Do you lift heavy? Are you bulky?

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  • christianteach
    christianteach Posts: 593 Member
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    I would like to start within the next couple of days. You ladies all look amazing!!! Which program did you start with?
  • Mlkmaid
    Mlkmaid Posts: 356 Member
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    I lifted ages ago for a while and got too bulky (for me) immediately. I build muscle really quickly for a woman so I have to limit how heavy I go.
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
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    I know this thread is oooooooold but here's my recent not-bulky pic :wink:

    2d98c8bf-2c82-4d5b-a3ec-0803bedcea81.jpg

    I lift barbells, and always try to lift heavier barbells. OHP 50# 3x5, Squat 100# 3x6, DL 115 3x5, BP 65 3x3

    I love both this pic and your profile pic!! Very awesome!!

    Thanks ;). I noticed they went well together after I posted. Your back is pretty awesome !!!!


    Lol Sara I know right? ;)
  • Trueray
    Trueray Posts: 1,189 Member
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    I lift heavy and I am not bulky, not into the bulky look that much.

    Weight 160lbs

    6465ddeb-5f9b-4e16-83d3-08e9599bbfdf_zpsef990606.jpg
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    OMG! Enough of the lifting heavy=bulky threads........so over it, so over played

    So sorry you're bothered by the ladies here who lift. Personally, I'm proud of what I've achieved and the changes in my body from heavy lifting. I was definitely bulky before, but definitely much less bulky now that I lift.

    16691827_9881.jpg

    16691827_3720.jpg

    Current 1 rep maxes:
    Squat - 265lbs
    Deadlift - 295lbs
    Bench 115lbs

    You look very good. But the area in which you store fat, your bust, is still large. Now, most women are delighted to have a large bust, but not very happy to have a large hips or rear. Weight training not only may not reduce those areas, it may make them bigger if those areas are where they hold fat. A woman is training primarily for aesthetics who has a different body type from yours has to tailor her workout routine. One size does not fit all.

    Yes, I still have a large chest. I'm not going to say "most women" because I haven't had a chance to interview all of them, but I'm guessing there are a significant number of women who are large chested, even at their lowest weight. All the women in my family carry excess fat on their bust, even at healthy weights. I'm sure I always will too. However, having gone from a 42DDD to a 36D (almost a C) was quite a change and my lower back thanks me for it. Not only did I go down 3 cup sizes, but I've also lost 6 inches from my bust. I guess that kind of goes against your point though.
    I do have friends that are pear shaped and their legs have only gotten smaller and more shapely from lifting. I'm sorry that you have such an issue with your mental image of your weight and body shape, but if I were pear shaped, I would strive to be the best pear I could be. As it is, I have broad shoulders. I tend to carry excess weight there (along with my bust, which you already so graciously pointed out). I do bench press, rows, overhead press, lateral raises, bicep curls and other accessory work. I want my arms, chest and shoulders to look amazing. And I've lost fat there too. I can see my collar bones now. I can see definition in my back, shoulders, and arms. And you know what? That looks a lot better (to me) than bulky fat. My shoulders look a lot more proportional when I lose weight. It's funny how that actually works (versus your opinion of how it works).
  • Gwyn1969
    Gwyn1969 Posts: 181 Member
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    Take it from someone who has been TRYING to get "bulky" for several years now... it's not easy for the vast majority of women to attain that look. Yes there are some with elite genetics but they are rare. Most of us could train hard and heavy for many years and never have a "bulky" look.

    I checked out your blog, and it's really cool to see your progress over two years. It's quite a transformation. I thought you looked just as great at 150 as you did after you cut, too.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    beat_dead_horse2.jpg

    So so true... So tired of these posts..

    lol - as I said to a person earlier, who bumped it and kept it alive...check the OP date.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    I would like to start within the next couple of days. You ladies all look amazing!!! Which program did you start with?

    I started with New Rules of Lifting for Women (which is a good read even if you don't do that program), but after a couple of months I switched to Nia Shanks program.
    lol - as I said to a person earlier, who bumped it and kept it alive...check the OP date.

    I'm glad it got bumped because I wasn't brave enough to post pics the first time around ;) and, I think we're gonna roll soon, so nobody put away your dead horse beating stick.
  • christianteach
    christianteach Posts: 593 Member
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    I would like to start within the next couple of days. You ladies all look amazing!!! Which program did you start with?

    I started with New Rules of Lifting for Women (which is a good read even if you don't do that program), but after a couple of months I switched to Nia Shanks program.

    I just read the book. I would love to try it. Is it difficult to learn so many new things? I'm not familiar with the Nia Shanks program. Why did you switch?
  • kopmom
    kopmom Posts: 491 Member
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    Still a work in progress (especially my stomach !).
    I do Stronglifts 5x5 3x a week and do cardio 3x a week. Picture is same bikini which I still will not wear in public !

    BEFORE

    sn2jrp.jpg


    NOW

    1z1bio4.jpg
  • CrankMeUp
    CrankMeUp Posts: 2,860 Member
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    I know this thread is oooooooold but here's my recent not-bulky pic :wink:

    2d98c8bf-2c82-4d5b-a3ec-0803bedcea81.jpg

    I lift barbells, and always try to lift heavier barbells. OHP 50# 3x5, Squat 100# 3x6, DL 115 3x5, BP 65 3x3

    I love both this pic and your profile pic!! Very awesome!!

    Thanks ;). I noticed they went well together after I posted. Your back is pretty awesome !!!!


    Lol Sara I know right? ;)

    love it!
  • sxy_nerd
    sxy_nerd Posts: 5
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    OMG! Enough of the lifting heavy=bulky threads........so over it, so over played

    So sorry you're bothered by the ladies here who lift. Personally, I'm proud of what I've achieved and the changes in my body from heavy lifting. I was definitely bulky before, but definitely much less bulky now that I lift.

    16691827_9881.jpg

    16691827_3720.jpg

    Current 1 rep maxes:
    Squat - 265lbs
    Deadlift - 295lbs
    Bench 115lbs

    You look very good. But the area in which you store fat, your bust, is still large. Now, most women are delighted to have a large bust, but not very happy to have a large hips or rear. Weight training not only may not reduce those areas, it may make them bigger if those areas are where they hold fat. A woman is training primarily for aesthetics who has a different body type from yours has to tailor her workout routine. One size does not fit all.

    Yes, I still have a large chest. I'm not going to say "most women" because I haven't had a chance to interview all of them, but I'm guessing there are a significant number of women who are large chested, even at their lowest weight. All the women in my family carry excess fat on their bust, even at healthy weights. I'm sure I always will too. However, having gone from a 42DDD to a 36D (almost a C) was quite a change and my lower back thanks me for it. Not only did I go down 3 cup sizes, but I've also lost 6 inches from my bust. I guess that kind of goes against your point though.
    I do have friends that are pear shaped and their legs have only gotten smaller and more shapely from lifting. I'm sorry that you have such an issue with your mental image of your weight and body shape, but if I were pear shaped, I would strive to be the best pear I could be. As it is, I have broad shoulders. I tend to carry excess weight there (along with my bust, which you already so graciously pointed out). I do bench press, rows, overhead press, lateral raises, bicep curls and other accessory work. I want my arms, chest and shoulders to look amazing. And I've lost fat there too. I can see my collar bones now. I can see definition in my back, shoulders, and arms. And you know what? That looks a lot better (to me) than bulky fat. My shoulders look a lot more proportional when I lose weight. It's funny how that actually works (versus your opinion of how it works).

    I'd never apologize for my breasts!!! She was disrespectful, you are beautiful, fit and most importantly healthy!
    Women should really not be shaming other women\s bodies, if anything, should be supportive and encouraging!
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    beat_dead_horse2.jpg

    So so true... So tired of these posts..

    lol - as I said to a person earlier, who bumped it and kept it alive...check the OP date.

    It will die wen it rolls, maybe.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    beat_dead_horse2.jpg

    So so true... So tired of these posts..

    Why should it die? Just because you've been here and seen all this before doesn't mean that women that are new to the site shouldn't get the benefits of a post like this, is it? And it's not just the noobs that can benefit. I've seen countless posts where people say they tried everything else for a couple of years and then finally gave in to heavy lifting after seeing post after post such as this. It's sort of like television ads. You might not run out and buy after seeing the first ad but day after day of seeing the same shill and eventually you're willing to give the product a try.

    These threads should run for as long as there are still people that have questions or need inspiration to reach their goals.
  • stephanielynn76
    stephanielynn76 Posts: 709 Member
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    2vke2ib.gif

    freakin' LOLed at this .gif!!!
    Anyone who hasn't seen StephanieLynn's photos should really take a look at her profile pics. It's the most amazing example of how a woman with absolutely crazy kickass muscles still looks stunningly gorgeous and feminine.

    Don't want to look "too" muscular? Don't flex.

    ^^Wow what a sweet thing to say!!! Thank you! :flowerforyou:
    I checked out your blog, and it's really cool to see your progress over two years. It's quite a transformation. I thought you looked just as great at 150 as you did after you cut, too.

    Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog... and for the kind words! :happy:
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
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    beat_dead_horse2.jpg

    So so true... So tired of these posts..
    Then stop reading them. It's not like the juicing/cleanse/detox/VLC threads where people are giving out false information that misleads people into dangerous practices. So what if it's not new to you? It's new to plenty of people who just got here, and it was a "beating a dead horse" thread similar to this that got me into lifting too.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    IN for the roll. So as not to offend those that are so tired of seeing these same posts I think we should all repost in Part 2, but with more bikini photos. And more flexing. For comparison purposes, of course. And for science.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    I'm sick of all the Real Housewives Who Never Do Housework tv shows, but I won't go on their fan pages to say so. I just don't watch the shows.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    IN for the roll. So as not to offend those that are so tired of seeing these same posts I think we should all repost in Part 2, but with more bikini photos. And more flexing. For comparison purposes, of course. And for science.

    I need to get a bikini I guess.

    And work on my flexing poses, lol!

    Edit to add that I'm definitely not apologizing for the awesomeness that are my breasts. I love them and am super proud of how awesome they look. But, if I had hips, I would try to make those super awesome too. It's all about working with what you got to make the best version of you.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    IN for the roll. So as not to offend those that are so tired of seeing these same posts I think we should all repost in Part 2, but with more bikini photos. And more flexing. For comparison purposes, of course. And for science.

    In for the awesome, and there are some really inspirational stories here. And the sciency bikini photos.
    Out for the negative comments and the body shaming. Luckily it seems rather infrequent and can be ignored.