Thread: olympic gymnasts

not so.. genetics have a factor... and it depends on how you train your lower body, or even if one does.
also, distance runners tend to have very small legs from running(being catabolic). sprinters have well build legs. rowers dont really need to train their legs, hence small legs, but built upper body... get the idea?

Hmmmm , I was told last week that I had "gynmast " arms. I wonder if he was just trying to tell me my legs sucked !

No, you're being paranoid, try to be an optimist. Gymnast's arms i'd take as a real compliment - along with rowers i think they have just about the perfect physiques, both male and female.

Obviously their legs are in shape, cut but not as big because they're not bearing as much resistance in the motions they do in gymnastics - running, jumping, etc.

Do they have huge arms?? Or are they just really lean guys? the thing is they look big becasue they aren't standing next to anyone. I believe most of these guys are more like 140lbs. They are short and small. they are lean so they look very muscular but they are not big guys. they are however incredibly strong at handeling their own body weight.

Their arms are big and fairly cut in relation to the builds of other athletes, that's the context in which to measure them, not as compared with bodybuilders. They are big guys compared with athletes of many olympic sports, in relation to their height. It's not about bodyweight - legs are in shape but proportionately smaller, so the bodyweight/height ratio will be a little misleading.

I am not comparing them to bodybuilders. I am comparing them to other people. I mean shit, at 190lbs and 5'5" I would look huge standing next to one of those guys standing 5'4" and 140lbs.

Man, you are out of it. You really think 190 at 5'5" is typical of the average person? Hello?

LOL, I guess not. LOL, maybe I am out of it. I guess I consider myself the average person.

Actually I just watched part of the olympics men's gymnastics and have to revise that-this year, probably because of the enhanced drug screening and what looks like the relative youth of the gymnasts, the physiques don't look as impressive as i've seen previously; not much meat.

Gymnasts are pretty short, but I'd guess they weigh more than 140lbs. Pretty big arms.

Atherjen - rowers have massively powerful legs, that is where all the power for the stroke comes from. The back and arms are more a linkage for the power of the leg drive.

Rowers tend to be a little taller, and have development in the back, shoulders, bi's, legs..

Atherjen - rowers have massively powerful legs, that is where all the power for the stroke comes from. The back and arms are more a linkage for the power of the leg drive.

She didn't say that there legs weren't powerful. She just said that they weren't big. One can be powerful and still have small legs. I have seen powerlifters squat amazing weight and it looks like they are walking around on popsicle sticks.

Well, the only competitive rower I ever knew would stroke along at 1.40 splits for 30 minutes at about 18spm and had enormous legs. I'm not saying you are wrong I fully understand that 'bigger is not always better', but rowers definitely do train their legs - squats, squat jumps etc. I rowed a bit at university and got annoyed with people who thought that what I was doing was basically the same as a hired rowing boat with a fixed seat. Didn't mean to snap.

I think we're talking at cross purposes; rowers have all-round excellent physiques. They and gymnasts are no. one in the physique department!

It was just an offhand comment by someone that provoked an old wound. I do apologise, normal service may resume.

Anyone else notice this one movement they were doing on the rings where their arms were straight out and they were leaning forward with their arms behind their shoulders? Looked to me like doing flyes with your full BW with the arms going past the shoulders. It was painful just to watch. I was just waiting for someone's RC to snap.


Then there was the guy who's finger dislocated, he goes over to his coach to snap it back, then he jumps back on the parallel bars. These are some tough dudes.

one of my best friends is a rower. He's HUUUUUUGE! He placed 2nd in nationals.

Ya, and as with gymnasts, it's attractive!

Those crosses they do on the rings takes a certain kind of person whose joints can handle it; someone like that never seems to have shoulder prolems. I'd never be able to do it.

Originally Posted by P-funk

Do they have huge arms?? Or are they just really lean guys? the thing is they look big becasue they aren't standing next to anyone. I believe most of these guys are more like 140lbs. They are short and small. they are lean so they look very muscular but they are not big guys. they are however incredibly strong at handeling their own body weight.

Theses guys are super lean. Their agility is amazing but they are not big. As Funky said, they just appear big because of how lean. Think about it, if they were huge like a BB do you really think they could be as agile as they are? They are strong but in no way the size of a bodybuilder.

Missing the point-they have muscle size compared with regular people and most other athletes; depends on the gymnast. Japanese are usually more compact and thicker.

Originally Posted by pumpchaser

Missing the point-they have muscle size compared with regular people and most other athletes; depends on the gymnast. Japanese are usually more compact and thicker.

No they are not. I've met and seen Olympic gymnists in person. They are not that big. Take them out of a tank top and into a regular shirt and they look very average.

We're talking at cross-purposes; yes, they are big in terms of muscle volume, they're not big in terms of height and weight!

I took gymnastics class in college. My weight at the time was 200lb's with a 31" waist and I am 6ft tall. I did well on the pommel horse, enjoyed the rings, and almost killed myself on the parallel bars. Little guys have that higher power/weight ratio at their advantage.

Absolutely; that's why I like the Japanese gymnasts; the compactness and muscle volume comes back to why gymnasts have top physiques amongst athletes along with rowers, IMO.

Originally Posted by Jodi

No they are not. I've met and seen Olympic gymnists in person. They are not that big. Take them out of a tank top and into a regular shirt and they look very average.

From what I can tell alot of bodybuilders when you put there shirts on they really dont look that abnormal.... They just look a little big.

I hate to always keep coming back to wrestlers, but the same could be said of all pugilists. The size of the muscle is deceptive. My son is a High School wrestler, He is a nationally ranked Greco Roman wrestler, and his musculature is typical of his peers.
Compact , tight and always seemingly in a state of "pump." No Doubt that Body Builders are Athletes of a type , but there is something different between "body builders" and Functional athletes. Is anyone following me?
Its hard to compare the two, and its fun to admire and marvel at athletes from different disciplines

I think I follow you - to me athletes who develop muscle through wrestling or through the use of their own bodyweight and calisthenics have a more athletic and natural look: the development seems to have a naturalness and density moreso than sometimes seen from only using weights. This is why I still like pushups and chins-excellent results while imbuing a more athletic look and makes you feel more athletic.