Can You 'Beat' Poor Genetics?
Can You 'Beat' Poor Genetics?
Rich Gaspari Explains How to Do It
I was one of the most successful bodybuilders in the world for the better part of a decade, yet I was not exactly the most genetically blessed guy of my era. How did I still manage to win various pro shows including the first Arnold Classic in 1989, and become runner-up at the Mr. Olympia three years (1986-’88) in a row? It’s been said that I trained that much harder and put that much more thought into my nutrition and supplementation, but that’s only part of the story. Here’s what I did to “beat” my genetics, and you’ll see that you can do the same thing with a little strategy behind your training.
Analysis of Physique for Strong and Weak Points
The greatest bodybuilders are those with the best balance, i.e., no weak points. That being said, very few of us find that all our muscle groups respond equally well. In my case, my chest, quads, calves and abs were all very good body parts after a couple years of training. I had to work much harder on everything else, and do it in a strategic way as well. For instance, I found that I needed to avoid very heavy squats and deadlifts, as they tended to make my obliques get thicker. My clavicles weren’t very wide, like Lee Haney and Mike Christian’s were. Reading up on the first Mr. Olympia, Larry Scott, I saw that he had conquered that same problem by maximizing the development of his side deltoids so they became rounder and thicker to the point where the illusion of wider shoulders was created. Taking tips from his articles, I made sure to perform my lateral raises strictly, keeping my elbows higher than my forearms. I also incorporated intensity techniques like drop sets and partials (burns) to get even more growth stimulation.
For a solid year, I avoided heavy squats and spent more time and energy on my hams than I ever had before. I also did leg presses and hack squats instead of squats, and added in lunges. Those had the additional effect of giving me new muscle quality in my glutes. I still did deadlifts, but lighter and for more reps. To make sure my lower back was still being worked hard enough, I did good mornings and hyperextensions. Harder work on my back and arms, with much more attention to squeezing the muscle and getting quality contractions, helped those areas come up.
By the time I stepped onstage as a pro for the first time at the 1985 Night of Champions, my physique was far more balanced and proportionate than it had been just a couple years before. My structure hadn’t really changed, because your bone structure is what it is and can’t be altered— but I had created the illusion of a better V-taper. I finished second, which just would have not been possible if I hadn’t completely revamped my training the way I described previously.
Use Any Advantages You Have
Even as a teenager in my early contests, I noticed that I had thinner skin than just about everyone else, which was simply a genetic thing. That thin skin allowed me to show greater muscle definition and detail as well as vascularity, all of which I used to my advantage. Condition in general was something I saw could help me beat guys who might have a prettier shape. Physiques simply look a lot better if you can see more detail of the actual muscle groups and the deep cuts and separations between them.
Remember those lunges and how they built my glutes? That led to me being the first man to display striated glutes, which was a turning point in the sport and set a whole new standard. These days, guys aren’t even considered to be in shape unless they have clearly striated glutes. You, too, can use whatever gifts you were given genetically to gain an advantage on your opponents if you compete. If mass comes easily for you, go with it and get huge as long as you keep your physique balanced. If shape is your strong point, be sure to present yourself well. Spend a lot of time on your posing so you can really show it off and wow people. And if condition is something that comes naturally for you, work hard to take it to that extreme level. Get so shredded that you make everyone else look out of shape!
The point is, very few of us are born with anything close to perfect genetics in all categories. The key is to be objective and recognize your weak points, then develop a solid plan and work hard to bring them up to match so that your physique is balanced and proportionate. It’s challenging, but challenges are what make life interesting. And the reward for overcoming imperfect genetics and being able to beat others who are clearly more gifted is very satisfying. I speak from experience!
Please visit my fan page on Facebook: Rich Gaspari Fan Page. I will be adding workout and nutrition tips all the time, plus videos and more! And follow me on Twitter: @RICHGASPARI.
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