Does toned mean bigger?

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  • BlackTimber
    BlackTimber Posts: 230 Member
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    If someone can bench 350 pounds, it doesn't mean that they can do 100 push-ups. And the guy doing 100 push-ups may not be able to bench 350 pounds. Both people would be quite strong in their own right, and their bodies would look quite different. Yes or no?
  • MidwestAngel
    MidwestAngel Posts: 1,897 Member
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    If someone can bench 350 pounds, it doesn't mean that they can do 100 push-ups. And the guy doing 100 push-ups may not be able to bench 350 pounds. Both people would be quite strong in their own right, and their bodies would look quite different. Yes or no?

    Everybody is going to look different no matter what they are doing. You don't have bigger muscles because you can lift more. Muscles are able to get stronger without getting bigger.
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
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    I would not worry about increasing muscle size from an aerobic activity. Muscle increase is more likely to come from strength training... Also, if you were to increase your muscle mass to a point where you were unhappy with it, you can lose it by simply reversing the process that got your muscles too big in the first place. I wish you every success inmeeting your goals....
  • egsviola54
    egsviola54 Posts: 2
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    3 pound weights are pretty much useless unless you do a ridiculous amount of reps of everything. In my experience, if you do more reps with a medium weight more often than fewer reps with a really heavy weight, your muscles will develop in a more compact way. That said, mixing things up with weight that's close to your max in fewer reps is good for variety. The fastest way to gain muscle and get rid of fat is to keep mixing things up. Your body will keep adjusting to the continual change and you will improve different muscle groups each time you work out. As time goes by, the amount of weight you can use will increase! :)

    Also, someone mentioned that your muscles seem to "grow" more when you first start working out more. I assume this does not continue in the same way if you regularly work out. Also, if you're eating fewer calories, big muscles are not something to worry about. All those people who do body building work out with really heavy weights and eat extra protein and calories to build more muscles.

    Lastly, stretching regularly is a really excellent way to keep your muscles long and lean. I was in ballet for 15 years, and all that stretching and controlled movements made for lean, very strong, and very compact muscles. And building stronger muscles is what you want. Having more muscle burns more calories.
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
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    Agree with the previous posters. You are not going to get bulky muscles from weight training, but some girls will be naturally more muscular than others and once this starts to show through, they get freaked out. Personally I say embrace it, if you've got a naturally developed butt and thighs, awesome, your genetic capability for squats might be better than the next girl :)
  • MidwestAngel
    MidwestAngel Posts: 1,897 Member
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    I would not worry about increasing muscle size from an aerobic activity. Muscle increase is more likely to come from strength training... Also, if you were to increase your muscle mass to a point where you were unhappy with it, you can lose it by simply reversing the process that got your muscles too big in the first place. I wish you every success inmeeting your goals....

    Ignore this, while it is true that you will not increase muscle size with aerobic activity, strength training does not automatically mean you will gain muscle mass. When you lose weight you are going to lose fat. What the body underneath the fat is going to look like is determined by the type of exercise you do, whether it be strength or aerobic. I would prefer to have muscles than bones and still have flab, but that is me.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    No one ever got bulky on a calorie deficit. No one every got bulky overnight. Pretty much no woman ever got bulky without steroids\prohormones\hormones. Women have around 1\10-1\5 of the LOWEST amount of testosterone that can be considered "normal range" for a man.

    So, no, you won't get bulky from heavy weight lifting
    ^ This. Beyond slight noob gains, it takes a significant caloric surplus to build muscle mass, and takes a significant amount of time. Even males with optimal nutrition/protein intake/training routines can expect to build no more than 1/2 pound a week - women have the capability to build about 1/2 that, or a half-pound every two weeks. For a woman, that comes out to a pound of muscle a month (source: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/general-philosophies-of-muscle-mass-gain.html) - and that's IF you're eating at a caloric surplus and have optimized both your diet and training. You're in a caloric deficit and the elliptical is not considered a strength training device, so your worries of packing on muscle mass are nil.
    I guess in my mind I was thinking that my calves would look like I have been a body builder fo 10 years if I went over 20 degree ramp.
    No bodybuilder ever got huge calves from going over 20 degrees on the elliptical. Calves are one of the most difficult muscles to develop, and as mentioned above, the elliptical is not considered a strength training device. Calves are worked for size by doing calf raises with tremendous amounts of weight.
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
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    weird double post
  • danasings
    danasings Posts: 8,218 Member
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    Check out Lorina's voyage to fitness:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/709987-how-wrong-i-was-600-days-of-mfp-lotsa-pics
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    I deadlifted 200lbs today. Am I she-hulk?

    IMG_20130109_100725_501-1-1_zpse74563fc.jpg
  • melbatoast917
    melbatoast917 Posts: 370 Member
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    I gained a half inch on my already muscular calves from high resistance on the arc. It was a little discouraging since I already have like 16 1/2 inch calves (try finding boots that fit over those beasts). I know it was a direct result of the arc, because up until recently I predominantly did cardio (running/arc). I now do strength training (squats, deadlifts, etc.) and have accepted that I WILL gain muscle mass, but lose more fat and appear more "tone" (filling out the spaces that used to be fatty). You'll be ok - you won't look like Arnold from using the elliptical.
  • dblk19
    dblk19 Posts: 43 Member
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    Yes, but be careful with the amount of carbs that you are eating, making sure that you are getting more "good"carbs than "bad" carbs and staying within you limit.
  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
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    If someone can bench 350 pounds, it doesn't mean that they can do 100 push-ups. And the guy doing 100 push-ups may not be able to bench 350 pounds. Both people would be quite strong in their own right, and their bodies would look quite different. Yes or no?

    Everybody is going to look different no matter what they are doing. You don't have bigger muscles because you can lift more. Muscles are able to get stronger without getting bigger.

    And central nervous system which is where a lot of strength actually comes from
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
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    I deadlifted 200lbs today. Am I she-hulk?

    No. I am. Because I'm green...

    ...with envy! You go, girl!
  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
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    I deadlifted 200lbs today. Am I she-hulk?

    IMG_20130109_100725_501-1-1_zpse74563fc.jpg

    I'm a dude and have deadlifted 5x355 and I'm STILL not big
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
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    This girl also does not look like Arnold, and deadlifts 335 (she's 114 lbs)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO4lKgJPxEU
  • dawnreid2012
    dawnreid2012 Posts: 108 Member
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    I deadlifted 200lbs today. Am I she-hulk?

    IMG_20130109_100725_501-1-1_zpse74563fc.jpg

    You look flippin fantastic :) And no you dont look anything like a hulk :) Thanks for this post
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    So I can lift heavier weights and not bulk up? My husband bought me the tiny 3 pound ones because he doesnt want me to bulk up. Which I dont want to look like a body builder or anything but if I can lift more than the 3 pound ones 300 times I would like to.

    :laugh: That's cute what your husband thinks! I lift heavy (for me) and I'm still just a little thing - look at my pic. I'm no monster! I call it heavy when the weight is so high that I can't do more that 5 reps! Heavy weights have helped "tone" me up without bulking. I would say it gives me nice definition and makes me stronger. It doesn't bulk me up at all. My husband loves that I lift heavy weights. :drinker:
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
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    I deadlifted 200lbs today. Am I she-hulk?

    Yes, but only because of your sheer awesomeness.
  • DixiedoesMFP
    DixiedoesMFP Posts: 935 Member
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    Please lift heavy! I've gone from a size 10/12 to a 6. I still have room for improvement, but I'm definitely not bulky!

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