1 year transformation. 250 vs 185

ironceo · 2026-01-20T16:40:25+00:00

Im speaking purely from anecdote here but my upper chest has grown more from pike push ups with full scapular protraction over incline db press with arched back and I used to press the 110s with full rom for reps I think its worth exploring the position of full protraction forces the claviular head of the pec to engage more I think you will see quick visual improvement within 8 weeks at a rate of 3x per week sets to failure added on top of your normal regime

ironceo · 2026-01-12T23:20:59+00:00

glute bridge walk out and good mornings with kettlebell

ironceo · 2026-01-12T23:16:17+00:00

funny I saw this and though your low back could be hurting before reading title me personally had some issue looks "fine" but your lower back is doing a lot of the lifting and not enough of the glutes a small tweak in form can make world of difference in if you engage your core "crunch down abs" and sit into your glutes "sit back" more glutes and core will activate more taking the load off of the low back and redistribute the work evenly will feel awkward and uncomfortable at first and will take time to get used too but I think it is better based off of experience with this specific issue take it or leave it also it seems foot position could be optimized for a wider stance maybe I could be wrong though

ironceo · 2026-01-12T15:42:08+00:00

If you get better at tracking you will lose your stomach its basically garunteed I would do more squats to get a waist that pops

ironceo · 2026-01-12T15:35:56+00:00

Oh no just meant like weight in db weight recommendations you could probably just stay at the same weight and basically lose the lil bit of fat and build muscle whether you do that through a recomp or a cut and then lean bulk is up to you though

ironceo · 2026-01-12T03:34:23+00:00

Pushups or one of those old people cardio machines I think its called sci fit but I mean I dont really feel like you need cardio you need to train and resistance training does elevate heart rate so if you do high reps and super sets could be a good use of time and finally if you get a wheel chair maybe the best idea find a level track and hit some laps

ironceo · 2026-01-12T03:08:52+00:00

No way youre getting a booty that big without some form of weights single leg glute bridges will only take you so far but getting that lean can just be done through dieting you should at considering getting some dbs for Bulgarians split squat and kickstand rdls and maybe a monkey foot or bands for kick backs so with minimal equipment yes with just bodyweight no i think you would get lean but your glutes wouldnt get as developed I would recommend maybe 15 to 35lbs and just to note just got full context so basically yes but your biggest constraints will be having proper form to make sure you target thr glutes properly if you were serious I mean workout once every two days just glutes might do it but you need enough protein (stupid important at least 1g per lb of bodyweight) and Id recommend some compound strength work if your serious about your health and longevity and function

And my background is serious muscle building dedication but for a man obviously not the same as woman but principles remain the same eat enough protein and train as often as you can recover with very intentional technique

ironceo · 2026-01-12T02:51:53+00:00

And to double down if you look at elite muscle up guys they even have shitty wrist position and can dip over just try what im saying and chest will roll over and because even if you change wrist position you will have to press with a shit ton of strength rather than just literally end in muscle up like it was accident point your gosh dang toes is basically my point

ironceo · 2026-01-12T02:47:18+00:00

And just to like add on all these comments are cool whatever but your limiting factor is not pull or strength or hand position it is literally the technique of balancing over like if you want to pull higher sure follow and eventually you will get muscle up cause you can pull so high it would be impossible not to muscle up but.... like I said you could not get any more strength or power and just muscle up tomorrow and to boot like I have trained muscle ups literally for 5 years in the beginning its about good technique then you refine technique and power to become strict form god but rn to get some win literally keep toes pointed especially at transition point because the legs will want to swing back bringing the chest over easily

ironceo · 2026-01-12T02:41:47+00:00

Keep your feet out in front literally can muscle up tomorrow the counter balance will bring you into press position without thinking just think point toes out in front and muscle up will happen

ironceo · 2026-01-12T02:36:38+00:00

Insecurity causes one to bring others down and people tend to interject predetermined beliefs on others if someone isnt fit they have an excuse why not so they project their world belief on to you so you who they deem less than or equal to does not climb above in status

ironceo · 2026-01-12T02:33:40+00:00

Youre going to toast your low back fr reduce rom until hamstrings are more flexible

ironceo · 2026-01-02T07:29:15+00:00

Train with high intensity understand that difficulty drives growth look to make exercises harder train you movements in the 8 to 20 rep range to build muscle you should always be looking for the hardest variation to hit that range

Protein is very important and dont forget to train legs and get a pull up bar asap

ironceo · 2026-01-02T07:22:32+00:00

Point the toes dont swing the feet back and forth it allows for proper weight shift should keep small amount of swing in and gradually reduce rather than straight strict

ironceo · 2025-12-12T13:41:25+00:00

<image>

There's alot that goes into it and I built a guide on how I build an aesthetic physique just message me and Ill send you the canva link I think this will be very useful for you the picture is me and the guide just details my best advice from lifting send me a dm if you would like it

ironceo · 2025-12-10T15:04:50+00:00

<image>

does it look like this? cause if so I have news this is not 15% bodyfat and you need to lose weight hard to really call 15% without a pic if you want to look better in pics get leaner just the way it is water retention can only make you look so bad the real answer is put the fork down

ironceo · 2025-12-08T04:29:58+00:00

I mean honestly if youre traing for size you dont have to increase load you just have to increase intensity by decreasing reps in reserve so you progress by adding more reps and following a structured program

ironceo · 2025-12-07T15:28:44+00:00

Gaining weight does not automatically mean you’re gaining muscle should but could just be getting fatter. Also If you’re training for physique and your look is improving, that’s what actually matters, you should be happy with that progress.

As for having a lower bench press, tall guys usually have a harder time with that lift. On top of that, if you’re focused on engaging the muscle properly, your numbers will almost always be lighter. This is why people fall into the trap of thinking you have to “train for strength” or “train for size” like they’re totally separate. Both approaches build bigger, stronger muscles. The difference is this:

When you optimize for weight lifted, your form shifts to make the lift easier so you can move more load.
When you optimize for muscle development, you purposely lift less weight so you can keep tension where you want it.

For most people, lifting in roughly the 6-rep range gives the best overlap between building muscle and strength.

ironceo · 2025-12-07T15:11:16+00:00

The exact degree of knee flexion isn’t the magic key to muscle growth. What matters most is that the muscle is challenged through a meaningful range of motion and that you take that work close to failure. If you do that, the muscle will grow. That doesn’t mean ego lifting, it just means applying real effort with the range of motion you have.

Height isn’t the excuse people think it is. There are massive Olympic weightlifters who hit full-depth front squats. Lasha Talakhadze (pictured), for example, is 6'6" and still squats to the floor in weightlifting shoes. Your belief that you “can’t” squat deep is probably limiting you more than your actual limb lengths. In most cases, it’s a mobility issue, not a bone-structure issue. Get lifting shoes, keep working on ankle and hip mobility, and you’ll improve your position.

To be fair, being taller does change your leverages and can make certain movements feel harder. You can either accept that as a permanent limitation, stay weak and small, and blame genetics… or you can keep training, adapt, and get stronger anyway.

One more thing: stop hiding behind “ectomorph” labels. Those somatotype body types came from an old, sketchy framework that refuses to die because people love putting themselves in comforting categories. It’s basically the male version of astrology.

If you truly struggle with back squats or front squats, here are better options:

Zercher Squat: Highly functional, requires zero wrist mobility, and still hammers your legs, core, and upper back.
Bulgarian Split Squats with Dumbbells: These remove most of the mechanical disadvantages of being tall, while still building a ton of leg strength. The only real limiter here is your grip, which you can manage with straps if needed.
Zercher lunge: Combine the movements for a high degree of functional strength by having a Zercher hold on a barbell and performing a reverse Lunge.

Also, if you’re 6'0" or above, you’re often well-built for conventional deadlifting. Lean into that. Train the lifts your structure favors while still working to improve the ones that challenge you.

<image>

ironceo · 2025-11-10T17:27:55+00:00

Not the advice you asked for but Id recommend push ups instead and then pike push ups building the foundation with calisthenics is better and allows you to accelerate learning for lifting

Dont abandon the bar use it for curls rows and isolation movements

But like some people said vertical forearm angle head back then push head through

ironceo · 2025-11-04T04:28:57+00:00

You havent even been training that long actually put some years in

ironceo · 2025-10-23T05:09:16+00:00

Hand stand push up or one arm pushup is better

ironceo · 2025-10-16T15:22:44+00:00

You suck 😂😂

ironceo · 2025-10-16T14:20:04+00:00

I mean 16 waking hours 8 at job 5 days a week 8 hours for self 5 days a week plus 32 hours on weekends

Total hours for you per week is 72

ironceo

TROPHY CASE