Overcoming bad Genetics

[Alex A]

How many of you folks feel your bad genetics are holding you back or making your bodybuilding Journey a difficult challenge?

I know your your genetic disposition has a lot to do with your success as a competitor, but many really good bodybuilders were not born with great genetics... just a lot of heart and discipline.

Some guys on this board right here are making big comebacks to competing and walking around leaner and just as big as guys half their age.

Im working with some really solid and conditioned late forty dudes that are busting ass day in day out to keep themselves looking the way they do.. they should be proud of themselves as i am of them..

When you think that your genetics are holding you back, keep in mind... like anything in life.... Some people have to just flat out work harder!

Like the blind bber i saw compete this past weekend...bbing cant be easy for him.... anyways..

Feel free to chime in on this.. Are you a gifted bber or do you work twice as hard as everyone else?

 

[Essentially87]

I am definitely not the biggest guy in the gym. My genetics have blessed me though with some "farm boy" arms. They stay big relatively big when I am not training and respond great to training.
Besides that my genetic disposition is frustrating to say the least. I have really wide hips and am just a big statured guy. I have been leaning out but I am always frustrated with my obliques and my pecs seem to love to cling on to body fat. I work out at a 24 hr fitness down the street from my house. Even though I may be far from the most impressive person in there my goal every time I go in is to outwork everybody.
The trainers compete in some local shows but they never train cardio or legs and treat their position as if its for pick up artists instead of physical fitness. I leave with my shirt drenched in sweat. I go into work and its paying off.

 

[Kr0m]

I think i have the worst genetics out of anyone i know. But I have great health and I dont get side effects from AAS use so I guess thats a plus.

 

[BigChef]

I tend to think I work twice as hard as those gifted genetics freaks but dont have the genetics. I have a endomorph body type. I have big muscles and big bones type and 5'6,5'7 thereabouts. Do Endomorph people have slower metabolism or it depends on the genetics individuals?

I will try my best and see where my body takes me to the next level and one of my goals is to compete on stage. I know Alex will take me to the next level.

 

[Gunsmith]

I'm pretty sure your working with a good frined of mine from the Baton Rouge , LA area who is 48-49yrs old who fucking Monester , he has and always did have a wide hip girdle supposedly from years of realy heavy power lifting but he has built his body up alot to get around it

 

[Emery]

I am gifted with my life, just not so much genetically. Of course, maybe once I get the fat off my frame, I might be pleasantly suprised!

The last time I was lean, I was in the USMC and built more like a cross country runner due to the type of exercise/job I had.

I am blessed genetically with broad shoulders and large traps. Shoulders grow very easily as well and have always had bigger arms.

I guess I am lucky I'm not one of those hard gainer types, although, I think the term hardgainer is more for someone too lazy to eat 6 - 8 good meals per day and train their ass off!

I think of Dorian Yates and Branch Warren. They are working class dudes that have busted their asses. Not genetic freaks like Paul Dillet or Ronnie Coleman, just hard ass workers!

 

[dabeast75]

Definitely not genetically gifted, but seriously, I cant complain. I am not a hard gainer, not blind, have all my limbs, etc. On the other hand I was not born to be Hulk Hogan. I am only about 5'5 tall and was TINY and SKINNY before starting to push weights around. I would say I was the smallest in my class by far. Now Im bigger than most my friends, or should I say larger/wider...

Biggest Minus: TIME and SLEEP. Since I have a baby boy, I dont have as much time to devote to lifting anymore, and sleep is a sore issue. I just dont get enough sleep in order to fully recover and grow it feels. Before I used to sleep about 10 hours and grow like a damn weed. Now its so-so.

 

[mindstar]

I don't really think about my genetics to be honest. They are beyond my control, rather I concentrate on the things within my control like training, diet, attitude, etc.

Now my genetics aren't great but I don't think they're terrible either. Since I'm not searching out a pro card, i'm not sure my genetics are really holding me back. For me, for everything I want out of the sport, genetics can be overcome by hard work and a positive attitude.

 

[b-boy]

I am gifted with my life, just not so much genetically. Of course, maybe once I get the fat off my frame, I might be pleasantly suprised!

The last time I was lean, I was in the USMC and built more like a cross country runner due to the type of exercise/job I had.

I am blessed genetically with broad shoulders and large traps. Shoulders grow very easily as well and have always had bigger arms.

I guess I am lucky I'm not one of those hard gainer types, although, I think the term hardgainer is more for someone too lazy to eat 6 - 8 good meals per day and train their ass off!

I think of Dorian Yates and Branch Warren. They are working class dudes that have busted their asses. Not genetic freaks like Paul Dillet or Ronnie Coleman, just hard ass workers!

ronnie? really? ronnie coleman spent years getting his ass kicked by everyone on the circuit, I don't think he is genetically gifted more than any other pro, but what i do think is that he outworked EVERYONE in the gym and got with chad and learned what works best for this body and built himself into a super beast with improved nutrition, supplements, and some heavy ass slag iron that no ones else wanteed to throw around. ha ha ronnies own words... "everybody wants to be a bodybuilder but dont no body wanna lift no heavy ass weights" that says a MOUTHFULL about his awesome work ethic right there.

if you ever get a chance to talk with branch warren you ask him about ronnies work ethic, branch will be the first to tell you that he is a freakin beast in the gym, he willed his body into what it is through hard work and heavy slag iron.

 

[asim]

I think a guy with average or below average genetics has to work that much harder to gain the size, but alot of people cant do it. When they think they are putting in 100% its more like 60.

I look at a guy like Shelby Starnes for inspiration. Balls to the wall in the gym every time and eating like an animal for the growth. He is consistent, and thats the key. Consistently making the rep or weight increases in the gym, consistently putting the time in at the dinner table. Doing everything it takes to maximize the growth.

I look at his dedication and then I have to recheck mine and thats when I know I'm not doing everything it takes to gain size. Not eating enough, not training hard enough. Sometimes you gotta look at the guy whos out working you and realize, I HAVE to dig deeper.

 

[myosin]

Good thread...

This is an interesting question/post...

I would consider myself an "oddball" genetically hahahaha.... this is what I mean: my Dad is 5'9ish (average size), my Mom is 5'1 (maybe a 100#- ALWAYS rib-feeling skinny). I have 3 much older brothers (the tallest is 5'9, the shortest is 5'6, all average bone size). I have 2 much older sisters (both are just like Mom- 5'1, 100#). My Grandparents, all past on, were all of similar height and stature.

Somehow, I'm 6'1 with very wide shoulders and a large "bird's rib cage" chest... but I do NOT put on muscle easily. I've mentioned in a couple other threads now that my insulin sensitivity has always been horrible, starting back to grade school always being chubby from poor diet and inactivity. In High School I did achieve a 375 bench press at 16 years old though. It's VERY hard for me to get lean... I competed twice at age 18 and 19- each time dieting down to a pencil-sized 185# and still had a hard time seeing my abs (lost a lot of muscle too).

The "good" thing is, I can stop working out for awhile but always look "muscular" just d/t my shoulders and rib cage and I can carry a lot more fat without looking "too" bad (in clothes at least hahaha)... the bad thing is, I can fool MYSELF that I'm more muscular than I am.

Anyhow, I am one of those that does need to be MUCH more diligent in my training and diet. I think I can overtrain somewhat easily. If anything, I would almost argue that my body-type is more suited for endurance type sports. I don't mind or complain though... the only concern I have is should I decide to compete next year I won't have enough mass to adequately fill out my frame.

 

[Huge_C2]

I would say genetics have been a gift to me i come from a VERY athletic family.. My grandfather ran track at Texas A&M when they were #1 in the country and had 3 olympians on the team.. My great uncle played for the white sox and i had another uncle who was a two sport athlete in college.. I would say the only downfall i have is that i have never been able to get lean and be in shape... When i was playing in college that was my biggest downfall and i truely thing my career could have extended past college and been a whole lot better during.. I come to find out i have had low test levels for years and i am pretty carb sensitive.. I am now as lean as i have ever been at 310 and i played in college at 255 if that tells you anything.. I cant say enough good things about the person who is helping me achieve this.. I do think its possible to overcome some if not all of our shortcomings, we just have to find an outlet in which to do so..

 

[Johnny Smiles]

I am a bit genetically gifted in AREAS

first off, Ronnie DEFINITELY the epitome of hard work and hard training. i remember an interview when Chad Nichols was talking about after the Mr. O
Chad asked him:
"so ronnie, EVERYONE cheats during a contest prep now that the show is over and you won you can tell me what was your cheat meal?"
Ronnie replied," cheating never even crossed my mind..." that really motivates me right there.

anyway, i can get lean VERY fast. never been a problem. size comes a bit slower but it comes. and i don't know if this goes for everyone but my muscle memory is LIGHTENING quick. i can layoff working out for months and eat like shit and i mean BAD but once i start training BOOM i look completely different in a few weeks. REALLY pisses my wife off

like someone mentioned above, i am also a genetic anommaly in my family too. same EXACT bone structure as my dad i am just ALOT bigger but overall proportions are the same. (thanks dad)
-JS

 

[joeyxxx7]

i come from a family of overweight ppl and im the ONLY fit one but my love handles REFUSE to go.. lol i guess im gonna always have them..

 

[pesty4077]

I know I am not blessed with genetics. I work extra hard to get anywhere. I still managed 1 overall and 1 class win. I train like a man pocesseed to do that. I still apply that at this age and consistancy. Alex Azarian knows me personally, he can tell you I am never out of shape and stay lean all year. No secret or drugs will do that. Diet, work, consistancy does that. Hopefully at 50, I can win 1 more.

 

[Emery]

I know I am not blessed with genetics. I work extra hard to get anywhere. I still managed 1 overall and 1 class win. I train like a man pocesseed to do that. I still apply that at this age and consistancy. Alex Azarian knows me personally, he can tell you I am never out of shape and stay lean all year. No secret or drugs will do that. Diet, work, consistancy does that. Hopefully at 50, I can win 1 more.

Now that is motivating right there!!

 

[tkav1980]

My genetics plain old blow. but i work in a restaurant so food is plentyful and so is the red bull to smash thru the workouts when im tired.

 

[BostonFan]

The deeper I get into training I realize that I was not blessed with the genetics that others in my family have. I have a good frame but have a VERY hard time putting on mass. There have been multiple family members of mine on all sides that have been 6'+ and 250-275lbs naturally and not fat by any means and even a few 7'+ guys way back.

I'm currently 6'2" and when I hit 20 my metabolism took a rewind. I'm sure most people have the same problem but when I was 15-19 I could eat literally pounds of food and not gain a lbs of anything. I guess my metabolism is still somewhat similar but I gain fat way too easy now. I think part of it is trying to mess around with prohormones at 21 when I should have been dieting properly. Sure I gained about 20lbs and kept it but I don't think my metabolism has ever been the same since. It's taken me 2 years to try and re-train my metabolism to use what I'm eating efficiently.

As far as size goes, I think I'm a ways away from my genetic potential but I'm getting there. Just having a rough time

 

[simeon]

I don't know if I have "bad" genetics or not, but not the kind that get pro cards and place in pro shows.lol Having trained in he same gyms as some of the best in the sport, I knew I didn't have what it takes to be a pro. Otherwise one can chase that "dream" taking massive amounts of gear and exausting ones self of resources while risking health in the process. I'm not "against" gear, it is very useful, but it takes a crazy amount of money the be near the top or at the top. Guys I know have gone down this path and wouldn't accept the fact that they might not have it....genetically. I'm glad I know that now, cause I leave everything I got on the gym floor and I'm a obssesive eater to build the best body I can building and sculpting away......cause I just love it!

 

[gyno]

B-boy, I agree with about 99% of what you say, but for you to say that ronnie coleman isn't more genetically gifted than the other pros is insane. Ronnie Coleman is one of the most genetically gifted people walking the earth today. Pro bbers are in the top 1% of the genetically gifted people, and ronnie is in the top 10% of that pool.

Not taking anything away from his dedication and hard work of course...