Like a lot of you, I like bodybuilding but don't wanna get too big because then I'll look less attractive. But here's how I figured out what limit to stop myself at. There's this ratio the ancient greeks figured out called "The golden ratio." Basically, it's the ratio that's the most aesthetically pleasing towards humans.

This ratio is approximately 1.6:1

I think we all wanna be at a ratio that's aesthetically pleasing, right? We're all on this forum to get chicks, right? So how do we take advantage of the golden ratio?

You build your shoulders up and slim your waist down until your shoulders are 1.6 times the size of your waist, while building your lats so it tapers down and looks more natural. I went from being at about 0.9:1 to 1.2:1 with pull ups, push ups and cardio while eating unprocessed foods and things, but do what works for you.

If you feel like this is something you'd be interested in, I'd recommend you scope out wikipedia's article on the golden ratio (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio) and menshealth has a good online article with a decent-looking routine that might help towards getting to this goal. (http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/muscl ... aped-torso)

sounds good. I've realised this as well, but didn't know about the Golden Ratio. I naturally have a slim waist, so after 4 years of lifting this has given me more of a V shape....It's probably got an aspect of genetics involved too, because I've seen guys in the gym with six packs, but their waist is not slim, giving them a brick like shape.

But definitely, the V shape in my opinion (and evolutionarily) is more desirable than a power-lifter-brick-like physique.

I might measure my ratio now that you bring this up though.

There is a very old quote, from the 1600's; "Living well is the best revenge". Whatever someone did to you that you consider revenge over, it is not worth trashing your own life or filling your dreams with nightmares, is it? So, if you take care of yourself and treat yourself well, then whatever they do or think or act like...who cares? Let them stew in their own bitter behavior or whatever, while you sit along side a beautiful river sipping iced tea and watching the butterflies. Don't let them win by making your life miserable or about getting even or any of that. So, what makes you miserable can't be much of a solution, right? Another saying or quote I can't quite remember goes something like.
http://www.expresspharmarx.com/

This golden ratio stuff is b.s. The "proper" male frame consists of everybody part built in proportion and balance to one another. So yes a V taper lats with wide shoulders and a tight waist are ideal, but you need the traps, the chest and so on. Every muscle has different aspects to it, back for example has width and thickness and certain exercises predominantly work one aspect of a given muscle, thus the reason to having 3-5 exercises for a specified bodypart every workout to fully train the muscle group. And this idea about "being too big", is also bullshit. If you are going into the gym thinking you dont want to be too big, that means you will subconciously giving subpar effort. Go into the gym with the willpower to destroy every workout and annihilate yourself. If you give yourself limitations on motivations you will give yourself limitations on effort.

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Pain is Temporary, Pride is Forever

I agree that it should all be proportionate and everything needs to be balanced out, but I'm gonna have to disagree about the whole thing about not getting too big.

The "too big" idea lies outside of whats naturally possible. Im saying that you have to take steroids and take them intelligently to exceed whatever the "too big" image is. I doubt few if anyone on this forum can maximize their natural gains and say at the end of it that they are too big.

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Pain is Temporary, Pride is Forever