Women don't bulk easily - myth?!
Kdp2015
Posts: 519 Member
I've only been strength training 7 weeks and didn't expect any real results. I've noticed recently my back and shoulders are looking a lot bigger, my bf% has gone down a far bit in that time but I can't help thinking I've gained in those areas and it's putting me off a bit. Any thoughts or insight greatly appreciated.
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That's not muscle. When people say "women don't bulk easily" they are referring to muscle gains.1
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Well it's certainly not fat I've lost 10lbs and 2.5% bf in that time, I'm also lifting much heavier than when i started. What would you say it is?0
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Sorry but that's a bit ridiculous, how can I lose 10lbs and be fatter than when I started?0
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Fluid, pump, etc2
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singingflutelady wrote: »Fluid, pump, etc
This... so many different variables. It's not muscles.1 -
Also when you lose fat it makes your muscles more defined so they look bigger. You probably did gain some muscle but not a large amount.6
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Increased water in your muscles. This doesn't even sound like noob gains since you stated you'd been lifting prior. If you are gaining size while at a calorie deficit and likely not at the protein levels needed for hypertrophy, you need to find an exercise physiologist quickly. They'll want to study you!1
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Sorry but that's a bit ridiculous, how can I lose 10lbs and be fatter than when I started?
Haha. It could very well be muscle. I would note that muscle is a by product of strength. So if your lifts have increased, then that my friend is muscle. Great job! And I hope you're happy about it, couldn't tell from the title.4 -
Strength doesn't necessarily mean muscle growth though especially if you are new5
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Well it's certainly not fat I've lost 10lbs and 2.5% bf in that time, I'm also lifting much heavier than when i started. What would you say it is?
By losing fat you are uncovering muscle that was there. By lifting again, your muscles are now becoming fuller because you are using them again. Most strength gains are a combination of you actually training again, CNS adaptations that are getting all your muscles firing right again and learning the most efficient ways to move the weights you are asking your body to move.
You can get much stronger when you first go back to the gym with these adaptations, and by strength training again.
Keep after it, don't be surprised if you hit a wall in the next 3 to 6 months where your strength starts to fall off some because of continued weight loss. That is normal and not something to get discouraged about.
Women can bulk to add muscle the same as guys, but typically not at the same rate and are also not able to get to as low a bf percentage either.
Neither of those 2 things are anything to be of any real concern. Just keep lifting weights.
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singingflutelady wrote: »Fluid, pump, etc
I would normally agree with this but it doesn't seem to go away, even after rest days. Admittedly it looks a lot more extreme just after the gym but I thought any sort of fluid would disappear after 2 or 3 days off?0 -
singingflutelady wrote: »Also when you lose fat it makes your muscles more defined so they look bigger. You probably did gain some muscle but not a large amount.
This is what I thought too, I just assumed I would not get bigger (which I don't want to) and I'm a bit nervous about continuing to push myself when I'm worried I have (got bigger that is)0 -
I've only been lifting 7 weeks so would def consider myself new still. I am at deficit but do eat slightly more when I work out, mainly from adding a protein shake or two.Increased water in your muscles. This doesn't even sound like noob gains since you stated you'd been lifting prior. If you are gaining size while at a calorie deficit and likely not at the protein levels needed for hypertrophy, you need to find an exercise physiologist quickly. They'll want to study you!
Eta I fully appreciate that I'm not a special snowflake!0 -
Is it possible your back and shoulders look bigger because the rest of you is smaller by comparison? Taking a peek at your food diary, you are not consuming enough protein to be really bulking.3
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I'm really enjoying strength training and I'm only planning a deficit for a little while longer (my bf is approx 20 and I'd like it to be 18) I just don't want to get bigger!!DvlDwnInGA wrote: »Well it's certainly not fat I've lost 10lbs and 2.5% bf in that time, I'm also lifting much heavier than when i started. What would you say it is?
By losing fat you are uncovering muscle that was there. By lifting again, your muscles are now becoming fuller because you are using them again. Most strength gains are a combination of you actually training again, CNS adaptations that are getting all your muscles firing right again and learning the most efficient ways to move the weights you are asking your body to move.
You can get much stronger when you first go back to the gym with these adaptations, and by strength training again.
Keep after it, don't be surprised if you hit a wall in the next 3 to 6 months where your strength starts to fall off some because of continued weight loss. That is normal and not something to get discouraged about.
Women can bulk to add muscle the same as guys, but typically not at the same rate and are also not able to get to as low a bf percentage either.
Neither of those 2 things are anything to be of any real concern. Just keep lifting weights.
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I've only been lifting 7 weeks so would def consider myself new still. I am at deficit but do eat slightly more when I work out, mainly from adding a protein shake or two.Increased water in your muscles. This doesn't even sound like noob gains since you stated you'd been lifting prior. If you are gaining size while at a calorie deficit and likely not at the protein levels needed for hypertrophy, you need to find an exercise physiologist quickly. They'll want to study you!
Eta I fully appreciate that I'm not a special snowflake!
If you're worried, stop.
I'm not sure what you want.
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I've only been lifting 7 weeks so would def consider myself new still. I am at deficit but do eat slightly more when I work out, mainly from adding a protein shake or two.Increased water in your muscles. This doesn't even sound like noob gains since you stated you'd been lifting prior. If you are gaining size while at a calorie deficit and likely not at the protein levels needed for hypertrophy, you need to find an exercise physiologist quickly. They'll want to study you!
Eta I fully appreciate that I'm not a special snowflake!
If you're worried, stop.
I'm not sure what you want.
So much this.0 -
singingflutelady wrote: »Strength doesn't necessarily mean muscle growth though especially if you are new
"Necessarily" meaning there are variables.. but I get your point. 7 weeks is plenty time to gain some form of "newb" gain. That was my experience.3 -
Thanks, it is entirely possible that the rest of me is smaller, I just freaked out a bit as when I lift my arms my lats (I think) stick out a bit and I don't really like it. To be fair though my ribs stick out these days tooMarkusDarwath wrote: »Is it possible your back and shoulders look bigger because the rest of you is smaller by comparison? Taking a peek at your food diary, you are not consuming enough protein to be really bulking.
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I've only been lifting 7 weeks so would def consider myself new still. I am at deficit but do eat slightly more when I work out, mainly from adding a protein shake or two.Increased water in your muscles. This doesn't even sound like noob gains since you stated you'd been lifting prior. If you are gaining size while at a calorie deficit and likely not at the protein levels needed for hypertrophy, you need to find an exercise physiologist quickly. They'll want to study you!
Eta I fully appreciate that I'm not a special snowflake!
If you're worried, stop.
I'm not sure what you want.
I want to be strong and healthy, Im also desperate to avoid being skinny fat!0 -
I'm not feeling the love but thanks for trying...Chef_Barbell wrote: »
I've only been lifting 7 weeks so would def consider myself new still. I am at deficit but do eat slightly more when I work out, mainly from adding a protein shake or two.Increased water in your muscles. This doesn't even sound like noob gains since you stated you'd been lifting prior. If you are gaining size while at a calorie deficit and likely not at the protein levels needed for hypertrophy, you need to find an exercise physiologist quickly. They'll want to study you!
Eta I fully appreciate that I'm not a special snowflake!
If you're worried, stop.
I'm not sure what you want.
So much this.
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Ok now I'm SUPER embarrassed about all the *kitten* I've eaten today! It's a one off, don't judge lol.MarkusDarwath wrote: »Is it possible your back and shoulders look bigger because the rest of you is smaller by comparison? Taking a peek at your food diary, you are not consuming enough protein to be really bulking.
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You gained muscles in a deficit while only lifting for 7 weeks so yeah it's obviously a myth, you are an exception. If you want it to stop then maybe you can lift light with multiple reps. If you are already lifting light dumbbells, then maybe choose pink ones. Congrats!4
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If you keep eating in a deficit you don't need to worry about getting bigger. Trust the process. The look you are after is going to require you to continue lifting weights. Building muscle, building a base of muscle, and having a muscular body is not easy to achieve. If it were easy, everyone who started training in the gym for 6 months would have it. It just not that easy to get and will take much longer than you think.
By lifting weights you will ward off that skinny fat look. Keep doing what you are doing.2 -
One idea - Many women who fear gaining too much size in their upper body train it less frequently. (Debatable if this is actually necessary, but if it makes a person feel better, to each their own.)
Women don't put on a ton of mass without trying. Especially not in a deficit. To put on serious size you would need to be in a surplus, and even then it will be a slow process. Women who want to gain serious muscle often spend years and years lifting and eating purposefully for this goal. It's never an accident. (Sometimes they use drugs.)
There are many women at my gym who train hard but usually aren't actively trying to put on a lot of muscle. They don't look bulky or manly or gross. They have sleek/shapely arms and legs. They look fit. And that's after years of training.5 -
If I use fluffy pink ones will I get the beach body I've always dreamt of?Alluminati wrote: »You gained muscles in a deficit while only lifting for 7 weeks so yeah it's obviously a myth, you are an exception. If you want it to stop then maybe you can lift light with multiple reps. If you are already lifting light dumbbells, then maybe choose pink ones. Congrats!
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If I use fluffy pink ones will I get the beach body I've always dreamt of?Alluminati wrote: »You gained muscles in a deficit while only lifting for 7 weeks so yeah it's obviously a myth, you are an exception. If you want it to stop then maybe you can lift light with multiple reps. If you are already lifting light dumbbells, then maybe choose pink ones. Congrats!
#Itworks4 -
Pump...your muscles holding onto water. Also, reduced BF will reveal the muscle which a lot of people mistake for building muscle...it was already there, just hidden...now revealed.
Even a guy in a calorie surplus with kick *kitten* genetics and spot on programming isn't going to put on appreciable muscle mass in 7 weeks unless he's geared up...you're dieting and a female...newb gains aside (which would be nominal)...you aren't putting on muscle mass.6 -
Thank you, you've genuinely helped me to feel better about it. I do really love lifting I just want to still look feminine at the end of itDvlDwnInGA wrote: »If you keep eating in a deficit you don't need to worry about getting bigger. Trust the process. The look you are after is going to require you to continue lifting weights. Building muscle, building a base of muscle, and having a muscular body is not easy to achieve. If it were easy, everyone who started training in the gym for 6 months would have it. It just not that easy to get and will take much longer than you think.
By lifting weights you will ward off that skinny fat look. Keep doing what you are doing.
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