Comments on: Can We All Be As Big As Arnold? Bodybuilding Genetics Explained!

By: N*

N* — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:45:29 +0000

Actually dave, that study was done in japan and it did not factor in other possible factors affecting their growth like poor nutrition and high altitude.

By: Andrew Mast

Andrew Mast — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:37:35 +0000

Thanks Dave, I never would have guessed. Science rules!

By: dave

dave — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:34:54 +0000

@andrew – it’s specifically working out before and during puberty, heavy weightlifting produces stress on the body, and stress can a) reduce/stress the amount of natural growth hormone release during puberty and b) stress bones and trick the body into thinking that it should adapt during growth by keeping bone length shorter to support the emerging adult-size muscles…there was some research in this area (don’t know who) that looked at violation of child labor laws involving extreme physical labor with young kids and the pursuant lack of full physical development…

By: Andrew Mast

Andrew Mast — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:28:59 +0000

Gosh Dave, I’m not sure I understand the risk of lifting at 15? I would have thought the opposite. Have you seen Arnold at 15? https://img164.imageshack.us/img164/9168/at16op7.jpg

I don’t know much about growth and anatomy but I don’t see a problem with that. Most teens I see at the gym do two exercises, bench press and arm curls. I would encourage deadlifts, pullups, bench, squats. Shows what I know!!

By: Andrew Mast

Andrew Mast — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:23:27 +0000

Tristan,
Or take steroids. 🙂

Age too, the decline of GH and Testosterone, etc. All good points.

By: Tristan

Tristan — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:20:13 +0000

Something that I think you missed in this article is the effects of testosterone levels in ones ability to build muscle and promote a lean body. The effects of increased testosterone in the blood will be to make you naturally more muscular and male like, so it stands to reason that if people are struggling to gain weight they should supplement with a testosterone booster, such as Tribulus Terrestris.

By: dave

dave — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:46:19 +0000

wow, i was just having this conversation with my son last night…he’s 15 and just starting working out with some friends…because he’s not fully grown, i’m steering him away from heavy back and leg exercises (and other assorted growth joint areas) – but was explaining to him that genetics are what make some dudes so huge…i’ve worked out for years, and stay lean at about 152 lbs (i’m 5’7), even though i’ve tried to gain weight, like got to almost 170 last winter, as soon i cut i’m back to 150ish…

but what’s an even *bigger* topic here that you may want to explore in some other column is body dysmorphia in teen boys – similar to anorexia with girls, but instead a persistent belief that one is never big enough…every album, every video, every hip movie has some dude in it with ripped muscles, a 10 hour a day trainer working hollywood movie-gain supplements and the physical role models are as “not average” as the hot chicks in the same films/albums/movies…fortunately, my son has no such issues, but i definitely have noticed much more on this subject in the past 10 years….boys were typically not focused on in this area because weight gain and size (and associated eating disorders) were typically ascribed to females (and some males)…

at any rate, nice article 😉

By: Andrew Mast

Andrew Mast — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:09:20 +0000

Yea, I think an important thing for people to know is that it takes years to really hit their genetic max and we need to modify our expectations each year. Non gifted amateur or hobbyist lifters (like me) should expect to gain 3-5 pounds of lean muscle each year. If you expect to gain 10 pounds of lean muscle a year, you might be expecting too much. For example, I started lifting at last September at 155 pounds a year later, I’m 185, but that’s not solid muscle and even if it was, that’s newly adapted (‘newbie’) gains that many people report and will not continue. I certainly don’t expect to gain 30 pounds each year from here on out. Otherwise, I think I’d be gargantuan!! I’ll expect 5 pounds of lean if I really do everything right.