Heavy Lifting Vs. Lean Muscle... I'm confused!

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  • docktorfokse
    docktorfokse Posts: 473 Member
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    Which is a typical mosconception many women have about their own bodies. 90% of people in general think that they are building muscle by lifting weights, when what they're actually doing is training their existing muscle to respond to stimulus efficiently. This makes them stronger, but doesn't in fact build...anything.


    Wait. WHAT? Why aren't people building muscle?

    I'm not sure what you mean? If your question was serious, the answer is that unless you're very overweight and/or new to lifting...if you're on a calorie deficit, your body doesn't have the supplies necessary to actually ADD muscle. What it WILL do though, with the addition of weight training (or even cardio, endurance training, etc), is train the muscles being used to respond more efficiently to neural stimulus. This improves strength...but doesn't actually add any muscle.

    For example...in February I ripped my right lower biceps tendon off of my forearm (my biceps was only connected at my shoulder). For two weeks before the surgery to reconnect it...it wasn't being used properly. Additionally, for two weeks after the surgery...it was partially immobilized. There was a VERY small amount of atrophy (loss of muscle), but since it was still partially 'mobile' the entire time, there wasn't much. What DID happen though, is the muscle got very, very soft. It felt like fat. It looked substantially smaller, and wouldn't flex properly...only with very extreme concentration, and even then it wasn't hard...just slightly less...soft. Within a couple weeks of returning to strength training, the muscle began working again, it firmed up very quickly, flexes properly, and isn't noticeably smaller than my other arm. You don't build ANY muscle in two weeks. What happened, was that my brain and biceps basically reeducated themselves on what they needed to do, and began doing it.

    With overweight people, or people who lead a very sedentary lifestyle, those muscles may NEVER have needed to have any real efficiency. So when the stress is put on them with exercise, they adapt (VERY QUICKLY) by firming up and becoming stronger, and even sometimes appearing slightly larger (part of this is swelling with water/glycogen to assist with repair). That's why strength gains come so quickly initially, then usually levels off. You're actually JUST finally beginning to use what muscle you have to its potential. This is also part of why people tend to believe they put on muscle very quickly. Which is simply false.

    Understand also, this is a simplified explanation...but it will give you a relatively accurate mental image so you understand what's going on.
    Have to agree here. In about my first six weeks or so of lifting my lean body mass increased while I was losing weight. Of course, bone density has to be accounted for as well, but I was starting from sedentary and 210 pounds, so I can believe some lbm gain included muscle mass.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Which is a typical mosconception many women have about their own bodies. 90% of people in general think that they are building muscle by lifting weights, when what they're actually doing is training their existing muscle to respond to stimulus efficiently. This makes them stronger, but doesn't in fact build...anything.


    Wait. WHAT? Why aren't people building muscle?

    I'm not sure what you mean? If your question was serious, the answer is that unless you're very overweight and/or new to lifting...if you're on a calorie deficit, your body doesn't have the supplies necessary to actually ADD muscle. What it WILL do though, with the addition of weight training (or even cardio, endurance training, etc), is train the muscles being used to respond more efficiently to neural stimulus. This improves strength...but doesn't actually add any muscle.

    For example...in February I ripped my right lower biceps tendon off of my forearm (my biceps was only connected at my shoulder). For two weeks before the surgery to reconnect it...it wasn't being used properly. Additionally, for two weeks after the surgery...it was partially immobilized. There was a VERY small amount of atrophy (loss of muscle), but since it was still partially 'mobile' the entire time, there wasn't much. What DID happen though, is the muscle got very, very soft. It felt like fat. It looked substantially smaller, and wouldn't flex properly...only with very extreme concentration, and even then it wasn't hard...just slightly less...soft. Within a couple weeks of returning to strength training, the muscle began working again, it firmed up very quickly, flexes properly, and isn't noticeably smaller than my other arm. You don't build ANY muscle in two weeks. What happened, was that my brain and biceps basically reeducated themselves on what they needed to do, and began doing it.

    With overweight people, or people who lead a very sedentary lifestyle, those muscles may NEVER have needed to have any real efficiency. So when the stress is put on them with exercise, they adapt (VERY QUICKLY) by firming up and becoming stronger, and even sometimes appearing slightly larger (part of this is swelling with water/glycogen to assist with repair). That's why strength gains come so quickly initially, then usually levels off. You're actually JUST finally beginning to use what muscle you have to its potential. This is also part of why people tend to believe they put on muscle very quickly. Which is simply false.

    Understand also, this is a simplified explanation...but it will give you a relatively accurate mental image so you understand what's going on.
    Have to agree here. In about my first six weeks or so of lifting my lean body mass increased while I was losing weight. Of course, bone density has to be accounted for as well, but I was starting from sedentary and 210 pounds, so I can believe some lbm gain included muscle mass.

    Exactly, and when you start from sedentary and overweight...any muscle gain is minimal, and levels off very quickly. The same goes for strength gains. About 6 weeks worth of steep improvement is all you can expect...after that, your gains will still be positive, but the curve levels off dramatically.
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    Exactly, and when you start from sedentary and overweight...any muscle gain is minimal, and levels off very quickly. The same goes for strength gains. About 6 weeks worth of steep improvement is all you can expect...after that, your gains will still be positive, but the curve levels off dramatically.

    Unless, of course, if you're one of the 300 million women on the planet who 'bulk up really quickly' =P
  • ExplorinLauren
    ExplorinLauren Posts: 991 Member
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    Thank you all so much for your advice :) A lot of great help and info in here! Thanks!!!!! Obviously I am worried about things I totally don't need to be! lol
  • ExplorinLauren
    ExplorinLauren Posts: 991 Member
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    If you gain muscle fast you should focus on higher reps (15-20). I have a couple of lady friends that do indeed get fairly bulky from P90X or bootcamp type workouts. But unless you're doing heavy lifting (3-6 reps) until failure you're not going to see major size increases. Not to say you aren't going to see just how big your muscles are from all the cardio you're doing because you'll be cutting up ;)

    How do you know if you 'gain muscle fast'?


    Well, when I work out and whatnot, My legs tend to bulk up fast, as well as my shoulders. And I hate it. lol I'm looking more for a leaner type look.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    If you gain muscle fast you should focus on higher reps (15-20). I have a couple of lady friends that do indeed get fairly bulky from P90X or bootcamp type workouts. But unless you're doing heavy lifting (3-6 reps) until failure you're not going to see major size increases. Not to say you aren't going to see just how big your muscles are from all the cardio you're doing because you'll be cutting up ;)

    How do you know if you 'gain muscle fast'?


    Well, when I work out and whatnot, My legs tend to bulk up fast, as well as my shoulders. And I hate it. lol I'm looking more for a leaner type look.

    More than likely, that's just fluid. When you workout you damage the muscle. Your body increase fluids to repair the muscle. Thus the appearance of muscle growth.
  • deadstarsunburn
    deadstarsunburn Posts: 1,337 Member
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    You won't bulk up lol I lift heavy with reps being anywhere between 8-15.
    I do this about 2-3 times a week for half an hour. I am by no means bulky, my body shape has changed since I started doing that but in a good way.

    Good luck =]
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    If you gain muscle fast you should focus on higher reps (15-20). I have a couple of lady friends that do indeed get fairly bulky from P90X or bootcamp type workouts. But unless you're doing heavy lifting (3-6 reps) until failure you're not going to see major size increases. Not to say you aren't going to see just how big your muscles are from all the cardio you're doing because you'll be cutting up ;)

    How do you know if you 'gain muscle fast'?


    Well, when I work out and whatnot, My legs tend to bulk up fast, as well as my shoulders. And I hate it. lol I'm looking more for a leaner type look.

    Most likely what you are seeing here is increase water to the muscle to protect and aid in recovery, it is not an increase in muscle size, and after you get use to or stop the workout your muscles will shed the excess water.
  • JenaePavlak
    JenaePavlak Posts: 350 Member
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    You will not get bulky from heavy lifting. You need added hormones to gain significant muscle. Check out my progress due to heavy lifting... once I started lifting heavy regularly, the weight started coming off and I really started to tone!

    A post I put up a few days ago.. good comments as well....

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/586033-female-lifters-you-will-not-look-this-way

    "Lift Heavy! Run Hard!" =D
  • dia77
    dia77 Posts: 410 Member
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    bump
  • Victoria2448
    Victoria2448 Posts: 559 Member
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    trust me, you won't build significant muscle doing p90x

    Hmm..I've done pretty well. :smile:
  • roodledoodle
    roodledoodle Posts: 183
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    trust me, you won't build significant muscle doing p90x

    Hmm..I've done pretty well. :smile:

    I've noticed a distinct difference in my muscles since doing P90x too!
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    Well, when I work out and whatnot, My legs tend to bulk up fast, as well as my shoulders. And I hate it. lol I'm looking more for a leaner type look.

    Most likely what you are seeing here is increase water to the muscle to protect and aid in recovery, it is not an increase in muscle size, and after you get use to or stop the workout your muscles will shed the excess water.

    This, I would strongly suggest you try sticking with a lifting program for a month or so and then reassess.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    trust me, you won't build significant muscle doing p90x

    Hmm..I've done pretty well. :smile:

    I've noticed a distinct difference in my muscles since doing P90x too!

    Most likely you got stronger, and lost fat that was previously covering the muscles. Did you take measurements, if you did, did they go down or up?
  • kionig
    kionig Posts: 77 Member
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    I'm loving this thread. I lift (heavy) at least for me, and want to lift heavier. I get lots of unasked for advice. I appreciate you all basically breaking it down into easily understandable language, that really makes sense. I was told yesterday ( after i've been lifting 2 years) to do bicep curls at low weight, high reps 15-20, I was appalled as I'm doing heavy weight , low reps 4-8. Seriously, if you've never lifted heavy, don't give me advice as i'm busting my hump over here.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
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    trust me, you won't build significant muscle doing p90x

    Hmm..I've done pretty well. :smile:

    I've noticed a distinct difference in my muscles since doing P90x too!

    A difference in your muscles is a different thing than building "significant muscle". You both are confusing what was said.
  • kionig
    kionig Posts: 77 Member
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    I'm loving this thread. I lift (heavy) at least for me, and want to lift heavier. I get lots of unasked for advice. I appreciate you all basically breaking it down into easily understandable language, that really makes sense. I was told yesterday ( after i've been lifting 2 years) to do bicep curls at low weight, high reps 15-20, I was appalled as I'm doing heavy weight , low reps 4-8. Seriously, if you've never lifted heavy, don't give me advice as i'm busting my hump over here.

    oh yeah, in the past month my forearm measurement has gone up 1/2 inch & my hips down 1&1/2 inch.
  • Reeny1_8
    Reeny1_8 Posts: 277
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    Bump
  • kinsellae
    kinsellae Posts: 167 Member
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    Bump
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    trust me, you won't build significant muscle doing p90x

    Hmm..I've done pretty well. :smile:
    trust me, you won't build significant muscle doing p90x

    Hmm..I've done pretty well. :smile:

    I've noticed a distinct difference in my muscles since doing P90x too!

    /ponders...

    Oh yes, that's right!

    This.
    Which is a typical mosconception many women have about their own bodies. 90% of people in general think that they are building muscle by lifting weights, when what they're actually doing is training their existing muscle to respond to stimulus efficiently. This makes them stronger, but doesn't in fact build...anything.


    Wait. WHAT? Why aren't people building muscle?

    I'm not sure what you mean? If your question was serious, the answer is that unless you're very overweight and/or new to lifting...if you're on a calorie deficit, your body doesn't have the supplies necessary to actually ADD muscle. What it WILL do though, with the addition of weight training (or even cardio, endurance training, etc), is train the muscles being used to respond more efficiently to neural stimulus. This improves strength...but doesn't actually add any muscle.

    For example...in February I ripped my right lower biceps tendon off of my forearm (my biceps was only connected at my shoulder). For two weeks before the surgery to reconnect it...it wasn't being used properly. Additionally, for two weeks after the surgery...it was partially immobilized. There was a VERY small amount of atrophy (loss of muscle), but since it was still partially 'mobile' the entire time, there wasn't much. What DID happen though, is the muscle got very, very soft. It felt like fat. It looked substantially smaller, and wouldn't flex properly...only with very extreme concentration, and even then it wasn't hard...just slightly less...soft. Within a couple weeks of returning to strength training, the muscle began working again, it firmed up very quickly, flexes properly, and isn't noticeably smaller than my other arm. You don't build ANY muscle in two weeks. What happened, was that my brain and biceps basically reeducated themselves on what they needed to do, and began doing it.

    With overweight people, or people who lead a very sedentary lifestyle, those muscles may NEVER have needed to have any real efficiency. So when the stress is put on them with exercise, they adapt (VERY QUICKLY) by firming up and becoming stronger, and even sometimes appearing slightly larger (part of this is swelling with water/glycogen to assist with repair). That's why strength gains come so quickly initially, then usually levels off. You're actually JUST finally beginning to use what muscle you have to its potential. This is also part of why people tend to believe they put on muscle very quickly. Which is simply false.

    Understand also, this is a simplified explanation...but it will give you a relatively accurate mental image so you understand what's going on.

    You're going to 'see a difference'.

    You're NOT going to build muscle doing P90x.

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