# Criticism welcome



## Darryn (Apr 29, 2004)

Ok I've taken some pics this weekend. I'd be happy to hear some criticism. The pics don't do me justice, but none the less you can see my proportions.

My actual measurements are

Neck - 17.5 inches

Chest - 50 inches

Bicep - 17 inches

Forearm - 13.5 inches

Waist - 36 inches

Thigh - 25.5 inches

Calf - 16.5 inches

Bodyweight - 215 lbs

Bodyfat @ 13% (water retention is making me look worse)

I realise my arms , shoulders, traps, thighs and calfs need to catch up.

I'm hoping to hit 220 lbs in the next 3 weeks, then cut for 6 weeks dropping water and using dnp to try to reach <10% bf at around 200lbs

It doesn't help having a massive head lol !!

And I'm much better looking without the moon face 

Here's the link, check out my pic from when I was 23 (I'm 26 now)

http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/darrynsteele/album?.dir=/9d5a


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## Guest (May 8, 2004)

You've buggered up your web address, you've copied and pasted twice apparently, well when I click I get bad link, noticed it's put the address in twice, but yeah, thats a very good improvement in 3 years, you weren't half skinny at 23.  . You shouldn't have much trouble at all reaching your goals.


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## Darryn (Apr 29, 2004)

Fixed the address.


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## Jock (Apr 8, 2003)

Well what can I say a very impressive all-round physique. Great lat spread, good shoulders, traps and chest.

If I had to criticise, I would say quads need a little work, other than that you look very good!


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Jock said:


> If I had to criticise, I would say quads need a little work, other than that you look very good!


I agree with Jock. But beings that you have a big squat then this must be a genetic thing.

Do you go deep on the squats?

Do you do extensions?

Wow, the before pic is much diffrent.

You have one of the best lower backs I have seen. I imagine you do deads huh?

That lower back looks really strong bro, and natural genetics for the biceps too.

Did I mention, I like your posts?...................................


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## Panthro (Jan 12, 2004)

looking very solid mate, good physique.

From a BBing perspective, the legs certainly need some work, but otherwise looking damn impressive


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## robdog (Dec 2, 2003)

have to agree bro very impressive progress.


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## Carnivore (Apr 7, 2004)

looking good mate, your how tall are you?


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## robin_3_16 (Aug 27, 2003)

very good mate

all upper body great. the quads seem like they need size but with a big squat that can't be it,

how do u work your legs?

nice one though mate


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## Darryn (Apr 29, 2004)

First off thanks for the replies folks.

Hackskii - I squat ass to grass mate, I think I need to focus more on my thighs doing the work to get some improvement. Maybe some stretching would help to. The reason I have a good lower back is from being a removal man for 2 years, it looked like that even when I was 140lbs, but it gives me a thick waist. I rarely do deads now, I might lift 200k+ to use for shrugs, but haven't trained deads since january. I do cleans (without a dip) 100k for a few reps in my back session. I think squats calf raises and shrugs are big exercises for the lower back!

robin_3_16 - My leg workout is 1 set of 15 reps leg extension and 1 set of 15 reps leg curl as a warmup. Next is squats last session was 100k for 6, 130k for 5, 160k for 3, 190k for 1 to aclimatise then 160k for 12 (all ass to grass, I watch for my ass being clearly visible in the mirror wich is 5ft away) . Then Calf raises (I used to rest the bar on my neck and move more, but focusing on bringing in traps etc.) Using straps to hold in deadlift lockout position, 150k for 20+, 180k for 20+, 220k for 15. Then finish with leg curls on machine 45k for 20, 60k for 15.

Carnivore - I'm 6ft tall exactly mate

Panthro - Any advice on boosting legs would be appreciated. As I know I don't have the genetics to be a bodybuilder I'm not overly concerned, but it'd be nice to have at least 27 inch thighs, just to balance proportions.

I think apart from legs I really need to thicken up arms and shoulders, I had set a goal of 17inch bis , but now I have them they aren't what I'd hoped, looks like my new goal is 19inch, I'm quite happy to maintain my chest and back as is for now and build the rest .

Again thanks, I'm glad of any criticism, so feel free to add more. Maybe even advice on posing!!


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## Cheater2K (Apr 3, 2003)

Not bad matey, deffo an improvement over the past few months since ive known you.

Legs - Need abit of work

Also hit traps abit more, get them standing up along with rear delts.


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## Darryn (Apr 29, 2004)

Cheers Cheater, my traps were flat til the end of last year.They're coming along quickly, rear delts are picking up to so just a little patience needed there.

I think I'll wear cargo pants all summer lol.


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## Panthro (Jan 12, 2004)

ok matey, problem is you arent hitting legs hard enough there.. Just squatting isnt enough.. and curls are for girls. (Except warm up)

Try...

1 x 15 leg extentions high rep warm up

1 x 15 leg curl high rep warm up

2 x 12 warm up on squat.

5 x 5 squat (Great for size and strength)

3 x 4-6 Leg press of hack squat

3 x 6 stiff leg deadlift

Then finish calf raises as normal.

Try that! 3 BIG compound exercises. Should have you puking!


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## Darryn (Apr 29, 2004)

Panthro, I thought I liked you right up til you wrote that routine. I end up battling against vomit everytime I train legs. If I did that I'd puke everytime.

I do leg curls because I work my back hard on my pull day, and it's usually heavily pumped from squats, makes it painful to stand. Maybe once I have less water retention I can add SLDL.

I planned to add Front Squats to my routine, so I'll swap them in for squats. I'll add some more sets and throw in leg press as well. For now I'll keep leg curls cos otherwise I'll be SLDL'ing with a bare oly bar for 4 reps. Hams get a little work from Cleans on pull day as well. I've always avoided volume, never more than 12 sets a workout, maybe it's time I bucked the trend and tried a little. I'll need a bucket next to the squat rack now. 

Hopefully I'll add some pics in a few weeks with better legs!


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## Biker (Apr 8, 2003)

looking solid legs are the weak point.

you're leaning too far forward in your most muscular so there's no shadow falling into the front of your traps. Stand upright shrug your shoulders up as if doing db shrugs then roll your shoulder forward slightly and flex your arms up.

are you tall mate? your arms don't really look 17" IMHO they look closer to 16" but it may be your height as that can make a big difference.

Overall a good build with reasonably good balance and proportion a part from the legs which are letting you down for a man that can squat 220ks, before my knee injury I had my quads at 28" and have never went over 190k for 2 reps and pretty much built my legs on working sets of 140kgs with some SLDLs chucked in for hams.

Back is by far your best area, you're even starting to get the christmas tree at the bottom of it.


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## Darryn (Apr 29, 2004)

As said above I'm not exeptionally tall 6ft exactly. My arms just look smaller, I think it's more to do with a thick neck and torso in comparison. I'll take a pic with the tape measure next time  .

I've always had slim but strong legs, I was squatting 100k for reps when I was 140lbs and had 20 inch legs. First time I tried squats I managed 150k. I've always done sports involving sprinting, and working as a removal man for 2 years and a labourer on a building site for 1 year teaches you how to move heavy weights (try one end of an upright piano up and down stairs). Now I sit on my a$$ all day on this comp for a living. As Panthro said I think I have to change how I train legs.

I'd be happy not to increase weights for a while on all my lifts if my body would catch up !! I know a guy who's under 200lbs and benches 170k, dead 290, squat 280 but then again he's a powerlifter, he doesn't look much until you see that bar bending over his neck! But in the end I'm more likely to trim up and compete at powerlifting than bodybuilding.

What was your training like for legs biker?


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## Biker (Apr 8, 2003)

My leg training is poor weight ways these days because of my knees, but it would be along the lines of:

Leg Press and leg extension supersetted for 3 sets

SLDL for 3 sets.

But I should have squats in there but my knees tell me not to 

I try to aim for the 20 rep region in leg sets.

Well if you look at olympic powerlifters they have next to no size and are lifting huge weights - the lighter you are the better, don't **** about in the middle mate, either be a powerlifter or a bodybuilder don't try to be both as one will most likely get in the way of the other.


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## Darryn (Apr 29, 2004)

I fancy the 100k powerlifting division Biker. And if it becomes popular the 105k strongman comps. I'm a little vain so I'd like to look good as well so I'll always try to balance things out a little, but as you can tell so far I've not been carried away with bodybuilding.

I'm yet to start developing my 1rm's to compete. My usual pattern of training is build up to a heavy(ish) single-triple then most sets I do 10 reps, once I nail 11 or more I move up. For example bench I would do a few reps at 90, then 110, then 130, then push 2 or 3 at 140 then throw 110 on and go to failure.

My first goal is to get a bit of bulk about me around 17 stone. Then work on heavy lifting, then start entering small comps at 100k and take it from there. Then once I've got a medal or 2 get into bodybuilding 100% and see how it goes. I'm never going to be a world champion, but I'll try to pick my battles.


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Good advice from biker on the legs. My knees have been giving me some static lately so this is what i did to help them along.

I do leg extensions twice a week. This is the only body part I hit twice a week. I do 4 sets of 20 reps and they are slow and torture.

Then I work hamstrings and abductor and adductors too. This is Sunday.

Wednesday, I do 4 sets extensions 20 reps slow torture then I go to the lying leg press and do 5 sets 20 reps there. Again slow, slow and very strickt with knees close to each other.

I have noticed that the knees feel so much better. I attribute that all to the extensions. Used to think they were poopoo but now I am all for them. Seems that my hamstrings were overpowering my quads and tossing them out of ballance. I suspected this but when I talked to a trainer (she) suggested I do extensions. Worked like a charm and only took about 3.5 weeks.

Now next cycle I might do some front sqauats as these feel pretty good on the knees.


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## Cheater2K (Apr 3, 2003)

Darryn, ill have to pop up one time a take you through a reall legs training session, hehe


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## Darryn (Apr 29, 2004)

Fair enough Cheater, you'll have to stay for an extra day so I csan teach you how to work your back lol! How big are your legs again?


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## Guest (May 11, 2004)

Teach cheater2k to work his back?  I think he's big enough


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Post some picks Cheater!


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## Guest (May 11, 2004)

He told me he was 14.7 stone!, when I saw him, I was about to ring chester zoo, I thought some gorilla had escaped, 14.7 stone, he's a bullsh1tter  , 16-17 stone more like


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## Darryn (Apr 29, 2004)

Cheater just has a small head ! 

And wears wooly jumpers , don't you mate lol


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## Biker (Apr 8, 2003)

Darryn said:


> I fancy the 100k powerlifting division Biker. And if it becomes popular the 105k strongman comps..


tough weight class mate, generally the standard in Ireland would be much lower than England, I have a mate in that class (and a few in the higher division) and he's deadlifting 320kgs (I've seen him do 300kg for 4 reps!), benching about 220kgs and I can't remember his squat.

I would look towards getting my weight into a lower weight division and work hard on strength.


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## Panthro (Jan 12, 2004)

agree with biker, i know some lads in that class and they are all just under 100kg but about 5'4-8 and are strong as fcuk! so being 6' in a bit of a disadvantage.... worse for me as im 6'2.. strongman is my only option! lol


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## Darryn (Apr 29, 2004)

Biker, I'd hope that I'd be benching 180k at 100k at least before training for strength, and that would be raw. At a push I could probably do a raw competition lift of 160kg just now. I threw 152.5kg up no problem at all the other week could have repped it . Deads I've never done less than 5 reps all the way up to 220kg , but have only done them for a total of 2 months since starting training.I should be able to compete at small shows after some focussed training. I find that the 90k class looks tougher to me, but I'll keep my options open. My opinion was that the heavier weight divisions seemed less competitive, firstly because of volume of people in them and secondly because of diminishing strength gains with size gains.

Remembering I'm 97kilos carrying a fair bit of water and some extra bf.

I'm not aiming to be Brithish champion, but something like west of Scotland champion, then maybe try the Scottish title as well in time, that would be a good enough return for my efforts.

And if that all goes tits up I'll become a personal trainer lol


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## Biker (Apr 8, 2003)

mate if you lost 7 or 8 kilos do you think you would lose any or much strength? Might be worth considering the drop, I just happend to know some monsters in the 100kg class.


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## Darryn (Apr 29, 2004)

I'm sure I could keep 100% of my strength If I lost weight whilst just lifting heavy for singles to triples avoiding over training and using diet to get down. But could I live with being 14 stone ?

Well I'll see how things go at the end of this year. Moving from 100k to 90k would probably be easy enough, and the experience at 100k would give me an edge when lifting those kinds of weights. What would you say are competitive lifts at 90k ? I'd be guessing over 170k bench (more like 200k with a shirt) and around 300+ for dead and squat.

I should be down to close to 90k when I cut for this summer, so I'll see what my lifts are then, maybe try building up my 1rm for a month and work out from there if I'd be competitive. If I am then it'll be time to buy a shirt and some suits!

Cheers for the comments and info guys, I'll be back regular for advice as I progress. But first it's about getting tight for the summer, after adding an inch to my thighs at least!


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## Biker (Apr 8, 2003)

I can really only speak for Ireland but I would say the 90kers are benching about 170kgs, dl about 260-280, squat probably similar to dl - and don't ask me how you do that at 90kgs  It's normally only the big boys that are going over 300k, I've seen Francis Kirby (3 times ulster strongest man and friend of mine) DL 320kgs before although I think he's done more in comps, he would weigh in at well over 100kgs... He's benching about 240kgs if I remember correctly not many people of any class bench much higher than that.


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## Darryn (Apr 29, 2004)

That sounds achievable to me, the 90k class I mean. If I don't manage it over here then I'll be looking for a move to Ireland lol (I've always liked Belfast)  .

I'll use the time that I'm cutting for summer to plan an assault on powerlifting. One of the Scottish weightlifting/olympic lifting coaches trains at one of the gyms I use and I may ask him for some advice . You never know , I could be a future LA Muscle sponsored athlete lmao  .


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## jim1436114501 (Mar 20, 2005)

i dont think your chest is 50" or your arms are 17" your chest looks around 40" and your arms and calves look around 14" to 15" so can we all see your real measurements?


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## SA12 (Jun 2, 2004)

Jim,

Those pics are of him at 23, he is now 26 so no doubt bigger.

I assume your stats in your first post are of you now Darryn? not when you were 23?


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## Cheater2K (Apr 3, 2003)

I dont think darryns been on for a while (recently had a baby with his wife) Ill get on the blower to him to see if he can visit this thread for you all


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## Cheater2K (Apr 3, 2003)

Jim - I personaly know Darryn well, his measurements were all correct at time of print (nearly a yr ago)


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## Darryn2 (May 26, 2004)

Hey all I've been away a while. My measurements were correct at the time of my pics, I'm now 27 droppred a lot of weight to 13 stone 6 and still have a chest of 46.5 and arms of 16 inch if there's anyone in the Glasgow area who would like to measure these in person to verify then feel free I have nothing to lose or gain by stating my stats ! I've added 3 recent pics at my new light weight if anyone needs a comparison.


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## Cheater2K (Apr 3, 2003)

Still good size chest for weight.  welcome back to mate, now you just need to hang around means you do feck all all day in work


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## beckham79 (Jan 30, 2005)

wow!

i cant believe you managed to change your bod so much in 3 years!

what have you been eatin to bulk up so much?


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