The Complete Body: PART 1 Series

We’ve all seen this before in the gym, big strong upper body and small lower body.  And the sight of it I must say is very alarming.  It shows a huge disproportion.  Many strive for what they believe is a complete body but most fall short because of what we allow to limit us; our genetic background.  One thing we must note when developing a complete body is… balance is needed.

Words by Chad Washington, Fitness Editor

Two key things to look at:
Check to see if your upper body exceeds your lower body, and if your chest and shoulders exceeds your back (front to back proportion). Naturally your body will form its own look based on your genetics but this should NOT be a limiting factor.  Focus on correcting these areas that are lagging by giving them more attention.  For instance, if you are genetically tall and skinny (ectomorph), you are prone to have slim shoulders and high skinny calves.   You need to really put extra emphasis on these areas for them to respond.

Also note:
A complete body does not mean that you have to be overly muscular or something you would see in a bodybuilding contest.  Those are extremes and are often near impossible to look like year round.  Most importantly make sure that everything is in its right proportion.  Many men avoid squats due to the amount of energy it takes and not to mention the soreness one can gain from a difficult lower body workout. But let’s not forget that your lower body is your base and is very important to a strong physique. Also squats prove to release large amounts of testosterone which is great for overall building muscle. So passing on squats…NOT A GOOD THING!

Another area that gets little to no attention is the back. Most guys only focus on the muscles that are seen when looking straight on which is chest, biceps, shoulders, and triceps. Back muscles are often forgotten due to lack of compliments one typically receives.  These muscles help you look equal from front to back or when standing in a profile position.   They also help strengthen your rotator cuff which most serious lifters damage from too many pushing exercises involving shoulders, chest, and triceps.

So on your way to getting the complete body, take everything into consideration and remember a complete body is not built overnight.  It takes time, preparation, persistence, and lots of hard work!  But don’t let it intimidate you because a perfect body is not beyond your reach!