He's gone a little too far in my opinion. When he first started lifting, he looked good. Now I think he looks a bit unproportioned. Big muscular torso and arms, slim legs, small head.
Agree that muscle gain is putting in the work, but the same can be said for most sports. The reason it's relatively impressive the stark contrast between how emaciated he looked as a runner and that he now looks likes someone the average person on the street would likely consider "jacked". He's nowhere near becoming a bodybuilder, but he does look pretty good.
I guess most men under 50 can make "huge gains" in under three months, if that means going from completely untrained. But then, those new gains are going to slow dramatically. Ryan Hall has clearly put in years of work for his physique. Sorry Flagpole, he is a far more accomplished runner than you, and now he is way more jacked than you too. It's okay to admit your jealousy.
Huh? I'm not jealous at all.
Not everyone can be even a remotely good distance runner, but just about all men (again, under age 50...still can do it over age 50...it's just harder to do) can lift weights (and/or do body weight exercises) and significantly bulk up in a relatively short period of time.
Yes, Hall went from one extreme to another...a point I already made. Also, Hall didn't take years to look like that. Once he stopped running like he was and started lifting, he got close to where he is now in a very short period of time.
I agree with this.
I went through a phase where I just stopped running for good mileage for 6 months. I was fed up with the bad races, going through a really bad breakup (long story), working too many hours. I was kind of depressed. So, after two months of being sedentary, I joined a gym and lifted weights and I could not believe how quickly I went from 155 to 170 lbs without the help of powders or even excessive eating.
It did make to realize how much running just strips away everything. I know nothing about weight lifting but apparently they would call this "newbie gains"? While I never ended up looking like Ryan Hall, it's easy to see how he got that big that quickly. It took no time for me.
Not everyone can be even a remotely good distance runner, but just about all men (again, under age 50...still can do it over age 50...it's just harder to do) can lift weights (and/or do body weight exercises) and significantly bulk up in a relatively short period of time.
Yes, Hall went from one extreme to another...a point I already made. Also, Hall didn't take years to look like that. Once he stopped running like he was and started lifting, he got close to where he is now in a very short period of time.
I agree with this.
I went through a phase where I just stopped running for good mileage for 6 months. I was fed up with the bad races, going through a really bad breakup (long story), working too many hours. I was kind of depressed. So, after two months of being sedentary, I joined a gym and lifted weights and I could not believe how quickly I went from 155 to 170 lbs without the help of powders or even excessive eating.
It did make to realize how much running just strips away everything. I know nothing about weight lifting but apparently they would call this "newbie gains"? While I never ended up looking like Ryan Hall, it's easy to see how he got that big that quickly. It took no time for me.
Gaining weight is far different from gaining solid muscle, steroids put on muscle and decrease body fat while simple weight training puts on a mixture of both, mostly fat. People start training, put on weight and lie to themselves that it's mostly muscle and it's not.
Gaining weight is far different from gaining solid muscle, steroids put on muscle and decrease body fat while simple weight training puts on a mixture of both, mostly fat. People start training, put on weight and lie to themselves that it's mostly muscle and it's not.
He had low T and could've legally taken T supplements during his marathon days, but he refused in favor of maintaining a clean sport. The fact that he refused a substance that he could've taken legally makes him a baller in my books. Roid away, who cares?!
And as soon as he stops the weekly injections he will once again be a skinny runner....Meanwhile his testicles have become shrunken nodules and his liver, kidneys and heart have been put under tremendous strain...
Gaining weight is far different from gaining solid muscle, steroids put on muscle and decrease body fat while simple weight training puts on a mixture of both, mostly fat. People start training, put on weight and lie to themselves that it's mostly muscle and it's not.
Of course weight training burns fat and if you’re young you can probably get away with putting on more muscle than fat but the older you get the more difficult it becomes to keep the fat off as you gain muscle. Go to your local gym. Most over 40 guys are more fat than muscle - even the regulars - all the shredded guys 40+ are on gear. Don’t kid yourself.
I’m 40+ and started lifting regularly 3 years ago. Bench, squat, deadlift, overhead press and some supplemental exercises. I’ve put on a lot of muscle and gained a lot of strength. But…I’ve also put on a lot of fat. Sorry, looking like RH at his age takes more than just a little bit of help outside just going to the gym and eating right.
Some of you are very dense. It should be obvious and apparent that weightlifting, especially “putting on mass” is something most men can easily do. It honestly seems like a lazy man’s “sport”.
Anyone who thinks it’s impressive is completely oblivious to the fact that the “sigma prowler”, which many runners can attain by doing push-ups, is the ideal male physique.
I could see RH shift over to boxing BJJ at this point. I think he'd be pretty good and fighting is hot these days. He'd at least be better than Mark Zuckerberg. There are plenty of YouTubers and retired athletes from other fields doing MMA lately. I could see some good match ups.
TRT + desire + training = body transformation. Get some good lighting and some minor dehydration and elevated T levels and you can walk around like a shredded beast.
Once upon a time ago I was 140lbs, 5'6", 15:43 5k, 2:32 marathon. At 30 I stopped running competitively and started weight lifting more. A year later I competed in a Bodybuilding show and placed 5th out of 10 in my weight class. Put on about 15-20lbs of fat free mass in a year. Verified by 7-site skin fold method. In a motivated male given a good training and diet plan that's about expected that first year of training.
What Ryan Hall has accomplished can only be achieved on TRT or anabolics.
Most men under age 50 can make huge gains in muscle development by working out with weights in just 3 months.
Big deal.
I guess most men under 50 can make "huge gains" in under three months, if that means going from completely untrained. But then, those new gains are going to slow dramatically. Ryan Hall has clearly put in years of work for his physique. Sorry Flagpole, he is a far more accomplished runner than you, and now he is way more jacked than you too. It's okay to admit your jealousy.
It’s actually not even true that most men under 50 can make “huge gains” in 3 months. 20-25 pounds is more common in your first year if you really keep at it. It is possible to gain 25 pounds in 3 months but a good bit of it would be fat unless you are young, an unusually gifted muscle gainer, and spend more time in the gym than most adults with jobs and families can. Gains after the first year take much longer, with your annual rate of muscle gain roughly halving with each year of training.
Actually a young guy starting weight training reaches his plateau in about 2 years and everything after that is fat and I'm talking about a natural, drug free mesomorph. People lie to themselves.
Actually a young guy starting weight training reaches his plateau in about 2 years and everything after that is fat and I'm talking about a natural, drug free mesomorph. People lie to themselves.
Are you saying that infinite improvement in athletics is not possible?
Shorter and Rodgers could never get as big as Hall. Their bodies are different. Hall had wider shoulders and an odd neck when he was skinny. His body looked very forced.
I can think of a few more, somewhat active runners, I'd put in this category. They're going to bulk up one way or another.
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