Ladies - weights, squats, lunges don't make your legs bulky

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  • csofled
    csofled Posts: 3,022 Member
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    I'm a "baby lifter" too! Thanks for this thread of information about working the lower body. I have been mostly doing upper body work using 5 lbs/8 lbs dumb bells I have at home. Let me tell you when I have done 3 sets of 15 reps at these weights my arms feel it. Being 56 yo and going round whatever on the weight loss / fitness train I decided to heed all I had heard/read about lifting and cardio together with your diet changes. I will add lower body to my strength training workout. I am 5'3" and have shorter legs with no calf definition so I look forward to gaining some sculpted legs to go with my sculpted arms!
  • HanamiDango
    HanamiDango Posts: 456 Member
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    PlumpKitten wrote: »
    I'm writing from an Asian city where women just don't lift. I started with wimpy 8-lb handweights and a barbell with no weights on it. Men told me to get back on the treadmill or yoga if I wanted to be "less fat" - and nobody stood up for me. The female gym staff told me 8-lb weights (!) would make me "bulky and unfeminine." So just trying to counter those stereotypes -- and encouraging women to get lean and fit.

    Lots of Asian women are afraid to do any lifting bc they're convinced they'll "bulk up", like, overnight. So they just starve themselves & spend all day on the eliptical on the lowest setting. And it's ridiculous.

    They have muscle removal surgery in Korea, so I understand your feelings here. Asians like to be very small and it is frown a-pond in most Asian countries that I know of for women to build muscle. In the USA and Europe this stereotype of women bulking is there, but it is not as harsh. Fitspo is really in. There is still a ton of mis-information, so I think it is really neat of you to share your start.
  • shrinkingletters
    shrinkingletters Posts: 1,008 Member
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    PlumpKitten wrote: »
    sunglasses_and_ocean_waves wrote: »
    whatevs. I have big freaking quads cause I work 'em, and I've been doing so for years. You've been working 2 months? I don't really think you're an expert but keep on keeping on, babe. Exercise is good.

    I wish there was a "like" button like on Facebook!

    Me too. I love my shapely legs. Even at my most fit and lowest bf, my thigh, dear god, the thighs. I think it's awesome.
  • sazziek
    sazziek Posts: 57 Member
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    I am 5'4 and 125 lbs. I feel like my legs are huge and muscular! I try to roll them out on the foam roller, and I noticed a huge difference! Everyone must get one!
  • 3bambi3
    3bambi3 Posts: 1,650 Member
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    sazziek wrote: »
    I am 5'4 and 125 lbs. I feel like my legs are huge and muscular! I try to roll them out on the foam roller, and I noticed a huge difference! Everyone must get one!

    Are you saying a foam roller makes your legs...less muscular?
  • juliewatkin
    juliewatkin Posts: 764 Member
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    Stretching and foam rolling does not make your muscles bigger, smaller, longer or more toned. Different exercises don't lengthen or shorten your muscles. They are either bigger or smaller. Some people's are bigger than others. I'm 126 and 5'6" and my muscles are not big or bulky. However, other people do get bigger legs.
  • PlumpKitten
    PlumpKitten Posts: 112 Member
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    [/quote]

    They have muscle removal surgery in Korea, so I understand your feelings here. Asians like to be very small and it is frown a-pond in most Asian countries that I know of for women to build muscle. In the USA and Europe this stereotype of women bulking is there, but it is not as harsh. Fitspo is really in. There is still a ton of mis-information, so I think it is really neat of you to share your start. [/quote]

    Thanks so much for the encouragement! In fancy downtown gyms, some women - particularly affulent overseas Asian / foreign women - are starting to do stuff like CrossFit. Girls are also doing more sport - when in my day growing up, girls would be afraid to join, say, the basketball team for fear of getting "big."

    But if you look at ads here, "fitspo" has definitely not hit here. Local Asian models are very pale, very thin, very young, almost weak looking.

    I work out in a small suburban gym -- actually, not even a real outside gym, more like an exercise room in a residential complex. So the guys / staff there still believe that women should do cardio / yoga -- and that weights are unfeminine or make you "big and bulky."

    Anyways -- I try not to judge. These guys are actually probably trying to be helpful. I just ignore them and work on my weights!


  • PlumpKitten
    PlumpKitten Posts: 112 Member
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    juliewatkin wrote: »
    Stretching and foam rolling does not make your muscles bigger, smaller, longer or more toned. Different exercises don't lengthen or shorten your muscles. They are either bigger or smaller. Some people's are bigger than others. I'm 126 and 5'6" and my muscles are not big or bulky. However, other people do get bigger legs.

    Thanks for that. Sorry if I was unclear.
    You are right. Stretching itself does not make your actual muscle bigger or smaller. But stretching obviously helps with warming up & flexibility.
    In Asian culture, we use stretching and various types of massage to smooth out knots, increase circulation and get rid of excess fluid (water, lactic acid) after exercise.
    I have a good friend who is a dancer. Her legs are strong -- but she also has to keep them looking lean. She uses lots of stretching - yoga, pilates - to do that.
    Hope that helps!
  • PlumpKitten
    PlumpKitten Posts: 112 Member
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    csofled wrote: »
    I'm a "baby lifter" too! Thanks for this thread of information about working the lower body. I have been mostly doing upper body work using 5 lbs/8 lbs dumb bells I have at home. Let me tell you when I have done 3 sets of 15 reps at these weights my arms feel it. Being 56 yo and going round whatever on the weight loss / fitness train I decided to heed all I had heard/read about lifting and cardio together with your diet changes. I will add lower body to my strength training workout. I am 5'3" and have shorter legs with no calf definition so I look forward to gaining some sculpted legs to go with my sculpted arms!

    Yes! Add lower body stuff like squats and lunges. Then add some weight to it when you are ready. You will be working the biggest muscles in your body.

  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
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    I don't know about anyone else but I for damn sure have squat quads, and I'm proud of them. I worked hard for those quads.

    This whole idea that you can't get bigger muscles from lifting is nonsense. You just won't do it by accident, and after a certain point, you won't get bigger without chemical intervention.

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