Matthew Mossotti

Photography by Gary Trautman

I approach body sculpting with the spirit of an artist and the mind of scientist. My spirit is creatively inspired by symmetry, balance, and proportion, and my mind understands how to calculate the angles in a movement and produce set combinations to formulate a precise routine designed to carve geometry into my musculature. Body sculpting is for me a disciplined dance of heart and soul in harmony – the work is never completed, but it can and should be appreciated everyday.

I include an all-out-to-failure “Me vs. Me” movement in the core of every routine for every muscle group to pre-fatigue the broad-base muscles I will more specifically target with progressively more focused movements as I move deeper into the routine – I begin every routine by going to failure and then hone in specific angles to carve deep inter-muscular shape. The intelligence of the design of the routine is the most crucial element of body sculpting. Don’t be haphazard when you cultivate your workouts. Be highly methodical, geometrically intentional, and fatigue the muscle group as early as possible. As you will see if you check out these videos, I go to fatigue in one set. In the pull-ups video, you’ll hear me say “Wu Tang style,” which derives from the 70’s Kung Fu movie – a kid jumped over a little sapling every single day until one day, he was like 30 years old jumping over a tree… My form is a little stiff on the pull-ups because the gym was freezing over the recent arctic blast that enveloped the whole country, but whatever, you’ll get the idea

Thank you to everyone who has sent me such kind words of encouragement!!! You guys are driving me to higher levels  Remember, in the gym, getting to failure means you’ve succeeded!!!

All of my best to all of you always,

Matthew Aaron

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oue6exgfXvg

http://www.youtube.com/user/WestCountyFitness#p/a/u/0/RXtXYpkRiqA

photography by Gary Trautman

Working the heavy bag will do wonders for your core development. It’s always important to remember that your core (abdominals, obliques, seratus, inner-costals, and erector spineaous) are the connector muscles of your upper and lower body. Any movement that rigorously engages both halves of your body, that forces your legs and torso to balance each other, is going to beget the cultivation of the “in-between.”

Photography by Gary Trautman

I find it super-crucial to find ways to engage different muscle groups when doing cardio. Hitting the heavy-bag is a unique way to burn rapid calories and simultaneously develop muscle definition. Boxing will inspire your body to develop an overall harmony among every muscle group while particularly shredding your upper and lower back.

Gary Trautman is a St. Louis-based photographer and a friend of mine. This photograph one example of his work. If you’re into your fitness and are looking for some high-quality photography to capture the visual fruits of your hard labor in the gym, Gary is definitely a go-to guy. You can contact Gary at GdTrau@yahoo.com.

Body Sculpting is all about symmetry, balance, and, above all else, NATURAL proportions of muscle to inherent skeletal frame. No steroids. No growth hormones. The body sculptor is distinct from the body builder in virtually every aspect of his physiological philosophy. The body sculptor does not seek size for the sake of size. He only seeks beauty in the symmetrical balance of proportioned size. The body sculptor does not seek to compete. He seeks his own development. The body sculptor does not train for events by getting huge to only cut out for a few weeks out of the year like the body builder does. He trains to walk around in the sculpture he works to refine everyday. The body sculptor’s physique never arrives at a final destination – it is always a work in progress.  Body sculpting is an art and a discipline that embraces the unique potential elegance of the individual body given by God to every unique individual.

Make sure that you don’t train your core muscles too often or too hard. It’s important to understand that your core muscle groups are designed for agility and not for tugging weight. A lot of guys over-build their abdominal muscle wall and it makes them look like they have big bellies. Trust that your training of all other muscle groups utilizes your core muscles as stabilizers and have faith in your diet to expose the rip of your mid-section. Remember always that a big chest makes a small waist and a small waist makes a big chest!

 Back makes the body. If your back is in top form, you can be rest assured that the rest of your upper body is following suit. Your back has the largest muscles in the upper body and they lead the way like a big brother as an example of size, shape, and definition to all the other ”little brother” upper body muscle groups.