Hi!

I am tempted to throw up a "newbie alert" a la Jennifer, but my choice of topic (which might be incendiary...) and obvious lack of elan ought to show up quickly here and out me!

I am really interested in developing big, healthy muscles. I want to be healthy and fit and strong. I'm not worried about getting bigger, but I do not want to end up a competitive bodybuilder. That's just not the right path for me. I'd like to have well defined, muscular arms that are not huge.

In looking through the abcbodybuilding site that Mrs. Jim mentioned in her sticky, I found the exercises titled with things like "Freaky Big Legs" and "Mammoth Necks"...which led me to wonder if specific exercises lend themselves to increasing the size of muscles (I know L2L gave this a name in one of her posts, but I'm forgetting the word), while others tend to increase strength rather than size? In going through the dozens of possible exercises for each area of my body, what are the best guidelines to follow for selection?

Are some exercises geared towards competitive bodybuilders, or do bodybuilders just lift more and harder?

I would love to learn more! Thanks in advance... :

Laurie, don't be worried about asking question. I like abcbodybuilding.com as a resource, but with it's titles, I tend to think it was meant to entice more guys than gals On that site in particular and other sites you will look at, there are exercises that work different parts of of the muscle. I don't think one exercise or another will increase size over strength or vice versa.

I also tend to think abcbodybuilding.com is more geared with people who have learned the basics and are looking for something different? I would recommend http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html which has a lot of basics and stuff that you will encounter in the gym.

If you lifted for years and years and also had a good amount of testosterone swimming around your body, then there is a possibility of you getting huge It doesn't happen by accident though. I'd just find some exercises you want to try working the different parts and see how they work for you. Since your body will plateau with weights, you need to switch your routine around every once in a while, which is why it is good to try some new things.

Personally, my favorite response to "I don't want big muscles" is the one that Krista uses on her site on "The Crap List, Part 2":



The delightfulness of Krista's site is that it's one of the very, very few weighttraining sites that isn't geared towards men and hardcore bodybuilders...so there ya go!

All Hail Mistress Krista!

I LOVE that response too, it's exactly how I feel when someone mentions the bulkin' thing for women... ... It's my pet peeve!!!!!!!

I really really liked the response someone else posted here on a different topic (wish I could remember who and where and I'd cut and paste it.) Something like, when she said she wanted to get toned but not big, her trainer said if it was so easy to get big, everyone would be walking around toned. Perfect! (Mistress Krista is also fabulous, and helped me overcome my fear of squats.)

On a more serious note, the exercises to do are the ones that work the body parts you want to work and that you like. Try some different ones and find out which ones you enjoy or hate. Mix it up from time to time for many good reasons, try exercises you used to hate and see if they are right for you now. Mistress Krista's is a great starter site.

And don't worry about bulking up too much doing any of the exercises you see in the HUGE HUGE GUNS! articles. Bodybuilders do follow a specific lifting routine, that differs from say, Powerlifters. But even doing a bodybuilding routine, without illegal testosterone enhancing drugs, all you'll get is a strong, healthy, shapely body.

Linda C.

Hi Laurie! I’m sooo happy to see you here at LWL — don’t be shy about asking questions, OK? I think you’ll find that everyone loves to answer questions and help out and no one will make you drop and do 50.

The most important difference you’re going to find between the look that you want and all those Freaky Big Arms guys is — testosterone. It’s not the kind of exercises and sets and reps and weight that might make you bulk up — it’s that pesky little Y chromosome and all the good and bad stuff that goes along with it — like testosterone. Without testosterone, we women simply can’t bulk up like those big guys, even if we’d want to (the women bodybuilding pros who most of us DON’T want to look like are playing around with illegal drugs to get that look).

When I first started lifting weights, I was working with a trainer who — thank heavens — didn't believe in different workouts for men and women. His attitude was that if it was good enough for him, it was good enough for me. Consequently, while many other women in the gym were stuck with the inner and outer thigh machines or little DBs, he had me doing deadlifts, clean and press, T bar rows, all sorts of exercises with cables, squats, the Hammer Strength machines — and lifting as heavy as possible. I didn’t get bulky — intead I’ve only gotten smaller the more muscle that I’ve built (you’ve met me in person — I hope I didn’t look like one of those Freaky Arm Guys to you! ).

My workout partner these days is a younger guy and we always do the same exercises when we work out (with different weights, of course — I typically can lift about 50% of what he does). I used to feel kind of weird about being one of only a few females in the weight room but now don’t even notice because all the guys in there are my buddies. Got to say, they’re really great — they’ll accept anyone, male or female, who’s serious about lifting (there's a real camraderie among lifters who know what they're doing and aren't in the gym to show off with riduculous weights and bad form). And I’ve learned SO much from them just talking about what they’re doing.

So I agree with all the good advice that you’ve gotten here — just lift heavy and don’t worry about bulking up cuz it’s not going to happen!

lj_cox

"wish I could remember who and where and I'd cut and paste it.) Something like, when she said she wanted to get toned but not big, her trainer said if it was so easy to get big, everyone would be walking around toned. Perfect!"


Actually I think that was me. I met my husbnad in the gym almost 12 years ago. He owned it at the time and helped me get started when I first joined. I was VERY worried about turning into an ugly "he-she". I have cut and pasted part of the original post here...


My girlfriend and I joined a gym. I knew very little about what all this strange equipment was for and was quite intimidated. I met with someone at the gym who consulted with me about what my goals were. I wanted to be toned and firm and have a flat tummy, like all women..But I did not want big muscles!
He explained (I'll shorten this) that basically muscle is hard, fat is soft and that well....shocker! being 'toned' means having muscle. Just to a lesser degree than say.. a professioanl BodyBuilder or whatever.
He decided to put me on a weight training program. I was very concerned about getting big muscles and looking like a man to which he gently assured me "Don't you think if it was easy to get too muscular, that it would be even easier to just get toned? So why isn't everyone at least toned if it is so easy to get too muscular?" OK...I thought. Good Point.


I went on to say that I married this wonderful man and we have been married 10 years now with 2 lovely children. I have been lifting for some time now I consider myself to be relatively strong. I sqaut 250, leg press 540, I do seated rowes with 140, I curl 35# DB's or a 70# BB etc...
I say this not to brag but to REASSURE. It really is not about how much you lift. It is about taxing the muscle. I use what it requires to tax the muscle and over time it has taken more and more. There are very few women (some but not many) that have the capacity to get big without the use of illegal pharmacuetical aids. Honestly, my waist is smaller than the day I walked into that gym despite the fact I have had 2 children since then. Granted, I am genetically pretty strong anyway, but a lot of women would automatically assume that a person lifting that would have to be burly. I am very feminine and by most people standards, a small person (5' 5" 35,25,35 Size 2) and that is with a lot of er...cheating and missing at the gym. When I am actually eating clean and being consistant, I am 115 and a size 1. But the muscle I have earned 'takes care of me' even if I have some 'not so disciplined' times. I am not suggesting that I could miss half the time and eat like crap and stay toned, but I can most certainly get away with a **** of a lot more than my pre-muscle days.
Goodness, forgive me, this is obviously an issue with me. All I can say is I use to feel the same way. Rest assured, EVERY fear I ever had about being too big is long ago SQUASHED. It takes a **** of a lot of hard work just to get Firm and Toned, let alone big!! I would love to have more pretty shape (read: muscle) and I am working very, very hard to try and make that happen. So I almost have to laugh when a new gal says "Now I don't want to start looking like a man..." while I'm over there squatting 250 to beat all **** trying to get a rounder butt and more shape in my legs.
Muscle, pound for pound is smaller than fat. It's really true. Where is that dern picture???
OK Rant over with...
XOXO
L2L

Here is that pic L2L, I've saved it to my favorites because it is the perfect example
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/atta...chmentid=17582

Great explanation BTW L2L... Thanks...

P.S.: I've also saved your DH's saying to a document for further reference.... it's the perfect response also...

Thanks so much, ladies...I know from reading Krista's site (which I love! thank you to those who recommended it a while ago) that I can't get huge, but seeing the people on the magazine covers in one of the links and reading the titles at abc scared me a bit and made me nervous.

I must admit, Meg, after seeing your pictures, I realized that getting thin, healthy, and abstinent are not my only goals at this point. I actually want to get buff on top of it! You are an inspiration, as are many of the people I have met at 3FC...I would love to feel strong and know that I am in top shape for me.

And yes, Meg, you are tiny!!! She looks like you could lift her up with one finger, ladies. But you know...she's much, much stronger than that. Thanks for reassuring me...I can't wait to get to the gym on Friday!

L2L -- I hope you don't mind, but I've added your hubby's quote to my siggie...

Why are women so afraid of bulk anyway? Muscles are BEEEYOOOTIFUL!!!

L2L, That was it! Thank you for reposting and adding your thoughts. That's such a great way to phrase it! And I do appreciate your talking about your routine; I'm easing up in weight on squats and it is reassuring to hear someone who's lifting heavy say, nope, nope, I'm doing it and I look fine!

Linda C.