Woman trying (and failing) to get bulky - wahhhhh!

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2

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  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    I have been lifting 2 years....it take time.
  • Zekela
    Zekela Posts: 634 Member
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    lol... what most women fail to realize is that bulkiness is not developed from lifting heavy. Bulkiness is developed from eating too much. Weight lifting just helps with tone, strength and sexiness (like any other form of exercise)... So, if you want to be bulky increase your calories to around 4000, lol...
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
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    Love your heels in that 2nd pic! You look smokin' hot, doll! :drinker:
  • frinklefairy
    frinklefairy Posts: 18
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    I think you look lovely, though. I am jealous about your arms! Working my way there. Have you considered that you may just have a ballet body instead? Long and lean muscles aren't anything to be dismissed.

    Best of luck on your journey!
  • sunsnstatheart
    sunsnstatheart Posts: 2,544 Member
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    You look great!
  • Traceyrohrer
    Traceyrohrer Posts: 51 Member
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    Have you tried Beach Bodys Chalean Extreme??? I have been doing that and am seeing the muscles starting to bulk up. Good luck!! I think you look great the way you are though...:O)
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    You will always be hotter than your husband. No matter how bulky he gets and how feminine you stay.

    And if he keeps having all this success, I've got some great sabotage tips and tricks if you're interested.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    What's the difference between what you're doing now and bodybuilding?

    ETA: I thought lifting heavy was what bodybuilders did to gain muscle.

    Sort of - they definitely have a lot in common. The point of powerlifting is to develop strength; the point of bodybuilding is to develop an eye-popping physique. Obviously, you will develop muscle when you are lifting heavy, but not the way you would if you were deliberately targeting certain body parts and groups for muscle development. Powerlifting programs focus on compound lifts (squat, deadlift, bench press, rows) whereas bodybuilding programs fall more along the line of the old split schedule, i.e., doing chest/legs on one day, back/biceps on another, etc. Make sense?
    Actually you're looking for hypertrophy and to do that you're gonna have to do some volume training. Reps between 8-12 and 16-24 sets per bodypart (that's 4 exercises for 4-6 sets). And weight should be progressive in resistance.

    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
  • lacurandera1
    lacurandera1 Posts: 8,083 Member
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    What tilt said. (sorry Burt....)
  • etoiles_argentees
    etoiles_argentees Posts: 2,827 Member
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    "Everybody is different, and some women will definitely develop muscle faster than others. But I am doing exactly what so many women are scared of - lifting HEAVY - and not getting anywhere near the muscle development I would hope for."

    I didn't lift heavy for long , 2 months or so, but I didn't care for the results, sticking with yoga. Other than that I do squats and lunges so my butt stays perky.

    *editing to add I don't like "bulky". I prefer slim. lean, fit.......
  • Liftnlove
    Liftnlove Posts: 235
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    What's the difference between what you're doing now and bodybuilding?

    ETA: I thought lifting heavy was what bodybuilders did to gain muscle.

    Sort of - they definitely have a lot in common. The point of powerlifting is to develop strength; the point of bodybuilding is to develop an eye-popping physique. Obviously, you will develop muscle when you are lifting heavy, but not the way you would if you were deliberately targeting certain body parts and groups for muscle development. Powerlifting programs focus on compound lifts (squat, deadlift, bench press, rows) whereas bodybuilding programs fall more along the line of the old split schedule, i.e., doing chest/legs on one day, back/biceps on another, etc. Make sense?
    Actually you're looking for hypertrophy and to do that you're gonna have to do some volume training. Reps between 8-12 and 16-24 sets per bodypart (that's 4 exercises for 4-6 sets). And weight should be progressive in resistance.

    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

    Pretty much exactly what I was gonna say.

    You look great though!!! Super cute pics! :) ...But if you're looking for hypertrophy and visible muscle, I agree with Ninerbuff 100%.
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
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    I am dealing with this myself. I've been lifting for around 6 months, had my fun newbie gains, and now it's going slower. Husband started a month and a half ago, was lifting lower than me on some things (okay, MAYBE it was mean of me to laugh, point, and gloat) and now he's kicking my rear. It's ticking me off.

    Stupid testosterone.

    He also started running way later than I did and now is tons faster, but I'm blaming that on the fact that he's a foot taller than I am & has longer legs.

    Either way, it's not fair.

    Edited to add - holy crap woman, those legs are AMAZING!!!
  • triggsta
    triggsta Posts: 140
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    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hugo41.htm

    You might like this article. Quite frankly, I would start strolling over to the bodybuilding.com website for more tips on this subject. There are a lot more woman and people in general trying to gain muscle rather than simply lose fat.

    In general, I would cut back on cardio and follow the weight-lifting plan they mentioned below (many many reps for one body part). I've been doing that myself (minus cutting back on cardio; I'm training for a 10k and then afterwards will cut back on cardio) and have really noticed an increase in muscle so far.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    Looks like a lot of good advice in this thread (I found it helpful). Everyone has a different body type and you look lovely! You've been working hard and should feel good about that!
  • MrGonzo05
    MrGonzo05 Posts: 1,120 Member
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    Good job!
  • MrGonzo05
    MrGonzo05 Posts: 1,120 Member
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    Ectomorph, endomorph and mesomorph. You, my dear, are an ectomorph. You will have to work very hard to put on muscle. I, however, am a mesomorph. I bulk up walking my dog :laugh:

    We all just have to adjust for our body types. I suggest researching how to put on muscle for your body type and utilize those strategies.

    Too complicated, and it's nonsense anyway. Watch your calories and macros, and follow a good program. The calories may require some dial in; it did in my case.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    What's the difference between what you're doing now and bodybuilding?

    ETA: I thought lifting heavy was what bodybuilders did to gain muscle.

    Sort of - they definitely have a lot in common. The point of powerlifting is to develop strength; the point of bodybuilding is to develop an eye-popping physique. Obviously, you will develop muscle when you are lifting heavy, but not the way you would if you were deliberately targeting certain body parts and groups for muscle development. Powerlifting programs focus on compound lifts (squat, deadlift, bench press, rows) whereas bodybuilding programs fall more along the line of the old split schedule, i.e., doing chest/legs on one day, back/biceps on another, etc. Make sense?
    Actually you're looking for hypertrophy and to do that you're gonna have to do some volume training. Reps between 8-12 and 16-24 sets per bodypart (that's 4 exercises for 4-6 sets). And weight should be progressive in resistance.

    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

    Can a person train like this (on the same body parts) 3 days a week. Or are longer rest periods needed? This is probably a silly question.
  • weese17
    weese17 Posts: 236 Member
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    Thanks, everybody! I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek with my post; women often express concern on the forums that they will get bulky if they lift heavy weights, and my physique is testament to the fact that it isn't true -- and in fact, you can actively be TRYING to add some muscle and not be successful! :bigsmile: The women you see winning bodybuilding awards have worked really, REALLY hard to develop the bodies they have -- it's not something just happens overnight by accident.

    Cheers!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    What's the difference between what you're doing now and bodybuilding?

    ETA: I thought lifting heavy was what bodybuilders did to gain muscle.

    Sort of - they definitely have a lot in common. The point of powerlifting is to develop strength; the point of bodybuilding is to develop an eye-popping physique. Obviously, you will develop muscle when you are lifting heavy, but not the way you would if you were deliberately targeting certain body parts and groups for muscle development. Powerlifting programs focus on compound lifts (squat, deadlift, bench press, rows) whereas bodybuilding programs fall more along the line of the old split schedule, i.e., doing chest/legs on one day, back/biceps on another, etc. Make sense?
    Actually you're looking for hypertrophy and to do that you're gonna have to do some volume training. Reps between 8-12 and 16-24 sets per bodypart (that's 4 exercises for 4-6 sets). And weight should be progressive in resistance.

    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

    Can a person train like this (on the same body parts) 3 days a week. Or are longer rest periods needed? This is probably a silly question.
    3 times per body part per week would be a bit much. 2 times a week as long as your recovery is sufficient should be fine. Personally myself (because of how much time I've actually put in) I train each body part just once a week now.

    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
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
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    Thanks, everybody! I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek with my post; women often express concern on the forums that they will get bulky if they lift heavy weights, and my physique is testament to the fact that it isn't true -- and in fact, you can actively be TRYING to add some muscle and not be successful! :bigsmile: The women you see winning bodybuilding awards have worked really, REALLY hard to develop the bodies they have -- it's not something just happens overnight by accident.

    Cheers!

    Thanks for posting. This is one of my pet peeves, both on here in general. It's impossible for a woman to bulk up like a man without taking suppliments and/or drugs. Just can't happen.

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