Women who put on muscle fast

WendyTerry420

I have a propensity to gain muscle very quickly too. This site is unfortunately full of a lot of people preaching whatever they hear. ''Squats are the best exercise ever!'' ''Counting calories is the only way to lose weight!'' I lift heavy and my muscles did in fact grow a lot from it. Perhaps that's not the ''norm'' when it comes to the majority of women, but claiming that woman who lift don't bulk up is pure B.S. Some of us do.

lulz.

I think we would all just love to see pictures from the ones making these claims, yourself included. Less talk and more "proof."

The pictures posted in this thread thus far certainly aren't helping your side of this discussion.

My quads and arms have grown significantly from lifting heavy. Again, perhaps not the ''norm'' but I do in fact put on muscle quickly.

That photo is of a slender woman, not "mannish" at all.

bcf7683

I have a propensity to gain muscle very quickly too. This site is unfortunately full of a lot of people preaching whatever they hear. ''Squats are the best exercise ever!'' ''Counting calories is the only way to lose weight!'' I lift heavy and my muscles did in fact grow a lot from it. Perhaps that's not the ''norm'' when it comes to the majority of women, but claiming that woman who lift don't bulk up is pure B.S. Some of us do.

lulz.

I think we would all just love to see pictures from the ones making these claims, yourself included. Less talk and more "proof."

The pictures posted in this thread thus far certainly aren't helping your side of this discussion.

I'd also like to see the pics of the bald spots these women undoubtedly must get as a result of having such high testosterone levels.

YES! :laugh:

WendyTerry420

I have a propensity to gain muscle very quickly too. This site is unfortunately full of a lot of people preaching whatever they hear. ''Squats are the best exercise ever!'' ''Counting calories is the only way to lose weight!'' I lift heavy and my muscles did in fact grow a lot from it. Perhaps that's not the ''norm'' when it comes to the majority of women, but claiming that woman who lift don't bulk up is pure B.S. Some of us do.

lulz.

I think we would all just love to see pictures from the ones making these claims, yourself included. Less talk and more "proof."

The pictures posted in this thread thus far certainly aren't helping your side of this discussion.

I'd also like to see the pics of the bald spots these women undoubtedly must get as a result of having such high testosterone levels.

^^ HA!

thatonegirlwiththestuff

I have a propensity to gain muscle very quickly too. This site is unfortunately full of a lot of people preaching whatever they hear. ''Squats are the best exercise ever!'' ''Counting calories is the only way to lose weight!'' I lift heavy and my muscles did in fact grow a lot from it. Perhaps that's not the ''norm'' when it comes to the majority of women, but claiming that woman who lift don't bulk up is pure B.S. Some of us do.

lulz.

I think we would all just love to see pictures from the ones making these claims, yourself included. Less talk and more "proof."

The pictures posted in this thread thus far certainly aren't helping your side of this discussion.

My quads and arms have grown significantly from lifting heavy. Again, perhaps not the ''norm'' but I do in fact put on muscle quickly.

That photo is of a slender woman, not "mannish" at all.

I agree. I don't consider myself mannish nor do I dislike what lifting heavy has resulted in, but I do pack on muscle fast. Again, perhaps not the ''norm'' but it is in fact the case for some of us.

phatguerilla

Jesus this thread. I think a lot of people are confused about the differences both real and perceived that occur when a person starts training.
Plenty of un- or de-trained individuals would not even be able to flex their bicep and make a 'hard' muscle effect but after a few weeks of lifting weights they are developing a modicum of muscle control and now all of a sudden they're hyooooge.

Also noob gains is a real phenomenon which a lot of people here are either seemingly not aware of or choose to ignore it. For women noob gains are especially apparent because they usually are less active as teens although there are plenty of men with very little muscle mass before their begin training. Even if you did add weight as a combination of muscle water and glycogen the process will not continue infinitely.

Finally if any of the women above who think they're bordering on mutant ability to build muscle choose to ignore this then I suggest you join the nearest sports club of some description because clearly with such wonderful growth ability and naturally elevated hormones you'll be ready for the next olympics in no time.

ItsCasey

The stupid in this thread is unbelievable.

You are not special. If you are genuinely adding actual muscle mass that you don't want, you are eating too much. Lifting (especially the modest weights most of the women complaining in this thread are likely using) does not "pack on muscle" by itself, let alone "really fast." You THINK you are gaining muscle because, if you are in a deficit, lifting, and eating adequate protein, you are losing body fat, which makes whatever muscle you DO have more visible.

Please, for the love of righteousness, educate yourselves about how fat gain/loss and muscle gain/loss happen.

ninerbuff

I can verify that putting on muscle fast (for a man or woman) is more an individual observance rather than an objective one. I've trained a couple of hundred people in my career and NEVER had one that gained muscle fast on a calorie deficit. How do I know? Because we tracked measurements, took pictures and checked body fat %. Many looked more muscular, but that doesn't equate to muscle building.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

juliemouse83

Oh, noes! I'm doing it wrong!

All this time I thought women had to eat at a surplus to build muscle.

I can DO this and still eat at a deficit?

//headdesk//

theoriginaljayne

TX_RattleSnake

How long would you guess I have been lifting? Arms has only been three months and I am up to 15-20 pounds right now. Legs has been all body weight exercises.

I would also like to add this is all while at calorie deficit.

I really don't see any definition

megalin9

Preeeeetty sure my arms haven't gotten bigger. My whole body has gotten significantly SMALLER, and my arms are more defined, which perhaps make my bicep look slightly bigger. Same with my legs.



^^^8 month & 17-pound difference between these two pics.

I also don't understand what is so bad about having the appearance of bigger muscles. I guess I should just chalk it up to personal preference, but it bothers me that so many women think visible muscles = manly.

ETA: I'm 191lbs. I know this isn't a "heavy lifting" thread, but I want to disprove the fact that lifting makes you bigger. I still have quite a bit of weight to lose on my 5'6" frame, but I in no way think I look like 191 pounds.

PikaKnight

Preeeeetty sure my arms haven't gotten bigger. My whole body has gotten significantly SMALLER, and my arms are more defined, which perhaps make my bicep look slightly bigger. Same with my legs.



^^^8 month & 17-pound difference between these two pics.

I also don't understand what is so bad about having the appearance of bigger muscles. I guess I should just chalk it up to personal preference, but it bothers me that so many women think visible muscles = manly.

Wow! Yeah, definitely smaller/tightened up. Especially around the hip and thigh area. NICE!!

fbmandy55

Ladies, I think many of you are mistaking muscle gains for loss of fat. Mostly likely, your muscles were always like that, but the loss of fat around them makes them appear larger or more defined.

Mind games vs science.

jonnythan

The stupid in this thread is unbelievable.

^^.

dangerousdumpling

Ladies, I think many of you are mistaking muscle gains for loss of fat. Mostly likely, your muscles were always like that, but the loss of fat around them makes them appear larger or more defined.

Mind games vs science.

Yes. I've lost an inch off of my arms in the past few months and as my biceps and triceps have started to make an appearance it has caused some strangely beautiful optical illusion. My arms have shrunk but the shape has changed and sometimes I think they look bigger...but the tape measure doesn't lie.

JoRocka

Ladies, I think many of you are mistaking muscle gains for loss of fat. Mostly likely, your muscles were always like that, but the loss of fat around them makes them appear larger or more defined.

Mind games vs science.

This

along with

The stupid in this thread is unbelievable

this

seriously- are not bulky- mannish or big. You look like you have a reasonably low body fat percentage- which is giving you more definition. I think it looks good- well- actually- I think you would look better with a hair more size- PLUS that definition- but I'm partial to women with real muscles.

RunnerElizabeth

A lot of this is is just personal preference. Some women just don't like having much in the way of muscle deffinition. They consider it bulky. I'm perfectly ok with some muscle definition. I think strong is sexy.

I think it is incredibly hard to build new muscle. For the most part I think that what is happening is these ladies are changing eating habits and increasing excercise lowering their bf % and making their existing muscle more visible.

I started running a good amount last year. Anyway, I lost about 17lbs and even though running did nothing for my mom pooch, I suddenly had very well cut shoulders and the appearance of definintion in my arms as well. My arms look fine and could still be tighter, but where my traps are concerned, I feel like a bit of a genetic anomaly. I do recognize though, that if I posted pictures you'd all probably tell me I don't have hulking man shoulders. Which is another point some of this thinking that you have huge possibly unattractive muscles is just personal body image issues. Most of us hate something about ourselves.

Anyway, I definitely didn't gain muscle in my arms and shoulders from running and eating at a moderate deficit. I just lowered my body fat percentage a little bit and since you can't spot reduce my body chose to take the fat from my butt, shoulders, arms and boobs and leave the fat on my stomach and thighs alone. I realize that continuing to lower my bf would probably help some but now that I'm approaching the lower end of my healthy weight range I'm nervous about doing this.

Fullsterkur_woman

I realize that continuing to lower my bf would probably help some but now that I'm approaching the lower end of my healthy weight range I'm nervous about doing this.

If I may make a suggestion, you could start lifting more while eating a small surplus to gain muscle (I know it's hard!). That would move you away from the lower end of your healthy weight range, change your body composition favorably, and increase your metabolic rate.

I'm going to lose weight very, very slowly, because I don't want to lose any muscle mass. If I want to get to an ideal body fat %, I'll have to be near the bottom of my healthy weight range too; in fact, I'd have to be lighter than I have been since probably 1989! :laugh: I'd just as soon not have to try to lose a bunch of weight and then try to add muscle without adding much fat. Plus I get to eat more the whole time! :drinker:

(edit: typo)

redheaddee

Ladies, I think many of you are mistaking muscle gains for loss of fat. Mostly likely, your muscles were always like that, but the loss of fat around them makes them appear larger or more defined.

Mind games vs science.

This

along with

The stupid in this thread is unbelievable

this

seriously- are not bulky- mannish or big. You look like you have a reasonably low body fat percentage- which is giving you more definition. I think it looks good- well- actually- I think you would look better with a hair more size- PLUS that definition- but I'm partial to women with real muscles.

Yup.

I would rather me muscular and "bulky" than fat EVERY DAMN DAY OF THE WEEK.

lithezebra

It doesn't matter if I put on muscle easily, or just have a lot of muscle to begin with. I weigh 15 pounds more than my sister does, in spite of having the same wrist, elbow, ankle, waist and height measurements, a smaller chest circumference and the same width across the shoulders. I have noticeably larger legs, arms, glutes and back muscles.

Fullsterkur_woman

It doesn't matter if I put on muscle easily, or just have a lot of muscle to begin with. I weigh 15 pounds more than my sister does, in spite of having the same wrist, elbow, ankle, waist and height measurements, a smaller chest circumference and the same width across the shoulders. I have noticeably larger legs, arms, glutes and back muscles.

Sweet! You'll be able to survive better if you're ever injured.

RGv2

It doesn't matter if I put on muscle easily, or just have a lot of muscle to begin with. I weigh 15 pounds more than my sister does, in spite of having the same wrist, elbow, ankle, waist and height measurements, a smaller chest circumference and the same width across the shoulders. I have noticeably larger legs, arms, glutes and back muscles.

You started out at the same weight, started lifting, gained 15lbs of muscle mass......in a caloric deficit?

JoRocka

It doesn't matter if I put on muscle easily, or just have a lot of muscle to begin with. I weigh 15 pounds more than my sister does, in spite of having the same wrist, elbow, ankle, waist and height measurements, a smaller chest circumference and the same width across the shoulders. I have noticeably larger legs, arms, glutes and back muscles.

it happens.

thank god we aren't all built the same.
elbow? why are you measuring your elbow?

wrist elbow ankle and height are all fixed points that unless you under go tremendous surgery you aren't going to change and are not great indicators of fat. They are some of the LAST places to get fat typically.

Some people carry weight low- some mid- some high.

It is what it is- and has little to do with the speed of which women put on muscle. Now- it will change how you appear to look- if she carries weight higher and you lower- you'll have more defined shoulders first- and she'll have more defined legs first. That- again- is what it is- but the fact you guys are the same "frame size" but carry weight differently doesn't have much to do with how quickly you put on muscle or lose fat.

mantium999

This thread is why women's "fitness" magazines exist and are proftable. I would challenge any single person in here who claims they put on muscle easily to track for 6 months their measurements, weight, and bf% while lifting weights and eating at maintenance or deficit, and then come back here and show your muscle gains. I have seen many a person here claim to put on muscle easily, but not a single time has anyone ever provided any data whatsoever to support said claim. Perception over science.

F1TCH1K

Define mannish...I am 5'2", 124lbs, deadlift 220lbs, squat 195lbs, bench 125lbs. I am well defined but not manly, at least I don't think so ;-)

lithezebra

It doesn't matter if I put on muscle easily, or just have a lot of muscle to begin with. I weigh 15 pounds more than my sister does, in spite of having the same wrist, elbow, ankle, waist and height measurements, a smaller chest circumference and the same width across the shoulders. I have noticeably larger legs, arms, glutes and back muscles.

You started out at the same weight, started lifting, gained 15lbs of muscle mass......in a caloric deficit?

Who said anything about a calorie deficit? I eat to maintain. I've been exercising most of my life. It's too late for controlled experiments.

elbow? why are you measuring your elbow?

wrist elbow ankle and height are all fixed points that unless you under go tremendous surgery you aren't going to change and are not great indicators of fat. They are some of the LAST places to get fat typically.

Exactly. The elbow is an indicator of bone structure, not body fat. That's why we measure it. My point was that with similar bone structures, the same height and similar body fat percentages, I still weigh 15 pounds more than my sister.

JoRocka

Who said anything about a calorie deficit? I eat to maintain. I've been exercising most of my life. It's too late for controlled experiments.

Exactly. The elbow is an indicator of bone structure, not body fat. That's why we measure it.

I'ts never to late for experimenting!

You don't need to measure those things to figure out your frame is roughly the same size- I have bird like wrists- they are probably the same size as my 5'5" roommates- big fat so what.

BeachIron

It doesn't matter if I put on muscle easily, or just have a lot of muscle to begin with. I weigh 15 pounds more than my sister does, in spite of having the same wrist, elbow, ankle, waist and height measurements, a smaller chest circumference and the same width across the shoulders. I have noticeably larger legs, arms, glutes and back muscles.

You started out at the same weight, started lifting, gained 15lbs of muscle mass......in a caloric deficit?

You know this is a losing battle, right? lol

For the record, I've been under this same delusion of easy muscle/body size growth and I don't think people get it until they see it happen with their own bodies. I fully expected for my arms and chest to grow when I started back to lifting 5 years ago. The reality is that everything shrank because I lost body fat and weight.

Yea, once you're down to a very low body fat percentage, you will see size growth from there . . if you work your tail off and eat at a calorie surplus. But certainly not from where you start if you're currently overweight, and definitely not in a calorie deficit.

RGv2

It doesn't matter if I put on muscle easily, or just have a lot of muscle to begin with. I weigh 15 pounds more than my sister does, in spite of having the same wrist, elbow, ankle, waist and height measurements, a smaller chest circumference and the same width across the shoulders. I have noticeably larger legs, arms, glutes and back muscles.

You started out at the same weight, started lifting, gained 15lbs of muscle mass......in a caloric deficit?

Who said anything about a calorie deficit? I eat to maintain. I've been exercising most of my life. It's too late for controlled experiments.

Your diary?

lithezebra

It doesn't matter if I put on muscle easily, or just have a lot of muscle to begin with. I weigh 15 pounds more than my sister does, in spite of having the same wrist, elbow, ankle, waist and height measurements, a smaller chest circumference and the same width across the shoulders. I have noticeably larger legs, arms, glutes and back muscles.

You started out at the same weight, started lifting, gained 15lbs of muscle mass......in a caloric deficit?

Who said anything about a calorie deficit? I eat to maintain. I've been exercising most of my life. It's too late for controlled experiments.

Your diary?

My diary does not show eating at a deficit. I eat a little under, and only a little under, what MFP estimates for my TDEE, because MFP overestimates my burns from exercise. My measurements show maintenance.