While competitive bodybuilding has gotten somewhat out of hand in my opinion, some of us still strive for an aesthetic-muscle look…
That is, a physique with proportioned muscle that doesn’t force you to waddle down the beach or require a tailored circus tent for a suit.
The aesthetic, athletic look is often referred to as Classic Bodybuilding—although that competitive division can even look silly to many “normal” people…
I know: Who wants to be normal? Not us muscle seekers, that’s for sure; however, if you’re like me, you want a physique that turns heads toward you, not away to hide a laugh or eye-roll.
How do we define or quantify that? In the early bodybuilding days, the most artistic physique that had men and women alike mesmerized was Steve Reeves…
Big arms, etched chest, full-but-athletic legs, and broad shoulders that made his waist look even smaller—he had it all, movie-star good looks included. He won the Mr. America in 1947 and the Mr. Universe in 1950. The first Mr. Olympia wasn’t held until 15 years later in 1965 (won by Larry Scott).
Reeves was 6’1” and weighed 215. He considered that ideal, with 18 1/4-inch arms, a 52-inch chest and a 29-inch waist. His goal was for neck, calves and arms to all have the same measurement—classic proportions; however…
He thought 18 1/4 inches was big enough. And bodyweight was important. He said that to maintain proportion and the “ideal” look, add 15 pounds for every inch over 6’1”, and subtract 10 pounds for every inch under his height…
6’2” = 230
6’1” = 215
6’ = 200
5’11” = 190
5’10” = 180
5’9” = 170
Keep in mind that this is not at a ripped 4 percent body fat. Even when Reeves competed he was only moderately cut, not inside-out shredded. And he was drug-free. So the above would be for natural bodybuilders with decent ab delineation…
Of course, your genetics will determine how aesthetic you will appear. For example, if you have a naturally wide waist and narrow shoulders, you’re not going to look like Reeves; however…
With proper shoulder and back work to make your upper body look wider, you can create an illusion of a smaller waist. So strategic sculpting must be at the forefront. For example, you don’t want all of your muscle on only your upper body with dental floss legs.
Steve Reeves was a great example of a sculpted classic aesthetic physique—still many people’s ideal. But what about Frank Zane and a few other more current bodybuilders? Tune in tomorrow for more.
Sculpt your perfect physique: Get the ideal exercise for each muscle, the best add-on moves for ultimate mass, complete 35-minute workouts, exercise start/finish photos, and details on building muscle fast and efficiently in Old Man, Young Muscle.
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Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman
Former Editor in Chief, Iron Man Magazine
www.X-Rep.com
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