Greetings forum. I'm new and wanted to dive into building up a specific form to my physique.
I invite you to view a quick set of screenshots of actor Mark Dacascos from "The Crying Freeman" - specifically I'm concentrating on his trapezius, arms, chest shape.
1) Trapezius - (notice his trapz are pretty straight angles and not bulging arches like most body builders trapz are?)
http://www.imagedump.com/index.cgi?pick=get&tp=460104
http://www.imagedump.com/index.cgi?pick=get&tp=460106
http://www.imagedump.com/index.cgi?pick=get&tp=460107
How might one acheive this using martial arts form strength training? Can you recommend specific excercises? Do you think he acheived this using bodyweight excercises, or lifting weights? The emphasis here again being his angular cuts and build as opposed to that bulbous round look of weight lifting body builders.
2) Arms - (notice his bicept and the surrounding 'hexagonal' like cut? also notice his huge deltoids? Just wow!)
http://www.imagedump.com/index.cgi?pick=get&tp=460108
http://www.imagedump.com/index.cgi?pick=get&tp=460110
http://www.imagedump.com/index.cgi?pick=get&tp=460111
What form of martial arts strength training can I practice to acheive this result?
3) Chest - (back to this image. His chest again is not bulbous and ballooned like a body builders. It's almost flat, like a sheer faced slab. You would think all he has done was flat bench pressing without incline.)
http://www.imagedump.com/index.cgi?pick=get&tp=460104
Could this be acheived without dumbells and bench pressing?
To me Mark represents an ideal body type that I'd like to template myself under. His backround includes Wun Hop Kuen Do Kung Fu, Shui Jiao (Chinese Judo), Shao-Lin styles, as well as Chin Na, Shui Jao, and Tai Chi. These might give a little insight into the kind of strength training techniques employed that built his type of physique.
Quoting his page http://www.markdacascos.com/martialartistf.html Mark says, "My daily workouts vary. When I'm working a twelve- to fourteen-hour day, I usually don't have a lot of time to sweat for an ideal two to three hours. I have to be content with push-ups, leg-lifts, crunches and handstands -- things I can do in my hotel room without needing equipment. I try to stretch before and after work. On the set, I can usually find something I can hang from to do pull-ups and leg-lifts on. When I'm not working, I try to see my Kung Fu teacher three to four times a week. On the other days, I like to tumble or run or surf. I need to do something every day. Even on my rest day, I like to at least do a stomach exercise."
I've also been reading up on kettlebells/clubells and an interesting similarity that overlaps with the above questions became apparant.
Quoting these two pages:
Rounded Bodybuilder vs. Rock Hard Kettlebeller
http://kettlebell-training.com/archi...odybu-129.html
"Now don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with the whole "bulging muscles" look, but bodybuilding seems to give more of a "rounded features" physique than a chiseled-from-rock look. I can't describe it much better than that. It's not a fat look, it's more of a inflated muscle look... more like your muscles were pumped full of air than that of having taken a chisel and chipping away the fat to expose the ripped muscle underneath. So remember, pick your workout method, pick your physique."
(Before & After picture) Kettlebells, Bodybuilding and Physical Appearance
http://kettlebell-training.com/archi...al-ap-118.html
"Using kettlebells I didn't have as much of a "rounded" look to my muscles as in the bodybuilding photo. KBs lead to more of a lean, tight look than the BB method. Pick your method, pick your look."
Might these be similar strength training tools that Mark Dacascos used? The reason I ask is because avid kettlebell users appear to build up a similar physique as Mark. Check out Russian kettlebell trainer Pavel's body - similar deltoids, bicep, chest. I understand there are Chinese variations of this.
http://www.dragondoor.com/images/pavel_bio.jpg
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0938...67#reader-link
Thank you for reading. I enjoy being here and look forward to learning some practical tips.