Genetics

[steel1970]

Skip just wrote his rant about genetics and leanness and such, so I thought I'd piggy back off of that and start a thread about genetics....

I'm sure most here are aware that Phil Heath was a basketball player, I think at the college level. While that's a big achievement in its own right, with certain genetic equations coming into play possibly, I don't think anyone had looked at him back then and could say that he had the genetics of an elite bodybuilder. While it was VERY apparent that he was indeed elite at the very start of his training days, his basketball frame was probably not something that cried out "bodybuilder!"....

That being said, it left me to ponder this: How many average Joes out there could be elite bb'ers if they trained? Yes, we've seen pics of great bb'ers when they were young, AND already training, and you could tell that most were destined to be great. But how many regular guys could be just as great, if they would just train and see that they have the genetic potential?

I have a nephew that was a pretty good wrestler. Has the typical wrestler frame, although he's taller than most at about 6'......wide shoulders, lumpy back with good traps, small waist and joints. He trained hard for a few years and basically so little if any improvement. This is a kid I would have sworn had the genetics to be big as hell, AND ripped, but it just wasn't there, at least after a few years.....

This post is probably redundant, cause unless someone is directly related to a top bb'er it's prob impossible to guess who's got it or who doesn't, but I thought it would be fun to discuss.....anyone have any thoughts on what to look for regarding elite genetics in younger guys or guys who you think may have what it takes but don't even train?

[Heckman]

anyone have any thoughts on what to look for regarding elite genetics in younger guys or guys who you think may have what it takes but don't even train?

Oh, I'm sure "someone" does...lol

[breck]

Oh, I'm sure "someone" does...lol

Hahaha...

[LG1]

Large calves and forearms IMO are a good sign. My gym has a few young dudes who IMO could be real monsters if they had the proper training, nutrition, consistency etc.

[thedunhill225]

General structure and attachment and insertion points (length of muscle bellies). Genetics rule all of sport. Just the reality.

[Sammich]

Here's another secret: be black.

People who are the descendants of slaves tend to be genetically inclined for athletic performance. For quite a few generations, slaves in the US were selectively bred to promote children who were stronger and more capable at physical performance. We can see some lasting results of that today -- just look at players in the NBA or NFL, for example. It's a horrible truth, but it is a truth nonetheless.

[Sammich]

Oh, I'm sure "someone" does...lol

Hahaha...

General structure and attachment and insertion points (length of muscle bellies). Genetics rule all of sport. Just the reality.

SSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHOCKING THAT YOU WOULD WEIGH IN :shocked:

[big ross]

Man Phil Heath had the delts and tri's when he was playing ball only. Another thing is to be elite it's simply not genetics, other things come into the equation as we all know.
When I see somebody I do the standard wide shoulders/back, full chest, and decent calf growth. Now another tho I've noticed and Skip mentioned in the article, the really good genetic people look good fat or even skinny. When they're fat somehow it goes to shoulder, tris, and upper back. If they're skinny their chest/shoulders hold some density. Theres a whole family of genetic freaks I played football with. In middle school kid had delt/tri's, amazingly shaped bi's, good calves, and he said he just drank milk and did push ups.

[vkk]

Here's another secret: be black.

People who are the descendants of slaves tend to be genetically inclined for athletic performance. For quite a few generations, slaves in the US were selectively bred to promote children who were stronger and more capable at physical performance. We can see some lasting results of that today -- just look at players in the NBA or NFL, for example. It's a horrible truth, but it is a truth nonetheless.

This. x1000.

Its no coincidence that the majority of black guys that walk into the gym on their first day, and 6 months later, end up bigger than 99% of their gyms population, eating KFC and pink lemonade everyday..

[steel1970]

Man Phil Heath had the delts and tri's when he was playing ball only. Another thing is to be elite it's simply not genetics, other things come into the equation as we all know.
When I see somebody I do the standard wide shoulders/back, full chest, and decent calf growth. Now another tho I've noticed and Skip mentioned in the article, the really good genetic people look good fat or even skinny. When they're fat somehow it goes to shoulder, tris, and upper back. If they're skinny their chest/shoulders hold some density. Theres a whole family of genetic freaks I played football with. In middle school kid had delt/tri's, amazingly shaped bi's, good calves, and he said he just drank milk and did push ups.

By "other things", I am assuming you mean bb'ing drugs? If so, even they are affected by genetics. How your body responds to them IMO is one of the biggest genetic effects....otherwise, almost anyone could just load up on gear and become big.....we all know at least one guy who can simply "look" at some gear and seemingly grow.....the elites' response to gear is one of the most valuable genetic markers......IMO of course....

[chris.tan]

I had a friend who played D1 college football. He said it simply wasnt fair how quickly the black guys recovered. Not only that, but a weekend of partying didnt seem to affect their performance come Monday. I'm not saying it's all black guys, but there are plenty that walk around my gym and are huge without moving absurd weights. The white guys that are huge in my gym also tend to be a bit overweight and must move huge weight. The only white guys that are lean and big are obviously supported by something other than god-given gifts. You can't be peeled for months on end.

[0001Delta]

Some people will surely disagree, but I don't believe much in the whole genetic thing.

I mean, I sure know genes come into play dictating how a bodypart will look like, if your biceps will be enormous due to insertion length, if you'll have a small triceps or if you have a small chest.

But IMO anyone can get big, strong and freaky. Will it be "the kind of freaky that wins Mr.O" ? Maybe, maybe not. Greg Kovacs and Ruhl have weird insertions/frames and they are still massive.

How does one even measures their own "genetic potential" ? I know there's no way in hell someone can take a microscope or close their eyes and look inside and suddently become aware of his own genetic make-up. The only sure-fire way is to just go ahead and try to get huge or strong or better in whatever sport the person wanna compete. George Leeman was fat as hell, almost reaching 400lbs in his teens, but he still went after it no matter how much hate he caught and how does the kid looks now ? And he is natural or stayed natural for most of his transformation I believe. The reason I'm agaisnt this whole genetic thing is because it creates a mental barrier or sets people back in their goal. You do not need to tell a kid who is just starting to like lifting that his genes likely suck, that he'll never be anything in the sport (PL or BB, whatever) and that he shouldn't hope for much. And again, can anyone know about another person's genetic layout ? ( "You" is a fictional character, not talking to anyone).

So, to make things short, genes just deal with trivial detail, how big or how X muscle is gonna look like, how wide you are gonna get, etc, etc. What get's people far in a given area, is how bad that person wants it.

[Daniel7908]

Here's another secret: be black.

People who are the descendants of slaves tend to be genetically inclined for athletic performance. For quite a few generations, slaves in the US were selectively bred to promote children who were stronger and more capable at physical performance. We can see some lasting results of that today -- just look at players in the NBA or NFL, for example. It's a horrible truth, but it is a truth nonetheless.

Not to mention that the toughness of life as a slave certainly worked as another means of making only the strongest and fittest survive.

[0001Delta]

This. x1000.
eating KFC and pink lemonade everyday..

Stereotype much ?

[TLopez]

Here's another secret: be black.

People who are the descendants of slaves tend to be genetically inclined for athletic performance. For quite a few generations, slaves in the US were selectively bred to promote children who were stronger and more capable at physical performance. We can see some lasting results of that today -- just look at players in the NBA or NFL, for example. It's a horrible truth, but it is a truth nonetheless.

Who are you Jimmy the Greek?

"The black is a better athlete to begin with because he's been bred to be that way, because of his high thighs and big thighs that goes up into his back, and they can jump higher and run faster because of their bigger thighs and he's bred to be the better athlete because this goes back all the way to the Civil War when during the slave trade'n the big… the owner… the slave owner would, would, would, would breed his big black to his big woman so that he could have ah, ah big, ah big, ah big black kid see…"