I’ll do some checking on possible reads. Passed some literature on years ago to my son who competed several times in the Junior Nationals bodybuilder competitions. He’s on vacation now, but will later try to get some titles and authors.But if you want to “look” strong, you can’t go wrong with well developed shoulders and back. Wide, thick shoulders even in clothes tell people that you’re someone they don’t want to mess with. And having grown up during the fifties and sixties, Steve Reeves was the bodybuilder / movie star that I worked to emulate. He was known for his aesthetic, symmetrical, and proportional physique. He had well developed shoulders, a “V” shaped torso, and squared off pecs.
Quick story. Graduated high school weighing 160 pounds at 5’ 9”. Had a 26” waist, 45” chest and 16” upper arms. Worked that summer before college on construction. It was a brutally hot summer, and worked 12 to 14 hour days either slinging cement or cracking it up by swinging a heavy sledge hammer. Too hot to even eat lunch most days. so was getting by with a good breakfast and a snack before bedtime. Knew I was shedding pounds as the summer progressed.
Near the end of that summer, went to a carnival with a couple buddies. There was a carny barker guessing peoples’ weights. We watched, and he was pretty good. He guessed my buddies’ weights within ten pounds or so. Then it was my turn. Got up on the little platform where he put people. He walked around and around really taking his time. I was wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Finally he said, “Damn, never had anyone with so much muscle. I’m thinking you’re between 185 and 200 pounds. He went with 185. So got on his scale — and weighed 133. He refused to believe it, so got on the scale himself to check if it still was working right. Then he said, “Dammit man, you have to be hollow”. Can almost guarantee you, it was the shoulders and back that fooled him.
Haha brilliant, My shoulders are my strong point i can push 90kg (198.4lbs) for reps with very little training and they are somewhat bulky, they don’t show very well they almost roll forward, if that makes sense? maybe my posture and core could do with some work and my back is absolutely awful, me and a pull up are sworn enemies at this moment in time.