Can I do CrossFit and still look soft?
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You have to go out of your way to wind up looking muscular and "bulky" there are probably women you walk past every day that are runners- cross fitters and lifters that look like regular average people in their street clothes.
You're fine.
Go do cross fit. When you start not liking what you look like come back to us and update- I'll wait around for it.
Then just eat more.0 -
I totally agree with the other posters. The women in my box that look a bit more muscular compete in Strong Women competitions. This is all this do in thier spare time and they are also following a VERY specialized diet. The rest who've been around for a while just look lean and fantastic and I'm aiming in thier direction. If by some miracle you have the genetics of Arnold Schwartzenager and you do begin to bulk up too much maybe just back off the weights and eat more carbs. However I highly doubt that will happen. All us ladies need to stop freaking out about getting bulky for real!0
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Haha thanks for all of your comforting words! I probably had a freak out moment since I finally found something I really like. If I end up like Arnold, I'll be sure to update everyone.
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Erm... I don't think that's really true. Some of us maintain muscle mass for a very long time after stopping heavy exercise.
My CrossFit experience is basically that, if you don't subscribe to Paleo strictly (and probably supplement at least a little bit,) you're really unlikely to "bulk up" unless your system is already prone to that. There are certainly women who bulk up but most of us are built to maintain that soft layer.
Many women are hesitant to join CrossFit for exactly the same concerns you're voicing, and my box is pretty clear about what kind of gains to expect for women and what it would take to become that solid and well-defined. If you're not forcing yourself into a deficit to cut weight, you'll most likely maintain the softer feeling/appearance.
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So priapism is a side effect of crossfit?0
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Erm... I don't think that's really true. Some of us maintain muscle mass for a very long time after stopping heavy exercise.
My CrossFit experience is basically that, if you don't subscribe to Paleo strictly (and probably supplement at least a little bit,) you're really unlikely to "bulk up" unless your system is already prone to that. There are certainly women who bulk up but most of us are built to maintain that soft layer.
Many women are hesitant to join CrossFit for exactly the same concerns you're voicing, and my box is pretty clear about what kind of gains to expect for women and what it would take to become that solid and well-defined. If you're not forcing yourself into a deficit to cut weight, you'll most likely maintain the softer feeling/appearance.
Paleo is not required to "bulk up". The vast majority of people who "bulk up", by which I assume you mean add muscle mass and possibly lean out, do not follow paleo.
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I am cutting and counting calories while I train to lose weight. I'm doing simple MFP Calories in/Calories out, and watching my fats and sugars. Aside from that, my diet has for the most part remained unchanged.0
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Do the Crossfit and have fun. Everybody seems to think that it is easy to transform a body and if you touch a barbell new muscle appears.
If that were the case, i would be the incredible hulk with all the exercise and sports I have done. I am not. I suppose I am rather lean for someone my age. But I certainly have not found that, with a year of effort, or two years, or more, that I have grown bulging biceps and/or thighs that rip my jeans.0 -
I finally met the fourth coach at my gym. She is a short girl with very thin structure and arms. She is powerful-- did several pull ups while calmly talking and smiling at us. She is strong. She told me after class that she has in fact been TRYING to bulk up with no luck. She said that for women you have to be really trying to bulk. And she has been doing CrossFit religiously (like I said, she is a coach) for two years.
She did say that some women have muscles that look bigger, and body shapes that look broader, which could give a bulky look once the fat shed away. But she also said if I get to that point she can help me readjust me goals and lifting to get the look I want.
I found a great place to work out! She also said worrying about bulk is a very common fear for women first getting into CrossFit.0 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »If you want to look soft, keep your bodyfat at a higher percentage. The defined look comes with lower bodyfat levels.
Sorry to sound like such a noob-- but how do I keep my body fat higher? Not cut as many calories? Or simply keep a few sugars and fats in my diet?
Yep if u want the soft look up the suger in take.. Suger higher carbs hold more water given u the soft look.0 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »If you want to look soft, keep your bodyfat at a higher percentage. The defined look comes with lower bodyfat levels.
Sorry to sound like such a noob-- but how do I keep my body fat higher? Not cut as many calories? Or simply keep a few sugars and fats in my diet?
Yep if u want the soft look up the suger in take.. Suger higher carbs hold more water given u the soft look.
When I eat high carb I hold water in my muscles and they look bigger, I don't look softer.0 -
No, just a rather bad pun.professionalHobbyist wrote: »
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Erm... I don't think that's really true. Some of us maintain muscle mass for a very long time after stopping heavy exercise.
My CrossFit experience is basically that, if you don't subscribe to Paleo strictly (and probably supplement at least a little bit,) you're really unlikely to "bulk up" unless your system is already prone to that. There are certainly women who bulk up but most of us are built to maintain that soft layer.
Many women are hesitant to join CrossFit for exactly the same concerns you're voicing, and my box is pretty clear about what kind of gains to expect for women and what it would take to become that solid and well-defined. If you're not forcing yourself into a deficit to cut weight, you'll most likely maintain the softer feeling/appearance.
HA. ha ha ha ha
paleo and bulking.... giggle.
thank you- that was funny. you made my morning.0 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »If you want to look soft, keep your bodyfat at a higher percentage. The defined look comes with lower bodyfat levels.
Sorry to sound like such a noob-- but how do I keep my body fat higher? Not cut as many calories? Or simply keep a few sugars and fats in my diet?
Yep if u want the soft look up the suger in take.. Suger higher carbs hold more water given u the soft look.
When I eat high carb I hold water in my muscles and they look bigger, I don't look softer.
If u carry on eating this way OH YES THEY WILL0 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »If you want to look soft, keep your bodyfat at a higher percentage. The defined look comes with lower bodyfat levels.
Sorry to sound like such a noob-- but how do I keep my body fat higher? Not cut as many calories? Or simply keep a few sugars and fats in my diet?
Yep if u want the soft look up the suger in take.. Suger higher carbs hold more water given u the soft look.
When I eat high carb I hold water in my muscles and they look bigger, I don't look softer.
If u carry on eating this way OH YES THEY WILL
Uh, yeah, no. You really should read more, speak less. There are some really good threads on here that you could learn a thing or two from.0 -
Take a look at Roni Noone, the blogger. She's a pretty avid crossfitter and she doesn't look like a professional crossfitter. She looks lean, healthy, etc. The people that I know that are into crossfit look like her, not the professionals.0
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Don't eat at a surplus and don't eat surplus protein and you won't have an issue. As a woman who crossfits, it's been slow going trying to grow muscles on purpose. You won't grow them by accident.0
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You won't bulk up by accident, don't worry.0
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3dogsrunning wrote: »If you want to look soft, keep your bodyfat at a higher percentage. The defined look comes with lower bodyfat levels.
Sorry to sound like such a noob-- but how do I keep my body fat higher? Not cut as many calories? Or simply keep a few sugars and fats in my diet?
Yep if u want the soft look up the suger in take.. Suger higher carbs hold more water given u the soft look.
When I eat high carb I hold water in my muscles and they look bigger, I don't look softer.
If u carry on eating this way OH YES THEY WILL
Not if you are eating at or below TDEE. Carbs don't magically make you soft or fat. You posted similar carb fear garbage in the why are abs impossible thread. Your advice is simply wrong.0
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