Muscle Building vs Toning Up?!!!

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  • mapexdrummer69
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    True, but even so, to achieve the "toned" look most women strive for, one must build muscle. In order to build muscle, a sufficient amount of protein is needed in the diet.
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    Calories>protein if wanting to build muscle.


    Protein is needed in every diet, to what amount is determined by specific and individual goals.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    To "bulk up" you will need to eat more than you burn as well as train seriously hard for that exact purpose. So many men have trouble bulking up, and as a woman it's going to be ALOT harder than it is for a man, you don't have the right amount of testosterone for serious muscle gains.

    By adding cardio (as well as) strength training you should create the "toned" look you are going for. But the idea that endless reps of a really light weight will get you this, and heavy weights will make you bulky is rubbish. You have to push yourself in what you're lifting and the last few reps should be a struggle whether you are going for 6, 10 or 15 reps.
    It's generally seen that 4-6 reps is for strength, 8-12 I think for muscle size and 15+ for stamina, but even then the muscle size here is not going to be big and bulky the way it can be for men. I lift heavy (4-6 reps usually) and am not bulky.
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
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    "bulking up" requires a diet that will support such a goal. Eating at a caloric deficit (which most of us here are doing since our aim is to lose some weight) is not conducive to that end.

    This.


    Building muscle requires a calorie surplus, meaning more calories in than out.

    Not true.
  • oddyogi
    oddyogi Posts: 1,816 Member
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    Calories>protein if wanting to build muscle.


    Protein is needed in every diet, to what amount is determined by specific and individual goals.

    Mmmm.. nope. No one's going to build muscle eating 15% of their calories from protein, even if they're eating 3000 calories per day. In order to build one pound of muscle you need 454 grams of protein. If you eat 1500 cals/day and eat 30% of those cals from protein, that leaves you with 787 grams of protein weekly, which sounds all find and dandy until you take into account the protein turnover that happens every minute of every day. Long story short, you need a lot of protein to build muscle.

    Edit: Which is why I'm a 5'5, 150-lb woman attempting to eat 160+ grams of protein every day.
  • mapexdrummer69
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    "bulking up" requires a diet that will support such a goal. Eating at a caloric deficit (which most of us here are doing since our aim is to lose some weight) is not conducive to that end.

    This.


    Building muscle requires a calorie surplus, meaning more calories in than out.

    Not true.


    Please,


    Elaborate.
  • mapexdrummer69
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    Calories>protein if wanting to build muscle.


    Protein is needed in every diet, to what amount is determined by specific and individual goals.

    Mmmm.. nope. No one's going to build muscle eating 15% of their calories from protein, even if they're eating 3000 calories per day. In order to build one pound of muscle you need 454 grams of protein. If you eat 1500 cals/day and eat 30% of those cals from protein, that leaves you with 787 grams of protein weekly, which sounds all find and dandy until you take into account the protein turnover that happens every minute of every day. Long story short, you need a lot of protein to build muscle.

    Edit: Which is why I'm a 5'5, 150-lb woman attempting to eat 160+ grams of protein every day.


    I'm not saying that protein is not required to build muscle, quite the opposite. I'm simply stating that a diet can consist of 1800 calories or 450g of protein, be 300 calories UNDER maint., and still not build muscle.
  • oddyogi
    oddyogi Posts: 1,816 Member
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    I'm not saying that protein is not required to build muscle, quite the opposite. I'm simply stating that a diet can consist of 1800 calories or 450g of protein, be 300 calories UNDER maint., and still not build muscle.

    Guess I don't understand what your argument is, then.
  • mapexdrummer69
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    I'm not saying that protein is not required to build muscle, quite the opposite. I'm simply stating that a diet can consist of 1800 calories or 450g of protein, be 300 calories UNDER maint., and still not build muscle.

    Guess I don't understand what your argument is, then.

    Lol, sorry, no argument. I just thought by your first response you were implying that a calorie surplus is not needed to build muscle. :-)
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    Unless you are taking supplements and doing some kind of body building workout - women don't "bulk up" the men do. We are missing a high level key component in order for this to occur - testosterone. When I first started at the gym, I was nervous about using the weights because of the bulk up issue. Did a lot of research - body building women are usually taking some kind of supplements. So, no worries.

    BTW, I do a medium weight range until I experience muscle fatigue and I'm not bulking up at all. I am, however, toning up and love it. :) From everything I've read - start low and work your way up. If you can do 20 or more reps and you don't feel like your muscles are working very hard, it is time to up your weight. I don't feel like I'm doing ANYTHING if I try and do arm curls with 20lbs - I could probably do 100 reps of that weight. Am I really working my muscles then? Nah. It's too easy. When it gets too easy - up the weight.
  • Teemo
    Teemo Posts: 338
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    Eagerly awaiting the response on how I can add muscle/lean body mass on a caloric deficit. Will save me a fortune in food.
  • mapexdrummer69
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    Eagerly awaiting the response on how I can add muscle/lean body mass on a caloric deficit. Will save me a fortune in food.


    I'm thinking the same thing.
  • bpe101
    bpe101 Posts: 53 Member
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    You do not need to eat a bunch of protein to build muscle. Take, for instance, male dancers. They can become extremely built and strong simply by, well, dancing. Especially with all the lifting of women... Now if you are talking about competitive body building, well, that's a different story. Looking for muscles? Lower your body fat to help show off your muscles and do weight lifting or other activities where you use your muscles, which can be quite a lot of activities. And, no, using your tv remote doesn't count... :)
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    First of all, there is no such thing as "toning" or "sculpting" your muscles. You're either building muscles, or you're increasing the stamina and endurance of the muscles you already have. The only way to achieve the "toned" look is to build muscle and lose body fat. Low weights with high reps will only increase your muscles' endurance. You need to lift heavy weights for lower reps. If you can do more than 12 reps, you're not choosing weights that are heavy enough. Ideally, you should be doing three sets of 6-8 reps.

    Cardio burns fat, yes, but only while you're doing it. Strength training burns a fraction of the calories that cardio burns DURING THE TIME YOU'RE EXERCISING. The most calories burned from strength training are after the fact; your muscles use energy (burn calories) to repair, renew, and rebuild. Honestly, you don't even need to do cardio. Refer to my blog entry entitled Why Women Should Lift Weights to read more "researched information" behind my statements.

    You should be in and out of the gym in under 45 minutes. Incorporate compound moves to achieve maximum results, i.e. deadlifts, squats, back rows, pushups, dips, pullups, lunges, and all-over core exercises such as planks, jackknives, etc. Don't waste time with isolated bicep curls or tricep extensions--compound exercises will work these muscles and more.

    Thank you for this post!! Listen to this lady, she's very smart.

    The word "tone" is not in my dictionary. I like my nice, shapely muscles, thank you! :wink:
  • bpe101
    bpe101 Posts: 53 Member
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    Yes, this is great advice.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    Unless you are taking supplements and doing some kind of body building workout - women don't "bulk up" the men do. We are missing a high level key component in order for this to occur - testosterone. When I first started at the gym, I was nervous about using the weights because of the bulk up issue. Did a lot of research - body building women are usually taking some kind of supplements. So, no worries.

    haha, I'm pretty sure they're not over the counter "supplements" :laugh:
  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
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    Unless you're taking testosterone shots or get down to a ridiculously low body fat percentage with a ton of muscle on you, you won't "bulk up".
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
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    Eagerly awaiting the response on how I can add muscle/lean body mass on a caloric deficit. Will save me a fortune in food.


    I'm thinking the same thing.

    Raise protein intake. Focus less on cardio and more on anabolic workouts. It will happen. It's proved time and time again. Sheeeesh take P90X. They build in a caloric deficit and people gain muscle mass from it.

    I gained 8lbs doing 1 hr of cardio and 2 hrs of weights and dropped up to 48lbs. Strength was up. I did a hydrostatic test pre and mid way through my journey and muscle mass went up 8lbs and I trust that test more then anything else out there right now.

    This statement was made more in a general statement. As you work out you create and eat in a certain cycle your body is allowed to create more IGF which allows for muscle growth. Women are NOT nearly as prone to this as men are because of the large amounts of estrogen in the blood stream but their are variances of that in women as well were you can see a more toned or defined woman with muscles that isn't on steroids, for instance look at the young lady that is a monther of twins(screen name I have forgot at the moment) or StephanieLynn76.
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
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    Unless you're taking testosterone shots or get down to a ridiculously low body fat percentage with a ton of muscle on you, you won't "bulk up".

    In the right scenario your body can up it's testosterone just by proper diet and anabolic training. Not saying you can create the amount of test people take in a steroid cycle but it is possible.
  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
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    Unless you're taking testosterone shots or get down to a ridiculously low body fat percentage with a ton of muscle on you, you won't "bulk up".

    In the right scenario your body can up it's testosterone just by proper diet and anabolic training. Not saying you can create the amount of test people take in a steroid cycle but it is possible.

    Yes, but not to the point where they'll look like a body builder obviously.
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
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    DEFINE BODY BUILDER.....I know a female that is a body builder but she is not huge but she has some mass and is ripped to shreds.