WeightLifting/StrengthTraining and Women!

JezzD1
JezzD1 Posts: 431
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok so here is the deal and i am confused because everyone always says something different. lol

Upper Body, I am wide already so I want to tone and if possible lengthen, I am 5ft 3in currently 176 lbs. I was told don't lift over 30lbs or I will bulk up, but if I lift thirty or less(upper back/chest) I don't feel it even after 3 sets of 20 reps. For my arms I usually do about 20lbs 3 sets of 12-15 reps. So what advice do you have?? PLEASE

Lower Body, I have naturally thick legs but I want muscle and yes a bigger booty lol What advice do you have for this?

How long do I wait between sets and how often should I work out I try and do upper 3x/week and lower 2x/week?

Thank You Very Much for advice/tips.
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Replies

  • FabMrFox
    FabMrFox Posts: 259 Member
    (for lower body)do all of your cardio on the stair machine . Avoid running IMO as it tends to lean out the but muscles. Lunges are also your friend for growing a larged rear if thats your goal
  • tania2287
    tania2287 Posts: 236 Member
    bump
  • hazymary
    hazymary Posts: 190 Member
    You CAN"T bulk up...try stronglifts 5x5 or NLOLFW, lift heavy !!
  • caoceanlover
    caoceanlover Posts: 46 Member
    I lift more than 30 pounds and I am not bulky. Women don't have the testosterone to get bulky!. I rest for about 30 seconds in between each set. I like to do circuit training somethimes, that way I get my heartrate up too and I rotate through the exercises, so it gives each body part a longer rest.

    As for lower body, if you want a nicer bootie, than squats and lunges are the way to go. you can hold weights in your hands to add to the work. There are some great butt workouts on fitnessmagazine.com

    I split body parts up more than most. I do chest one day, back and shoulders another, biceps and triceps another and butt and leggs another day. On chest day, I try to get in an extra half hour of cardio so I end up spending the same amount of time in the gym each day.
  • ShoeloverPearl
    ShoeloverPearl Posts: 48
    bump
  • sunshinesquared
    sunshinesquared Posts: 2,733 Member
    bump
  • emgel9
    emgel9 Posts: 218 Member
    Please check out New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women...or any reputable book or site on weight lifting. Nerd fitness is a good one. Women DO NOT bulk up from heavy lifting, heavy lifting is what gives you that toned look. Women don't have the right hormones to bulk up. Repetitively lifting very light weights will just get you frustrated, not toned.
  • aproc
    aproc Posts: 1,033 Member
    Who ever told you that you will 'bulk' up is an idiot. =/ I bench 100 and go as heavy as I can on all my lifts but am I bulky? No.
    Do a weight that you can do 8-12 reps and the last rep is hard to complete. Focus on progressing on weight or reps with each workout. There are several good beginner routines you could look into like the book New rules of lifting for women.
  • OkieinMinny
    OkieinMinny Posts: 834 Member
    You CAN"T bulk up...try stronglifts 5x5 or NROLFW, lift heavy !!

    ^^ This - Lift Heavier - Get Leaner
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    How many muscle bulky women have you seen at your gym? None.
    It takes years of really hard work to bulk up. It does not happen by accident.
    Want a great butt? Squats, heavy. And mountain biking, hard.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I was told don't lift over 30lbs or I will bulk up

    You were told wrong.

    I'm currently bench pressing 77 pounds, overhead press is 60, and bent over row is 87 pounds, squat 97 and deadlift 105. It's just making me smaller. Stronger, but smaller and tighter.

    Here's progress from when I switched from machines to free weights.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/744311-free-weights-vs-machines-holy-crap

    I'll be taking more pics tomorrow because I'm 4 weeks into stronglifts 5x5, but here's after 2 weeks.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/761041-two-weeks-in

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    <
    can deadlift 250lb.....not bulky.

    You will not bulk, especially if you are eating at a deficit. The only way a women gets bulky is by eating a *kitten* ton, heavy lifting extremely intensively and/or taking steroids.
  • JezzD1
    JezzD1 Posts: 431
    I use the elliptical My gym does not have a stair climber :-( will that work?
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    <- not bulky. I can bench 105 and squat 135.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Focus on overall symmetry or else you'll look disproportional due to muscular imbalances. I don't know how lean you are, but if you focus too much on your lower body and neglect the upper half, the difference will be quite dramatic.

    If you want some really nice glute-specific exercises, check out this link:
    http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/ sports_body_training_performance/dispelling_the_glute_myth

    The single-leg hip thrust and barbell hip thrust are excellent.

    For the lower body: back squats, goblet squats, deadlifts, lunges, bulgarian squat, leg press, donkey calf raises.
  • tattedchic
    tattedchic Posts: 66 Member
    These people are crazy, if you lift heavy you WILL grow a penis. And look like a linebacker.
  • MelisRunning
    MelisRunning Posts: 819 Member
    You will not bulk. I bench 165 and squat 335 and I am only 5' (well, almost 5':smile: )
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    You CAN"T bulk up...try stronglifts 5x5 or NLOLFW, lift heavy !!

    Yup!!
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    <
    can deadlift 250lb.....not bulky.

    You will not bulk, especially if you are eating at a deficit. The only way a women gets bulky is by eating a *kitten* ton, heavy lifting extremely intensively and/or taking steroids.

    Off topic but 250! That's amazing!!!! :drinker:
  • kiachu
    kiachu Posts: 409 Member
    For some reason I hate these kinds of threads.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    These people are crazy, if you lift heavy you WILL grow a penis. And look like a linebacker.

    That sounds like the stuff they teach in the D.A.R.E. program! :laugh: :laugh:
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Women can't look like men unless they have surgery or take steroids. We have different hormones. Women lifters look lean and healthy.
  • jacquelyn_erika
    jacquelyn_erika Posts: 524 Member
    Do a little more research on the whole "women will get bulky with lifting weights" thing. I have been lifting heavy and consistently for 4 months and just as of lately I have started to see definition. I want to build quite a bit of muscle and it will take a long time, but never will I get bulky because as a female it is IMPOSSIBLE. I also recommend checking out NROLFW.
  • jacquelyn_erika
    jacquelyn_erika Posts: 524 Member
    Women can't look like men unless they have surgery or take steroids. We have different hormones. Women lifters look lean and healthy.

    Hit the nail on the head.
  • JenKillough
    JenKillough Posts: 474 Member
    <
    can deadlift 250lb

    Total badassery :flowerforyou:
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
    Please check out New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women...or any reputable book or site on weight lifting. Nerd fitness is a good one. Women DO NOT bulk up from heavy lifting, heavy lifting is what gives you that toned look. Women don't have the right hormones to bulk up. Repetitively lifting very light weights will just get you frustrated, not toned.

    ^^^ she's right! I lifted light for years and wondered why I wasn't anywhere...then I discovered heavy lifting and ChaLEAN Extreme and I'm sold! The proof is in my pics! I'm hardly bulky!
  • zen82
    zen82 Posts: 81 Member
    I am currently doing back squats and front squats with the 20kg (44lbs) bar while I get the right form, and am deadlifting 40kg (88). I am 5'2", in no way bulky, and have been losing weight to get to where I am now, but am getting stronger. I would be hard pushed to gain even a couple of pounds of muscle in the next six months -- getting "bulky" won't happen!
  • starcatcher1975
    starcatcher1975 Posts: 292 Member
    I'm using NROLFW right now and I don't think I'm getting bulky at all. Of course I have plenty of fat covering me so that might be why I look like a linebacker. I haven't grown a penis yet but I'll keep you guys posted :laugh:

    I also run (ok it's really a jog) and I have a big butt but I notice it's gotten higher and rounder. Really, it's starting to look like 2 helium inflated balloons back there. Could be do to the lifting/squats/lunges or the running or a combo of both. Either way I'm happy it's looking better than it used to.
  • kiachu
    kiachu Posts: 409 Member
    Okay let's be straight here. You build muscles with a bunch of fat on top of it or put more fat on top of it, yeah you'll get thick.

    Toned means you want muscle definition. Muscle definition means lower bodyfat levels. When most women mean they don't want to get bulky they really mean they don't want extreme muscle definition


    Muscle make you appear bigger and more "bulbous". Most female bodybuilders, even the "large" ones are actually very tiny. I wear a size 2 clothing right now myself. When I go into my off season I'll probably get to a size 6.

    Good news is, it takes a long time and actual purposeful effort for women to gain muscle mass. Meaning your training protocol and nutritional plan is set specifically for that purpose. And even the ones on drugs have had to spends years working to get where they are at. Many confuse muscles filling with fluid and swelling after usage that they aren't used to with getting "bulky"

    So unless you are trying to get bulky(extreme muscle definition, hypertrophy program), you won't.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Okay let's be straight here. You build muscles with a bunch of fat on top of it or put more fat on top of it, yeah you'll get thick.

    Toned means you want muscle definition. Muscle definition means lower bodyfat levels. When most women mean they don't want to get bulky they really mean they don't want extreme muscle definition


    Muscle make you appear bigger and more "bulbous". Most female bodybuilders, even the "large" ones are actually very tiny. I wear a size 2 clothing right now myself. When I go into my off season I'll probably get to a size 6.

    Good news is, it takes a long time and actual purposeful effort for women to gain muscle mass. Meaning your training protocol and nutritional plan is set specifically for that purpose. And even the ones on drugs have had to spends years working to get where they are at. Many confuse muscles filling with fluid and swelling after usage that they aren't used to with getting "bulky"

    So unless you are trying to get bulky(extreme muscle definition, hypertrophy program), you won't.

    Short version:

    Fat makes you bulky!

    You can't turn into a professional bodybuilder overnight.

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