Good charateristics for bodybuilding

[guitarman]

I was wondering if any of you have any experience with competition bodybuilding and could enlighten me on what are some of the physical traits that one should have for it. Maybe ill just cut to the chase, I'm tossing around the idea in my head to get serious into bodybuilding and possibly compete. The thing is there are genetic things about me that I think could be good and bad so I'd like youre take and whether I should pursue this.

I am currently 17 turning 18. I was blessed with a high metabolism and naturally low bf% (barely 6%), but at the same time I'm the epitome of hardgainer. I'm tall (6'2"-6'3") but have always been until recently a very skinny kid. I started training without knowing what to do at 160 lbs in June of 2002. After a lot of trial and error (didnt know about sites like this) my weight is 190-195 today. So it has basically taken me almost two years to gain 30 pounds and now I have sort of plateaued. In which case I just don't look skinny anymore, at the same time I don't look massive by bodybuilding standards.

My limbs are quite long which allow for aesthetic long muscles but at the same time cuts back on the massive look.

Another thing is my abs are very well defined but they very noticeably dont line up which is something I wont ever be able to change.

So I'm basically wondering if I should take this up. I hear most bodybuilders have good genes, but I'm wondering if mine qualify.

30 pounds in two years is very impressive. Great gains guitarman. It takes the bodybuilders you see on stage and in the mags YEARS (10, 12, even 15) to get where they are. Keep plugging away and you stand a shot at making it.

For lifting, Jaster posted this advice and it is great! Lift hard - lift heavy - lift big - lift often. Great advice. Stick with the compound exercises as they add the most muscle.

Don't forget to eat a LOT of food! That is key to gaining weight. Keep to lean meats, veggies, complex carbs. Stay away from fast foods and processed foods as much as possible. It will put the wrong kind of weight on.

Rest as much as possible. Your body needs to recover from the workouts. Get plenty of sleep. Nap if you can.

Stay focused. If your goal truly is to go on stage then keep that goal foremost in your life. You will still need your studies and relations with other people. Learn balance in all of your life - and you can still remain focused on getting much bigger.

You should do well.

[beefcurry1]

i havent finished reading it yet but arnold's encyclopedia to bodybuilding is suppose to have everything in it you could possibly ever want to know about bodybuilding. at least thats what the book says,like i said i havent finished it.

[MAURER]

hold on let me get a pic up and i'll show you....