Big....or Strong???

[Pete235]

I guess this falls into the category "Why do you lift?" but I was just curious to see what everybody's focus is. Of course reasoning states that if you lift heavy you will get big muscles, but in the cases of some powerlifteres they are small and compact but posses amazing explosivness and joint and tendon strength making them very strong. So my question is this...if you could only be one what would it be?
1) Big, with broad shoulders and back, tapered to waist, full round muscle bellies with big shapely arms and legs.

OR

2) Would you rather have an average build, but be able to throw up a 600-700lb bench, 900lb squat and 700lb deadlift. Lets take the strength option further...you could also outlift anybody in your gym on any given exercise.

So what would it be SIZE or STRENGTH???

[palme]

I want to compete in Body Building so i hafto say #1.

But if i wasnt going for the perfect body the thought of owning everyone at the gym would rock

[Crazy Bencher]

nice question....I like to be strong yet I am big...but most of the time I wish I was cut like a mofo....most people like me really dont have a choice on be cut and big or strong...a better question would be

would you rather be a cut mofo?
or a strongman?

[silverfox]

bber here so number 1 for me.

[Wimmpy]

Definetly size.

[freakout]

Both. Being huge and ripped is great but knowing the limits of your natural strength motivates you just as much.

[Neo]

I'll go with #1 and work on the strength....

[Vegas Kid]

Strength, once that is accomplished I'll focus on the look.

[DrJay73]

I'd have to say....BOTH!

[kingjmack]

i would have to say #1. for me (self-proclaimed ladies man), it tremendously boosts my ego and self-confidence when i am out running around and i get stares from the females. i also prefer the hugh freaky look and have tremendous respect for all of those who have put in the hard work to bring their bodies up to a certain level. train hard and get freaky!!

[Pheedno]

I would go with #1. The look fuels my motivation. The strength adds to the reward

[Football_Bill]

I would have to say #2. I am decent size at 6'4" 260, I just want to be strong as hell and suprise people. I am a semi- pro football player and the strength works to my advantage, plus, any bigger and I'll have to get new pads!

[tie]

Big is best!

[BigD]

Size all the way.

[Full Intensity]

Bigger is better

[BIGBOD]

bigger is always better. the strong guys usually gets some looks in the gym scene, but big guys always turns heads, whether in the gym or the club or walking in Wal-mart. jmo but usually the strength comes with the size. you usually don't see to many big buys that are weak although there is you occasional few who are just naturally big and just hitting the gym scene!

[xxxl83]

I gotta go with strength, size more often than not accompanies strength. On the other hand I've seen some big guys who can't lift a thing, yet they look like they should be the strongest guy in the place.

Ideally a combination of both is the key. I just feel it's more attainable through strength training, than it is through BBing type training.

Stay Strong,

xxxl83

[Iron horse]

Iron horse picks #2


I don't have a desire to be a huge monster, just not anywhere close to being small as well. Strength is what I love!

[bigtraps]

BB no dought.

I want to be 200lb then 210. Then i'm sure that won't be enough, I will think i'm small, so another 10 would'nt hurt. See were this is going. It is disease of the dedicated. We call or selves Body Buillders. There is no substute.

.I want to be jacked

[David B.]

Originally posted by Pete235

So what would it be SIZE or STRENGTH???

Two guys I saw in the gym this morning -- first guy has an honest pair of 23" arms, and delts that look as big as his head, about 6'0" and 300 lbs or so. He looked like he was struggling with a set of 130 lb. skull-crushers. Second guy was about 5'10" and under 200 lbs., average but fit build, cranked out a few sets of 8x 365 lb. bench presses that looked as smooth and easy as anyone else's 135 lb. warmups. I was a whole lot more impressed by #2.

In real life, I don't think we have much choice as to which one of these guys we're more like. We just have to make the best of the cards we've been dealt.

That said, I want BOTH, damnit!

--dnb

[Shredz]

Going with numero uno here. As long as I look like I can lift mountains that is good enough for me!

[MR PHATT ASS]

.....#2 cause if i'm that strong then i'm gonna have some size right??..and i could take what i look like and sorta refine my look to be poss more impressive....imo

[cube]

probably #1.

personally i prefer the big-as-a-house look that a lot of wsm competitors have. i'd rather look like kaz or magnus samuelson (and i wouldn't care whether i was as strong as those guys so long as i looked like that) than be super-cut like a pro bber.

cube

[Cycleon]

gotta go with strength - for what I want to do, the huge look is not appreciated and probably a detriment - being strong however, could be beneficial to any sport I wish to play or a lot of things that I do.

[FaTbAcK]

size size size!!!

[Buddha_Red]

I wanna be bigkev damnit!! so size size and more size for me!

[MeatHead03]

I rather be strong then big, b/c if you look big and can't lift much what good are you?

[Brown_Bear73]

Right now for sports I would have to say #2, but once sports are no longer in my life I am gonna be all about #1

[loword]

I'd have to say both why be big if your not going to be strong,and we all know with strengh comes true size.Some people are very big but can't bench,squat,or dead lift nothing yet we have all seen that little guy in the gym that does more then he should be able too.So in my opinon you need a little bit of both.

[The French Curler]

I like to be lean, cut and strong. Aesthetic and not too big, yet very strong and fast. That is how I am, and I don't wish to change that too much.

[kreper69]

both

[maguilagorilla]

well, im already big and strong i just wish i was cut dammit! but if i had only one choice it wuold be strenght more practical what if a famine hit or some sort of diaster the strong will survive not the biggest! right? right? well there you go!

[RageControl]

Nobody knows what you bench once you walk out the gym . personally i like the feeling of putting up heavy weight but i also like flexing in the mirror and seeing shredded beef!

[$uperman]

id luv to have both but..... if i had to choose one id pick the size and looks. i think you would get alot more out of it.

[shorty2big]

size

[MIKE_XXL]

SIZE for me please...XXL

[growing23]

Size does matter!!!! I say size.....

[tt333]

I'd have to say big.

[jeffylyte]

I say strength. I work out for many reasons, but they are all personal. I dont need to be noticed, cause I have already found the love of my life. I like to be strong so when I play sports I can play better. When I lift I feel more satisfaction. If I get in a tussle, they underestimate me.

Of course like Buddha says, we all want to me BigKev (ME TOO), so I can relate

[Mastiff]

I would have to go with strength. I don't have to be the biggest, but I want to be the best. Having a 700lb bench would be awesome.