I was looking at the progress pics here, and noticed that while people eventually develop their upper bodies very satisfactorily, they still have these slender waists. Is it not a normal part of bodybuiding to be thick and muscular around the waist as well? I get the impression you train your obliques for this via, say, Saxon Side bends. Anybody with before after pics of their obliques, or thoughts on the matter?

I'm thinking of experimenting with 2 sets of 10-12 reps barbell saxon side bends after my major lifts.

It's just that I don't see people doing it in the journals or in the progress pics.

(I already do weighted situps to support my overhead press.)

I just discovered this exercise to fix the distended belly problem:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ms-fit5.htm

I'd be willing to trade 10 points of IQ for abs like that.

So this is the gymnast Yang Wei at the 2003 World Championships. Great obliques. I find his torso perfectly proportioned.

That book is amazing. All about bodyweight gymnastic training you can do at home with minimal equipment. Here's some examples, just for the dip. He has plenty of alternatives for the pullups as well.

Well here's the normal dip from someone with abnormal shoulder flexibility:



And here is the Russian L-dip, way tougher than your normal dip:



And for those without a dip station (I use the parallel crossbars at the top of my power rack as my dip station), here's the single bar dip:



And here is the Korean version of the single bar dip:

And to conclude the night, here's definitely NOT your father's pushup.

I downloaded that book for free. I've about a dozen fitness titles I've downloaded for free like Scrawny to Brawny, Built for Show, two Rippetoe titles, the entire DiPasquale's, the entire Lyle McDonald's, a Thibaudeau, etc.

That's cool. If I were to be interested in picking up recreational gymnastics, where would I go to/contact?