woman weight training and bulk

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recoveryoga
recoveryoga Posts: 17 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
okay so i'm already at a fairly small size (healthy though) and i'm afraid that if i lift then i'll get more bulky. now i know and have read that women don't get bulky but i was wondering since i'm already somewhat skinny with gaining more muscle make me appear to be bigger? all the examples i've seen are of people losing fat and gaining muscle whereas i want to maintain my approximate weight and gain muscle. thoughts? ideas? input? reassurance that i won't look crazy because i already have a very fragile body image?

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  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
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    You are looking to lose BF% and gain muscle while remaining at the same weight, yes?

    If you do a recomp (lifting while eating at maintenance) or bulking/cutting and end up at the same weight, you will up smaller and lose inches. Muscle is more dense than fat.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    If it was that easy to bulk on muscle, everyone would be walking around totally jacked. It is really, really, really, really, hard for a guy to bulk muscle and requires a well regulated surplus of calories as well as proper volume in the weight room, good genetics, and years of dedication.

    It is infinitely harder for a woman to bulk because you simply do not have the testosterone to do so. If you are naturally small as you say you are, that would suggest that you do not have the genetic makeup really to be any kind of statistical outlier and bulk any significant muscle as a female.

    Bulking doesn't happen by accident...it doesn't happen just by going into the gym and lifting weights a few time per week. Bulking requires strict adherence to your nutrition and lifting routine, lots of volume, and years and years of dedication.
  • hearthemelody
    hearthemelody Posts: 1,025 Member
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    Speaking specifically to your body image, weightlifting will help.

    How you say? How will picking things up and putting them down help me think more positively about myself?

    Well, I am glad you asked, OP!

    I am learning, through weightlifting, that bodies are meant to be used. A body that is not used will at best bloat or sag and at worst become non-functioning. Weightlifting has taught me that I can USE my body, that it is not just here to be looked at. I have found that very empowering.

    I WILL be able to squat 200 lbs, and that is something that nobody else I know can do!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Speaking specifically to your body image, weightlifting will help.

    How you say? How will picking things up and putting them down help me think more positively about myself?

    Well, I am glad you asked, OP!

    I am learning, through weightlifting, that bodies are meant to be used. A body that is not used will at best bloat or sag and at worst become non-functioning. Weightlifting has taught me that I can USE my body, that it is not just here to be looked at. I have found that very empowering.

    I WILL be able to squat 200 lbs, and that is something that nobody else I know can do!

    great post...dead on and super awesome...

    awesome-gif.gif
  • endoftheside
    endoftheside Posts: 568 Member
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    You can gain a lot of *strength* without gaining more muscle weight. I would give lifting a try for 12 weeks, measure before and after and take pictures, and see if you like the results.
  • recoveryoga
    recoveryoga Posts: 17 Member
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    thank you all for the feedback! it gives me a lot more reassurance. and to hearthemelody- yoga for a while gave me that feeling of worth for my body but it's been hard to get back into as my body is not the same as it was before or during my eating disorder. i feel a lot better now. so suggestions for getting started? just go to the gym and give it a whirl or get a personal trainer or ask a friend or do a lot of reading?
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    If you are eating at maintenance you won't gain very much actual muscle mass (if any). Maybe a pound or two in 3 - 6 months. I had to eat 3000 calories a day to gain about 4lbs of muscles in 4 months.

    But yes, lifting IS very empowering.

    I would look into programs like Stronglifts 5x5, Starting Strength or New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women.

    Here's a good summary of the Stronglifts program (which is my favorite of the 3 listed):

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary
  • hearthemelody
    hearthemelody Posts: 1,025 Member
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    Read the link that Rae posted, MAYBE buy the book Starting Strength (but only if you like text books...) watch a youtube video, and get to it!

    Really, I was intimidated by starting something that is so, well, male-oriented, but there is no reason to be. That group that has the summary is really helpful, and I really just started reading and then doing.

    Where are you going to workout? Do you belong to a gym? I bought my weights so only my husband can see me haha!
  • Whambam087
    Whambam087 Posts: 170
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    Lifting weights has made me tighter and toned not bulky.
  • the_dude00
    the_dude00 Posts: 1,056 Member
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    thank you all for the feedback! it gives me a lot more reassurance. and to hearthemelody- yoga for a while gave me that feeling of worth for my body but it's been hard to get back into as my body is not the same as it was before or during my eating disorder. i feel a lot better now. so suggestions for getting started? just go to the gym and give it a whirl or get a personal trainer or ask a friend or do a lot of reading?

    Fully agree with what cwolf wrote earlier. Get someone to show you how to appropriately do squats, dead lifts, bench press, and pull ups or a pull up assistance machine. Most personnel trainers I see show people exercises that leave them dependent on the trainer. I would recommend reading a lot. If you need to teach yourself exercises watch youtube demonstrations, and start really light until you are confident with your form.

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