OMG lifting heavy made me so bulky!!

HeidiMightyRawr

Thought I'd make a thread for my progress so far, and show people (mainly women) that lifting heavy won't make you bulk up, and can actually get you great results! No need for really light weights and endless reps, pick up some heavy sh1t and reap the benefits *heavy is relative and determined by reps, not the actual weight on the bar*

I'm not at my goal yet, but have made good progress so far, just working on some more definition now, mostly in my abs - I want a 6 pack (or at least 4 pack)

I've been lifting heavy for just over 2 years straight, but been even more serious about it for the past year roughly. (before that I never really did squats/deadlifts much if at all)

These were taken tonight 143/144lbs:





These next two were taken 2 years ago nearly. I'd had prior heavy lifting experience, but had only been back at it after a long break, for around 2-3 months. I didn't do squats / deadlifts at this point, or much leg work at all apart from leg press occasionally. I was around 136lbs here, so lighter but my legs were all skinny fat before, and my belly is flatter now than it was then.
I'm 5'8.




I currently eat 2300 calories a day which works out at roughly 1800/1900 NET on exercise days, 4-5 times a week (I don't log exercise any more)

If you're a female and feel you look "bulky", chances are you still have fat to lose. There was a massive difference in how I looked (muscle-wise) and my clothing size, between when I was 150lbs, 27% body fat, after a long break from lifting, and when I was the same weight but 22% body fat, after I'd lost fat, and done a purposeful bulk (3000+ calories a day)
Excess fat combined with some muscle, is usually the main cause of looking bulky, not the muscle itself! :drinker:

shammxo

Love this.

You look amazing!

Sarahbara76

You look excellent!! and so tiny looking :drinker: and you eat to woot woot!

Meg_78

OMG girl you are so bulky and ginormous and manly!!!!! :laugh:

(LOL - Beautiful!)

(guess I look bulky and manly too, concidering I lift and eat big! )

Libby81

Seriously i've said it before and will again, you look fab!!! and you work so hard at it, our results are all well deserved

_stephanie0

LOL!!!!!

when I first seen the title " OMG lifting heavy made me so bulky!! " my comment was simply going to be "said no one ever"

then I realized you didn't actually mean it hahaha

good job you look great

EpiGaiaRepens

you are repulsive.
disgusting.
makes me wanna....
lift heavy!!!!!

um.
give me your workout regimine so I can look like you!!!!


good job!

royaldrea

See, this is just what I needed. I've recently started heavy lifting and have been nervous! because in the back of my mind I still think that I will look like a big ol' man once I begin to see results. You look great and the very opposite of bulky and manly! Way to go!

theartichoke

You're a hottie! Thanks for posting this and the encouragement!

thescrumisfun

You look great! Thank you for this post. I lift heavy too, and my family keeps telling me I'll bulk...not true, especially when I lose the extra fat . Congrats on your accomplishments!

Ilovedrinkingtea

OP what lifting do you do? How often? How do I start? Details please!!!

Serenstar75

My boyfriend would SOOOO hug you for this! I'm not worried I'll look bulky because I'm learning a lot more here about this. However, I have friends who have worried they will so were hesitant to start. This was great. Thank you very much.

EpiGaiaRepens

i do actually know one girl who bulks up huge when she lifts. SHe has naturally high testosterone. But she doesn't need to work out at all...she's got like 2% BF. Her abs pop and her muscles are super defined...and she doesn't work out. at. all.

I ENVY her.

secretlobster

If you're a female and feel you look "bulky", chances are you still have fat to lose.

Yeah, this... A woman is not going to put on the musculature of a man without testosterone injections. Bulk generally looks like fat.

And if you really don't want to lift, then don't. No one's saying you have to.

_stephanie0

I actually look better when I lift heavy and do zero cardio hahah.... eat good and lift heavy!! i dont think you need cardio unless you want the RIDICULOUSLY shredded look. but me, nah i dont need 2 hrs of cardio per day thanks haha

auroranflash

Looking great! Your legs are lovely. :]

HeidiMightyRawr

OP what lifting do you do? How often? How do I start? Details please!!!

Upper / Lower body split, 4 times a week (2 for each)

Upper - bench press, overhead press, biceps curls and a couple of tricep exercises (usually the press down machine and cable press down)
Lower - Squats, deadlifts, DB lunges, and some upper back stuff (that would never fit into my current upper body routine in terms of time) such as lat pull down, DB rows, and reverse pec deck.

It lasts just over an hour each session. You can start by looking at some beginner routines such as starting strength, NROL4W, and stronglifts 5x5. I haven't done any of those myself as my bf got me into lifting and I ended up creating my own program that works for me, but if you don't know what you're doing, those should be good There are several people on here that follow those programs, and private groups dedicated to them!

HeidiMightyRawr

I actually look better when I lift heavy and do zero cardio hahah.... eat good and lift heavy!! i dont think you need cardio unless you want the RIDICULOUSLY shredded look. but me, nah i dont need 2 hrs of cardio per day thanks haha

Same here! My cardio is bodypump once a week! I know people say that's lifting, but I'll never ever think of it as lifting, not properly. It's more like endurance training than strength training, which is why I see it as my cardio

bisky

Thank you for posting this!!!!! I just started lifting weights last week on base (airforce base) with a personal trainer. She is 60 y/o and probably a size 0 with no body fat. She has no bulging muscles. She has me lifting heavier weights than I have ever tried before. It is kinda fun and challenging. All my tennis friends are horrified and keep telling me I am going to bulk up!!!! Today several of them mentioned how much thinner I am looking!

Oishii

Amazing work! If I ever choose to lift heavy I'll come looking for these

Neahpata

Awesome, seeing this I am looking forward to my heavy lifting training even more.

ickybella

Bump, because everyone should see this and also because you're awesome.

welloiledmachine

i do actually know one girl who bulks up huge when she lifts. SHe has naturally high testosterone. But she doesn't need to work out at all...she's got like 2% BF. Her abs pop and her muscles are super defined...and she doesn't work out. at. all.

I ENVY her.

There is no possible way that anybody can have 2% body fat. Not even a man.

amsparky

So happy to see another lifting success story - keep up the good work! You look fab!!

ironanimal

Your legs are fuarking awesome.

WonderKP

i do actually know one girl who bulks up huge when she lifts. SHe has naturally high testosterone. But she doesn't need to work out at all...she's got like 2% BF. Her abs pop and her muscles are super defined...and she doesn't work out. at. all.

I ENVY her.

no wonder my mom has almost as big of arms as my brothers! haha, my whole family has naturally high testosterone...(maybe not as much as you are describing)

Yanicka1

Looking great honey. Keep at it

margojr4

:drinker:

Cheers, fellow lifter!!

beckyinma

!!!!

BandedTriaRN

I was lifting heavy before I became disabled, it really helped me burn calories and keep toned when losing weight. Then I was hit by FXTAS (think MS meets mild Parkinsons) and I can't lift hardly at all without tremendous fatigue and pain:( PLUS due to less activity and emotional eating, I re-gained all the weight that I had fought so hard to lose plus another 20lbs:( . I still work out with small weights and even then I have to be very careful and spread a tiny workout over the day. I really miss working out with higher weights. I never looked like an amazon and I have higher testosterone in my body naturally and a large body frame. I really loved doing "Body for Life" back then...

dandelion39

Heavy lifting for the hotness win!