thigh and hip develoment makes this sweep appear even more exaggerated. It also produces a more pleasing distribition of mass from top to bottom/hip to knee (when viewed from the front).

I do NOT like legs that look much bigger at the top than at the bottom of the leg, which sqautters are notorious for. Now, I will concede that squatters who use a closer stance do not display this appearance nearly as often (as a close stance squat works the legs more like close stance leg presses and hacks), so I think closer stance, full squats can be a great addition to one's leg routine.

However, most guys today perform their squats with a wider stance (not powerlifting wide, but still wider than what is optimal) because it lets them use more weight. I find this type of squatting to have few desirable applications in bodybuilding, but maybe this is just the traditionalist mind-set talking.

Dorian may not have had the biggest legs, but he still had excellent quad development and hams in proportion, but without the bulging inner thighs and hips which make one look stumpy and un-aesthetic.

I couldn't have articulated that better. Well said.

Mike Arnold · May 26, 2015

Ironhead78 said:
I couldn't have articulated that better. Well said.

Glad others feel the same.

Ashop · May 27, 2015

Mike Arnold said:
That photo was back in 93', before his bicep tear and when Dorian's shape and symmetry was actually very good. I often wonder what Dorian would have become if he had never torn his bicrep. No doubt, it severely affected his physique from that point forward.

Agreed!! Keep in mind he was a multi winning Mr O for a reason.