POLL: Tone or Bulky?

Jgtdragon

Diamond Member
May 15, 2000
3,816
19
81
If you have a choice to shape your body, would you prefer being big bulky or lean mean tone?
Which is harder to obtain?

Edit for the ladies: DO you like a guy thats tone or bulky?
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,452
19,913
146
I like being big without being bulky.

I'm 6', 195lbs with a 32" waist, 46" chest and 18.5" arms.

Would you call that bulky?
 

Spoooon

Lifer
Mar 3, 2000
11,563
203
106
I'm kind of bulky, but am working on getting lean. Almost going to break the <180 barrier for the first time since I was in high school. :)
 

Red Dawn

Elite Member
Jun 4, 2001
57,529
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Originally posted by: Amused
I like being big without being bulky.

I'm 6', 195lbs with a 32" waist, 46" chest and 18.5" arms.

Would you call that bulky?
I have similar measurements and I don't consider myself big, especially when I go to the gym and see some of those Monsters working out.
 

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No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
I used to think that some bulk was fine when I was younger and wanted size, but now as I age tone is really the be all and end all. I'll take a 10% body fat with a reasonable build any day of the week as opposed to a 20% bodyfat and large build. Unfortunately I have the mid teens bodyfat with reasonable build :( Oh well! I tried a bulking routine last fall and it worked well at both piling on muscle and fattening me up like a lamb for the slaughter. Seems that in my "old age" i can't handle the excess calories well at all, but I knew that. So, I won't be bulking again but just go about a more reserved speed in muscle increasing, while being vigilant of bodyfat. I looked a lot better last summer at 13% ish, even though I don't have a hell of a lot of muscle.

In regards to the answer a body type determines which is easier to acheive/maintain, but for most people a tone physique while having enough muscle to do a pull up is a lot harder than being bulky. Think on how few grown adults you see that are thin AND have some muscle (ie, they don't just run all the time and never touch weights). Not a hell of a lot.
 

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
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Tone. Don't loose flexibility and range of motion, and more women like "tone" men than "bulky" men if you were to take a survey about it.

:)
 

Aharami

Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
21,205
165
106
i'd say tone. its harder to be toned and muscular (defined). in trying to get toned
 

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
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Originally posted by: Amused
I like being big without being bulky.

I'm 6', 195lbs with a 32" waist, 46" chest and 18.5" arms.

Would you call that bulky?

You and Red Dawn are big guys!

I'd pick medium 'bulk' and tone. I don't want to be too big but always lean. Hell don't even want to be too bulky either as for my sports and such it will slow you down being 220lbs!!! 165-176lbs is almost too big at 5"10 to get some of the moves down in Gymnastics. I'd have to be much shorter to do well!

I'm 5'10, 165lbs in the morning and 176lbs at night with food and water lol, 32" waist but have tiny hips lol. I hope to get to about 187-198lbs is good weight imo for 5"10. Pretty muscled but not too big, well not freakishly big like some bb guys! Just hope I can stay quick and do my sports well.

I enjoy being lean with a decent build. Will pack on more bulk later if it is useful for my sports.

Koing
 

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
16,843
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Originally posted by: vi_edit
Tone. Don't loose flexibility and range of motion, and more women like "tone" men than "bulky" men if you were to take a survey about it.

:)

Flexibility

http://heangkoing.homestead.com/files/Koing_wide-legs_body_flush2_s.jpg

http://heangkoing.homestead.com/files/Koing_Y_balance_s.jpg

Just have to work at it to get flexibility. But if you don't do full range of movements you don't get flexible. Lucky genetics also help a lot imo. I've met many stiff white English guys and the asian, oriental guys and girls I have met have all been more flexible by far.

Koing
 

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No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: Koing
Originally posted by: vi_edit
Tone. Don't loose flexibility and range of motion, and more women like "tone" men than "bulky" men if you were to take a survey about it.

:)

Flexibility

http://heangkoing.homestead.com/files/Koing_wide-legs_body_flush2_s.jpg

http://heangkoing.homestead.com/files/Koing_Y_balance_s.jpg

Just have to work at it to get flexibility. But if you don't do full range of movements you don't get flexible. Lucky genetics also help a lot imo. I've met many stiff white English guys and the asian, oriental guys and girls I have met have all been more flexible by far.

Koing
:Q :heart: more pics! more pics!!!

 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,452
19,913
146
Originally posted by: vi_edit
Tone. Don't loose flexibility and range of motion, and more women like "tone" men than "bulky" men if you were to take a survey about it.

:)

Wait until your 30s... flexibility starts going all by itself. :(
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: vi_edit
Tone. Don't loose flexibility and range of motion, and more women like "tone" men than "bulky" men if you were to take a survey about it.

:)

Wait until your 30s... flexibility starts going all by itself. :(
You got that right!

 

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
16,843
2
0
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: vi_edit
Tone. Don't loose flexibility and range of motion, and more women like "tone" men than "bulky" men if you were to take a survey about it.

:)

Wait until your 30s... flexibility starts going all by itself. :(
You got that right!

:(

I hope to be able to do the stuff I can do now when I am in my 30s. The coach's at the club can do it so that gives hope :D

Koing
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,452
19,913
146
Originally posted by: Koing
Originally posted by: Amused
I like being big without being bulky.

I'm 6', 195lbs with a 32" waist, 46" chest and 18.5" arms.

Would you call that bulky?

You and Red Dawn are big guys!

I'd pick medium 'bulk' and tone. I don't want to be too big but always lean. Hell don't even want to be too bulky either as for my sports and such it will slow you down being 220lbs!!! 165-176lbs is almost too big at 5"10 to get some of the moves down in Gymnastics. I'd have to be much shorter to do well!

I'm 5'10, 165lbs in the morning and 176lbs at night with food and water lol, 32" waist but have tiny hips lol. I hope to get to about 187-198lbs is good weight imo for 5"10. Pretty muscled but not too big, well not freakishly big like some bb guys! Just hope I can stay quick and do my sports well.

I enjoy being lean with a decent build. Will pack on more bulk later if it is useful for my sports.

Koing

Yeah, I think 200 lbs after cutting is going to be my limit. I'll probably be limited by genetics somewhere around there anyhow, and I'm not willing to juice... so getting much bigger isn't an option anyhow.

I haven't lost any range of motion (other than what can be contributed to age) and I still look normal in clothes.

I am kinda hoping to get to a workout bench weight of 300 lbs. I'm at 8-10 reps with 255 lbs now so 300 is feasable. I know, it's a silly goal, but hey...
 

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No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: Koing
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: vi_edit
Tone. Don't loose flexibility and range of motion, and more women like "tone" men than "bulky" men if you were to take a survey about it.

:)

Wait until your 30s... flexibility starts going all by itself. :(
You got that right!

:(

I hope to be able to do the stuff I can do now when I am in my 30s. The coach's at the club can do it so that gives hope :D

Koing
See your dad? That's how you'll look in your 30's! :D
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
I am kinda hoping to get to a workout bench weight of 300 lbs. I'm at 8-10 reps with 255 lbs now so 300 is feasable. I know, it's a silly goal, but hey...
I'm hoping to get to a one rep max of 300lbs and right now it's around 255 ;) My genetics are crap, which really sucks, because my dad is big with large calves, but my mother doesn't have any muscle on her and I got her bloody genes in me more than I'd like. Both of my brothers have the same problem and if not for working out I'd be a joke, physically. Hopefully my kids will get some of my dad's genes in them.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,452
19,913
146
Originally posted by: Skoorb
I am kinda hoping to get to a workout bench weight of 300 lbs. I'm at 8-10 reps with 255 lbs now so 300 is feasable. I know, it's a silly goal, but hey...
I'm hoping to get to a one rep max of 300lbs and right now it's around 255 ;) My genetics are crap, which really sucks, because my dad is big with large calves, but my mother doesn't have any muscle on her and I got her bloody genes in me more than I'd like. Both of my brothers have the same problem and if not for working out I'd be a joke, physically. Hopefully my kids will get some of my dad's genes in them.

Yeah, I have the same problem, but reversed. I have my mom's genes and she is skinny everywhere but her midsection.

I don't do one rep maxes. Too much of a chance of hurting myself at this age. :(
 

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No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
I don't do one rep maxes. Too much of a chance of hurting myself at this age.
I don't either, but I use that one rep max estimator and a best guess and I think it's pretty accurate. I'm starting to day dream about whether I actually got 215 X10 several weeks ago, which would have been the best set of my life, but I just can't quite remember if I did or didn't.