Here are some methods to “fix” common physique flaws so that you can take your physique one step closer to its ultimate potential, so you can be the best you that you can be!
Chances are that almost none of you reading this are genetic marvels. Those people are few and far between, and they tend to rise to the top in physique competition thanks to fortunate DNA markers for things like bone structure, muscle belly length and shape, and a metabolism that favors muscle growth with low levels of body fat. The true genetic elite will rarely have more than one or at most two body parts that ever present any real challenge. When those gifted few work hard and consistently in the gym, the results are spectacular. They look damned near perfect. For the rest of us, things aren’t so easy. We struggle with growth in certain body parts or gaining mass overall. We have structural issues that must be addressed. Luckily, lifting weights at its core is always about self-improvement. Few of us will ever be in contention for the best physique in the world. Yet we can all continually beat our previous best via targeted, strategic training. In the movie “Pumping Iron,” Arnold Schwarzenegger used the analogy of bodybuilders as sculptors, adding a bit here or taking a little off there to bring about a more balanced and aesthetically pleasing result. He was absolutely accurate in this comparison. We are each our own artist, and through our workouts we continually work on our sculpture of flesh, bone, and muscle. I’d like to give you some methods to “fix” common physique flaws so that you can take your physique one step closer to its ultimate potential, so you can be the best you that you can be!
You’re Too Small
Of course you want to have a balanced, aesthetic physique, but let’s not get it twisted. Lifting weights will always be about having bigger muscles than the average untrained human being. Even with pretty shape, you still need to have a certain level of mass. And if your shape isn’t so lovely to behold, you will probably want even more size so that at least you have that in your favor. I’ve even seen guys with awkward shape and structure do well in competition up to a certain point because they were so big. Regardless, if you are serious about training, you’re going to need some decent mass.
The fix: Forget about “shaping” exercises, high reps, and “etching in detail.” Your focus needs to be on basic, compound free-weight movements that pack on beef. Do NOT substitute barbell or dumbbell exercises with machines unless absolutely necessary due to injuries. Pyramid up in weight for your sets, and strive to gradually increase your weights as the weeks go by.
The Workouts
(Note: warm-ups not shown)
Day 1
Barbell Bench Press
4 x 8-10
Incline Bench Press
4 x 8-10
Military Press
4 x 8-10
Weighted Dips
4 x 8-10
Skull-crushers
4 x 10
Day 2
Chin-ups
4 x 10-12
Barbell Rows
4 x 10
Dumbbell Rows
4 x 10, each arm
Rack Deadlifts
4 x 10
Barbell Curls
4 x 10
Day 3
Squats
5 x 10-12
Romanian Deadlifts
5 x 10
Lying Leg Curls
5 x 10
Leg Press
4 x 15
Standing Calf Raises
4 x 10-12
You Have a Thick Waist
When I refer to a thick waist, I’m not talking about a big gut due to body fat or even internal organ growth. What I mean is wide hips, which are 100 percent a factor of the bone structure you were born with. Some of you have natural V-tapers thanks to narrow hips; others will always have to fight for any type of taper.
The fix: You can’t alter your hip and pelvis bones, but you can certainly make your upper back and shoulders wider. It would make sense to focus specifically on width for those two areas at least for a time.
The Workouts
Upper Back Width
Wide-grip Chins
5 x 10-12
Wide-grip Lat Pulldowns
5 x 10-12
Machine or Cable Pullovers
5 x 12
Seated Cable Rows*
5 x 10-12
*(Lat pulldown bar, overhand grip)
Shoulder Width
Dumbbell Lateral Raises
5 x 10-12
Machine Lateral Raises
5 x 12
Wide-grip Barbell Upright Rows
5 x 12
Seated Machine Press
5 x 10
You’re Too Narrow
Clavicle width is something you are born with. If you were blessed with wide clavicles, any amount of muscle you add to your side delts and upper back will only create a greater illusion of a V-taper, especially if you also have narrow hips and waist. If you weren’t so lucky, you’re going to have to get as much shoulder and upper back width as possible. See the above workouts prescribed for those with wide waists, as the same fix will apply in your case as well.
You Have No Upper Chest
Due in large part to the worldwide obsession with flat bench pressing, we have millions of men with substantial development in the middle and lower regions of their pecs, yet with only a flat span where their upper chest should be.
The fix: It’s actually quite simple. The reason your upper chest fell behind in the first place was because you never prioritized it. If you’re like most dudes, you probably banged out four to eight sets of flat barbell presses before you even thought about doing anything on an incline, because your main concern was having a big bench press number to brag about. You might have even done some flat dumbbell presses and a machine simulating the flat pressing angle before upper chest even got tickled. You honestly thought you would be able to do justice to incline presses after that? It’s time to give your upper pecs they attention they were missing. You will be working them first while you’re fresh, and in fact, you will be doing only incline presses for a while. Don’t worry, your lower and mid-chest still get stimulated enough from inclines to maintain their size. You may lose some strength in the flat bench, but so what? Unless you’re a powerlifter, who cares? Weight training is about how you look, not how much weight you can lift. Do the following workouts twice weekly, with at least two full days between them. Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday would be ideal. You may choose to perform both workouts in the same week or do the same one twice weekly for a period of three to four weeks before switching to another.
The Workouts
Upper Chest Workout A
Barbell Incline Press
4 x 10-12
Hammer Strength Incline Press
4 x 10-12
Cable Crossover From Low Pulleys
4 x 12
Upper Chest Workout B
Dumbbell Incline Press
4 x 10-12
Smith Machine Incline Press
4 x 10-12
Pec Flye Machine*
4 x 12
*Scoot your butt forward on the seat so you are leaning back slightly to shift stress to the upper chest.
Your Legs Don’t Match Your Upper Body
It’s the most commonly seen physique imbalance/flaw among all men who weight train around the world. Leg training is brutally hard and tests the limits of pain and endurance. In contrast, things like bench pressing and curling are fun and for most, rewarding in terms of muscle gains. A lucky few see tremendous growth from any type of hard leg training, while many others will have to work their tail off to eke out leg gains. But so what? Are you really going to be cool with having a jacked upper body and chicken legs? I guess if you plan on keeping them covered up at all times, that’s fine. Otherwise, let’s get to work and bring up those wheels!
The fix: As with the upper chest, you will also be training legs twice a week. Another common physique issue with the legs aside from general lack of size is lagging hamstrings. We’re just going to take care of all that by having one session that emphasizes the quads, while the other give the hamstrings more focus.
The Workouts
Quadriceps Focus
Leg Extensions
4 x 20 (as warm-up)
Squats
5 x 10-15
Hack Squats
5 x 10-15
Leg Extensions
3 x 12-15
Seated Calf Raises
4 x 10-12
Hamstring Focus
Romanian Deadlifts
5 x 10
Lying Leg Curls
5 x 12
Seated Leg Curls
5 x 12
Leg Press, feet high and wide
5 x 20
Standing Calf Raises
4 x 15
You Lack Front-to-Back Thickness
One last physique issue we see all too often is “two-dimensional” torsos. That is, the guy looks pretty good from the front and the back, but from the side, he suddenly appears half the size. This is because he lacks thickness in both the chest and the back, which when combined, give you a much more rugged and powerful look from all angles, but especially sideways.
The fix: You probably guessed it, you will be focusing on exercises to thicken and add depth to your chest and back. It’s going to be a lot of raw iron to beef up those pecs and lats.
The Workouts
Chest Thickness
Flat Barbell Bench Press
5 x 10
Incline Barbell Bench Press
5 x 10
Weighted Dips
5 x 10
Flat Dumbbell Flyes
4 x 12
Back Thickness
Barbell Rows
5 x 10
T-bar Rows
5 x 10
Dumbbell Rows
4 x 10, each arm
Deadlifts
5 x 10
And there you have it. As lifters, we are forever chasing perfection. Most of us were born with genetics that aren’t ideal for building a champion physique, while our own training habits and negligence have also contributed to imbalances and flaws. Thankfully, we all have the power to remedy these flaws to a large extent with targeted plans of attack. If you recognize any of the above issues in your own physique, you now have the tools to do something about. Now get to work!
