Lifting for Ladies: Arms?

Your arms are going to look like however they look because they are YOUR arms. You can't get someone else's arms, only yours.

If you have fat on your body and you want to drop body fat percentage (same as me) then yes, you want to lift heavy, but don't give up the cardio. You're still going to have to *cut* to burn off the fat. The strength training will help prevent muscle loss, but that alone won't get you where you want to be.

You say you want to lose fat, not weight. Well, it doesn't work that way. If you lose fat, you're going to lose weight. Fat has mass. It is virtually impossible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, so the best option is to pick a course of action and pursue it. This is why bodybuilders go on 6-week cycles. They cut for 6 weeks, to trim the fat, and then bulk for six weeks, to gain muscle mass. Rinse and repeat.

What you're after, with your arms - a certain look, a toned look - is essentially the same thing everyone else wants with their abs: a 'toned' look that is basically a product of low body fat. The only way to rid yourself of the body fat is to cut.

Don't worry about weight loss - whatever your weight will be, will be. Worry only about body fat percentage. That's what matters. But to cut body fat you will have to lose. Fat is not weightless.

To get the body fact percentage down, you have to cut.

When you are at a happy body fat percentage, assess your arms, your body, and figure out what you want to do next. You can attempt bulk - add more muscle - or just maintain what you have. But the WAY your arms look is largely a function of your DNA and that won't change.

I guess I'm what you consider bulky. It's taken a long time, strict nutrition and a hell of a lot of weight to get me where I am. Thinking you will get like me if you pick up anything heavier than 5 lbs dumbells is ... Well.... Rather insulting. You don't wake up one day and say.... Holy ****, I'm bulky!

Start upping the weight. Stop when you have the body you want. I promise big bulky muscles won't sneak up on you.

I laughed way too hard at this.

I use dumbbells up to 30lbs, no bulk here. You can see my arms in some of my pics if you want. Don't be afraid to lift and progress with the weights - I wish I had access to a full barbell set! Someday....

For fat loss, small calorie deficit, lift heavy things. :drinker:

That's bulky?

She considers michelle obama's arms to be bulky.

Chances are that you will never naturally approach anything you consider too bulky, even if you want to. But if you do get there, you can always stop or slow down.

That's bulky?

This.

This girl must be the only person in the world to say that Michelle Obama is bulky...

Michelle Obama...wow. In Canada, we only have wrinkly old farts running the country...to the ground. She kind of makes me want to be american.

She considers michelle obama's arms to be bulky.

Chances are that you will never naturally approach anything you consider too bulky, even if you want to. But if you do get there, you can always stop or slow down.

Let me revise my statement:

Chances are that you will never naturally approach anything most rational humans consider too bulky.

I don't consider Michelle Obama's arms to be bulky at all. But each person has their own idea of what they want to look like. But the look you are going for based on the pics you linked I would think could be achieved by going to a couple Bodypump type classes a week.

Hi everyone,
I'm 5'3 ish and weigh 118lb. Not overweight at all, but rather skinny fat - I jiggle a lot. My frame is petite so any excess fat is very visible. I'm especially self conscious of my upper arms.
Since I need to LOSE FAT, NOT WEIGHT, I cut cardio out of my routine and am now focusing on lifting weights, trying to go progressively heavier. My diet is relatively clean and I eat at maintenance. I know people always say women can't get bulky from lifting, not enough testosterone, genetically difficult, etc etc etc, but bulky is so hard to define.

This is what I consider "bulky" or "big":
http://cbsnews2.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/r/2013/01/22/f9120a08-c409-11e2-a43e-02911869d855/thumbnail/620x350/5530bfb42b47d72f3f4997467c2a79a0/159855669.jpg

This is what I want:
http://www.wallpapername.com/thumbnails/detail/20121101/women arms raised 1920x1200 wallpaper_www.wallpapername.com_9.jpg

http://www.lucilleroberts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/main-image.jpg

They are very slim but tight, and very feminine and sexy. Being so petite, achieving this look would be ideal for me. I am currently doing bench presses, squats, deadlifts, rows, crunches, and many others with a barbell.

Please share your thoughts? Thanks!

I think Michelle Obama's upper arms look toned, not bulky.

I think comparing them to another set of upper arms belonging to a person half her age and a smaller overall build isn't really comparing apples with apples.

And I don't think you have to worry you'll ever get arms like Michelle Obama.

This is what I consider "bulky" or "big":
http://cbsnews2.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/r/2013/01/22/f9120a08-c409-11e2-a43e-02911869d855/thumbnail/620x350/5530bfb42b47d72f3f4997467c2a79a0/159855669.jpg

This is what I want:
http://www.wallpapername.com/thumbnails/detail/20121101/women arms raised 1920x1200 wallpaper_www.wallpapername.com_9.jpg

http://www.lucilleroberts.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/main-image.jpg

Please share your thoughts? Thanks!

Between what you consider "bulky" and "what you want" and your profile picture I'm not surprised by your post.

Jus' make sure you don't realize at age 60 that you never lived life as you wanted to live.

Honestly, the person in the 2nd pic doesn't even look like she does weight training. It's a completely airbrushed photo, so your first step to success is to go get a copy of Photoshop and learn to use it.:happy: Then, viola, you too can slenderize your arms!

Honestly, the person in the 2nd pic doesn't even look like she does weight training. It's a completely airbrushed photo, so your first step to success is to go get a copy of Photoshop and learn to use it.:happy: Then, viola, you too can slenderize your arms!

Haha you may be right! But you can clearly see her abs and arm muscles the Photoshop will be my very last, backup plan.

Sure, but just be aware that the arms themselves don't have any extra hanging off them because it has been re-shaped digitally. You can also apply filters and airbrushing to make muscles seem more prominent. Honestly she just looks like she doesn't have a substantial frame.

Do pushups and pullups and you'll probably be right where you want to be.