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[h=1]Building The Classic Physique[/h][h=2]Cedric McMillan Tells You How[/h]
Cedric McMillan has experienced a roller-coaster career: Often awesome, sometimes not so awesome. In an MD exclusive the man who finished third at the[COLOR=#6F0303 !important]Arnold Classic on March 1, and who many feel has the best bodybuilding potential on the planet outlines his game plan to sculpt a physique for the ages.[/COLOR]
Of course I hear all the talk about me and my X-frame potential. Truth is I’m not aiming for an X-frame; I’m after a Y-frame. A Y-frame is the physique and shape Arnold had: A big, wide upper body, small waist and medium-sized legs. I really don’t want huge legs. To me it just doesn’t look as nice.
From the get-go people spoke about how much potential I had and how good my shape was. I appreciated that, but it didn’t really register. All I could see was how much mass I needed in order to do well as a tall guy being compared to all those short, thick jokers. Shit, I still feel like that now!
I’m constantly asked if I make a conscious effort to maintain a small waist and hips? And do I intentionally avoid any exercises to keep my midsection small?The answers are “Yes”. Let me address each of those questions individually.
A. I don’t train abs. Ever! I only want enough ab development to make all the muscles show when in contest shape. I don’t want my abs to get so developed from training that they start to grow like any other muscle and become thick. I always wanted my abdominal wall to appear empty and tucked inward versus being so thick that I have to control it or try to hold it in to look aesthetic. Then, what if you forget and let it relax when you’re on the side of the stage or something after a comparison? Someone takes a picture of you from the wrong angle and then you gotta hear about how you have a giant gut!
B. I don’t do any wide-stance leg exercises. I believe that wide-stance leg exercises thicken the inner thighs, upper quads and hips. I think an aesthetic quadriceps should be shaped like an oval: smaller at the top and bottom but very round looking. I always put focus on the outer quads when I train them.
THE MASS EQUATION
Every bodybuilder needs more mass. The key to gaining it is to take your time. That’s the number one priority for me. My plan is to add mass slowly. I think if I try to gain weight too quickly, I will overeat and expand the size of my stomach from holding so much food. People like to point to certain drugs causing that to happen, but I honestly think eating too much and too often and stuffing yourself is just as much to blame. But I understand why guys do that. They want to get that size, and they want itnow.
I think I still have a lot of room to grow if I do it slowly, and don’t throw everything off by doing stupid shit from trying to rush it. I think it’s possible to make your muscles grow past the point of looking good, and they start to get misshaped. I’m far from being too big, but I keep a check on the growth of all body parts as a unit to keep them in proportion to each other.
Turning to other priorities, let’s discuss my back. I want to improve my front and rear lat spread poses to exhibit wider lats that have more drape. I want my shoulders bigger and rounder like [COLOR=#6F0303 !important]Jason Huh’s and [COLOR=#6F0303 !important]Steve Kuclo’s[/COLOR]. I want more sweep in the hams when viewed from the side. I want— no, I need to get my bi’s and tri’s bigger! My arms are so long, I gotta have bigger arms to hang with these guys that have shorter but thicker-looking arms.[/COLOR]
To be honest I think I’ve found the right things to do for back, quads, hams, calves and chest. The two areas I’m still trying to figure out as far as what works best for me are arms and shoulders. I’m always experimenting with things so what I’m doing for shoulders right now may be different from what I do in a few months. I keep an open mind. The shoulder workout I’m doing now came about that way and it seems to be working really well.
THE CLASSIC LOOK
Do I lead a call for a return to the so-called “Classic” look? Tell you the truth I think most of the fans want to see the current look, not because they are used to the negative points of it like the blocky waists, but because of the impressive mass and definition that has became the standard. I want to display a physique that represents the late ‘80s and early ‘90s when bodybuilding was so popular. That’s when I fell in love with the sport. I like the look of the physiques from back then and that’s what I want my body to look like.I’m talking about the physiques of [COLOR=#6F0303 !important]Arnold, Lee Haney, Flex Wheeler, Paul Dillett, Ed Nunn, Toney Freeman, Steve Kuclo, Drew Jemmott, Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray, Vince Taylor and Melvin Anthony. The all have amazing physiques with nice lines and shape. Check out the [COLOR=#6F0303 !important]2014 Arnold Classic[/COLOR] coverage and you’ll see what I’m talking about.[/COLOR]
CEDRIC’S TRAINING SPLIT
Day 1. Shoulders
Day 2. Quads
Day 3. Back/traps
Day 4. Chest
Day 5. Arms
Day 6. Hams
Day 7. Rest
* Calves are done every third day.
Of course I hear all the talk about me and my X-frame potential. Truth is I’m not aiming for an X-frame; I’m after a Y-frame. A Y-frame is the physique and shape Arnold had: A big, wide upper body, small waist and medium-sized legs. I really don’t want huge legs. To me it just doesn’t look as nice.
From the get-go people spoke about how much potential I had and how good my shape was. I appreciated that, but it didn’t really register. All I could see was how much mass I needed in order to do well as a tall guy being compared to all those short, thick jokers. Shit, I still feel like that now!
I’m constantly asked if I make a conscious effort to maintain a small waist and hips? And do I intentionally avoid any exercises to keep my midsection small?The answers are “Yes”. Let me address each of those questions individually.
A. I don’t train abs. Ever! I only want enough ab development to make all the muscles show when in contest shape. I don’t want my abs to get so developed from training that they start to grow like any other muscle and become thick. I always wanted my abdominal wall to appear empty and tucked inward versus being so thick that I have to control it or try to hold it in to look aesthetic. Then, what if you forget and let it relax when you’re on the side of the stage or something after a comparison? Someone takes a picture of you from the wrong angle and then you gotta hear about how you have a giant gut!
B. I don’t do any wide-stance leg exercises. I believe that wide-stance leg exercises thicken the inner thighs, upper quads and hips. I think an aesthetic quadriceps should be shaped like an oval: smaller at the top and bottom but very round looking. I always put focus on the outer quads when I train them.
THE MASS EQUATION
I think I still have a lot of room to grow if I do it slowly, and don’t throw everything off by doing stupid shit from trying to rush it. I think it’s possible to make your muscles grow past the point of looking good, and they start to get misshaped. I’m far from being too big, but I keep a check on the growth of all body parts as a unit to keep them in proportion to each other.
Turning to other priorities, let’s discuss my back. I want to improve my front and rear lat spread poses to exhibit wider lats that have more drape. I want my shoulders bigger and rounder like [COLOR=#6F0303 !important]Jason Huh’s and [COLOR=#6F0303 !important]Steve Kuclo’s[/COLOR]. I want more sweep in the hams when viewed from the side. I want— no, I need to get my bi’s and tri’s bigger! My arms are so long, I gotta have bigger arms to hang with these guys that have shorter but thicker-looking arms.[/COLOR]
To be honest I think I’ve found the right things to do for back, quads, hams, calves and chest. The two areas I’m still trying to figure out as far as what works best for me are arms and shoulders. I’m always experimenting with things so what I’m doing for shoulders right now may be different from what I do in a few months. I keep an open mind. The shoulder workout I’m doing now came about that way and it seems to be working really well.
THE CLASSIC LOOK
CEDRIC’S TRAINING SPLIT
Day 1. Shoulders
Day 2. Quads
Day 3. Back/traps
Day 4. Chest
Day 5. Arms
Day 6. Hams
Day 7. Rest
* Calves are done every third day.
