Or is it too complex to give even a vague idea…

you say:

” I would rather see people put their energy into their training and nutrition than worrying ahead of time about what they might or might not accomplish”

Do you think there is any value in setting realistic expectations? Personally, knowing (or at least believing) I can accomplish a specific goal goes a long way in keeping me motivated.

For example, I’d like to get a physique like the one Ryan Reynolds obtained recently. Knowing this is in my genetic wheelhouse would be very motivating to know as I set on the path to try and get there.

I’m trying to figure out what type of physique I can realistically aspire to so I don’t unnecessarily spin my wheels chasing a dream and end up frustrated and possibly end up ultimately in a worse place physically.

At one point in the past I did gain 10kg (22lbs) in 3 months. But I was 20 years old, 6’2 and a malnourished 165lbs at the start. I had almost no fat to begin with and ate stacks and stacks of protein and creatine for those 3 months. I actually got minor stretch marks by my armpits from the rapid growth. However, I haven’t seen growth like that since and, 10 years later, am pretty sure I never will again.

What does make me curious though is where you talk about natural bodybuilders rarely coming in at over 200lbs. I know nothing about bodybuilding as a sport and have never followed it closely. Do they not compete in height divisions?
The reason I ask is because I recently got measured at my local gym as being 214lbs and 18.7% bodyfat (caliper test). This would give me a lean mass of 173lbs. Given that I haven’t worked out in 3 years (and never really all that hard before that) I would assume I figure into the beginner category of lifters. This sets me up for a pontential of 20lbs in a year if I do everything correctly. 173+20=193lbs which at 5% bf would add up to a total of 203lbs. According to Casey’s calculator I have a max muscular potential somewhere between 210 and 220lbs @ 5% so this figure seems completely plausible.

I guess that I just find it kinda surprising that given a year, a lot of hard work and some luck I could be among the heaviest naturals out there. I know I’m tall and that my frame is fairly big but somehow I’ve just always felt fairly avarage anyway. Maybe it’s all the roids floating around my gym that have given me that impression. But surely there must be a fair few taller and thus heavier (200lbs+) naturals out there?

i also take 5g creatine postworkout (the only time I take it), and drink lots of water, about a liter a day.

“How much water and glycogen does an individual gain in addition to muscle? Say someone gains 10 lbs of dry muscle. How much water and glycogen would go with that?”

When I am training and eating towards the goal of gaining muscle, I gain 1-2 lbs a week. I ask my question because I am curious about how much of my weight gain is actually LBM. So if you were to tell me that for every pound of muscle an individual gains, he gains 2 pounds of glycogen and water (along with a few pounds of fat), then I would definitely reconsider how much weight I am gaining. If that were the case, then I would aim towards gaining 4-5 pounds of weight each week (1 lb of muscle, 2 lbs of water and glycogen, and 1 or 2 lbs of fat) which is quite different from the 1-2 lbs.

note: I eat clean foods 90% of the time, consider myself intermediate and I weigh 170ish at sub 10% bf.

Also, you have water weight and such that needs to be accounted for. Calipers can be very innacurate.

There are exceptions to everything. Don’t be ignorant and think the calculators are perfect and suited to all individuals. Obviously you must fall in the group to whom the calculators aren’t suited to.

According to the calculator, this would put my max genetic limit at around 187lbs (at 11% bodyfat). I have NEVER taken steroids in any way, shape or form.

So how can this calculator possibly be correct? I have exceeded the “genetic limit” by about 15lbs with only around 2 years of strength training (I am not a bodybuilder). Should I just cut down to 5% BF and win all the natural bodybuilding competitions?

(in the end though it would not suprise me if all the above mentioned athletes were on steroids even though they are in tested regulations).