Women get BULKY from LIFTING HEAVY?!?!

Yogi_Carl

It's like you're not allowed to be a part of this community unless you lift heavy...

Like lifting heavy is mandatory in order to achieve any results...

Really?

:huh:

It's more like the non-scientific, societal thoughts around lifting heavy don't seem to dissipate, even on a health forum with tons of scientific research linked, anecdotal success stories posted, etc.
And many of those beliefs include people not realizing that, as a female, you can lift heavy weights and get closer to your desired look quicker and faster. You can be soft and lift heavy. You can lift and not get "cut,
not even have "ripped" or super "defined" abs, but lift heavy. It's all a matter of how you tackle your plan.

Lifting heavy is the best fast-track to a lean, strong physique, as ripped or bulky as you like (it's your body) - of that there is no argument. However, I do wonder how many unfit women and men who are new to MFP (as we all were at some point) are put off making the first move when they read that LIFTING HEAVY, 5x5 and NROLFW are THE way to go.

By raging on with this message, new people will not be aware of other approaches to weight reduction, lesser strength and muscle development and a whole spectrum of non-weightlifting approaches they could have considered.

Afraid of bulking up from lifting heavy, but still want to see some strength gains and moderate muscle development - why not promote bodyweight strength - or kettlebells. Slower processes but you don't need a gym or a whole heap of iron plates and equipment - is that so bad? Weightlifters love that stuff and that's great, but maybe sometimes forget how scary that can look to a starter in fitness. Bodyweight training can be a great way in to weight training, learn good form, or may even be the preferred approach.

We are all in it for the long haul so why do we need a fast track approach to our goals there are longer approaches that more people can relate to for the whole of their lives. I have known many people leave the iron game in later life because of joint problems, cost of gym hire, available time etc and many take up more moderate regimes simply because they can be taken into older years.

I am in no way detracting from the benefits of lifting heavy - just that there are different approaches.

Peace.

LorinaLynn

I don't want a channing tatum body.


I want a Marylin Monroe bod.

BRING ON THAT 36 - 34 - 36!

I know I'm no Marilyn... but I'm no Channing, either.



36-25-36 and I bench press 100 and squat 150.

Being strong doesn't mean not being feminine.

firstsip

I don't want a channing tatum body.


I want a Marylin Monroe bod.

BRING ON THAT 36 - 34 - 36!

I know I'm no Marilyn... but I'm no Channing, either.



36-25-36 and I bench press 100 and squat 150.

Being strong doesn't mean not being feminine.

Why do you always think you're a pear shape?! You are like va-va-voom hourglass. (Of course, any shape can be va-va-voom, obviously!)

LorinaLynn

Why do you always think you're a pear shape?! You are like va-va-voom hourglass. (Of course, any shape can be va-va-voom, obviously!)

The top half had some help with that suit. It had shaped cups, which are really brittle and stiff since the suit's so old, and without some padding, my boobs looked mishapen and dented. :blushing:

Oh, and thanks. :blushing:

ironanimal

@C4RL05 as I don't want to quote you; for a lot of people starting out, seeing relatively fast results is the best way to encourage someone to stick to the programme. Lifting weights is a way to continually push the boundaries as well; yoga, bodyweight workouts etc certainly have their place and nobody should ridicule you for that, but there is a limit where you stop PROGRESSING with them. Putting an extra pound on the bar is motivation to go back and do it again, and again, and again.

I will always promote heavy lifting over bodyweight for the above reasons, but if heavy lifting isn't an option, like many others, my go-to IS bodyweight exercise.

cakemewithyou

I don't want a channing tatum body.


I want a Marylin Monroe bod.

BRING ON THAT 36 - 34 - 36!

I know I'm no Marilyn... but I'm no Channing, either.



36-25-36 and I bench press 100 and squat 150.

Being strong doesn't mean not being feminine.

You look fabulous!
Not saying that being strong is bad...being BULKY, looks bad to me.
Just my opinion...not what I want to look like. I want to be TONED, not muscular.

MireyGal76

the only way I will EVER be able to get that "perfect hourglass" figure, will be to bulk my butt and lats... because my waist just isn't getting any smaller, and my boobs aren't getting any bigger. :laugh:

really, how hard is it for us to say... to each his/her own?

Figure out what you want to look like, and then find out how they got that way. If you want to look like women in the fitness mags, then you'll probably want to lift and cut body fat. If you don't, then keep some body fat (yay to more calories) and maybe incorporate light lifting.

If you want to be soft, then don't lift at all. [eta: though even then I think some lifting is beneficial - even bodyweight exercises!]

Easy peasey.

Rokwell

bump

thelovelyLIZ

Every time a woman says they worry about bulking up I just roll my eyes. Because all 130lbs of me got SO BULKY after lifting heavy. Heck, I even MAINTAINED that weight when I took a three month hiatus from working out and was eating mug cakes every night and drinking copious amounts of wine. Considering I sat 135-140 through college, and was lucky to get to 130 even in high school, that's a BIG DEAL.

cakemewithyou

OKAY...

seriously, everyone is getting so technical.
Marilyn Monroe had a beautiful body.
I want a feminine, body. (the hourglass, which is what I had before pregnancy)
NOT bulky in any way, shape, or form.
Can everyone stop talking at me like I'm a moron?

THX.

firstsip

OKAY...

seriously, everyone is getting so technical.
Marilyn Monroe had a beautiful body.
I want a feminine, body. (the hourglass, which is what I had before pregnancy)
NOT bulky in any way, shape, or form.
Can everyone stop talking at me like I'm a moron?

THX.

Er... who has been directly talking to you like you're a moron...?

JustJennie1

Sorry, but I bulk. My exH used to hate it, because he would go to extremes to bulk while I had to be very careful to avoid it. We had different genetics, that's it. No two people are the same. And just like he and I were different, no two women are the same. "Women can't bulk" is ridiculous blanket statement to throw out there. I'm sick of hearing it.

I would like to see pictures of what you consider to be "bulk".

I get no two people are the same but a woman will not get a body building man like physique without steroids. It is impossible regardless of your genetics.

meeka472

I lost inches when I started lifting!

Ladysquire

I just started seeing a personal trainer and assumed he would have me doing a ton of cardio but NO. He's very big on strength training and that's all we do when we're together. He said that people vastly underestimate the importance of it and how effective it is.

The inches are coming off and I'm growing to love it!

MireyGal76

OKAY...

seriously, everyone is getting so technical.
Marilyn Monroe had a beautiful body.
I want a feminine, body. (the hourglass, which is what I had before pregnancy)
NOT bulky in any way, shape, or form.
Can everyone stop talking at me like I'm a moron?

THX.

perhaps we need to define "bulky" in your eyes? Is it having any musculature? is it a straight line from shoulder to elbow? smooth curves on the tummy? no defined muscle tone whatsoever?

In some ways, you should celebrate, because it should be easier for you to get to your goal, than it is for me to get to mine (because I like the idea of being ripped).

What you want for you is exactly what you want. I won't tell you that the mold you want to fit into is wrong, just like I don't expect you to tell me the mold I want to fit into is wrong either.

I think that the main tension comes from the fact that people associate weights with muscle bound women. The women that do have noticeable and defined bulk - they bust their *kitten* to get that way... they don't just curl a 5lb dumbbell 10 times and call it a day. They work hard. They push their muscles to failure, and then the next time, they push just a little bit harder.

The funny thing is... for those who hate it now... once you start down that road, you might find that you actually love the feeling the strength gives you (especially if you're feeling powerless in other areas of your life)... It's kind of like getting your first tattoo...

Yogi_Carl

@IronAnimal - just a nod in your direction, sorry if this is going off-topic. I respect your points and you may well be right that fast results would be attractive to those starting out and being strong through lifting would definitely give you an edge in other disciplines such as yoga; no doubt. No argument there.

I would contest with you that bodyweight and yoga (you metioned) come to a point where they cannot be progressed. Both of those disciplines can be progressed steadily and there are photos from MFP members on here that are just amazing that prove the point.

I think the point I wanted to make in my post overall was that we perhaps lose a lot of new folk because there seems to be such an emphasis on lifting heavy that it appears to be being promoted as the only way and I would like to think the site as a whole could do more to bring a balance; not sure how - just my gut feeling.

waldenfam2

The trainer at my gym told me to do 4 sets of 12 reps each and I told him I wanted the weight to be difficult to 8-10 reps. If I can hit 10 with no problem the weight obviously needs to go up. He started arguing with me about lifting lighter with higher reps and how that burns more calories. I laughed and told him I'm not worried about the calories I burn here, I want to burn more calories all day by having more muscle. He pulled the toning card on me then. Toning. I almost rolled my eyes.

victoriannsays

I think it is also important for women to understand how vital lifting and weight bearing exercises are to our BONES!

Osteoporosis effects millions of women in the US and strength training can prevent this

Its not just whats on the outside that counts, but on the inside as well!

CorvusCorax77

I think it is also important for women to understand how vital lifting and weight bearing exercises are to our BONES!

Osteoporosis effects millions of women in the US and strength training can prevent this

Its not just whats on the outside that counts, but on the inside as well!

ThIS! And protects joints!

Yogi_Carl

Is there a point at which lifting heavy regularly stops being beneficial for bone density and becomes damaging to joints and protective cartilage? Not a challenge against lifting at all, just that I know people who have given up lifting in favour of less impacting workouts because of joint pain, arthritis etc.

This is one major reason why I have opted for bodyweight routines over weights - with weights, you aim to lift increasingly heavier, but there must come a time where your muscles can handle the weight but maybe your joints cannot. At least with bodyweight you can gain a reasonable amount of strength and a fit physique but joints are protected by the fact the resistance is governed by leverage rather than direct force.