Bulking One's HIPS

Has anyone actually increased their HIP size through weight training?? NOT the illusion with building wider shoulders.. but actually squatted/lunged WHATEVER a certain type of way that built their hips/lower hips..Even if it was by ACCIDENT and you didn't intend to do it? If so, I'd like to know what you did...I have a rectangular build (34-31-37.5, 5'8, 175) and the more that I lose through my deficit and intense cardio/calisthenics, the more that bottom stat is decreasing (lol, smh)...it is to the point where it bums me a bit because I still have at least 12 pds to go to be at a NORMAL BMI but by that time, I will LITERALLY look like a stick. My overall goal is to lose twenty more pounds because I want a bit of room to lose/gain in the future AND I want a lower fat percentage (not that I know what it is..I just know how I want to look)... WITH the weight I'm rectangular shape still but my curves are still pretty nice...losing the weight now, I am becoming smaller looking but I can't fill out clothes in a Nice way like before...suggestions/advise/ANECDOTES?? Thank you!! PS: my weight spreads out pretty evenly over my body overall, with a little more concentration in my waist and arms so overall I look Long which may be hard to believe with me weighing 175 pds...

Replies

jemhh

My hips are up .75" this year. Not a huge change but decent considering that I have mostly been at maintenance and that has been interspersed with periods of eating in a deficit. My build is similar to you, though I'm a bit shorter (34/31/38.75.) Adding a lot more glute specific work like barbell hip thrusts and glute bridges, as well as band work like lying and seated abductions has helped. If you want a specific program, I'd suggest Strong Curves.

Keep in mind, though, that your best results for building that area will be achieved while eating at maintenance or slightly above. Also, genetics come into play here a lot. Some people have better fat distribution in the hips/glutes than others. Additionally, your gains might be more on the back (gluteus maximus) rather than on the sides (gluteus medius, or what you may be thinking of as the hips) depending on your exercise choices.

VeryKatie

Do you intend to go lower once you're in a healthy BMI range? Because though you're losing from hips now, it should eventually move to loss from other areas and it might balance out. Just that genetics determines where it comes from first. For me, it comes off my chest, arms, face and thighs first and stomach last. But as I go lower, the stomach is going down and I'm getting curvier.

Syneea

Thanks for the feedback ladies! I Did purchase the Strong Curves book albeit I have not began reading it yet.. I'm still on this quest to lose fat and quickly reach the weight that I want before doing HEAVY weight lifting, I am doing calisthenics... You both bring up great points.. I may go ahead and start doing the hip thrusts, bridges etc now. Also, yes Katie, I'm going to go as low as it takes to get the rest of this fat off my arms and waist.. So hopefully I'll be a bit curvier again when that happens...

cafeaulait7

Definitely start now.

I gained an inch of muscle on my hips (through summer to now) through bumping up my calories a little from maintenance and doing weighted glute bridges and some other moves and lifts. I can't squat or lunge due to hypermobile kneecaps.

I'll list what I do, but it's just what works for me, not any pro plan:

-- 1 set of single-leg glute bridges to start
-- 3 sets of heaviest weighted glute bridges, keeping pelvis drawn up towards navel

-- 50 non-weighted glute bridges after all lifts*.

Other moves:

Prone hip raises with knees flexed 90 degrees, pelvis tucked towards navel. One leg at a time, both knees flexed so shins are vertical. 3-4 sets. Use weights on legs once it's too easy with impeccable form (no tension in rest of body at all).

-- (Standing) arabesques with a straight back/not leaning forward and a slight tuck in the pelvis. I use thigh weights. 3-4 sets.
-- Same, but with with the leg going straight back to 6 o'clock (with no turnout). Try to use just the glutes to lift, with limp hams on both of these, so it's not really like the actual ballet arabesque.

* 50 glute bridges here.

Then pigeon in yoga, etc, and some hip flexor stretching to finish.

My gluteus medius are bizarrely overdeveloped/naturally big compared to my maximus, so I don't add clamshells, etc for them myself.

AsISmile

Don't wait until you start lifting.
During weightloss you lose both muscle and fat.

Why not try to perserve it now through strength training then having to add it back (through a calorie surplus) later on.
There are so many benefits of strength training during weightloss. For example, maintaining bmr through maintaining muscle which will allow your maintenance calories to be higher.

Also want to add that it might be impossible to lose all the fat you want to lose and still be a healthy weight. I have been underweight and still had bellyfat. Why? Because I did not have enough lean body mass (aka muscle) to have a low fat percentage at that weight.
Even more reason to start lifting now.

I also totally recommend strong curves btw. Doing it now and really loving it

Syneea

cafeaulait7 wrote: »

Definitely start now.

I gained an inch of muscle on my hips (through summer to now) through bumping up my calories a little from maintenance and doing weighted glute bridges and some other moves and lifts. I can't squat or lunge due to hypermobile kneecaps.

I'll list what I do, but it's just what works for me, not any pro plan:

-- 1 set of single-leg glute bridges to start
-- 3 sets of heaviest weighted glute bridges, keeping pelvis drawn up towards navel

-- 50 non-weighted glute bridges after all lifts*.

Other moves:

Prone hip raises with knees flexed 90 degrees, pelvis tucked towards navel. One leg at a time, both knees flexed so shins are vertical. 3-4 sets. Use weights on legs once it's too easy with impeccable form (no tension in rest of body at all).

-- (Standing) arabesques with a straight back/not leaning forward and a slight tuck in the pelvis. I use thigh weights. 3-4 sets.
-- Same, but with with the leg going straight back to 6 o'clock (with no turnout). Try to use just the glutes to lift, with limp hams on both of these, so it's not really like the actual ballet arabesque.

* 50 glute bridges here.

Then pigeon in yoga, etc, and some hip flexor stretching to finish.

My gluteus medius are bizarrely overdeveloped/naturally big compared to my maximus, so I don't add clamshells, etc for them myself.

A whole inch!? Nice! I'm going to definitely Google the moves that you are doing to check the proper form. Thanks for the tips!

cafeaulait7

Yep, a whole inch! I used to have a more muscular booty before, though.

My physical therapist had me take off months and months of doing anything but her therapy, so my booty deflated, lol. I can lose muscle easily if I don't use it.

Syneea

AsISmile wrote: »

Don't wait until you start lifting.
During weightloss you lose both muscle and fat.

Why not try to perserve it now through strength training then having to add it back (through a calorie surplus) later on.
There are so many benefits of strength training during weightloss. For example, maintaining bmr through maintaining muscle which will allow your maintenance calories to be higher.

Also want to add that it might be impossible to lose all the fat you want to lose and still be a healthy weight. I have been underweight and still had bellyfat. Why? Because I did not have enough lean body mass (aka muscle) to have a low fat percentage at that weight.
Even more reason to start lifting now.

I also totally recommend strong curves btw. Doing it now and really loving it

Thanks for the feedback! Definitely looking forward to starting a heavier weight program! Have you noticed any muscle growth yet?

auddii

Syneea wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback ladies! I Did purchase the Strong Curves book albeit I have not began reading it yet.. I'm still on this quest to lose fat and quickly reach the weight that I want before doing HEAVY weight lifting, I am doing calisthenics... You both bring up great points.. I may go ahead and start doing the hip thrusts, bridges etc now. Also, yes Katie, I'm going to go as low as it takes to get the rest of this fat off my arms and waist.. So hopefully I'll be a bit curvier again when that happens...

I'm also going to say start now. I started lifting when I was 230ish pounds, and I'm now down to around 190. I think I look far better now than I would have if I hadn't been lifting.

AsISmile

Syneea wrote: »

AsISmile wrote: »

Don't wait until you start lifting.
During weightloss you lose both muscle and fat.

Why not try to perserve it now through strength training then having to add it back (through a calorie surplus) later on.
There are so many benefits of strength training during weightloss. For example, maintaining bmr through maintaining muscle which will allow your maintenance calories to be higher.

Also want to add that it might be impossible to lose all the fat you want to lose and still be a healthy weight. I have been underweight and still had bellyfat. Why? Because I did not have enough lean body mass (aka muscle) to have a low fat percentage at that weight.
Even more reason to start lifting now.

I also totally recommend strong curves btw. Doing it now and really loving it

Thanks for the feedback! Definitely looking forward to starting a heavier weight program! Have you noticed any muscle growth yet?

It's too soon for me. This was my third week.
Also, doing a recomp so muscle gain will be extremely slow.
(Again, on a defecit you will not gain muscle but maintain existing muscle).

Anyway, I am really noticing strength gains. Already after a week and a half I noticed push-ups getting easier. Also, improved my plank time by 10 seconds this week. It truly feels amazing to notice the strength gains. Also super awesome to pick up heavier dumbells each time.