I get bulky from weights...

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Replies

  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I'm pear-shaped and don't use direct weight resistance on the lower part of my body except for my calves. When I use weights I do get bigger.

    Tell that to my pear-shaped body that has dropped almost 3" from each thigh due to heavy lifting and a moderate calorie deficit.

    Clearly you need more crossfit, its the secret to bulking. It even works at a deficit!

    I'm signing up first thing tomorrow morning.
  • shutupandlift13
    shutupandlift13 Posts: 727 Member
    I'm pear-shaped and don't use direct weight resistance on the lower part of my body except for my calves. When I use weights I do get bigger.

    Tell that to my pear-shaped body that has dropped almost 3" from each thigh due to heavy lifting and a moderate calorie deficit.

    Clearly you need more crossfit, its the secret to bulking. It even works at a deficit!

    I'm signing up first thing tomorrow morning.

    I knew three times a week wasn't enough...

    Come at me, bulk!
  • DanIsACyclingFool
    DanIsACyclingFool Posts: 417 Member
    You need to have a hefty calorie surplus to gain even one pound of muscle. 3500 calories, give or take. And a lot of those excess calories must come from protein.

    If you're getting bulky muscles lifting weights, you're eating a whole lot of extra calories.

    There's a very short term "pump" right after a hard workout. But that should go away in an hour or so.

    IIRC, there are 3500 cals in a pound of FAT. Only 600 (?) cals of protein in a lb of muscle.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    When did you start?

    How accurately are you logging your food? Are you weighing and measuring everything?

    What has your weight done?
  • Junken_Diraffe
    Junken_Diraffe Posts: 716 Member
    I'm just gonna leave this here...

    Left - 155lbs. Size 12. Calorie deficit and moderate cardio.

    Right - 155lbs. Size 6. Eating Maintenance, minimal cardio, and lifting heavy.

    425992_10200558890993932_1811429064_n.jpg
  • iulia_maddie
    iulia_maddie Posts: 2,780 Member
    You do get bulky from lifting.
    Lifting the fork to your mouth, that is.
  • mommy3457
    mommy3457 Posts: 361 Member
    I'm so glad you posted this. I have only heard/seen one side of the story so it's nice to hear the other side. :flowerforyou:
  • violettatx
    violettatx Posts: 230 Member
    I'm pear-shaped and don't use direct weight resistance on the lower part of my body except for my calves. When I use weights I do get bigger.

    Tell that to my pear-shaped body that has dropped almost 3" from each thigh due to heavy lifting and a moderate calorie deficit.

    Clearly you need more crossfit, its the secret to bulking. It even works at a deficit!

    I'm signing up first thing tomorrow morning.

    I knew three times a week wasn't enough...

    Come at me, bulk!

    Sigh...how I wish it was that easy! I am pear-shaped too, and I keep losing inches while lifting on a deficit. I would kill to be able to add muscle or "bulk", if you prefer, at the same time. If only I could be a special snowflake!
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,026 Member
    I'm so glad you posted this. I have only heard/seen one side of the story so it's nice to hear the other side. :flowerforyou:

    What other side of the story? :huh:

    Oh I get it, you think that people actually get bulky from lifting weights while eating at a deficit because "everyone's body is different!!111one!"
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I'm pear-shaped and don't use direct weight resistance on the lower part of my body except for my calves. When I use weights I do get bigger.

    Tell that to my pear-shaped body that has dropped almost 3" from each thigh due to heavy lifting and a moderate calorie deficit.

    Clearly you need more crossfit, its the secret to bulking. It even works at a deficit!

    I'm signing up first thing tomorrow morning.

    I knew three times a week wasn't enough...

    Come at me, bulk!

    Sigh...how I wish it was that easy! I am pear-shaped too, and I keep losing inches while lifting on a deficit. I would kill to be able to add muscle or "bulk", if you prefer, at the same time. If only I could be a special snowflake!

    I know that feel. I'm lifting and also at a deficit and pear shaped (coincidence? Fate?) And so far all I've done is lose 7 pounds and go from a tight size 8/10 to a loose 8. Where's my bulk that people keep promising?
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    - pilates does not lengthen muscles.

    - Pilates DOES claim to strengthen AND lengthen muscles.
    Both of those statements are true. (Pilates does not lengthen muscles, that is just a sales pitch.)

    BTW your muscles will only get as big as they need to be to meet the challenges they've faced. If you limit the amount of weight you are using, your muscles will only get big enough to do that much. In other words if you press up to 75 lbs and never progress past that point (even though you are capable of doing so) then you would not get as big as you would if you had kept progressing to say 150 lbs.

    So find the point in your lifts where your body is what you desire, and just continue doing those amounts for your lifts and be happy.
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
    You do get bulky from lifting.
    Lifting the fork to your mouth, that is.
    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
    I just wish it was as easy for guys (who, incidentally, have more muscle mass and somewhere between 6x-10x the testosterone women do) to "accidentally" get bulky...even when eating at a surplus, lifting heavy and TRYING to get big. I'm amazed at how many women claim to get hyoooge from doing cardio and picking up a few dumbbells.

    ....then again, the women who have responded to this thread who truly DO lift heavy realize that it doesn't really happen and they haven't turned into hulking monsters overnight.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,482 Member
    So for now, I'm doing less work with ab machines than the others and focusing more pilates attention on that region to help lengthen those muscles.
    FYI pilates does not lengthen muscles.
    Pilates DOES claim to strengthen AND lengthen muscles.
    Claim is wrong then. Muscles are attached to bones by tendons. So unless doing Pilates detaches them, lengthens the bones, then reattaches the tendons through exercise, you're being fed false information.
    Pilates will help with strengthening and CALORIE DEFICIT will create the illusion of a longer muscle since Pilates doesn't work on progressive weight overload.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,482 Member
    The way bodybuilders and other bulk up is to eat in calorie surplus. Sounds like that's what's happening.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I just wish it was as easy for guys (who, incidentally, have more muscle mass and somewhere between 6x-10x the testosterone women do) to "accidentally" get bulky...even when eating at a surplus, lifting heavy and TRYING to get big. I'm amazed at how many women claim to get hyoooge from doing cardio and picking up a few dumbbells.

    ....then again, the women who have responded to this thread who truly DO lift heavy realize that it doesn't really happen and they haven't turned into hulking monsters overnight.

    I am actually trying to bulk..I must be doing something wrong!
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
    I just wish it was as easy for guys (who, incidentally, have more muscle mass and somewhere between 6x-10x the testosterone women do) to "accidentally" get bulky...even when eating at a surplus, lifting heavy and TRYING to get big. I'm amazed at how many women claim to get hyoooge from doing cardio and picking up a few dumbbells.

    ....then again, the women who have responded to this thread who truly DO lift heavy realize that it doesn't really happen and they haven't turned into hulking monsters overnight.

    I am actually trying to bulk..I must be doing something wrong!
    Maybe you should try Crossfit instead of those big, heavy compound movements. :bigsmile:
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    I just wish it was as easy for guys (who, incidentally, have more muscle mass and somewhere between 6x-10x the testosterone women do) to "accidentally" get bulky...even when eating at a surplus, lifting heavy and TRYING to get big. I'm amazed at how many women claim to get hyoooge from doing cardio and picking up a few dumbbells.

    ....then again, the women who have responded to this thread who truly DO lift heavy realize that it doesn't really happen and they haven't turned into hulking monsters overnight.

    well, look. even the lower bf% muscled look takes getting used to, when all your life you've been fed bunk about being lean and long and whatever, which involves softer lines, no muscle definition, etc. it's a million times healthier than what was before, but it's not a stereotypically feminine look. it isn't. and then muscles go and do strange things, like temporarily fill up with water, and it's all very confusing, ok?

    it's a real paradigm shift. strange things happen to your body and you don't really know how to interpret them, so you fall back on old ideas that you grew up with.

    also: i think more muscle, low bf is a beautiful look, a youthful, healthy, strong, beautiful look that also does great things for health.

    but, outside of the minimum strength work typically recommended, transforming a body takes a lot of commitment, time, money, etc, as you know. it is, literally, forcing your body into a particular kind of growth that probably wouldn't happen in most situations we'd encounter now or at most times in history. it's a beautiful art, but it's an art - it's not more natural or (necessarily) better than other kinds of body modification - which, strictly speaking, it is. you're deliberately changing your body composition. think about that - read that sentence out loud. you are changing your body composition. which, in case I'm misinterpreted, is of course fine!

    i don't agree with insisting someone adopt those same ideals, though. if OP prefers herself one way and is healthy, why push it?

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