Man Muscles?

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  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    every body is different and those of us women who have higher t levels than most can get bulky just like men. I do have quite a few hormone problems but when I did a weight training for high school my muscles were not lean lovely girly muscles. Ask your doctor if you feel you bulk instead of lean maybe a hormone irregularity you have.

    My testosterone levels are 3x higher than the average woman. I'm far from bulky.
    225 pound deadlift (working set, not 1rm)
    1005887_10200317386992472_344360148_n_zpse049316c.jpg
    My first bodybuilding competition (I was average size and in the heavyweight division)
    11d29681-a972-4cdb-8815-042e9edff3c5_zpsb34afadf.jpg

    quoted for awesomeness

    Re-quoting for awesomeness. Because it is.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    I'm going to disagree with most on this board and I'm sure get slammed for it.

    I recently ran into a female friend who started lifting heavy last year. Her thighs were huge. I mean seriously man-sized huge. When I first saw her from afar I thought she'd gotten fat, but when she got close (in shorts) she had these huge muscles bulging out from her outer thighs. Those were bulky thighs.

    I'm sure she's very proud of them, and rightly so. But they were still bulky.

    Haha, there's always one.

    In, in hopes of shenanigans

    Her thighs were bigger around than mine were at my heaviest, and thighs are my problem area. I will admit that I have not seen legs that bulky or big on any other women who were not fat, but to say it can't or won't happen without steroids is simply not true.

    Of course, it's also easy enough to scale back if you see them starting to get too big. As I said, I'm sure she likes them and is proud of her accomplishments. And I'm happy for her. But it's not something I'd want for myself.

    Assuming you're being truthful, she would be a rare outlier, an exception to the rule, therefore; women should not avoid heavy lifting since MOST would not lift to this effect.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
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    If you find a way of building muscle easily, please let me know. I've been doing it for years, eating more calories, lifing more weights etc than you could shake a stick at and its still slow going.

    Quick answer - you won't. You'll see you are building muscle long before its too much for you. They don't suddenly go TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA over night. Years and years literally and then its slow going.

    mine did.

    happened in 1 afternoon.

    21f366dd62c4232e240865445b5e8e431022270d_r.jpg
  • crista_b
    crista_b Posts: 1,192 Member
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    Check out taunto's "manly" friends: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/987513-lifting-is-the-most-horrible-thing-to-a-woman-since-twiggy

    They're my inspiration and part of the reason I started lifting. I want to be "manly" like them.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    Like CrankMeUp.....I've gotten significantly less bulky from lifting weights.

    Me, very bulky (about 230lbs):

    16691827_4870.jpg


    Me, much less bulky (currently 180lbs, still have 20+lbs to goal):

    16691827_3720.jpg

    16691827_2521.jpg

    16691827_674.jpg
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    I would say just train to be toned and not ripped... women are meant to be curvy and naturally have more body fat than men. as stated above keep your body fat level at a healthy level.. between 20-30 only marathon runners and anorexics have single digit bfi.. good luck Jim

    Since we aren't roughing it out in the wild anymore, women are meant to be any way (bf percentage wise) they put effort into being. We can consciously shape our bodies (within genetic parameters) with diet and exercise. If women want to go below 20%, they are more than welcome to and their goals shouldn't be dictated by idiotic statements like "women are meant to be curvy".
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    My favorite comment on this topic (from another post) is that it's like being afraid you'll go out jogging one day and run a marathon by mistake.

    But then there was a thread a few days ago about a woman who ran 13 miles by accident, so. . . carry on.
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
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    Oi :grumble:
  • crista_b
    crista_b Posts: 1,192 Member
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    lol so many of you guys are just freaking hilarious but also helpful. Thanks for the advice everyone!
    I wanted to mention that I'm glad you could see the sense of humor of the people here. Lots of women won't lift heavy for the same reason you started this thread so most people have started debunking the myth while joking/being sarcastic. Good for you for not getting pissy like some people do in this kind of situation. :drinker:
  • RebeccaHite
    RebeccaHite Posts: 187 Member
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    swim to tone
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    lol so many of you guys are just freaking hilarious but also helpful. Thanks for the advice everyone!
    I wanted to mention that I'm glad you could see the sense of humor of the people here. Lots of women won't lift heavy for the same reason you started this thread so most people have started debunking the myth while joking/being sarcastic. Good for you for not getting pissy like some people do in this kind of situation. :drinker:

    I thought the same thing. Good on you OP.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    I would say just train to be toned and not ripped... women are meant to be curvy and naturally have more body fat than men. as stated above keep your body fat level at a healthy level.. between 20-30 only marathon runners and anorexics have single digit bfi.. good luck Jim

    20-30%? Are you serious? Women are meant to be any way they want to be: curvy, slender, muscular. There's no "rule" as to how a woman should look and 20-30% BODY FAT is not healthy. I would also be hard pressed to find a marathoner who has single digit body fat. It's just not going to happen.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I would say just train to be toned and not ripped... women are meant to be curvy and naturally have more body fat than men. as stated above keep your body fat level at a healthy level.. between 20-30 only marathon runners and anorexics have single digit bfi.. good luck Jim

    20-30%? Are you serious? Women are meant to be any way they want to be: curvy, slender, muscular. There's no "rule" as to how a woman should look and 20-30% BODY FAT is not healthy. I would also be hard pressed to find a marathoner who has single digit body fat. It's just not going to happen.

    Actually, 20-30% is considered healthy, or at least acceptable, for women.

    Essential Fat 10-12%
    Athletes 14-20%
    Fitness 21-24%
    Acceptable 25-31%
    Obese 32% plus
  • saxmaniac
    saxmaniac Posts: 1,133 Member
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    Please show us a picture of what you want and what you don't.

    Finally, a sensible reply. This should be the standard reply to this topic, each time it comes up. Otherwise we just go around in circles.

    Committing this phrase to memory.
  • crista_b
    crista_b Posts: 1,192 Member
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    I would say just train to be toned and not ripped... women are meant to be curvy and naturally have more body fat than men. as stated above keep your body fat level at a healthy level.. between 20-30 only marathon runners and anorexics have single digit bfi.. good luck Jim

    20-30%? Are you serious? Women are meant to be any way they want to be: curvy, slender, muscular. There's no "rule" as to how a woman should look and 20-30% BODY FAT is not healthy. I would also be hard pressed to find a marathoner who has single digit body fat. It's just not going to happen.
    Ideal-Body-Fat-Percentage-Chart1.jpg
    Fitness and average fall in the 20-30% body fat range for women. The fitness range is healthy. The average can be healthy but can start to lean toward unhealthy so it's not entirely accurate to say, "20-30% BODY FAT is not healthy".
    Also, while I agree that there's no "rule" as to how a woman should look, women naturally do need more body fat than men (clear by the "essential fat" section of the chart).
    Lastly, I agree that you won't find a female with single digit bf%, at least not one who isn't about to die. Your brain and other organs need fats to function. Without a high enough bf%, your body lacks the essential fats it needs to operate your organs so they shut down and you die.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    I would say just train to be toned and not ripped... women are meant to be curvy and naturally have more body fat than men. as stated above keep your body fat level at a healthy level.. between 20-30 only marathon runners and anorexics have single digit bfi.. good luck Jim

    20-30%? Are you serious? Women are meant to be any way they want to be: curvy, slender, muscular. There's no "rule" as to how a woman should look and 20-30% BODY FAT is not healthy. I would also be hard pressed to find a marathoner who has single digit body fat. It's just not going to happen.

    Actually, 20-30% is considered healthy, or at least acceptable, for women.

    Essential Fat 10-12%
    Athletes 14-20%
    Fitness 21-24%
    Overweight 25-31%
    Obese 32% plus

    Fixed it for you.
  • crista_b
    crista_b Posts: 1,192 Member
    Options
    I would say just train to be toned and not ripped... women are meant to be curvy and naturally have more body fat than men. as stated above keep your body fat level at a healthy level.. between 20-30 only marathon runners and anorexics have single digit bfi.. good luck Jim

    20-30%? Are you serious? Women are meant to be any way they want to be: curvy, slender, muscular. There's no "rule" as to how a woman should look and 20-30% BODY FAT is not healthy. I would also be hard pressed to find a marathoner who has single digit body fat. It's just not going to happen.

    Actually, 20-30% is considered healthy, or at least acceptable, for women.

    Essential Fat 10-12%
    Athletes 14-20%
    Fitness 21-24%
    Overweight 25-31%
    Obese 32% plus

    Fixed it for you.
    So there's nothing between being fit and being overweight?
  • JewelsinBigD
    JewelsinBigD Posts: 661 Member
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    you lack testosterone, so you go on and lift those weights and will not turn into He-Man.
    NOT TRUE - WOMEN HAVE TESTOSTERONE - and men are very happy about it since it usually drives libido. Some women, rarely, will develop muscles that are larger but the majority will not. I have developed muscles but they are not big manly muscles.
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
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    Since we aren't roughing it out in the wild anymore, women are meant to be any way (bf percentage wise) they put effort into being. We can consciously shape our bodies (within genetic parameters) with diet and exercise. If women want to go below 20%, they are more than welcome to and their goals shouldn't be dictated by idiotic statements like "women are meant to be curvy".

    QFT.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Options
    I would say just train to be toned and not ripped... women are meant to be curvy and naturally have more body fat than men. as stated above keep your body fat level at a healthy level.. between 20-30 only marathon runners and anorexics have single digit bfi.. good luck Jim

    20-30%? Are you serious? Women are meant to be any way they want to be: curvy, slender, muscular. There's no "rule" as to how a woman should look and 20-30% BODY FAT is not healthy. I would also be hard pressed to find a marathoner who has single digit body fat. It's just not going to happen.

    Actually, 20-30% is considered healthy, or at least acceptable, for women.

    Essential Fat 10-12%
    Athletes 14-20%
    Fitness 21-24%
    Overweight 25-31%
    Obese 32% plus

    Fixed it for you.
    So there's nothing between being fit and being overweight?

    So there's nothing between being average and being obese?

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