First, take a minute to check out the competitors in the photo above (I chose this pic at random from the approximately 17 million on the internet. It’s a standard Men’s Physique competition; hence the board shorts – legs aren’t judged).
Just glancing at the photo – or if you saw these three dude-bros walking down the beach – you might think they’re pretty much identical: muscular, visible abs, single-digit body fat percentage, etc. Compared to 99% of the general population, they all look great.
And they are. But they are not identical. Look more closely, and differences start to emerge. The most noticeable difference is in the abs. No two are alike. Hell, they’re hardly even similar. Is that because they all trained abs differently? Nope. That’s how they’re structured genetically. Peel as much fat off as you can, and your abs are what they are. You can make them larger, perhaps, but you can’t change the layout.
You might also notice differences in pec-size and thickness as well as in the lats. Even though it’s a front shot, you can clearly see that their lats do not have identical origin points. They all have the coveted V-taper, but they aren’t clones of one another by a long shot. You can do a lot to enhance the visual “illusion” through training and diet, but your skeletal structure, shoulder-to-waist ratio, origin and insertion points, etc. are genetic.
I mention all this not to give a lesson in physique competition (that’s a bit above my pay-grade anyway), but to point out that getting in the best shape of your life does not necessarily mean looking like a competitor or fitness model, whose pics are used to market everything from supplements to training programs to books. Can you add muscle to your frame? Absolutely. Can you shed a ton of body fat? Of course. Will you look awesome? Yes, you will. Will you win a physique or bodybuilding show? Probably not (unless you are genetically blessed with exceptional proportions, symmetry, etc.), but who cares?
Don’t worry about being the best. Just be the best you.
Thanks for reading,
Dan
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