Sacha: thats true but more of it depends on your body type, genes and testosterone. Ive cheered with all types of females and we all conditioned the same (some a little more/less then others) however during our toughest wk in the summer before school/competition with no extra workouts added I would walk out with a ripped 6 pack while my base partner just looks slimmer.
Ive been like this my whole life so I know when I lift I gain muscle but like I said thats my body type.
I wish more women werent afraid of picking up weights. Muscle takes up less space then fat so you will eventually look smaller. I have grown to luv what lifting weights does for my body. I will never have a skinny figure and Ive accepted that. Also weight training lets me enjoy foods that I wouldnt be able to if I wasnt.
I guess it depends on a woman's view of muscle and definition.
To me, Nicole (in that photo) has zero definition (lanky arms). To me, real definition is something like Jamie Eason (this would take years to achieve):
Good for you bablou00, it is great to see women put their health at a top priority. Sometimes I feel women are way too hung up on numbers rather than health.
Actually Im not worried that I will have a bulk muscular look. I was just wondering if anyone in particular was aiming toward that. Im well aware of what it takes to get to that point. This question was simply question to see what others were aiming toward.
I'm not aiming for the super muscular look. I actually like my body shape, and I'm liking it even more as I lose weight. I've always had an hourglass figure, and my profile is actually fairly lean. I'd like a flatter tummy, but I never want to lose the feminine soft curvy look.
I'm going for the pin up girl shape. Feminine, defined, but still fleshy.
Sorry, it is just one of the biggest pet peeves of women who do bodybuilding that women think they can pick up dumbbells less than 20lbs and somehow transform themselves into a bodybuilder/arnold within a year.
I'm actually friends with a living exception to this and she HATES it. She can even start doing CARDIO and she'll bulk up a little (in her legs). Like... she started climbing stairs with me, and within a few weeks her legs had a TON more muscle than before. If she does crunches, she'll have a 6-pack within a month.
She's 5'6" and she said the doctor told her never to weigh much below 150 because she naturally has about 30 pounds more muscle than most women do, without even doing anything.
It's crazy. But people like her DO exist, and they DO bulk up with weight training, whether they want to or not.
I'm actually friends with a living exception to this and she HATES it. She can even start doing CARDIO and she'll bulk up a little (in her legs). Like... she started climbing stairs with me, and within a few weeks her legs had a TON more muscle than before. If she does crunches, she'll have a 6-pack within a month.
She's 5'6" and she said the doctor told her never to weigh much below 150 because she naturally has about 30 pounds more muscle than most women do, without even doing anything.
It's crazy. But people like her DO exist, and they DO bulk up with weight training, whether they want to or not.
For a woman, anything more than 5lbs of lean muscle mass in one year (assuming above-maintenance eating and heavy lifting) is due to performance-enhancing drugs, this is general knowledge among Olympic weight lifters and the bodybuilding community. Has she gone through hydro testing for this "30lbs more muscle" than the average woman without doing anything? How is this possible when it takes experienced weightlifters up to 10 years to do such a thing with heavy training? Sorry, I think she is fibbing or her doctor has not been researching.
When women say they "bulk up" in the legs, it is an appearance from extra bodyfat. Unless she is squatting at minimum, her full bodyweight, she would still have the lifting performance of a novice (beginner but not experienced) lifter.
For a woman, anything more than 5lbs of lean muscle mass in one year (assuming above-maintenance eating and heavy lifting) is due to performance-enhancing drugs, this is general knowledge among Olympic weight lifters and the bodybuilding community. Has she gone through hydro testing for this "30lbs more muscle" than the average woman without doing anything? How is this possible when it takes experienced weightlifters up to 10 years to do such a thing with heavy training? Sorry, I think she is fibbing or her doctor has not been researching.
When women say they "bulk up" in the legs, it is an appearance from extra bodyfat. Unless she is squatting at minimum, her full bodyweight, she would still have the lifting performance of a novice (beginner but not experienced) lifter.
I dunno... her legs don't have that much fat on them... they mostly look muscular to me.
I'm not sure if she went through uh... hydrostesting, or whatever that is, but I DID witness how easily she got that 6-pack while hardly trying... there's definitely SOMETHING up with her that is not normal...
I dunno... her legs don't have that much fat on them... they mostly look muscular to me.
I'm not sure if she went through uh... hydrostesting, or whatever that is, but I DID witness how easily she got that 6-pack while hardly trying... there's definitely SOMETHING up with her that is not normal...
It's quite possible. Probably due to having more testosterone than the average woman AND being born with MORE muscle cells than the average woman. Every mammal is born wit exactly how many muscle cells they will have for their entire lives. Muscle cells do not increase in number, they simply increase in size. There are genetic anomolies that some humans/animals are born with where they just have way more muscle cells than average. That ridiculously muscled whippet is one (this dog isn't photoshopped and was just born this way, no drugs or excessive exercise) --> http://blogmuscle.files.wordpress.co.../07/wendy1.png There are also cattle and sheep that have double muscling or callipyge. This shows two normal sheep on the left and two double muscled sheep on the right, all had the same diet, etc --> http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/reposi...img5506p23.jpg
megwini, my arms and chest area are very defined and muscular--not large but very defined and muscular..I didn't "intend" on this happening and like your friend, it happened very quickly--very little doing on my part..I do a few pushups a day and that's it...my legs would be the same except that my inner thighs are not toned--I am a runner and it doesn't do much for my inner thighs..so yes, I agree *some* women will look more muscular and bulk much faster than others..even Jillian Michaels acknowledges that *some* women do bulk quickly
It's quite possible. Probably due to having more testosterone than the average woman AND being born with MORE muscle cells than the average woman. Every mammal is born wit exactly how many muscle cells they will have for their entire lives. Muscle cells do not increase in number, they simply increase in size. There are genetic anomolies that some humans/animals are born with where they just have way more muscle cells than average. That ridiculously muscled whippet is one (this dog isn't photoshopped and was just born this way, no drugs or excessive exercise) --> http://blogmuscle.files.wordpress.co.../07/wendy1.png There are also cattle and sheep that have double muscling or callipyge. This shows two normal sheep on the left and two double muscled sheep on the right, all had the same diet, etc --> http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/reposi...img5506p23.jpg
So true!!!!! If only I had a scanner to scan a pic of what I looked like when I cheered. No extra workouts, eating a crappy college diet, and no performance enhancing drugs. Its just my genetic make up to have muscle like that. If I took the time to train my body I bet my figure would look more like bodybuilders (naturally) if I really wanted it to. Ive seen little girls in the gym with abs cut more then older guys who have been doing the same thing they are for years. Its just in their genetic make up. Im not intending for this to become an arguement. I just dont want women to be afraid of lifting weights because they think they are going to look manly or bulk up. That only happens to some people and there are ways to tone it down like pilates, yoga, the bar method and/or consistent cardio. Your just not going to reap the benefits of an increased metabolism w/ less muscle mass.
I don't think I even have the discipline to achieve the muscular look, and like so many have said, it's not easy for women to achieve that look. Having said that, it's alright. As long as there's SOME toning and I don't just look like I'm nothing but skinny fat, I'm good.
I rarely post, but this topic is near and dear to me, so for what it's worth, here's my 2 cents:
I'm a crossfitter, I workout with some of the strongest women and men that I've ever met (deadlifting 800lbs, Clean and Jerking 250lbs, snatching 220lbs!) and in that sport, whether you like it or not, you get strong. With strength comes muscle. Lots of women look strong and lots of women are strong. I'm one of those muscular, bulky looking girls, but I don't look like a man by any means. If I cleaned up my diet, I could be easily ripped, but I love food too much to put any emphasis on esthetics.
Bottom line is, don't be afraid of the heavy stuff! You won't turn into a monster if you start lifting weights, but you will give your bones a good fighting chance against osteoporosis, you will increase your metabolism and you will find the unparalleled joy of breaking your personal records!
