Bulky Female Bodies

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Replies

  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    There's a definitional problem. Many women would love to look like Jessica Biel. But that look is not attainable by everyone. The issue some women have is with looking bigger (not "bulky" like a man) than is attractive for their height and physique. For example, if you already have disproportionately big thighs certain exercises such as spinning will make them bigger. If you're exercising for strength or a sport aesthetics may not matter to you, but for some women it does.
    And what we're saying is that any aesthetic that requires you to limit yourself as to what you can achieve athletically or performance-wise is broken. And the giant elephant in the room is the stupid double-standard that applies to female athletes and male athletes. Nobody criticizes male football players for being "too bulky", but you do hear that about female athletes.

    Not to mention the fact that if you have "disproportionately big thighs," then the solution isn't to not do spinning if that's what you enjoy, but to also do other exercises that help make them more proportionate. Such as upper body workouts...
  • MiloBloom83
    MiloBloom83 Posts: 2,724 Member
    And what we're saying is that any aesthetic that requires you to limit yourself as to what you can achieve athletically or performance-wise is broken.

    Yes. I completely agree with this. If I had to choose a fitness pro whose body is close to what I'm trying to achieve, it would be Camille LeBlanc-Bazinet. And I've had guys tell me, upon seeing her picture, that her arms are too big. Too big for what? Her arms support the work she does. It's not like she went out and tried to get huge arms. That's just what happens when you do what she does. Is she supposed to not do something she's great at because it might give her arms that some people think are "too big?" That's ridiculous.

    By the way, here is Camille, for those who don't know who I'm talking about:

    574710_3084767159684_1006065122_n-e1362419130468.jpg

    Whoa! Now i'm starting to feel a tad bulky...
  • juliemouse83
    juliemouse83 Posts: 6,663 Member
    Tagging to read later.

    When I told my friend I wanted to do a figure competition later this year, I was told not to get "beastly"

    DAFUQ? :laugh:


    I have a friend who told me not to lift too much because I wouldn't want to be manly and that my husband might feel intimidated by that...dowhat? LMAO!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I don't have a problem with the terms "masculine" and "feminine," but I have a real problem with people labeling physical attributes that both sexes possess with those terms. And what especially pisses me off is when this sort of talk comes from women. It nearly always comes from women who don't have 1/10 of the work ethic required to get anywhere close to "bulky."

    If Jessica Biel is bulky and masculine, then sign me up.

    When people used to come to me and tell me they didnt' want to get bulky- I just laughed and all I could think of was

    "honey you can't be bothered to come to the gym 2x a week for 30 minutes and put down the twinkies- it's physically impossible for you to put in the kind of work it takes to get truly bulky"

    points to self- I'm trying to get bigger- I work out 6 days a week and eat thousands of calories- do I look bulky to you??

    yeah. sit down and shuddda up.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    And what we're saying is that any aesthetic that requires you to limit yourself as to what you can achieve athletically or performance-wise is broken.

    Yes. I completely agree with this. If I had to choose a fitness pro whose body is close to what I'm trying to achieve, it would be Camille LeBlanc-Bazinet. And I've had guys tell me, upon seeing her picture, that her arms are too big. Too big for what? Her arms support the work she does. It's not like she went out and tried to get huge arms. That's just what happens when you do what she does. Is she supposed to not do something she's great at because it might give her arms that some people think are "too big?" That's ridiculous.

    By the way, here is Camille, for those who don't know who I'm talking about:

    574710_3084767159684_1006065122_n-e1362419130468.jpg

    The only thing "too big" on that girl is her awesomeness level.

    This whole conversation is ridiculous. I understand, but will never 'get', people who look at bodies that are infinitely more fit and capable than their own and deride them as "too whatever." It makes no sense to me. If you don't want to look like Camille, you don't have to worry because you will never put in half the work and effort she has put into herself. If you lift and control your diet for years and wake up, look at yourself in the mirror, and think "wow, I'm too bulky" then 1) you're a moron, and 2) congratulations you can stop going to the gym every day.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    Lol@ Jessica Biel looking like a man.

    Jesus wept...
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    Any woman who is scared of getting too bulky should Google Anna Meares - an Austrailian track cyclist, and probably one of the strongest women in the world - short of competitive lifters.

    She's only 5'4", weighs less than 150 lbs, and can squat over 320 lbs, single leg press 500 lbs, and deadlift over 200 lbs. Sure, shes short and "chunky", but she's certainly not "bulky" and "manly-looking" in any way.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    And what we're saying is that any aesthetic that requires you to limit yourself as to what you can achieve athletically or performance-wise is broken.

    Yes. I completely agree with this. If I had to choose a fitness pro whose body is close to what I'm trying to achieve, it would be Camille LeBlanc-Bazinet. And I've had guys tell me, upon seeing her picture, that her arms are too big. Too big for what? Her arms support the work she does. It's not like she went out and tried to get huge arms. That's just what happens when you do what she does. Is she supposed to not do something she's great at because it might give her arms that some people think are "too big?" That's ridiculous.

    By the way, here is Camille, for those who don't know who I'm talking about:

    574710_3084767159684_1006065122_n-e1362419130468.jpg

    She's a brick...house... :drinker: :bigsmile:

    I can see how some would feel that her arms are a little disproportionate to her core, but her thighs are the same way, which actually helps to balance it out. And when you look at her as a whole, you can see she's basically a brick wall (very good thing, IMO). Frankly, I think she's smokin'.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
    My friends list is polluted with bulky women who didn't heed my warnings to only lift 3lb pink weights. They disgust me. I stare at their bulky progress pictures for hours and hours, trying to ignore that tingly feeling of disgust that builds up inside of me.

    That's not disgust tingling, sweetie
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    You know who is bulky? Rosie O'Donnell. I'm pretty sure her arms, waist, hips, thighs, calves, and neck are all bigger than manly Jessica Biel's.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    My friends list is polluted with bulky women who didn't heed my warnings to only lift 3lb pink weights. They disgust me. I stare at their bulky progress pictures for hours and hours, trying to ignore that tingly feeling of disgust that builds up inside of me.

    You must be Catholic. :laugh:
  • RECowgill
    RECowgill Posts: 881 Member
    And what we're saying is that any aesthetic that requires you to limit yourself as to what you can achieve athletically or performance-wise is broken.

    Yes. I completely agree with this. If I had to choose a fitness pro whose body is close to what I'm trying to achieve, it would be Camille LeBlanc-Bazinet. And I've had guys tell me, upon seeing her picture, that her arms are too big. Too big for what? Her arms support the work she does. It's not like she went out and tried to get huge arms. That's just what happens when you do what she does. Is she supposed to not do something she's great at because it might give her arms that some people think are "too big?" That's ridiculous.

    By the way, here is Camille, for those who don't know who I'm talking about:

    574710_3084767159684_1006065122_n-e1362419130468.jpg

    That woman is not bulky at all, she has an ideal musculature for an adult female. A regular goddess. If guys think that's too big they must have tiny little chicken arms and tiny little egos. I can tell just by looking at her physique that I lift considerably more than she does and I'm not even that big or strong.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Any woman who is scared of getting too bulky should Google Anna Meares - an Austrailian track cyclist, and probably one of the strongest women in the world - short of competitive lifters.

    She's only 5'4", weighs less than 150 lbs, and can squat over 320 lbs, single leg press 500 lbs, and deadlift over 200 lbs. Sure, shes short and "chunky", but she's certainly not "bulky" and "manly-looking" in any way.
    meh- female top squat is like 843 lbs... and if you are lifting heavy for more than 6 months as a woman- you should be able to hit over 200 dead lift.

    that's not really that impressive.
  • Mother_Superior
    Mother_Superior Posts: 1,624 Member
    Beastly women make me bulky.
    edward_scissorhands_yes.gif
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    That woman is not bulky at all, she has an ideal musculature for an adult female. A regular goddess. If guys think that's too big they must have tiny little chicken arms and tiny little egos. I can tell just by looking at her physique that I lift considerably more than she does and I'm not even that big or strong.

    She back squats 310 and can snatch 190.

    You sure you can lift considerably more than her?
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    She also front squats 270, which completely blows my mind.
  • sassyjae21
    sassyjae21 Posts: 1,217 Member
    I want to look like Camille!! OMG. Her body is amazing.
  • sammcneil
    sammcneil Posts: 10 Member
    girl in the picture is good looking.

    may be im into bulky girls haha
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    Strong women of all sizes are damn sexy. ♡
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    There's a definitional problem. Many women would love to look like Jessica Biel. But that look is not attainable by everyone. The issue some women have is with looking bigger (not "bulky" like a man) than is attractive for their height and physique. For example, if you already have disproportionately big thighs certain exercises such as spinning will make them bigger. If you're exercising for strength or a sport aesthetics may not matter to you, but for some women it does.
    lol
  • Kamikazeflutterby
    Kamikazeflutterby Posts: 770 Member
    There are some levels of definition I find more aesthetically appealing than others, but it's after the point where you're not worried about weight, you're actively working on body fat percentage and body composition. I would love to be fit enough that this was a concern. And someday I will.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    For example, if you already have disproportionately big thighs certain exercises such as spinning will make them bigger.

    Certain exercises like eating too much will make them bigger. Spinning? Not so much.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    And what we're saying is that any aesthetic that requires you to limit yourself as to what you can achieve athletically or performance-wise is broken.

    Yes. I completely agree with this. If I had to choose a fitness pro whose body is close to what I'm trying to achieve, it would be Camille LeBlanc-Bazinet. And I've had guys tell me, upon seeing her picture, that her arms are too big. Too big for what? Her arms support the work she does. It's not like she went out and tried to get huge arms. That's just what happens when you do what she does. Is she supposed to not do something she's great at because it might give her arms that some people think are "too big?" That's ridiculous.

    By the way, here is Camille, for those who don't know who I'm talking about:

    574710_3084767159684_1006065122_n-e1362419130468.jpg

    I think her figure is just about my ideal. If guys want to think her arms are intimidating- well, those aren't the guys for me.

    ETA: I just looked it up- she's 5'2". YAY for shorty brickhouses.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
    Tagging to read later.

    When I told my friend I wanted to do a figure competition later this year, I was told not to get "beastly"

    DAFUQ? :laugh:


    I have a friend who told me not to lift too much because I wouldn't want to be manly and that my husband might feel intimidated by that...dowhat? LMAO!


    Yeah you missed that part Jules!

    I like being to lift stuff. Its frigging useful.
    Like moving my couch or TV...
  • I used to be afraid of lifting because I "didn't want to look bullky." What changed my mind was shifting the focus away from what my body looks like, and instead seting my goals based on what I wanted my body to DO. Initially, I wanted to be able to do just one pull-up. Achieving that goal taught me how empowering strength can be. After three years of powerlifting and half a year of Olympic weightlifting, some people might think I look "bulky"... But I really don't care what they think, because I take a 100+ lb. barbell from the floor and toss it over my head and they can't.

    I think it's a good idea for anyone just getting into fitness to try setting goals this way: what do I want my body to do? It doesn't have to be strength related: your goal could be "running a mile," or something as simple as "walk up a flight of stairs without feeling short of breath." But I've found that the "looking good" part comes very easily if you focus on "what can I do?" rather than "what do I look like?"
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    I used to be afraid of lifting because I "didn't want to look bullky." What changed my mind was shifting the focus away from what my body looks like, and instead seting my goals based on what I wanted my body to DO. Initially, I wanted to be able to do just one pull-up. Achieving that goal taught me how empowering strength can be. After three years of powerlifting and half a year of Olympic weightlifting, some people might think I look "bulky"... But I really don't care what they think, because I take a 100+ lb. barbell from the floor and toss it over my head and they can't.

    I think it's a good idea for anyone just getting into fitness to try setting goals this way: what do I want my body to do? It doesn't have to be strength related: your goal could be "running a mile," or something as simple as "walk up a flight of stairs without feeling short of breath." But I've found that the "looking good" part comes very easily if you focus on "what can I do?" rather than "what do I look like?"

    I agree with this very much. And in life generally there's way too much emphasis on what women can look like rather than what they can do. I'm raising my girls to focus on what they can do (both in terms of fitness and in terms of all other kinds of skills) and that looking good comes as a natural result of being fit and healthy.
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
    In for the conversation about bulky female bodies! These always turn out well. I loved the article, btw!!

    6SCAgkk.gif
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
    I used to be afraid of lifting because I "didn't want to look bullky." What changed my mind was shifting the focus away from what my body looks like, and instead seting my goals based on what I wanted my body to DO. Initially, I wanted to be able to do just one pull-up. Achieving that goal taught me how empowering strength can be. After three years of powerlifting and half a year of Olympic weightlifting, some people might think I look "bulky"... But I really don't care what they think, because I take a 100+ lb. barbell from the floor and toss it over my head and they can't.

    I think it's a good idea for anyone just getting into fitness to try setting goals this way: what do I want my body to do? It doesn't have to be strength related: your goal could be "running a mile," or something as simple as "walk up a flight of stairs without feeling short of breath." But I've found that the "looking good" part comes very easily if you focus on "what can I do?" rather than "what do I look like?"

    This is an excellent point!!
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    The day someone calls me "beastly" is the day I will feel like I've succeeded.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    I used to be afraid of lifting because I "didn't want to look bullky." What changed my mind was shifting the focus away from what my body looks like, and instead seting my goals based on what I wanted my body to DO. Initially, I wanted to be able to do just one pull-up. Achieving that goal taught me how empowering strength can be. After three years of powerlifting and half a year of Olympic weightlifting, some people might think I look "bulky"... But I really don't care what they think, because I take a 100+ lb. barbell from the floor and toss it over my head and they can't.

    I think it's a good idea for anyone just getting into fitness to try setting goals this way: what do I want my body to do? It doesn't have to be strength related: your goal could be "running a mile," or something as simple as "walk up a flight of stairs without feeling short of breath." But I've found that the "looking good" part comes very easily if you focus on "what can I do?" rather than "what do I look like?"

    Awesome first post! :drinker::love: