Unpopular Opinion: I feel muscles are overrated.

[nicksaiz65]

I don’t “build” anymore. I just train to maintain health at this point. My max lifts were attained at my max body weight, which was 175 lbs in my late 20s. Now I am 5 years older and weigh 160. I have no intention of maxing out strength anymore. Though I still focus on major lifts (Squat, Deadlift, Press, Chin Ups) just with a LOT more cardio instead.

That’s what’s up.

I’m also glad that dumb trend of gym bros refusing to do cardio or “cardio burns muscle” is starting to die lol. Cardio Is such a useful tool on a cut in my opinion

 

[EyeBRollin]

How tall are you? I'm 5-11.5" and fluctuate between 162-165. I'm pretty ripped but as you say it's impossible to get big without roids.

5’7.

Yeah, getting big and Natty you have to eat 6,000 calories / day and be younger than 25. Not worth it… too late for me.

 

[lost_blackbird]

I've gotten pretty fat over the last few months. 6'0 and 15st 2lbs. Mostly beer and inactivity but
quitting weed and tobacco has seen a definite fast upswing in weight, plus Christmas gluttony.
I'm on day 6 without booze, prior to that I've had one day where I haven't consumed alcohol in
the last 3 and a half years. I'm going to see how much difference OMAD and cutting the booze
out completely makes in the next month. The only reason I'm doing this is because I've outgrown
my motorcycle leathers and I don't want to buy more.

One week of one meal a day and the complete cessation of alcohol have resulted in a 7.2lb reduction in my weight.
15st 2.0lbs ---> 14st 8.8lbs
So, just over half a stone. I already feel slightly more energetic and lighter on my feet.

 

[Divorced w 3]

I checked my body fat today, I’m running 16.9 and that’s after eating like a slob with no cardio for like 3 months. I am so happy. The summer HIIT was absolutely the best and most efficient I have ever done.

 

[Divorced w 3]

Cardio will eat your muscles like nobody business. Abs are made in the kitchen. Cardio is good for fat people with no muscles, or for endurance training, look a people who run marathon and tell me otherwise.

This is inaccurate. Have you ever seen the build of a sprinter?

 

[SW15]

Cardio will eat your muscles like nobody business. Abs are made in the kitchen. Cardio is good for fat people with no muscles, or for endurance training, look a people who run marathon and tell me otherwise.

Anaerobic exercise (weight training) is better than cardio. Every man needs to weight train. Also, more women would benefit from weight training. Women tend to have a phobia of looking overly muscular like the female bodybuilders. That won't happen to most women who lift weights.

I believe cardio has usefulness. I play tennis, bike, and swim. That's sufficient cardio in addition to the weight training I do.

I do believe in both. There is a reason that Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer's muscles are not as big as other types of athletes.

 

[Divorced w 3]

Yes, their muscles are big, not like a marathon runners who I was referring to. Compare their training vs the marathon runners and you'll see the difference. Like I said you can be ripped without cardio, calories in vs calories out.

Don't give me examples of other people, show me proof with you, cause this all that matters, those sprinters Bolt for example are the 0.1% outliers.

Watch the nfl and you'll see 90% are ripped but not muscular.

I got the HIIT workout that I did all summer and kept my weight room Numbers unchanged while getting cut from my best friend who is a navy seal. You can take it or leave it, I know what worked for me all summer. I didn’t set foot in the gym from June until September.

 

[Divorced w 3]

HIIT is better than the long cardio sessions to which I was referring as "cardio", however you need to eat plenty more protein to keep the muscle. An an intermediate lifter who wants to prevent muscle loss, he will limit "cardio" to the minimum, like walking 10k steps will be his cardio.

Again, not my experience, I was fasting, typically 16-18 hours daily. I only stopped fasting due to reasons unrelated.

 

[Bandolero]

HIIT is better than the long cardio sessions to which I was referring as "cardio", however you need to eat plenty more protein to keep the muscle. An an intermediate lifter who wants to prevent muscle loss, he will limit "cardio" to the minimum, like walking 10k steps will be his cardio.

Walking is the best tool to loose fat and keep muscle from my experience.

 

[sangheilios]

People think that the only ones on steroids are ones who are big and jacked, you'll be surprised how many people and young ones are on PEDs in the gym but don't look like bodybuilders.

I always say, if it was that easy to be like those guys naturally, all of us will have those physiques.

I personally can cite several examples of men that I know/knew/know of that were steroid users that literally looked like completely average guys that you'd see at the gym or even off the street, meaning nothing at all impressive. Your physique, both with and without steroids, is honestly heavily based around your genetics. Gaining muscle is not rocket science and doesn't require some fancy or technical routine to achieve. If you are reasonably consistent and eat a decent diet you will grow to some extent, again this heavily based around your genetics. Some people can be super on point with their training, sleep and diet and still struggle to see much in the way of progress, I've seen many examples of this. On the flip side, there are people that can half ass it, have terrible sleep and eat poorly and gain, again this is genetics.

 

[Jake_Gyllenhaal69]

I personally can cite several examples of men that I know/knew/know of that were steroid users that literally looked like completely average guys that you'd see at the gym or even off the street, meaning nothing at all impressive. Your physique, both with and without steroids, is honestly heavily based around your genetics. Gaining muscle is not rocket science and doesn't require some fancy or technical routine to achieve. If you are reasonably consistent and eat a decent diet you will grow to some extent, again this heavily based around your genetics. Some people can be super on point with their training, sleep and diet and still struggle to see much in the way of progress, I've seen many examples of this. On the flip side, there are people that can half ass it, have terrible sleep and eat poorly and gain, again this is genetics.

I half ass at the gym and I still look good lol. I see guys doing 200% more work than I do and still look like shvt lol.

 

[sangheilios]

I believe that muscles/having a fit body are not at all overrated. However, I also believe that most men overestimate how much muscle they need to have in order to look attractive and may go for a look that is actually unattractive to women, this could be due to bulking to the point where you literally become fat or going on a cycle that takes you into juicehead territory.

I'm 6'4" and currently around 240 and strong but also very fit overall. This is a result of my genetics, I naturally am broad shouldered and gain desne muscle easily. I've never used steroids before and would be much larger than what the vast majority of men could ever attain. Most men would struggle to get a build like mine, again due to genetics, and it wouldn't be in their best interest to aspire to achieve that, if it was even possible.

Women like fit and strong men but will have a preference on a particular end of the spectrum. Some women may really like a guy that looks like a rugby player or tightend type of body, solid muscle mass and just tall and strong. Other women may prefer a more slender but muscular build, like a swimmer or a guy that runs track. However, I feel that when you start getting towards extreme ends of either spectrum of athletic builds women don't find it as attractive. Think of an elite endurance athlete, particularly a marathon runner, that is incredibly skinny.....most women wouldn't find that attractive. On the opposite end, think of something like a heavyweight powerlifter or an NFL lineman, a lot of muscle but overweight, most women wouldn't be into that either. Women also are not typically attracted to the geared out of the gills look like you see in bodybuilding, it's gay men that are into that, which is an entirely different topic to get into lol.

 

[sangheilios]

I half ass at the gym and I still look good lol. I see guys doing 200% more work than I do and still look like shvt lol.

Like I said, it's heavily based around genetics.

There's a black guy that I know that goes to the gym but doesn't know what the hell he is doing lol, he just goes there to do some cardio and does some bodyweight stuff. He also drinks a lot and eats like complete crap a lot of the time but always has a 6 pack. He isn't a big guy at all, though decent muscle mass, but maintains a body fat percentage like that without even trying.

A good example that I can cite of bad genetics is men that are from India. They suck at both gaining muscle and always have a sort of belly/softness to them, just overall terrible genetics for muscle, strength, physique, fitness, etc. I actually watched a video about this a while back and it was interesting.

INDIA & SOUTH ASIA GENETICS EXPLAINED - 10 REASONS THEY STRUGGLE TO BUILD MUSCLE & LOSE FAT - YouTube

Speaking for myself, I gain muscle very easily and very athletic, strong, etc., I'd be considered genetically gifted. However, it's really difficult for me to get a six pack. I have to be either very strict with my diet or be doing a lot of long and slow cardio that primarily utilizes fat for fuel. Back in 2017 I did a lot of swimming, just long and slow for 60+ minutes, and I went from what is my normal weight of 235-240 down to about 215-220 and I looked like a god. However, it took a lot of work for me to get to that point. I recently got my blood work done and my total cholesterol was 138 at a weight around 240, I just don't see a reason to try to force my body into a place that isn't really natural for it.

 

[thermodynamic]

Diet plays a much bigger factor, stop eating processed foods with tons of sugar and soy. Eat broccoli which increases testosterone.

I for sure feel different after a nice plate of home cooked eggs, steak , or shrimp

 

[SW15]

I'm 6'4" and currently around 240 and strong but also very fit overall. This is a result of my genetics, I naturally am broad shouldered and gain desne muscle easily. I've never used steroids before and would be much larger than what the vast majority of men could ever attain. Most men would struggle to get a build like mine, again due to genetics, and it wouldn't be in their best interest to aspire to achieve that, if it was even possible.

On the opposite end, think of something like a heavyweight powerlifter or an NFL lineman, a lot of muscle but overweight, most women wouldn't be into that either. Women also are not typically attracted to the geared out of the gills look like you see in bodybuilding, it's gay men that are into that, which is an entirely different topic to get into lol.

6'4" and 240 lbs could be considered a "Chad" type physique. Those are stats that are commonly associated with powerlifters or NFL lineman. I would think a lot of women would be into a huge, hulking guy like a 6'4" and 240 lb guy.

Good for you for not using steroids. Plenty of guys in the 6'4" and 230-240 lb range used steroids.

I believe that muscles/having a fit body are not at all overrated. However, I also believe that most men overestimate how much muscle they need to have in order to look attractive and may go for a look that is actually unattractive to women, this could be due to bulking to the point where you literally become fat or going on a cycle that takes you into juicehead territory.

Women like fit and strong men but will have a preference on a particular end of the spectrum. Some women may really like a guy that looks like a rugby player or tightend type of body, solid muscle mass and just tall and strong. Other women may prefer a more slender but muscular build, like a swimmer or a guy that runs track. However, I feel that when you start getting towards extreme ends of either spectrum of athletic builds women don't find it as attractive.

I agree that muscles are not overrated but always think that the guys with bigger muscles would attract more women than fitter, more slender guys like tennis players or swimmers.

Back in 2017 I did a lot of swimming, just long and slow for 60+ minutes, and I went from what is my normal weight of 235-240 down to about 215-220 and I looked like a god.

That sounds awesome but unfortunately it didn't result in getting laid more. If you were back down to 220 now, you might walk around more confidently though.

 

[TimothyPrice]

I don't buy it. I've heard multiple women state guys can be too muscular.

Look at a Worlds Strongest Man comp. Women don't want guys that look like that. Bodybuilding>power lifting

 

[TimothyPrice]

There are different ways to be attractive to girls. Tall weirdo like Mystery, slim emo good looks like Jared Leto. As for me, I lift.

 

[Jake_Gyllenhaal69]

I agree that muscles are not overrated but always think that the guys with bigger muscles would attract more women than fitter, more slender guys like tennis players or swimmers.

I got way more girls when I was slender with a six pack and toned muscles vs when I was big and benching over 300 lbs lol.

 

[TimothyPrice]

An evo psych alpha/beta understanding of mating would make you think every woman wants a warlord but the hottest girls seem to want guys that are a touch feminine. More pretty facial features, more social savvy less muscle.
That being said, most guys could use more rather than less working out.

 

[sangheilios]

6'4" and 240 lbs could be considered a "Chad" type physique. Those are stats that are commonly associated with powerlifters or NFL lineman. I would think a lot of women would be into a huge, hulking guy like a 6'4" and 240 lb guy.

Good for you for not using steroids. Plenty of guys in the 6'4" and 230-240 lb range used steroids.



I agree that muscles are not overrated but always think that the guys with bigger muscles would attract more women than fitter, more slender guys like tennis players or swimmers.



That sounds awesome but unfortunately it didn't result in getting laid more. If you were back down to 220 now, you might walk around more confidently though.

That's not true, an NFL lineman would be closing in on 300 pounds or quite a bit over it. Offensive lineman are often well over 300 pounds. A defensive end though is definitely within my range, Jason Taylor of the Miami Dolphins has a similar build to me.

Definitely, I just don't see the need to even consider steroids, plus with the potential health consequences and me not being a professional athlete there is no reason to go down that route.

As for being very lean years ago, I wasn't quite as muscular but I had great definition and a very trim waist. Over the years I definitely built up my lower body, if I was to try to get to a look like this again I'd probably be more around 230, about 10 pounds less than where I'm at now.