Nothing makes you look like you’re not just a weightlifter, but a STRONG weightlifter more than massive pecs. It is important to set up yoru chest exercise routine to develop your chest – but not at the expense of your overall look.
However, you can take it too far. You don’t want to end up looking like the chest version of Greg Valentino. An out of balance, un-proportional physique is not only un-attractive, it looks ridiculous. So what are the proportions we should strive for?
That is a matter of ongoing debate, but over time somewhat of a consensus has emerged, and been accepted in both the bodybuilding community and the general public. Here are the most commonly agreed upon proportions for a body that looks strong and fit, without looking overblown or silly.
Starting from the top:
- Neck – same as biceps and calves
- Shoulders – Chest measurement plus several inches (this on is all over the place – primarily because your shoulder width is highly dependent upon your bone structure. You can add some width to your outer shoulders, but there is only so much mass there. In addition, the overall thickness of your torso will have an affect on this.)
- Chest – Your waist measurement plus 12 inches will give you a start towards a nice V-taper. This may sound like a lot to a beginner, but think about it: If you have a 32 inch waist and a 44 inch chest, you are already there. I don’t think I need to point out that dropping a little stomach fat from around your middle will help….
- Arms – Measured flexed, pre-workout, these should be the same size as your neck and calves.
- Waist – this will drive a lot of what you look like. Suffice it to say that you want this lean and tight. If you need to lose belly fat, there are a lot of resources on the internet to help you do that.
- Hips – Keep this as close to your waist measurement as you can. You want a V-taper, then a straight shot to your ankles, if possible. Now there will be a lot of variation here. Some guys simply have larger, more muscular glutes. (Can you say squats?)
- Quadriceps – This is going to be a function of both your workout program, and your genetics. While you don’t want to look like a modern day Tom Platz, you do want to have legs that are strong and look it as well. What you don’t want is to end up looking like a side of beef on stilts – the classic “bar-body”.
- Calves – These should be the same size as your biceps and neck, or close to it.
- Feet – you’re on your own here, dude
This is important stuff. The entire point of your chest workout out is appearance. Your exercise routine should be constructed to enhance this. Please hold any comments about health and longevity – I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I know why we’re all in the gym.
