Hey... again everyone (seems that I think of all these questions when I zone out in class LOL). I'm hoping this isn't a stupid question but here goes anyways... I was wondering if striations in muscles are always present in a muscle or if you have to work for them to create the definition that is needed in a bodybuilding contest say. I know that muscle fibres are made up of single stands that do make the striated look, that isn't the exact point I was getting at however. Let's say for example we take a regular guy who has never been to the gym a day in his life. Now would it be possible, without doing any restistance training to dial him in to contest body fat % and have him in that 'ripped to shreds' look? The reason I am asking is just because I am curious because I was wondering if physique competitors (unfortunately that 'grainy' striated look is disappearing in bodybuilding I think) did certain exercises for their obliques and serratus to get them that shredded or if it's just their genetics when then get down to really low body fat %... The guy I'm thinking of is Sadik Hadzovic who took second place in this years Men's Physique Olympia. I think that man was born out of a wood chipper, his serratus has got to be one of the best of I have ever seen.

Also, I was just thinking but I'm not sure, so when you train a muscle to get bigger does that in turn create deeper 'cuts' that make the lines appear better or does it not really do much at all and the amount of definition you show just genetics... or maybe a bit of both? I've never been to a super low body fat before so I am curious as to how things are when you are that low.

-Primal