Myth: women can't bulk up
Replies
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Right. Just look at all those cautionary tale threads, the ones where women lament how hideously huge their legs and butt got because they did deadlifts or squats. There have to be at least a million such threads on the forums here.It's not a myth, which is why if someone writes with a specific concern, say, they naturally have big hips and a butt and don't want to get bigger, I tell them to avoid direct weight resistance on those parts. This is common advice for women concerned about aesthetics. (More accurately, I should say, "currently prevalent aesthetics.")
How a woman looks is a combination of her genetics and training choices. But some people persist in arguing that weights never increase size and that everyone responds the same way. It's not true.
Oh wait, there aren't any. Nevermind.
And yet it's remarkably easy to find many posts advising others of the *potential* dangers of it.
Hmmm.0 -
Is it possible for a woman to get quite large lifting weights? Yes, absolutely. But for the average woman who lifts 2 or 3 times a week, using 5, 8, 10, or even 15 pound weights, and is on a restricted calorie diet? No. The kind of muscle that the OP is talking about takes years of daily lifting and extreme amounts of calories a day. Most women are not genetically engineered to look like that, and Becca probably isn't either. The chances of her reaching that size naturally, are slim and none. She had a goal, and she decided to do what was necessary to reach it, no matter what it took. But the majority of women that are concerned about getting mannish looking if they work out with weights, are worried over nothing. Simply because they will never lift the weight necessary to build that kind of muscle mass, not to even mention consuming the calories required.
Are some women more prone to put on muscle mass than others? Yep, and I'm one of them. But that fact really does not bother me, at all. I am currently out of shape, but I can still throw 100 lbs on one shoulder and walk off like it isn't there. Do I work out with weights currently? No. Should I? Yep. Will I? You bet ya! Am I concerned that I will end up looking like the woman in the OP first post? No chance in hell of that happening! Why? Because, even if I do work out with weights daily, it isn't going to be heavy enough to encourage that type of muscle mass, and I really don't want to have to eat 3,000-5,000 calories a day, I struggle with eating what I'm supposed to eat now.
Ladies, lift weights. It's good for you in too many ways to list here. Don't be afraid of becoming masculine looking, for the gross majority of women that will not happen, unless you want it to, and for some women not even then.0 -
It's not a myth, which is why if someone writes with a specific concern, say, they naturally have big hips and a butt and don't want to get bigger, I tell them to avoid direct weight resistance on those parts. This is common advice from people that have no idea what they are talking about but have made it their life's mission to spread inane misinformation and keep women in the dark about physical fitness . (More accurately, I should say, "currently prevalent aesthetics.")
How a woman looks is a combination of her genetics and training choices. But some people persist in arguing that weights never increase size and that everyone responds the same way. It's not true.
Fixed0 -
Imo, that is not from natural weight lifting, neither is any other really big muscle men either. Its a step too far for me.0
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And you believe she is a lifetime natural? Why?
Cause she's a competitive athlete. You can take a look at some of the olympic weight lifters.
Lance Armstrong was a competitive athlete
BOOM!
^^ Exactly...
"Cause she's a competitive athlete." That logic makes no sense...0 -
Guys. You don't get the point here. What I am saying is that you can bulk up if you work hard enough. Say if you gain 20 lbs you would look toned, but if you gain 70 you would look manly. you dont get to 70 unless u pass through 20. that's what im saying.
Good luck gaining those first 20 pounds of lean mass. You act like it's just going to happen, but you have to actually work at it. A woman would be lucky as hell to gain 10 pounds of lean mass in a year with specialized diet and training.
...like............ a HUGE calorie surplus
HUGE
the people here saying women wont bulk up are speaking to the women who are for the most part in a calorie DEFICIT and will NOT bulk up.
science and stuff
Took her 8 years to be able to bench 405. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/criticalbench18.htm
Ha. I wish I could get there that quickly........This is the first article I have read that made me feel bad about my lifts. I should be benching at least 600 by now.
"What is your advice for beginners (Under 225 benchers), intermediate (315), Advanced over 500?"0 -
Guys. You don't get the point here. What I am saying is that you can bulk up if you work hard enough. Say if you gain 20 lbs you would look toned, but if you gain 70 you would look manly. you dont get to 70 unless u pass through 20. that's what im saying.
Okay. But scaremongering is still not a good idea.
Heaven knows women are scared enough of picking up an 8 lb dumbbell because they'll end up "bulky". Nobody is denying that a woman with the right hormonal intervention and many years of training/bulking/cutting etc. can bulk. Your argument, however, is misleading and you're not doing anyone any favors. Just quit.0 -
Glad to see the feminist movement is alive and well.0
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I just wanted to prove to everyone out there that women CAN build muscles and bulkup WITHOUT steroids. The only difference between men and women is in the rate of bulking. Men have more testosterone and therefore it takes them less time to bulk. A muscle is a muscle. If you lift heavy weight low rep, you will gain mass.
Here is an example:
Becca Swanson> held the world record with a 551-pound lift (bench press) in 2006
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyuqkcgbhV1qfqkngo1_400.jpg
Now, I know that this doesn't happen overnight but what I am saying is if you train like a man long enough, you can bulk up.
That pic ain't hot.....0 -
I just wanted to prove to everyone out there that women CAN build muscles and bulkup WITHOUT steroids. The only difference between men and women is in the rate of bulking. Men have more testosterone and therefore it takes them less time to bulk. A muscle is a muscle. If you lift heavy weight low rep, you will gain mass.
Here is an example:
Becca Swanson> held the world record with a 551-pound lift (bench press) in 2006
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyuqkcgbhV1qfqkngo1_400.jpg
Now, I know that this doesn't happen overnight but what I am saying is if you train like a man long enough, you can bulk up.
Becca Swanson i stronger than me and I'm a 310lb competitive powerlifter..... Do you seriously think she got that way without the aid of exogenous androgenic hormones?
It's a lot easier for women to bulk when they have superphysiological levels of testosterone.0 -
bump for later0
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And you believe she is a lifetime natural? Why?
Cause she's a competitive athlete. You can take a look at some of the olympic weight lifters.
not all competitive athletes in any sport are "natural" look in the news at how many times olympic medals are taking away from athletes once their blood tests come back. all athletes want to be the best, some DO go the natural route, but others DON'T...0 -
First and Foremost....if a woman wants to look like that, that is her prerogative and trust me, no one is going to start lifting and accidentally get bulky without realizing it. They WANT to look like that and good for them.
Alot of women I know, once you start lifting and growing, you want more. and more.
I did mention that I understand this doesn't just suddenly happen, but it CAN happen and people should stop lying to women
oh good grief.0 -
I thought this was a April fools joke... Not trying to be rude.. I had to go back and look at the date lol.. ugh.. I dont even know what to say to this.. lol..-.- and sigh..0
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Guys. You don't get the point here. What I am saying is that you can bulk up if you work hard enough. Say if you gain 20 lbs you would look toned, but if you gain 70 you would look manly. you dont get to 70 unless u pass through 20. that's what im saying.
I totally get what you're saying. They also lie about BF% and that in order to look ripped, most women will lose their curves unless they get cosmetic surgery. And, IMO, augmentation + low BF% is positively freaky looking. But that's all part of the "cardio is bad, lifting heavy is good" tunnel vision.0 -
Guys. You don't get the point here. What I am saying is that you can bulk up if you work hard enough. Say if you gain 20 lbs you would look toned, but if you gain 70 you would look manly. you dont get to 70 unless u pass through 20. that's what im saying.
I totally get what you're saying. They also lie about BF% and that in order to look ripped, most women will lose their curves unless they get cosmetic surgery. And, IMO, augmentation + low BF% is positively freaky looking. But that's all part of the "cardio is bad, lifting heavy is good" tunnel vision.
Really?
Who are they?
I haven't seen any of this on this forum, especially the "cardio is bad".0 -
This fear of bulking disappoints me so much. When I was ONLY doing cardio, my body started to look so bad as I reached a smaller weight. I was soft, losing curves, and had pretty much no muscle definition. Without lifting I was skinny fat and very unhappy with my body. It wasn't until I started lifting that I really started transforming my body. My butt got rounder and my boobs became perkier from the muscle building underneath. My shoulders and back started looking awesome.0
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Guys. You don't get the point here. What I am saying is that you can bulk up if you work hard enough. Say if you gain 20 lbs you would look toned, but if you gain 70 you would look manly. you dont get to 70 unless u pass through 20. that's what im saying.
I totally get what you're saying. They also lie about BF% and that in order to look ripped, most women will lose their curves unless they get cosmetic surgery. And, IMO, augmentation + low BF% is positively freaky looking. But that's all part of the "cardio is bad, lifting heavy is good" tunnel vision.
Really?
Who are they?
I haven't seen any of this on this forum, especially the "cardio is bad".
I guess you missed the "running makes you fat" thread monolith.0 -
im glad ur happy. it all depends what kind of body u want. having muscles does not make one healthy. its about being active and having a bodyfat in the healthy range. people on this site tend push weight lifting.This fear of bulking disappoints me so much. When I was ONLY doing cardio, my body started to look so bad as I reached a smaller weight. I was soft, losing curves, and had pretty much no muscle definition. Without lifting I was skinny fat and very unhappy with my body. It wasn't until I started lifting that I really started transforming my body. My butt got rounder and my boobs became perkier from the muscle building underneath. My shoulders and back started looking awesome.0 -
im glad ur happy. it all depends what kind of body u want. having muscles does not make one healthy. its about being active and having a bodyfat in the healthy range. people on this site tend push weight lifting.This fear of bulking disappoints me so much. When I was ONLY doing cardio, my body started to look so bad as I reached a smaller weight. I was soft, losing curves, and had pretty much no muscle definition. Without lifting I was skinny fat and very unhappy with my body. It wasn't until I started lifting that I really started transforming my body. My butt got rounder and my boobs became perkier from the muscle building underneath. My shoulders and back started looking awesome.
There are no words :noway:0 -
Now, I know that this doesn't happen overnight but what I am saying is if you train like a man long enough, you can bulk up.
So what do you train like, OP? What are girls "supposed to" train like rather than training "like a man?" I wasn't aware there are different ways to train for men and women.
ETA: Just because she doesn't take steroids specifically doesn't mean she doesn't take testosterone to look the way she does.0 -
i'm sorry no one is going to mistake this junk in the trunk for a man or call me manly no matter how big my biceps get.
it is not even a concern on my radar.0 -
Aaaaaaaaaand APRIL FOOLS!!! No? Ok. This kinda makes me want to post a "I'm only eating 700 calories and never eat back exercise calories, why aren't I losing weight?" thread, just because people get so riled up! Y'all are funny, have a great day!0
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Guys. You don't get the point here. What I am saying is that you can bulk up if you work hard enough. Say if you gain 20 lbs you would look toned, but if you gain 70 you would look manly. you dont get to 70 unless u pass through 20. that's what im saying.
I totally get what you're saying. They also lie about BF% and that in order to look ripped, most women will lose their curves unless they get cosmetic surgery. And, IMO, augmentation + low BF% is positively freaky looking. But that's all part of the "cardio is bad, lifting heavy is good" tunnel vision.
Really?
Who are they?
I haven't seen any of this on this forum, especially the "cardio is bad".
I guess you missed the "running makes you fat" thread monolith.
Yeah I did.
But I have seen plenty of other threads here and know a lot of the "heavy lifting" people also do cardio, not all but some. The only time I have seen people say not to do cardio is when someone is trying to bulk. I have seen people say it isn't necessary, which it isn't.
I've also seen tons of "am I going to lose my breasts" or "how do I keep my boobs" threads and no one omits that fact that when you lose body fat, you will also likely lose in the chest as well. How much depends on the person. At a low body fat I still didn't go below a C, no surgery required.0 -
im glad ur happy. it all depends what kind of body u want. having muscles does not make one healthy. its about being active and having a bodyfat in the healthy range. people on this site tend push weight lifting.This fear of bulking disappoints me so much. When I was ONLY doing cardio, my body started to look so bad as I reached a smaller weight. I was soft, losing curves, and had pretty much no muscle definition. Without lifting I was skinny fat and very unhappy with my body. It wasn't until I started lifting that I really started transforming my body. My butt got rounder and my boobs became perkier from the muscle building underneath. My shoulders and back started looking awesome.
marking this down as the oddest response in a very odd thread0 -
WHO THE F CARES!!!0
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Guys. You don't get the point here. What I am saying is that you can bulk up if you work hard enough. Say if you gain 20 lbs you would look toned, but if you gain 70 you would look manly. you dont get to 70 unless u pass through 20. that's what im saying.
I totally get what you're saying. They also lie about BF% and that in order to look ripped, most women will lose their curves unless they get cosmetic surgery. And, IMO, augmentation + low BF% is positively freaky looking. But that's all part of the "cardio is bad, lifting heavy is good" tunnel vision.
Really?
Who are they?
I haven't seen any of this on this forum, especially the "cardio is bad".
I guess you missed the "running makes you fat" thread monolith.
seems you are carrying a lot of pent up pain from a lot of threads that have offended your sensibilities in the past. probably not ideal to launch into every new thread with some attack you wish you had said in another thread. i read a ton of threads on this site and remember the Running Makes You Fat thread, which was pretty much shot down by everyone. the other two threads that touched you in a bad spot i have never heard of.
let it go.0 -
If she hasn't done steroids I'll eat my shoe. Maybe not currently, but in the past.0
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Speaking a a woman who has a natural tendency to bulk... I choose this! My other option (and how I lived several years of my life) is to be obese. Not to mention... you're only as 'manly' as you make yourself regardless of how much muscle you have. How many skinny girls have you met who are tom-boys. I've met tons! Same hair and make-up routine as most and I'm still magically able to fit in with the rest of female society. Oh darn... I hope they don't kick me out after reading this!
Is it the prefered body type for all? Is it sexy to all men? No. But neither is being a bean pole or a curvy girl. Variety is the spice of life and we get to choose our own flavor!0 -
Jillian Michaels has pointed this out, that some women can bulk up easily, and she is one of them, so she does not lift heavy weights and she has to watch what she does and how she eats so she does not bulk up.
I recently heard something about her martial arts mentor outing her as having used steroids in her life, so I wouldn't say she's the best example either.
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