Physique or Strength??

13

Replies

  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    Both. Last year I bulked & went more for stength. This year I'm cutting & going for the 6 pack :smile:
  • steve1686
    steve1686 Posts: 346 Member
    Physique for sure, but strength gains come along with building a good physique........while a good physique doesn't necessarily come with strength gains
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    Both? I have always been far stronger than I needed to be, but that's because I liked being strong. Physique seemed to follow close enough that it didn't matter.

    Not that I'm older I still like being strong but its also kind of nice to experiment with getting a good physique for my age, but that's still more out of curiosity than feeling I have to look good. If I wanted to have a better physique than I have, I'd pay more strict attention to my food intake.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    Started as pure vanity. I keep going because I like being strong AND vain.
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
    Started as pure vanity. I keep going because I like being strong AND vain.

    +1
  • mymodernbabylon
    mymodernbabylon Posts: 1,038 Member
    I like how I feel afterwards. The burn, the tired, the accomplishment. Anything else is fabulous.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    I'm hot, and I like it that way, but, knowing what I know now, I'd feel like a real *kitten* if I looked the part but couldn't actually play the part. Don't like fake, don't want to be fake.
  • in_the_stars
    in_the_stars Posts: 1,395 Member
    Strength, ftiness,,health. I look great now. :)
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Currently, physique.
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  • Matiara
    Matiara Posts: 377 Member
    And I thought I was alone in working out primarily for aesthetics. ;)

    Even before I added any type of weight training to my life, I never had a problem carrying groceries on my own, lifting heavy boxes, hauling cat litter, moving furniture, etc., so strength was not an issue for me and getting stronger for strength's sake isn't something I'm into. DURING my workouts, I view progressing as a challenge and my competitive nature (against myself) does come out, but it's not something that I think about outside of the moment.
  • jlclabo
    jlclabo Posts: 588 Member
    strength primarily and if it leads to 230-240lbs at 10% bf then ill take it.
  • in_the_stars
    in_the_stars Posts: 1,395 Member
    Ohhhh.... i eat. :)
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Strength all the way! For me, nothing beats hitting PR's and becoming stronger and stronger as time goes on.

    I'd love a great body too, but strength is still #1. For me, my shape and body comp has changed for the better anyway as I've progressed with my lifts so to some extent they go hand in hand. However, to get to a certain level of bf% I'm going to have to sacrifice some food, and right now I'm not willing to do that so I'll take the slow recomp and a little bit of extra weight.
  • BarbellApprentice
    BarbellApprentice Posts: 486 Member
    I'm hot, and I like it that way, but, knowing what I know now, I'd feel like a real *kitten* if I looked the part but couldn't actually play the part. Don't like fake, don't want to be fake.

    How you doin?
  • iPlatano
    iPlatano Posts: 487 Member
    Physique has always been my passion but now Im practicing both and I like it when people are mirin'
  • dmarsh1018
    dmarsh1018 Posts: 70 Member
    Totally physique! Well, if I ever get back at it again... I can carry both of my kids up to bed at the same time so I'm as strong as I need to be. And if I need to be stronger, well that is what my fiance is for.

    Oh and I'm supposedly training for a triathlon too, so endurance also.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Strong is my goal. I dont' really care too much about how I look. Except, I hate when I'm at the beach, and someone asks if I still go to the gym. I wanna ***** slap them.

    People are saying looks and strength go together and they are wrong. They are different things completely. Also, looks require one to be far more food conscious than I am. I after pure strength, so if I'm a bit pudgy, it's because I need the fat to be strong. If you focus on strength, looks will not follow. If you focus on looks, strength will not follow. They are two different things, and they have different methods of working out as well. A powerlifter can out-lift a body builder, in the same category of lifting, most of the time. Strength doesn't necessarily show. If you want it to show, eat at a deficit. But, then your strength will suffer. If you want strong, you gotta EAT.

    And what about dual sport athletes? You can't be strong and have aesthetics? You can't program a hybrid routine which focuses on a power/strength base and bodybuilding accessory work?

    Pete Rubish
    Jonny Candito
    Ben Seath
    Jesse Norris
    Max Chewning

    And these are just people from YouTube...
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  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Well.. seeing as though they're all powerlifters who compete. Strength would be a goal.
  • sjbtiger
    sjbtiger Posts: 105 Member
    I have come to realize my goal is physique. I try to kid myself into thinking it is strength, but I'll admit I get a lot more excited about dropping an inch on my waist that upping my lifts. I've hit the point where my newbie gains have stalled, and realizing that I'll probably need to up my calorie intake to up my lifts, I'm mostly okay with staying put and whittling down my bf%. The goal may change when sweater weather returns.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Strong is my goal. I dont' really care too much about how I look. Except, I hate when I'm at the beach, and someone asks if I still go to the gym. I wanna ***** slap them.

    People are saying looks and strength go together and they are wrong. They are different things completely. Also, looks require one to be far more food conscious than I am. I after pure strength, so if I'm a bit pudgy, it's because I need the fat to be strong. If you focus on strength, looks will not follow. If you focus on looks, strength will not follow. They are two different things, and they have different methods of working out as well. A powerlifter can out-lift a body builder, in the same category of lifting, most of the time. Strength doesn't necessarily show. If you want it to show, eat at a deficit. But, then your strength will suffer. If you want strong, you gotta EAT.

    And what about dual sport athletes? You can't be strong and have aesthetics? You can't program a hybrid routine which focuses on a power/strength base and bodybuilding accessory work?

    Pete Rubish
    Jonny Candito
    Ben Seath
    Jesse Norris
    Max Chewning

    And these are just people from YouTube...

    I said, IF STRENGTH IS YOUR GOAL. I didn't talk about anything else. If you want to be strong, that trumps all else, and nothing else matters. Really, really strong guys and gals, usually look a bit fat, because fat is strong. Especially when you are comparing an aesthetic look, or athletic look, versus just being strong. If I want to lift a truck over my head, that's one kind of training. If I want to look like I can lift a truck over my head, that's a different kind of training. I'm not going to get into a big argument about it. I know there are gradients here. There are really strong guys that also look strong. Whatever. I'm saying that for the most part, if you train for strength, you probably wont look strong. But, you will be. If you eat at a deficit, you will be strong, but not as strong as you could be if you didn't. You really have to understand my context. I'm saying IF STRENGTH IS YOUR GOAL, not athleticism, not looks, but pure strength, then you get that result. And, it's a specific type of training to do that. If you want some hybrid of different results, that's a different type of training, and yes, you will be strong, but not as strong as you could be if strength was your ONLY GOAL.

    Who do you think has more capacity to be stronger at 181lbs?

    181 lbs at 20% bodyfat or 181 lbs at 8% bodyfat? I'd say in general, the individual carrying the greater amount of lean mass would not only have the capacity for greater strength, but will look pretty damn good at 181 lbs 8%.
  • BarbellApprentice
    BarbellApprentice Posts: 486 Member
    Strong is my goal. I dont' really care too much about how I look. Except, I hate when I'm at the beach, and someone asks if I still go to the gym. I wanna ***** slap them.

    People are saying looks and strength go together and they are wrong. They are different things completely. Also, looks require one to be far more food conscious than I am. I after pure strength, so if I'm a bit pudgy, it's because I need the fat to be strong. If you focus on strength, looks will not follow. If you focus on looks, strength will not follow. They are two different things, and they have different methods of working out as well. A powerlifter can out-lift a body builder, in the same category of lifting, most of the time. Strength doesn't necessarily show. If you want it to show, eat at a deficit. But, then your strength will suffer. If you want strong, you gotta EAT.

    And what about dual sport athletes? You can't be strong and have aesthetics? You can't program a hybrid routine which focuses on a power/strength base and bodybuilding accessory work?

    Pete Rubish
    Jonny Candito
    Ben Seath
    Jesse Norris
    Max Chewning

    And these are just people from YouTube...

    Mike O'Hearn
    Jon Andersen
    Stan Efferding
    Dan Green..

    The list could go on and on. More and more crossover these days between physique/BB and strength/PL. Yes, the training emphasis is different, but I don't think it has to be one or the other..
  • iPlatano
    iPlatano Posts: 487 Member
    Strong is my goal. I dont' really care too much about how I look. Except, I hate when I'm at the beach, and someone asks if I still go to the gym. I wanna ***** slap them.

    People are saying looks and strength go together and they are wrong. They are different things completely. Also, looks require one to be far more food conscious than I am. I after pure strength, so if I'm a bit pudgy, it's because I need the fat to be strong. If you focus on strength, looks will not follow. If you focus on looks, strength will not follow. They are two different things, and they have different methods of working out as well. A powerlifter can out-lift a body builder, in the same category of lifting, most of the time. Strength doesn't necessarily show. If you want it to show, eat at a deficit. But, then your strength will suffer. If you want strong, you gotta EAT.

    And what about dual sport athletes? You can't be strong and have aesthetics? You can't program a hybrid routine which focuses on a power/strength base and bodybuilding accessory work?

    Pete Rubish
    Jonny Candito
    Ben Seath
    Jesse Norris
    Max Chewning

    And these are just people from YouTube...

    I said, IF STRENGTH IS YOUR GOAL. I didn't talk about anything else. If you want to be strong, that trumps all else, and nothing else matters. Really, really strong guys and gals, usually look a bit fat, because fat is strong. Especially when you are comparing an aesthetic look, or athletic look, versus just being strong. If I want to lift a truck over my head, that's one kind of training. If I want to look like I can lift a truck over my head, that's a different kind of training. I'm not going to get into a big argument about it. I know there are gradients here. There are really strong guys that also look strong. Whatever. I'm saying that for the most part, if you train for strength, you probably wont look strong. But, you will be. If you eat at a deficit, you will be strong, but not as strong as you could be if you didn't. You really have to understand my context. I'm saying IF STRENGTH IS YOUR GOAL, not athleticism, not looks, but pure strength, then you get that result. And, it's a specific type of training to do that. If you want some hybrid of different results, that's a different type of training, and yes, you will be strong, but not as strong as you could be if strength was your ONLY GOAL.

    Who do you think has more capacity to be stronger at 181lbs?

    181 lbs at 20% bodyfat or 181 lbs at 8% bodyfat? I'd say in general, the individual carrying the greater amount of lean mass would not only have the capacity for greater strength, but will look pretty damn good at 181 lbs 8%.

    Tell 'em bro. Most power lifters use the "I gotta get fat" as an excuse to eat like animals. You dont need fat to be strong. Lean muscle dominate fat weight.
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  • mereditheve
    mereditheve Posts: 142 Member
    Strong... because it's just so satisfying to be the little lady picking up heavier weights than the big guys. :)
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member

    Fat is really strong. Stronger than lean.

    But, you guys are not getting what I'm saying and keep talking about cross-overs and athletes and body fat. Pure strength is different from all that.

    If raw power lifting isn't a demonstration of strength....then I don't know what is?

    Perhaps your standards for what is considered "strong" are misguided.
  • notamoment
    notamoment Posts: 190 Member
    Strength, i want to be able to whoop some butt in my jiu jitsu class and being only 5'0 i need all the strength i can get ;)
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    A well rounded base for athleticism in terms of speed, strength, mobility, endurance, coordination. Looks don't matter at all, as long as I can fit comfortably in my race suit.

    I've never in my life been concerned with the way I look with my shirt off, or in shorts, or naked. It's something I absolutely could not care less about.
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