Female who WANTS to get a little bulky?

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  • mereditheve
    mereditheve Posts: 142 Member
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    Adding one more thing to the list I sent you earlier...

    Supersets - I do TONS of these (literally), especially when I'm working out at hotel gyms whose weights are limited to dumbbells and have nothing higher than 45 or 50lb dumbbells. It's a good way to keep your heart rate elevated and maximizes blood flow and lactic acid to the muscles to encourage muscle growth.

    Last, just a quick comment on gaining fat while building muscle: it is not a given that you will increase your body fat percentage while building muscle. My body fat fluctuates very little and has been a steady 17-18%. Yes, you will gain fat while gaining muscle, but the ratio of fat/muscle does not have to change substantially.
  • margannmks
    margannmks Posts: 424 Member
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    I found the woman i was posting about shes " liftnlove_ " check out her blogs.
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
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    Interesting read. I'm coming off of my first bulk, and it didn't go as smoothly as I hoped. I put on 10-12 pounds, decent muscle, but more fat than I wanted.

    It took a ton more food than I first anticipated, and a ton more lifting. I had to step up to 4-6 hours of lifting a week because my 3-f4 just wasn't cutting it.

    Now I'm in a cut cycle, which is currently kinda sucky. My lifts have been suffering, so clearly I have much to learn.
  • ghurl7
    ghurl7 Posts: 27 Member
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    yep, i'm one of those females .. who is trying to earn some muscle, butt & abs .... doing it gradually though .... mainly focusing through body-weight exercises ... burpees, push-ups, mountain climbers, modified mountain climbers, yoga & stretching, stair-jogging, squats, planks .... soon pull-ups ... lol .... i've got a loooong way to go, till i earn those muscles ... but then ..... during that long time ..... the exercises would become more of a habit and life style .... =)
  • ishkur
    ishkur Posts: 41 Member
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    Just took a quick look at your diary too. You're going to need A LOT more than 1800 net calories to bulk...I guarantee it.

    Oh my, yes! I have to eat at least 2,400!

    I currently have my goal set to 1800 calories, meaning I burn 500 minimum at the gym, 1300 is my bmr, and then I add 200 calories to get a surplus... but this is not what I actually eat, its just so that I can plan ahead of time. I wear a heart rate monitor in the gym, and whatever calories it says I burn over 500, I add on to my exercise, and eat it back a long with the 200 calorie surplus. It usually is around 2300.
  • ishkur
    ishkur Posts: 41 Member
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    I've been trying to get bulky for two years. I LOOK bulkier at the moment because I'm carrying 23% body fat, but I won't look as bulky when I cut and get my abs back. I look a lot bigger when I flex than when I walk around like normal.

    I agree with DjinnMarie...I would not attempt something like that without having a qualified personal trainer help you. For me, I am afraid it would just become fat.

    two important points- USMCMP made one-
    1.) you can be big- but not really look it. I'm same same boat as her- we have a thing at my dance studio at this point called "do the thing"

    And do the thing means- "hey Jo- Flex for us" because flexed Jo is way bigger looking than just walking Jo.
    It's hysterical (to me)

    2.) Those fitness models do NOT walk around looking like that 365 days a year. You can get big- and really good looking without ever having to hit the uber low body fat percentage of a fitness/physique competitor.

    Getting down to the low 20's in body fat should get you a pretty solid defined look- and you can easily do that on your own without a professional's help.

    But- I do agree- if you really want to compete- or get to that level hire someone (although- to be fair- if you want to go that far you might as well compete)

    Oh yea I know that flexed and depleted looks are a lot different than what a regular stance would be. But I do want to look lean, 18-20% body fat, not depleted though, obviously as that is not maintainable or safe.

    I'm not sure if I want to compete, I don't think that I could go through the competition prep.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Then you probably don't need a coach- just aggressive dieting and bulk/cut cycles for 2 years to get you what you want.
  • gdreeves71
    gdreeves71 Posts: 29
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    Protein Protein Protein and a lot of weight training. Meet with a professional trainer or get into Crossfit so you learn proper form.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    Just took a quick look at your diary too. You're going to need A LOT more than 1800 net calories to bulk...I guarantee it.

    Oh my, yes! I have to eat at least 2,400!

    I currently have my goal set to 1800 calories, meaning I burn 500 minimum at the gym, 1300 is my bmr, and then I add 200 calories to get a surplus... but this is not what I actually eat, its just so that I can plan ahead of time. I wear a heart rate monitor in the gym, and whatever calories it says I burn over 500, I add on to my exercise, and eat it back a long with the 200 calorie surplus. It usually is around 2300.

    Some good advice in here.

    What you are going to need most is patience. I'm a guy obviously and can tell you that in the last 2 years of solid lifting 3-5x a week with bulks and cuts in there I have gained basically nothing on the arms, a little on the torso and 1kg per leg. (via dexa scan)

    The less trained you are the more potential for growth you have.

    Also, hrm's are not accurate for anaerobic exercise. For anyone with a regular lifting schedule, I recommend using gross figures and modifying when required.

    Also, minimum protein of around .75g/lb of BW should be plenty. I'd be making up the surplus with the majority being carbs personally.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    It really depends on people's definition of 'bulky' - what is lean to one is muscular to another and is bulky to yet another.

    Yes, you can look like some of the female competitors without taking test or steroids etc...not all, as many are on gear.

    If takes time, eating at a slight surplus (unless new to lifting) when already lean, a good progressive loading lifting routine (hypertrophy focused) and sufficient protein. As Chris mentioned above, when you hit your protein (and fats), I would use your leftover calories for mainly carbs.
  • eating4me
    eating4me Posts: 239 Member
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    You can do it! It takes a LOT of heavy lifting, and a LOT of food. Compound lifts, super sets, progressive sets, giant sets -- will get you to where you want to be, but it doesn't happen overnight. You burn many more calories when you have a greater percentage of lean muscle mass, so you need to eat a tremendous amount of food, or it's easy to lose muscle mass & weight....at least this is what I'm finding out, but I'm by no means a professional. My goals are the same as yours. Read everything you can get your hands on about bodybuilding, and ignore the haters--you'll hear people telling you "Don't get any bigger, you don't want to look like a man" -- but that's their problem. Enjoy the journey! I wish I would have started lifting heavy a long time ago. I'll be 57 in December.
  • Arydria
    Arydria Posts: 179 Member
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    I'd also mention that it's going to be easier if you are following a well defined lifting program with progressive resistance. A lot of people don't have the experience to write an effective lifting program.

    Could you link me to any programs you know that have had high success rate? I'm currently doing my own routine, and I'm getting good results, but I want the best. Thank you.

    any program that's progressive will be good- and any program you'll do.

    The which one is largely irrelevant- building a really solid base of STRENGTH before really hammaring for size is wise (Remeber Arnold started young with Oly lifting before switching to body building)

    We often suggest something like strong lifts- starting strength- new rules of lifting- this will just get you strong- and you can really pack on some size and then go for definition later.

    You don't have to do it that way- but it's a good way to go- gives you something to work with.

    In all honesty, if she really wants to look like that, she needs to shell out some money for a qualified (not just certified) personal trainer who has experience in training figure competitors.

    ^This. A good trainer can work with you on both lifting and nutrition to meet your goals. But remember that getting a competition ready body requires strict discipline and hard work (and a seemingly endless supply of egg whites!) I know several competitors, and the reality is they look like normal people in the off season.

    If you can afford it, hire a trainer. They'll help you reach YOUR goals.
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,212 Member
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    "do the thing"

    C'mon Jo, do the thing. :wink:
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    aw- I'll have take a new one- I don't have a any good/recent "do the thing" pictures!!!
  • CoachChris78
    CoachChris78 Posts: 30 Member
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    or get into Crossfit so you learn proper form.

    Ha, ha, ha, ha

    so funny

    Oh wait were you being serious?
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
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    If you continue eating 1800 calories a day, there's no way you'll bulk.
  • Docbanana2002
    Docbanana2002 Posts: 357 Member
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    Just took a quick look at your diary too. You're going to need A LOT more than 1800 net calories to bulk...I guarantee it.

    Oh my, yes! I have to eat at least 2,400!

    I currently have my goal set to 1800 calories, meaning I burn 500 minimum at the gym, 1300 is my bmr, and then I add 200 calories to get a surplus... but this is not what I actually eat, its just so that I can plan ahead of time. I wear a heart rate monitor in the gym, and whatever calories it says I burn over 500, I add on to my exercise, and eat it back a long with the 200 calorie surplus. It usually is around 2300.

    If you are just 200 above your BMR (plus eating back exercise calories) then you are still in a deficit mode, aren't you? How are you accounting for the calories burned while driving around, working, conducting your daily life outside of the gym? If you are doing something other than sleeping on the couch outside the gym, those aren't factored into your BMR.
  • mereditheve
    mereditheve Posts: 142 Member
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    or get into Crossfit so you learn proper form.

    Ha, ha, ha, ha

    so funny

    Oh wait were you being serious?

    I thought the same thing... not bashing Crossfit, but it's not exactly about form....
  • Katzedernacht
    Katzedernacht Posts: 266 Member
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    mereditheve wrote: »
    or get into Crossfit so you learn proper form.

    Ha, ha, ha, ha

    so funny

    Oh wait were you being serious?

    I thought the same thing... not bashing Crossfit, but it's not exactly about form....

    :B sometimes you sacrifice speed for proper form.
    Yeh I've done CF
    now I'm mixing it with weightlifting.
    I am more careful with my form than I was.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Katzedernacht wrote: »
    mereditheve wrote: »
    or get into Crossfit so you learn proper form.

    Ha, ha, ha, ha

    so funny

    Oh wait were you being serious?

    I thought the same thing... not bashing Crossfit, but it's not exactly about form....

    :B sometimes you sacrifice speed for proper form.
    Yeh I've done CF
    now I'm mixing it with weightlifting.
    I am more careful with my form than I was.

    You bumped almost a year old thread to whiteknight cross fit?

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