Proportion and strength guidelines...

[T-Rage]

This is a long shot but I thought I would ask.

First, I know there are rules regarding dimensions of bodyparts when compared to one another. For example I've heard that your calves should be the same size as your arms and mine are close (calves and arms are just under 16 inches).

Anyone know where to find these?

Secondly, are there any rules that apply to strength for a well balanced athelete? In anothers words regarding percentages and use squatting as a reference point...

If person X can squat 350 lbs. for a 1RM then person X should be able to bench press 70% of 350 for a 1RM and person X should be able to curl 30% of 350 for a 1RM, and so on.

I know we are all different and each one of us has strong points. For example I used to squat 350 lbs. for around 5 reps yet I barely got up to 55 lbs. dumbells on military press. There is an inbalance there.

I imagine there is some kind of norm which could represent a well balanced strength athlete and if there was this would be extremely helpful to all of our goals.

It would also help in making sure that all bodyparts are of a certain strength so that they can work together in a synergistic fashion. For example if you put a 400 hp engine in a car with tiny little tires all that power is wasted due to the tires being a weak point.

Anyone know of any of these guidelines?

 

[Scotsman]

The demensional guidelines you refer to are for the classic physique. That the neck, arms, and calves should be the same size and chest/waiste/thighs are all a percentage of each other. Not sure where exactly to find that but I know it is refered to in Arnolds Schwarzenegger ultimate guide to bodybuilding.

As to the strength guidelines as far as I know there aren't any definite answers there. Some people are amazing benchers or squatters or deadlifters. It all kind of depends on your joints and how you focus your workouts. In football at least in my experience they wanted you to be able to benc 1.5 times your body weight and squat at least twice your body weight. Hope this helps a little.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[T-Rage]

Scotsman,
Yeah, it helps. Thanks. Also I'm around the same height as Ed Coan and he is a superman when it comes to power. Maybe I could use some of his lifts and determine the percentages and use them as a guideline.

I guess also if someone took the time (maybe I will) to look at the best lifts of the best powerlifters in the past years and look at their percentages. We may just see a pattern showing that the best of the best fall into some kind of norm in terms of strengths of certain lifts, etc. when compared to another.

 

[bigstve12]

i think you wont find too much concensus on percentages, just b/c of the fact that no two people are the same. I may be wrong, just my opinion. Check it out and keep us posted.

 

[skaman607]

I wouldn't worry about strength proportions, because if your squat was out of proportion with your bench, would you stop training one to make the other one better? The only thing I would worry about wouldbe muscle imbalances.

 

[Magnus T Rico]

Here's a size calculator if you're interested. It's based on Earle Liederman's recommendations, and as such it's more modern than the Classical Greek stuff, but it is a starting point.

http://www.sandowmuseum.com/ideal.html

You are right though about the Classical measurments being equal between the neck, arms, and calves. Also what Scotsman said about the other 3 areas is correct (at least to my research at the present time)

 

[T-Rage]

Thanks all! I have some numbers to crunch!