Several weeks ago, I put up a video on Instagram.
It began going viral last week.
I wasn’t sure why it suddenly went viral after being posted for several weeks.
Then I discovered why.
Here’s what I posted.
Too powerful!!! 179 lbs, natural, shoulder pressing 100’s for 16 reps lol! Who else?! Get free T up on mojo stack.
This is funny.
I got a ton of positive comments.
But several of the comments were about my weight.
Specifically, how should I be ashamed of being below 200 pounds.
One person called it a “victim weight.”
Another said…
Getting over 200 pounds for me would be a breeze.
I’m roughly around 8% body fat.
All I would have to do is get up to 16-17% body fat like the average guy who lifts weights in the gym.
I’d be at 200 lbs.
To be 200 lbs at my current body fat percentage would require steroids.
This post isn’t about me, though.
I just wanted to use this as an example of how guys are brainwashed into thinking they need to be above 200 pounds.
Very few guys need to get above 200 pounds.
Let me use Brad Pitt as an example.
He’s 5’11”
So he’s just about an inch taller than me.
In Fight Club he’s 155-160, in Snatch he’s 165, in Troy he’s 180-185.
He’s pretty darn shredded in each movie.
There’s no doubt he could get up over 200 pounds.
But he is at his genetic limits for muscle.
So, that extra 20-25 pounds would have to be body fat.
The problem with doing that is that is adding that extra body fat would make his face look pudgy.
He’d look like an average aging man with a rounded face.
He stays lean to keep that sharp-angled jawline.
So he’s still handsome at the age of 60.
Guys are brainwashed into thinking they need to be over 200 pounds.
Unless you are 6’2″+ you shouldn’t even think about being above 200 pounds.
And let’s be honest here.
Many guys who lift weights underestimate how much body fat they are carrying.
If you ask almost any guy how much fat they think they need to lose to get shredded, you will get the same answer…
“I just need to lose 10-15 pounds, then I’ll look incredible.”
Every guy thinks they need to lose 10-15 pounds.
It’s almost a meme at this point.
The reality is that they need to lose closer to 25-30 lbs a lot of the time.
They will lose 10…
Then, they realize they have a longer way to go to get lean than they first thought.
Let’s talk a bit more about genetic limits for muscle.
About how much muscle you can carry as a natural.
First of all, here’s an example of extreme steroid usage.
*Mike O’Hearn is 6’3″ and is 250 pounds shredded, and claims to be a natural.
Let’s look at his BMI.
If a guy is at 6% body fat, any BMI of 28 or over is suspect.
Mike might even be less than 6% body fat.
His BMI comes out to 31.24.
It’s obvious that he’s using steroids.
That would be like me getting up to 218.
I’d only need to gain about 39 pounds of muscle, lmao.
I can’t even image it.
Would need to shoulder press with 150 pound dumbbells, bench press 405 pounds for reps, etc.
Mike O’Hearn is an extreme example.
But there are tons of fitness influencers who are “fake nattys”.
Here’s a good test.
If they are under 10% body fat, plug their height and weight into this BMI calculator.
BMI
If their BMI comes out to 28 or higher?
It’s highly probable that they are using some type of anabolic.
I maintain a BMI of between 25-26.
This calculator also gives you a good number to shoot for.
Anything between 24-26 while being around 10% body fat, and you will be f*ckn golden.
This is also what most women find attractive.
24 is a classic GQ male model physique.
For guys who have more muscle-building potential, they will hit 25-26.
- Enter your height in the calculator.
- The adjust weight to get to a 25 BMI.
- This is a good goal to aim for.
No need to worry about being 200+ unless you are tall.
Talk Soon,
Greg O’Gallagher
For a limited time…
Sign up for my email newsletter, and I’ll send you – “The Thor Workout Program” for FREE. A 3-day per week workout with an emphasis on building powerful shoulders and traps.
*Simply enter your email address, and I’ll send it right over.
