scared ill get too muscular looking if i lift weights!

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  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I kind of disagree with the prevailing thought that women can't get bulky by lifting weights/ resistance training. I'm thinking back to my competitive swimming years and how my shoulders got pretty meaty-looking. I never looked like a female fitness model or body builder, that's true, but you could still tell the difference in photos. Even some of the photos I see here, where women say "Look! I lift and I'm not bulky!" I would disagree... They do look fantastic, but they do look more muscular than I would care to be. The whole matter seems pretty subjective, though.

    With that said, muscle isn't like fat. If you don't use it, you lose it. If you find yourself getting more bulky than you'd like, just stop or cut back.
    There's a difference between "bulky" and "muscular". One denotes more fat than the other. Betting that when you swam, you had average to low body fat.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    I agree. To me, bulky is someone who is big. There are lots of slender women who have low body fat and look muscular. I am bulky, but not as bulky as I was when I weighed 263 pounds and had 50% body fat.
  • woodml1
    woodml1 Posts: 199 Member
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    Agree with many things written so far...

    Also remember that muscle is metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have, the faster the fat will come off. Don't be afraid to build some! Not to mention - excessive fat loss can sometimes leave flabby skin behind. The way to fill out this flabby skin in a flattering way is to build the muscle underneath!
  • mmoister79
    mmoister79 Posts: 20
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    Hmm what I don't get is why *most* people would rather look how they look than muscular...(which they wont look that way anyways usually). I told my husband the other day I do not CARE if I start looking more muscular (my definition has started to show a 'lil' over the past few months) b/c it sure beats the flab, cellulite and squishiness of before. No I don't do steroids ew. And I'm not a sheman either.

    Good point! I never thought responding this way, but you are totally right! I started NROLFW and everyone keeps asking if I am worried I am going to bulk up (which I'm not). Now I know how to respond :)
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Lifting 8lb weights while on a diet will not make you "too muscular" by anyone's standards, I think.

    Muscles are beautiful and very healthy. I don't really understand why some women want to avoid them, but I don't understand a lot of things. If you do decide you want the health benefits, and enjoyment that I feel comes from lifting heavy weights, then I'd suggest looking into New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women.
  • jfrankic
    jfrankic Posts: 747 Member
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    I've been lifting as heavy as possible for five months and none of my measurements have increased. My body fat has decreased to reveal some strong, beautiful muscles. I've been eating at a deficit, so my muscles have not increased in size. There may be that illusion because of less fat covering them.

    Current lifts are deadlift 200#, squat 130#, bench 120#. Bulky? No. Strong beautiful badass? Fo sho.
  • Annie83uk
    Annie83uk Posts: 128
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    i thought the same when i first started working out, i have gained alot of muscle in my arms but they have got smaller, i can tell because when i wear a t'shirt there is a gap in the arm. keep lifting but try and balance it out with other exercises to good luck :smile:
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I've been lifting as heavy as possible for five months and none of my measurements have increased. My body fat has decreased to reveal some strong, beautiful muscles. I've been eating at a deficit, so my muscles have not increased in size. There may be that illusion because of less fat covering them.

    Current lifts are deadlift 200#, squat 130#, bench 120#. Bulky? No. Strong beautiful badass? Fo sho.

    While that's great, and you should be proud of your progress, not everyone wants to look that way. To some, muscle definition on a woman is unattractive and unfeminine (or whatever the word is). I'm not one of those people, but there are people who feel that way.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    then don't lift.

    best advice ever
  • erinsueburns
    erinsueburns Posts: 865 Member
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    Yeah, not terribly likely to happen. I am by no means anything but a novice lifter, but I am benching in the 75-85 lbs range and curling 30lbs+ with three sets of 8, and my arms continue to get SMALLER, because I still have some fat to lose.
  • starracer23
    starracer23 Posts: 1,011 Member
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    ^^^ makes me sad to know that people think that ladies shouldn't have muscles.
    Be proud of your strength!
  • xMonroeMisfit
    xMonroeMisfit Posts: 411 Member
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    Not about not being nice, its about these boards are floooooded with that topic. There's the answer literally 5 times on each page of the Motivation & Support forum.

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