thick middle

how should one train not to end up with a thick middle? it really doesnt look nice,n pens-6pack.
the bodybuilders of today like jay and those look crap in this way,as opposed to arnie and zane.
my theory is that its the leg press machine,when going heavy you really push the tummy out and press.feedback? maybe not going to heavy,also rather go for higher reps when deadlifting?

Doing leg raises helps keep the lower stomach in.
I try to pull my abs in when exercising, or keep them tight at least, that helps to keep the middle thin-ish.

m0lt3n you referring to a GH gut? If so then just avoid high doses of GH. If you mean generally trying to keep your abs from going in front of your chest, then practice doing vacuums for a 20 second hold a few times a day

squat without a belt,no dead lifts... that will keep the middle down but wont give u the thickness....the gut also happens from massive amounts of food stretching the gut in the off season as well as gh,igf and slin...

Wouldn't squatting without a belt thicken you up as the abs and spinal erectors will be working harder than with a belt?

i find i squat lighter with out a belt and i dont force out my gut wall into the belt for the additional power...i've seen alot of the guys at the gym that squat with a belt end up getting a distended gut from all the pushing out on the way up on the squat...

Never knew that, I do box squats and front squats without a belt and read that you have to fill your gut with air throughout the movement to maintain a neutral spine

Its insane to carry mass like Jay Cutler and NOT have a midSection like him.
He hardly usese the belt anymore - why? His CORE is the CORRECT size for the rest of him.

Trying to shape yourself unnaturally is a mistake.

Stay smaller like Zane then if you like that shape.

I compare it to the idiots who bread a stump nose into a Persian Cat. They thought it "looks" good but never considered the rest. The poor breed wont survive in the wild because of that.

jackrabbit1 wrote:
Trying to shape yourself unnaturally is a mistake.

Funny thing is most people who do taebo and crunches in spandex would say the same thing about anyone who picks up a weight

good feedback guys.appreciated.what is vaccuums?suck your belly in?first time i hear that,will it actually help?
so,watch out for GH if i ever use that,no belt.and take it easy with deadlifts.
maybe it is insane not to,but i think arnold was pretty big too,and did not have the thick middle. i find that most of the previous generation bodybuilders did not have the thick middle.
quick replys,thanks all

Deadgoat wrote:

jackrabbit1 wrote:
Trying to shape yourself unnaturally is a mistake.

Funny thing is most people who do taebo and crunches in spandex would say the same thing about anyone who picks up a weight

Maybe, but they dont pick up heavy weights.
One of the most important things in BB is symetry. If you do heavy squats, you should do heavy Bi's to match - so with every body part.

m0lt3n wrote: good feedback guys.appreciated.what is vaccuums?suck your belly in?first time i hear that,will it actually help?
so,watch out for GH if i ever use that,no belt.and take it easy with deadlifts.
maybe it is insane not to,but i think arnold was pretty big too,and did not have the thick middle. i find that most of the previous generation bodybuilders did not have the thick middle.
quick replys,thanks all

Watch some of Arnold videos. He trained huge weights for chest and then does 3 plates for quads. What happened to his rear-delts? And he has a belt on for almost everything.

Dont you think his Chest is too big for everything else? Best chest ive seen - ever, but the rest is lacking.(Except Bi's of course)



TRAIN YOUR CORE. It prevents injury and makes lifting heavier weights possible. If you dont you will stay small.

m0lt3n wrote: good feedback guys.appreciated.what is vaccuums?suck your belly in?first time i hear that,will it actually help?
so,watch out for GH if i ever use that,no belt.and take it easy with deadlifts.
maybe it is insane not to,but i think arnold was pretty big too,and did not have the thick middle. i find that most of the previous generation bodybuilders did not have the thick middle.
quick replys,thanks all

Yep you try to suck your gut into your spine for a 20 second hold, some people swear by them (dont ask me who)

As for the increase in gut size on the pro stage, Dorian Yates was the first Olympian to bless us with the GH gut, but it was worth it as he was a heck of a lot bigger than anything before him

"One of the most important things in BB is symetry"

Not anymore its not, all that matters nowadays is if you're the size of an elephant with striated glutes. Symmetry? Proportion? What the hell is that?

[quote="Deadgoat" post=53224As for the increase in gut size on the pro stage, Dorian Yates was the first Olympian to bless us with the GH gut, but it was worth it as he was a heck of a lot bigger than anything before him[/quote]

He was the first of the class we see now. As i explained before. Its logical.

i think i will see if my back can keep up if i do heavy squat and high rep deadlifts in one week.
i saw gary strydoms big stomach...just dont want that.
have mostly only seen pics of arnold,easy to hide symmetry then i guess.

jackrabbit1 wrote:
Watch some of Arnold videos. He trained huge weights for chest and then does 3 plates for quads. What happened to his rear-delts? And he has a belt on for almost everything.

Dont you think his Chest is too big for everything else? Best chest ive seen - ever, but the rest is lacking.(Except Bi's of course)

Cut him some slack, he was tall which made squatting tougher and there weren't any leg press machines back then, name any of his competitors who had better legs?

And yeah he did lack rear delts but it didn't hinder his back double biceps pose too much

Deadgoat wrote:

jackrabbit1 wrote:
Watch some of Arnold videos. He trained huge weights for chest and then does 3 plates for quads. What happened to his rear-delts? And he has a belt on for almost everything.

Dont you think his Chest is too big for everything else? Best chest ive seen - ever, but the rest is lacking.(Except Bi's of course)

Cut him some slack, he was tall which made squatting tougher and there weren't any leg press machines back then, name any of his competitors who had better legs?

And yeah he did lack rear delts but it didn't hinder his back double biceps pose too much

Hahahahahahahaha! Are you serious - no leg press?!?! Anyway - guy with the biggest legs EVER - Tom Platz - Google that.

Yes he is 6 ft 2" - 240 pounds. Jay Cutler/Phil Heath are 5'9. HUGE difference.
And who said big guys cant squat?

lol I was using the logic that if it wasn't on Pumping Iron then it didn't exist :laugh:

But you have to admit its alot harder for us taller guys to get to parallel while squatting, and 3 inches IS a bit of a difference as you'd have to pick up 5-10kg to look as big, which means you'll have to be a bit stronger than a shorter guy with the same weight

But Platz based his leg training on high rep squats and heavy volume, the same equation wont work for every lifter

Deadgoat wrote: But Platz based his leg training on high rep squats and heavy volume, the same equation wont work for every lifter

Definately not, and he has freaky genetics. But you can even compare Lou Ferigno's legs to Arnolds and they are better. I dont want to go into the archives - you can, but most guys had bigger legs.
And understandably so - Arnold himself said todays(93 flex interview referring to Dorian yates) guy's legs are WAY too big.

Here is Arnolds predesessor - sergio Oliva - compare.

You might be on to something... But Arnold definitely was no Johnny Bravo though

"Thick middle" is not caused by squats and leg presses.Tom platz had the most humungus legs doing squats and legpress,bu he didnt have a thick middle.The bodybuilders of the 70's and 80's built their core mainly on Vacuum abs excercise and not crunches.Vaccum abs excercise is about building a strong core by drawing your gut inward,resulting in a thinner middle.Vacuum abs is a forgotten-about abs/core routine these days.

The Vacuum
Inhale until your lungs are full.
While slowly exhaling, try bring your belly button towards your spine.
Once you feel your sides tighten, hold the position for 10 seconds.
Exhale. This is one repetition.

Pretty easy to do right? Yeah…right. Try to do this exercise the best you can and don’t forget to practice it each day. This is an exercise that works your inner muscles in your abs, called the transverse abdominus muscles. These muscles are essential but they are not worked when doing crunches-like exercises

At first I struggled to activate my TVA muscles but now I can do it while standing, sitting walking, doesn't matter really. Easiest way to activate is to contract your balls/scrotum up against your body and then pull in the lower abs. You should feel a warm sensation in the groin area. So basically do a Kegel squeeze and then pull in your gut towards your spine and then up into your diaphragm. Something like that.

I have never heard of these exercises but will try it some, I can only see advantageous from adding this to a program. I didnt expect so much to come from such a simple question, I like I like.
I havent heard anyone really commenting on the amount of strain leg presses put on your stomache? U cant press heavy without using your stomach I have noticed. Maybe Tom Platz was just lucky? He seems to be an exception (But I dont know the big guys all that well)