Want to maintain but not increase muscle - ideas?

vizamy

Hi folks

I've got to the stage now where I'm happy with the amount of muscle I have - I'm a female who puts muscle on relatively quickly - and I want to maintain but not increase it now. I don't want to go any bigger.

I'm not doing a LOT of strength training, been doing it every second day on average, but not lots of it at a time. It's in my food/exercise diary.

What would people advise for maintenance?

Thanks!

snookumss

For maintenance on small toned muscles, its always MANY reps on light weights. If you just plan to maintain, only do one weight day a week (a good one). See how that goes, is that maintenance enough? if you have a gym with weight lifting classes (mine is BodyPump) thats a great way to keep muscles while still doing cardio

snookumss

ha ha I saw my post as soon as my page refreshed. Just in case you were wondering, I personally do not train as I suggested for you (as noticeable by my muscle "D).

EricMurano

I thought you just lift the same amount of weight to maintain ...

sugarbone

If you are eating maintenance calories it will be very, very difficult to put on new muscle even if you tried

dragonbug300

It takes at least two days a week of working a muscle group in order to maintain muscle. If you decrease your strength training, your muscles will atrophy. That's just how it works. Seeing as you do relatively few reps of extremely light weights, you are at no risk of gaining bulk.
Frankly, I'd recommend increasing the weight you're lifting and going for at least 2-3 times a week.
I lift 15-25 pound dumbbells, and even higher on machines. When I started out, I looked a bit more muscular but my body adjusted within a week and I started to look skinnier as I increased the weights (while maintaining my current weight). You're not going to get buff by lifting 4 pounds... heck, I doubt that does much for your body composition at all.

vizamy

Thanks for all your thoughts.

I have been doing the first round with 2kg per dumbbell (and 30 sec planks) and then the second round of the same stuff with 4.5kg (and 1 min planks). I live in a metric country and MFP doesn't have the ability to reset it to kg not lbs. I have kg in my notes at the bottom. I have been doing it 3 times per week on average.

So just keep going with the weights I have been using then? That won't get me bigger?

Snookums my muscle on my arms ATM would be pretty close to yours allowing for cover, but more defined. I seem to grow them pretty easily.

My worry was that if they kept on getting bigger and bigger, they'd be too big. I was surprised by how big they are getting with the relatively little I do.

I still have fat to lose.

I should also say, I don't like working out if it hurts too much. I'm 48 years old with associated health challenges and frankly, I don't feel like I need pain to get myself fit. Sure I have to push myself to do some of it at times but too much, nope. It would just make me want to stop doing it.

snookumss

I stopped weight lifting for a year, and jumped back in at only 20lbs less strength than I ended with last year. Its really hard for your muscles to get "too big". Question, who will deem them too big? I am naturally bulky, I know when I lose my weight I will look very muscular, but I will still look GREAT! I don't think your body can make muscles unnaturally large for you without some... assistance. Just stick to what you are doing... I don't think you can bulk up much without really trying hon

vizamy

Thanks for that snookumss, that's reassuring. I've not lifted weights before so I didn't really know what to expect. Before when I was very fit - and much younger - I was doing physical work and recreation and was fit that way.

I'll just keep doing what I'm doing then.