How can I get toned with strength training without looking bulky?
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yopeeps025 wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »yopeeps025 wrote: »So she was lean and shredded in this picture. I don't see a lot of muscle mass though which is what bulky is.
She looks bulky to me in the image above (the jogging one). Sorry if my opinion bothers some of you
But I agree, there's also the whole 'low body fat' thing (which I'm definitely not afraid of getting, because that's not gonna happen). But it's a good point. And that's the problem with lifting, you can't decide where you lose the fat, so you might end up with arms more defined than you'd like just to get a flat belly.
It doesn't bother me that you find her low body fat% a problem. Calling it bulky is the problem because she is not bulky in those pics.
If your body fat drops to low than you can switch to eating in surplus and gain more fat to cover the muscle definition.
I don't see the point. And I don't understand why it's so hard for some people to get that some women don't necessarily want more muscle anyway?mantium999 wrote: »So she was lean and shredded in this picture. I don't see a lot of muscle mass though which is what bulky is.
She looks bulky to me in the image above (the jogging one). Sorry if my opinion bothers some of you
But I agree, there's also the whole 'low body fat' thing (which I'm definitely not afraid of getting, because that's not gonna happen). But it's a good point. And that's the problem with lifting, you can't decide where you lose the fat, so you might end up with arms more defined than you'd like just to get a flat belly.
You don't just "end up with arms more defined than you'd like", while eating in a way that will provide a flat belly. Just, flat out, ain't gonna happen. If, while losing weight, and lifting, you find your arms, or legs, or pinky muscles to be progressing toward a look you find unappealing, simply change your method of exercise. But nobody accidentally turns out bulky, lean, defined, fat, or obese.
Actually, yeah. I like my arms right now. I don't want them more defined. But if I start focusing more on lifting to lose more fat in my midsection, I will probably end up losing fat in my arms too, which is what I don't want.So she was lean and shredded in this picture. I don't see a lot of muscle mass though which is what bulky is.
She looks bulky to me in the image above (the jogging one). Sorry if my opinion bothers some of you
But I agree, there's also the whole 'low body fat' thing (which I'm definitely not afraid of getting, because that's not gonna happen). But it's a good point. And that's the problem with lifting, you can't decide where you lose the fat, so you might end up with arms more defined than you'd like just to get a flat belly.
You’re more than welcome to your opinion, even if our opinions are different. One thing I don’t get though is what people who think that’s bulky (i.e. yourself) consider to be an ideal look. Can you post some photos/links? I’m actually curious.
@HeySwoleSister Glad you enjoyed it! And lol @ the name, that’s pretty funny.
Sure.
There's just no way I could get there because my arms look like hers, but I still have fat in my midsection because genetics. So again... either it's more muscular arms (because lower body fat on them) or a flat belly (ok, if I didn't have loose skin) for me.
All I'm saying is that no, it's not always possible to get the look you're looking for depending on your genetics. I'd probably end up with arms like Madonna before I lose the rest of my belly/hip fat... which looks 'muscular' and 'bulky' to me. I think it's what people mean when they say that they don't want to get bulky by lifting... I don't want arms like that. Legs I don't care, but they're pretty lean and muscular already as well (because again, all my fat is in my midsection, lol).
I guess we all have different ideas of what we want and what we find attractive.
She does but again, everyone who lifts won't end like that. My arms would look way more defined than hers by the time I get her belly.
Interesting the unknown drive you to be where you are. I would understand if you said my body fat got too low for my stomach to be flat and my arms were too defined. You saying probably makes this funny to me.
You don't understand that using wrong terminology is a problem?
I don't see why it's such a big deal... because again I'm quite sure that for a lot of women, Madonna DOES look bulky.
She does well lets see.
I have no idea what you mean. You're bothering me about using the wrong terminology but some of what you says make no sense at all. Whatever...
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So she was lean and shredded in this picture. I don't see a lot of muscle mass though which is what bulky is.
She looks bulky to me in the image above (the jogging one). Sorry if my opinion bothers some of you
But I agree, there's also the whole 'low body fat' thing (which I'm definitely not afraid of getting, because that's not gonna happen). But it's a good point. And that's the problem with lifting, you can't decide where you lose the fat, so you might end up with arms more defined than you'd like just to get a flat belly.
It's not that you don't find low body fat aesthetically pleasing that's the problem. That's a matter of personal taste, and of course you are entitled to preference.
You're just misusing a word. Bulk means mass. Madonna doesn't have great amounts of muscle mass. What she has is visible definition due to low body fat.
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HeySwoleSister wrote: »So she was lean and shredded in this picture. I don't see a lot of muscle mass though which is what bulky is.
She looks bulky to me in the image above (the jogging one). Sorry if my opinion bothers some of you
But I agree, there's also the whole 'low body fat' thing (which I'm definitely not afraid of getting, because that's not gonna happen). But it's a good point. And that's the problem with lifting, you can't decide where you lose the fat, so you might end up with arms more defined than you'd like just to get a flat belly.
You’re more than welcome to your opinion, even if our opinions are different. One thing I don’t get though is what people who think that’s bulky (i.e. yourself) consider to be an ideal look. Can you post some photos/links? I’m actually curious.
@HeySwoleSister Glad you enjoyed it! And lol @ the name, that’s pretty funny.
My favorite quote goes with the photo in your post: IMMA GET SO TONE!
OMG, that's hilarious.
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mamapeach910 wrote: »So she was lean and shredded in this picture. I don't see a lot of muscle mass though which is what bulky is.
She looks bulky to me in the image above (the jogging one). Sorry if my opinion bothers some of you
But I agree, there's also the whole 'low body fat' thing (which I'm definitely not afraid of getting, because that's not gonna happen). But it's a good point. And that's the problem with lifting, you can't decide where you lose the fat, so you might end up with arms more defined than you'd like just to get a flat belly.
It's not that you don't find low body fat aesthetically pleasing that's the problem. That's a matter of personal taste, and of course you are entitled to preference.
You're just misusing a word. Bulk means mass. Madonna doesn't have great amounts of muscle mass. What she has is visible definition due to low body fat.
Why are you taking it personally? She still has more muscle mass than I like, so, for ME, she is bulky.
OK this isn't going anywhere I'm out of here, lol.0 -
Only on MFP can someone be lean and look like a meth addict and someone will still call it "bulky" cause you can see muscles definition... It's odd.
(And I'm not referencing any picture that has been posted. Just referencing that the definition of bulky seems to be odd in some peoples head)0 -
Funny thing about the Madonna "debate" is that if Madonna were to gain 5-7 pounds of fat, people would think she was too skinny rather than too bulky.
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sarahlifts wrote: »sarahlifts wrote: »
I get that. But there seems to be some rampant misunderstanding of what body fat looks like and what muscles look like. People seem to be equating low body fat with big muscles. Not only that, but thinking that it's so easy to gain muscle takes away from the amazing accomplishment of the women who work really hard to do so.
For all: If you are a woman and are worried about getting bulky, ask yourself these questions:
1. Are you eating at a calorie surplus?
2. Are you on a progressive lifting program?
3. Is your diet spot on to achieve muscle growth?
If no, you will not be gaining muscle or getting "bulky." The woman described above can expect to gain between .5-1lb of muscle per month if everything is dialed in correctly. The average woman will absolutely not gain muscle mass eating at a deficit and doing mainly cardio and lifting weights twice a week.
I have low body fat... some would say I'm bulky. Bulky is very subjective.
While I get what you are saying and totally agree. I'm not here to convince any one to lift heavy or that they wont get big. The train of thought that goes along with not wanting t get bulky or put on too much muscle or I gain muscle easily, is so uneducated and annoying. Even if you educate them on what it is they are actually seeing as you are, it wont change their mind. They do not want to look manly, have muscles like a man or their man doesn't like it.
Just hand them the 3 lb weights and let them spin their wheels for years attempting to rid themselves of batwing arms and lower tummy fat. More heavy weights for me.
AND
AND
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ITA, Madonna is in no way shape or form bulky, she just has visible definition because she has little to no body fat. Big difference. This debate will continue to go in circles just like the "muscle weighs more than fat" debate. UGH.mamapeach910 wrote: »You're just misusing a word. Bulk means mass. Madonna doesn't have great amounts of muscle mass. What she has is visible definition due to low body fat.
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I think this chart should improve people's vocabulary.
Guys near the top would be what people generally call bulky.
Guys near the bottom are defined.
Some people want to say an A3, A4 B4, or what gets me A2 are bulky.0 -
Haters gonna hate.0
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There's just no way I could get there because my arms look like hers, but I still have fat in my midsection because genetics. So again... either it's more muscular arms (because lower body fat on them) or a flat belly (ok, if I didn't have loose skin) for me.
All I'm saying is that no, it's not always possible to get the look you're looking for depending on your genetics. I'd probably end up with arms like Madonna before I lose the rest of my belly/hip fat... which looks 'muscular' and 'bulky' to me. I think it's what people mean when they say that they don't want to get bulky by lifting... I don't want arms like that. Legs I don't care, but they're pretty lean and muscular already as well (because again, all my fat is in my midsection, lol).
I guess we all have different ideas of what we want and what we find attractive.
See, I actually think her arms are a bit… soft. I don’t want to use the word “flabby”, but... It just goes to show, our views are diametrically opposite.
Anyhow, I
musclez, so yeah. 0 -
mamapeach910 wrote: »So she was lean and shredded in this picture. I don't see a lot of muscle mass though which is what bulky is.
She looks bulky to me in the image above (the jogging one). Sorry if my opinion bothers some of you
But I agree, there's also the whole 'low body fat' thing (which I'm definitely not afraid of getting, because that's not gonna happen). But it's a good point. And that's the problem with lifting, you can't decide where you lose the fat, so you might end up with arms more defined than you'd like just to get a flat belly.
It's not that you don't find low body fat aesthetically pleasing that's the problem. That's a matter of personal taste, and of course you are entitled to preference.
You're just misusing a word. Bulk means mass. Madonna doesn't have great amounts of muscle mass. What she has is visible definition due to low body fat.
Why are you taking it personally? She still has more muscle mass than I like, so, for ME, she is bulky.
OK this isn't going anywhere I'm out of here, lol.
This amount of muscle may be more to your liking then.0 -
stevencloser wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »So she was lean and shredded in this picture. I don't see a lot of muscle mass though which is what bulky is.
She looks bulky to me in the image above (the jogging one). Sorry if my opinion bothers some of you
But I agree, there's also the whole 'low body fat' thing (which I'm definitely not afraid of getting, because that's not gonna happen). But it's a good point. And that's the problem with lifting, you can't decide where you lose the fat, so you might end up with arms more defined than you'd like just to get a flat belly.
It's not that you don't find low body fat aesthetically pleasing that's the problem. That's a matter of personal taste, and of course you are entitled to preference.
You're just misusing a word. Bulk means mass. Madonna doesn't have great amounts of muscle mass. What she has is visible definition due to low body fat.
Why are you taking it personally? She still has more muscle mass than I like, so, for ME, she is bulky.
OK this isn't going anywhere I'm out of here, lol.
This amount of muscle may be more to your liking then.
Bwhahahaha! :laugh:0 -
If we're calling dibs, can I go ahead and take Brad Pitt from a few pages back?0 -
stevencloser wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »So she was lean and shredded in this picture. I don't see a lot of muscle mass though which is what bulky is.
She looks bulky to me in the image above (the jogging one). Sorry if my opinion bothers some of you
But I agree, there's also the whole 'low body fat' thing (which I'm definitely not afraid of getting, because that's not gonna happen). But it's a good point. And that's the problem with lifting, you can't decide where you lose the fat, so you might end up with arms more defined than you'd like just to get a flat belly.
It's not that you don't find low body fat aesthetically pleasing that's the problem. That's a matter of personal taste, and of course you are entitled to preference.
You're just misusing a word. Bulk means mass. Madonna doesn't have great amounts of muscle mass. What she has is visible definition due to low body fat.
Why are you taking it personally? She still has more muscle mass than I like, so, for ME, she is bulky.
OK this isn't going anywhere I'm out of here, lol.
This amount of muscle may be more to your liking then.
LOLOLOLOL
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All of it? I kind of had my eye on D3.0 -
Also, Buzzfeed has been pretty cool lately.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/sallytamarkin/this-is-what-women-who-lift-weights-actually-look-like0 -
Wow, I had no idea expressing an opinion would be so...inflaming.
I am not against having body strength. I've had friends and coworkers who were in the military (one was a woman who was a PT stud) and they've all told me there are a variety of ways to strengthen and gain muscles without lifting much at all.
What seems concerning is this idea or assumption if women isn't on board with lifting weights, she must be against losing fat, getting healthier, losing weight, or having strength. Or if she doesn't care for muscle definition she wants to be fat. Of course a lot of women want to have muscle and bone strength; most people don't want to break a hip from a fall in old age. Not really sure how "bulky" turned into "be fat", either. Why does it always have to be opposing?
Yes, I do believe a certain layer of fat is required if you're interested in a physical ideal. I'll own that...but I am not really interested in looking like Madonna or having Jessica's arms because that's not appealing to me. The "stacked" look or high muscle definition if you will. Personally, I find a physique like Maria Menounos to be appealing because she has muscle without it being obvious.
A lot of women would find these physiques to be ideal:
http://www.spyghana.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/maria-menounos-body-diet.jpg
http://www.etonline.com/media/photo/2014/09/24104577/425_miranda_lambert_bikini.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/11/23/1416775211029_Image_galleryImage__MINIMUM_FEE_250_PER_IMAG.JPG
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/11/07/article-2229369-15E6B4C6000005DC-859_306x623.jpg
Also, it might surprise people to learn ballerinas are very strong, in spite of their very lean and streamlined physiques. It takes a lot of strength to be able to make such fine, precise, and powerful movements.0 -
Nerdycurls wrote: »Also, it might surprise people to learn ballerinas are very strong, in spite of their very lean and streamlined physiques. It takes a lot of strength to be able to make such fine, precise, and powerful movements.
That doesn't surprise me. But also, have you been to the ballet? Have you brought binoculars? Many ballerinas have amazing muscle definition.0 -
Ok, well I'll take D4 tbh. That's the most attractive to me...like a sexy lineman or farm boy
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arditarose wrote: »Nerdycurls wrote: »Also, it might surprise people to learn ballerinas are very strong, in spite of their very lean and streamlined physiques. It takes a lot of strength to be able to make such fine, precise, and powerful movements.
That doesn't surprise me. But also, have you been to the ballet? Have you brought binoculars? Many ballerinas have amazing muscle definition.
They sure do!
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arditarose wrote: »Nerdycurls wrote: »Also, it might surprise people to learn ballerinas are very strong, in spite of their very lean and streamlined physiques. It takes a lot of strength to be able to make such fine, precise, and powerful movements.
That doesn't surprise me. But also, have you been to the ballet? Have you brought binoculars? Many ballerinas have amazing muscle definition.
They sure do!
I have been following this thread all day. Love this post.0 -
arditarose wrote: »Nerdycurls wrote: »Also, it might surprise people to learn ballerinas are very strong, in spite of their very lean and streamlined physiques. It takes a lot of strength to be able to make such fine, precise, and powerful movements.
That doesn't surprise me. But also, have you been to the ballet? Have you brought binoculars? Many ballerinas have amazing muscle definition.
They sure do!
Gorgeous! The last time I went to the ballet I brought little binoculars and I was in awe of their bodies.0 -
Yes, I've been to the NYC ballet and the muscle definition was obvious in their legs (no surprise), but not in their arms the way Madonna has!
Of course the muscle definition is obvious with the ballerinas in the pictures. It would be a little concerning if there was no definition while they're flexing during dances. However, I doubt they appear that flexed when they aren't dancing. I don't find the "permanent flexed look" appealing.0 -
Well, between all the ladies calling out D3's and A4's, I think someone sank my battleship.0
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awwwws0
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Ballet?
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kshama2001 wrote: »Ballet?
This man is incredible!0
This discussion has been closed.
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