The Official Men's Challenge Thread

[fayman]

Age: 30
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 203
BF%: 22
Bicep: 14 5/8
Waist: 37
Hips: 41
Chest: 44
Thigh: 23 3/4
Calf: 15 3/4

[Brian A.]

Originally Posted by RedWifey

I wasn't under the impression that you guys were using body building techniques to improve your pictures.

Maybe I'm confused but I thought the whole idea of this contest was to use body building techniques to improve our pictures. If not than it will be easy, I can just sit around eating chocolate for the next 6 months.

So are we allowed to lift weights or practice low carb nutrition? (both body building techniques) Or how about you're allowed to be tan but you can't be dehydrated when you take your pics. Now we're just splitting hairs.

I'm not trying to be a tool or kill the spirit of the competition, but I also don't want to be called a cheater for doing all I can to look my best at for my final pics. Some people may use thermogenic supplements while others may choose not to, so if we start drawing lines where does it end.

IMO, the general rule should be anything short of illegal substances and photo shop should be fair game. If some one isn't willing to tan or shave their body hair and they feel it gives someone else an advantage then maybe it will make them work a little harder, and at the end of the day isn't that what this is all about, friendly competition to make us all push ourselves harder to achieve our goals.

[L'ilJ]

Originally Posted by gobbla

Concur. They've got a lot less "slack ass" going on getting pictures up too. Here I thought the girls would be bashful and BLAM, they're coming out of the woodwork. Shows how much I know!

final pictures = NLT July 7th (a day or three before should be fine)

Bill:
Short answer = It's not worth it (on a regular basis)

Long answer = Norelco Bodygroom seems to work pretty well. If you've got fine hair you can probably just go for it (go ahead and set an hour or so aside....it's a journey). If you've got thick, luscious hair (like me) you pretty much have to whack it down with regular trimmers (being cautious around obvious areas) and then go back in for a second offensive with the groomer. Shaving is "easier" but it'll itch like a sum'bitch and you'll have the velcro\sandpaper thing going on for a while.

Go ahead and get rid of that "pride" thing right off the bat. Once you stand all bent over in the mirror trying to see if you've successfully shaved "all" the hair off your ass, you'll have to go kill something small and helpless to get your masculinity back. You'll get made fun of when you walk in hairless (or mostly compared to normal), but you'll REALLY get made fun of if you miss a patch. If you've got a wife\gf\pool boy that'll give you a strait answer and lend a hand, it'll make the process a lot easier.

I swear, just the mere mention of male personal grooming and Tony writes a friggin' novel.

[kingkop182]

Originally Posted by Brian A.

Maybe I'm confused but I thought the whole idea of this contest was to use body building techniques to improve our pictures. If not than it will be easy, I can just sit around eating chocolate for the next 6 months.

So are we allowed to lift weights or practice low carb nutrition? (both body building techniques) Or how about you're allowed to be tan but you can't be dehydrated when you take your pics. Now we're just splitting hairs.

I'm not trying to be a tool or kill the spirit of the competition, but I also don't want to be called a cheater for doing all I can to look my best at for my final pics. Some people may use thermogenic supplements while others may choose not to, so if we start drawing lines where does it end.

IMO, the general rule should be anything short of illegal substances and photo shop should be fair game. If some one isn't willing to tan or shave their body hair and they feel it gives someone else an advantage then maybe it will make them work a little harder, and at the end of the day isn't that what this is all about, friendly competition to make us all push ourselves harder to achieve our goals.

To be honest, I agree with you…do whatever you want. I won't be shaving, tanning etc as I know I have a long way to go until that kind of thing is going to make such a difference. If you’re at that point do it, at the end of the day the winner will be 'whomever makes the biggest change'. I would think the guy who drops 30lbs of fat will have made a bigger change than the already lean guy who drops a bit then uses tan and shaving to bring out the definition.

In my eyes as long as your not doing anything illegal then anything goes.

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by Brian A.

Maybe I'm confused but I thought the whole idea of this contest was to use body building techniques to improve our pictures. If not than it will be easy, I can just sit around eating chocolate for the next 6 months.

So are we allowed to lift weights or practice low carb nutrition? (both body building techniques) Or how about you're allowed to be tan but you can't be dehydrated when you take your pics. Now we're just splitting hairs.

I'm not trying to be a tool or kill the spirit of the competition, but I also don't want to be called a cheater for doing all I can to look my best at for my final pics. Some people may use thermogenic supplements while others may choose not to, so if we start drawing lines where does it end.

IMO, the general rule should be anything short of illegal substances and photo shop should be fair game. If some one isn't willing to tan or shave their body hair and they feel it gives someone else an advantage then maybe it will make them work a little harder, and at the end of the day isn't that what this is all about, friendly competition to make us all push ourselves harder to achieve our goals.

I doubt that that's what she meant. I think she was surprised to see that someone might be oiled up, self-tanned, and hairless for the pics. Those are the bodybuilding "techniques," I think.

[tkinsley]

Originally Posted by gobbla

Concur. They've got a lot less "slack ass" going on getting pictures up too. Here I thought the girls would be bashful and BLAM, they're coming out of the woodwork. Shows how much I know!

final pictures = NLT July 7th (a day or three before should be fine)

Bill:
Short answer = It's not worth it (on a regular basis)

Long answer = Norelco Bodygroom seems to work pretty well. If you've got fine hair you can probably just go for it (go ahead and set an hour or so aside....it's a journey). If you've got thick, luscious hair (like me) you pretty much have to whack it down with regular trimmers (being cautious around obvious areas) and then go back in for a second offensive with the groomer. Shaving is "easier" but it'll itch like a sum'bitch and you'll have the velcro\sandpaper thing going on for a while.

Go ahead and get rid of that "pride" thing right off the bat. Once you stand all bent over in the mirror trying to see if you've successfully shaved "all" the hair off your ass, you'll have to go kill something small and helpless to get your masculinity back. You'll get made fun of when you walk in hairless (or mostly compared to normal), but you'll REALLY get made fun of if you miss a patch. If you've got a wife\gf\pool boy that'll give you a strait answer and lend a hand, it'll make the process a lot easier.

Machete, anyone?

[RedWifey]

Lost Dog is right, I was surprised that you would go to those lengths, and use those techniques to try to beat a group of friends.

[Brian A.]

Originally Posted by kingkop182

at the end of the day the winner will be 'whomever makes the biggest change'. I would think the guy who drops 30lbs of fat will have made a bigger change than the already lean guy who drops a bit then uses tan and shaving to bring out the definition.

Exactly, that's what makes this whole thing fun is that someone who may not have 40lbs to lose needs to be ready to work extra hard to make a difference in their final pics.

[Cynic]

Originally Posted by Brian A.

Exactly, that's what makes this whole thing fun is that someone who may not have 40lbs to lose needs to be ready to work extra hard to make a difference in their final pics.

But then, to keep the argument focused, what value does tanning add to a person's health in the final shot? What good does dehydrating do?

I didn't see this as a BB competition to start. It's a competition, but if you want to preen, aren't there other arenas better suited for that?

I saw it as Kop said, who can make the biggest POSITIVE, but physical change, in their body composition.

[NorthernWisco]

age:23
Weight:236
Bicep: 16.25
Around Belly Button: 45.75

Enough with that

[Brian A.]

Originally Posted by RedWifey

Lost Dog is right, I was surprised that you would go to those lengths, and use those techniques to try to beat a group of friends.

Unfortunately in leading off with some good natured smack talk and debating some spcifics of the contest I seem to be comming across as a bit of a villan. Its hard to convey tone in a post, but so far I've meant no malintent. Some times I have a tendency to exaggerate an a viewpoint to try to prove a point but sometimes it comes across a bit harsh.

I'm certianly not trying to scam anyone out of winning. If anything my attempt to set the bar higher was meant only to help motivate. I will be doing the same program I did last year anyone can look at it. I had planned to do it before the contest was even announced. I just got on board the contest for the fun of competition. And again its not about what the final pic looks like, its most improved.

[stingo]

Best of luck to all competitors - should be an interesting 6 months.

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by Brian A.

Unfortunately in leading off with some good natured smack talk and debating some spcifics of the contest I seem to be comming across as a bit of a villan. Its hard to convey tone in a post, but so far I've meant no malintent. Some times I have a tendency to exaggerate an a viewpoint to try to prove a point but sometimes it comes across a bit harsh.

I'm certianly not trying to scam anyone out of winning. If anything my attempt to set the bar higher was meant only to help motivate. I will be doing the same program I did last year anyone can look at it. I had planned to do it before the contest was even announced. I just got on board the contest for the fun of competition. And again its not about what the final pic looks like, its most improved.

Brian, I don't think anyone's taking it like that at all. We all would love to win, and making myself look the best will be part of the final days, believe me.

I'll be honest, since I'm sure someone will say it at some point in the next six months. I don't think the typical person from THIS forum, who will vote for any of us, wants to see someone who's oiled up, hairless, and self-tanned. They might surprise me, but I'm not taking that chance.

Some people here like bodybuilding, but I believe the majority prefer to see guys that look more like a Men's Health cover model, a well built actor playing a superhero character, and most likely, athletes.

Anytime there's a thread about physiques that guys admire or physiques that women "hubba hubba" over, 8 out of 10 times, it's an athlete. The other 2 are the actors or cover model types. I think it's rare to see someone post a pic of a bodybuilder for their example.

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by RedWifey

Lost Dog is right, I was surprised that you would go to those lengths, and use those techniques to try to beat a group of friends.

We might not do the same things, but I think you'll find that we are all competitive enough to go to ridiculous lengths, near the end, if we feel we need the edge to win.

If I think I'm in ninth place, I might have to Fed Ex eight boxes of my famous Fourth of July Cheesecake, around the 2nd of July... To congratulate the winners, of course.

[L'ilJ]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

Anytime there's a thread about physiques that guys admire or physiques that women "hubba hubba" over, 8 out of 10 times, it's an athlete. The other 2 are the actors or cover model types. I think it's rare to see someone post a pic of a bodybuilder for their example.

Did someone say Hubba Hubba?