Can women lift weights without getting broad shoulders
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UmaMageswarymfp
Posts: 280 Member
Heyyy, so I know this is can sound crazy but I’m speaking from experience only. So few years back when I was obese my coach asked me to do a lot of cardio and weight training in order to lose weight. Back then my shoulders wasn’t that brought and it looked feminine but the second I started using dumbbells to lose shoulders fat , my shoulders became super broad which is making me look ginormous now . Now my coach said you have to start lifting weight in order to speed up the weight loss process and *kitten* but I have major trust issues because of my past experience. What should I do now ughhh
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Replies
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I've never heard of women's frames changing due to exercise of any kind. I'm female. I lift. My shoulders are the same width they were before I started lifting.13
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Go for it, they will look better as you develop more muscle tone.
You can always change rack if you decide it's not for you. It would be a shame to not try something that could be helpful on the off chance it won't work.1 -
You don't lose shoulder fat using dumbbells; you lose fat with a calorie deficit. No one, but women especially, just picks up a weight and gets ginormous. It takes time, dedication, and a calorie surplus to build muscle. Lifting as you lose weight will help you to preserve the muscle that you have and look better, but it won't make you lose weight any faster, and it certainly won't make you get huge.13
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I actually lift heavy weights and have broad shoulders and love it. I have always had broad shoulders. Im pretty sure i still look feminine. Lol
You dont lose weight in shoulders by lifting weights you cant spot reduce. Losing fat with calories deficient does so your muscle can show.
My suggestion is yes do both cardio and weights but studies show long drawn out cardio is no longer necessary. Short high intensity interval training along with heavy lifting is best. Think of quality over quantity
Lifting is also incredible for women. Prevents osteoporosis and lifting weights slows the aging process down.
By the way im 43. 3 kids. 8, 5 and 2.
Try lifting weights 2-3 times a week
High intensity interval training like sprints, tabata, 2 times a week and yoga 1 time a week.
Good luck!!!
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Shoulders are actually my favorite thing to train. While they have grown in size I wouldn't consider them broad. Lifting when losing weight is primarily a means to retain muscle. It also has a low calorie burn in comparison with cardio so I wouldn't say it speeds anything up. As you lose weight and your muscles become more visible you will get a better idea of your shape.6
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If you are eating in a deficit (i.e., eating to lose weight) your shoulders will not get bigger. Losing the fat that is over them will make them smaller.7
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I can only agree with those that say you won't get broad shoulders by accident. They may look broader if you've lost inches off your waist, but it takes a hell of a lot of work to build muscle as a woman.
My shoulders are broader now than a year ago, I love the way they are more muscular. But I've worked freaking hard to get them to that point, making sure I also eat enough. It's not something that's happened by accident, it's something that has taken a lot of lifting up progressively heavier weights.8 -
The width of the shoulders is based on your skeletal structure, I, e, Bones. Your bone size doesn't change with dumbbells or anything else. I also feel bad that you think broad shoulders do not look feminine. That seems like a judgment against a lot of women.20
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The width of the shoulders is based on your skeletal structure, I, e, Bones. Your bone size doesn't change with dumbbells or anything else. I also feel bad that you think broad shoulders do not look feminine. That seems like a judgment against a lot of women.
Right?!? My shoulders are one of my favorite parts. Yay for heavy lifting!14 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »The width of the shoulders is based on your skeletal structure, I, e, Bones. Your bone size doesn't change with dumbbells or anything else. I also feel bad that you think broad shoulders do not look feminine. That seems like a judgment against a lot of women.
Right?!? My shoulders are one of my favorite parts. Yay for heavy lifting!
Second that! Am working my socks off to actually get some muscle. It doesn't happen that easily.4 -
When we lift weights, it's normal to have water weight gain, which is related to the muscle repair process. This is what people often see and confuse with gaining muscle quickly. Depending on where you hold fat, certain parts of your body might look/feel bigger in the short term. If you continue to eat in a deficit, however, they will shrink. Always keep the long term plan in mind. Don't get derailed by the short term.2
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The width of the shoulders is based on your skeletal structure, I, e, Bones. Your bone size doesn't change with dumbbells or anything else. I also feel bad that you think broad shoulders do not look feminine. That seems like a judgment against a lot of women.
Agreed. Training shoulders can help a lot of women get that hourglass shape they long for, which is pretty feminine if you ask me.10 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »The width of the shoulders is based on your skeletal structure, I, e, Bones. Your bone size doesn't change with dumbbells or anything else. I also feel bad that you think broad shoulders do not look feminine. That seems like a judgment against a lot of women.
Right?!? My shoulders are one of my favorite parts. Yay for heavy lifting!
I will take shoulder improvements over booty and abs any day! They are the top of my priority list.5 -
The width of the shoulders is based on your skeletal structure, I, e, Bones. Your bone size doesn't change with dumbbells or anything else. I also feel bad that you think broad shoulders do not look feminine. That seems like a judgment against a lot of women.
Yep. I lost weight and to my surprise, I didn't have the figure I thought I did after losing all the fat covering up my actual bone structure. I carried most of my weight in my lower half, and once I lost it, it was like discovering a whole different body. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes and none are more feminine than the other.
I have wider shoulders and narrow hips (inverted triangle) and no amount of lifting will change the underlying structure of my body. I'm totally okay with strength training getting rid of the saddle bags in exchange for awesome quads, and shoulders are one of my favorite things to train. Ultimately, losing a significant amount of weight made the biggest difference in my body, and lifting made it stronger and better.7 -
Omg I did not mean to hurt anyone’s feeling , I just personally don’t like broad shoulders because it makes ME look less feminine. Most women can pull of broad shoulders and I’m not one of them . That’s because I’m still overweight and imagine overweight + broad shoulders + really tall . Not a good combo right ? Exactly 😭9
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UmaMageswarymfp wrote: »Omg I did not mean to hurt anyone’s feeling , I just personally don’t like broad shoulders because it makes ME look less feminine. Most women can pull of broad shoulders and I’m not one of them . That’s because I’m still overweight and imagine overweight + broad shoulders + really tall . Not a good combo right ? Exactly 😭
No offense taken.
Feminine and attractive are subjective.
I have found weight training to make me look smaller overall. The bits I have that are larger I specifically trained for. It was by no means accidental.3 -
UmaMageswarymfp wrote: »Omg I did not mean to hurt anyone’s feeling , I just personally don’t like broad shoulders because it makes ME look less feminine. Most women can pull of broad shoulders and I’m not one of them . That’s because I’m still overweight and imagine overweight + broad shoulders + really tall . Not a good combo right ? Exactly 😭
Your shoulders likely aren't as broad as you think they are. Give it time, lose some of the weight and then once you see what you look like without the additional weight you can assess your body's composition and work on changing/accentuating certain parts.0 -
Teabythesea_ wrote: »UmaMageswarymfp wrote: »Omg I did not mean to hurt anyone’s feeling , I just personally don’t like broad shoulders because it makes ME look less feminine. Most women can pull of broad shoulders and I’m not one of them . That’s because I’m still overweight and imagine overweight + broad shoulders + really tall . Not a good combo right ? Exactly 😭
Your shoulders likely aren't as broad as you think they are. Give it time, lose some of the weight and then once you see what you look like without the additional weight you can assess your body's composition and work on changing/accentuating certain parts.
I really hope that’s the case
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UmaMageswarymfp wrote: »Omg I did not mean to hurt anyone’s feeling , I just personally don’t like broad shoulders because it makes ME look less feminine. Most women can pull of broad shoulders and I’m not one of them . That’s because I’m still overweight and imagine overweight + broad shoulders + really tall . Not a good combo right ? Exactly 😭
No offense taken. Feminine and attractive are subjective.
I have found weight training to make me look smaller overall. The bits I have that are larger I specifically trained for. It was by no means accidental.
That’s true , I’m sorry.0 -
UmaMageswarymfp wrote: »Omg I did not mean to hurt anyone’s feeling , I just personally don’t like broad shoulders because it makes ME look less feminine. Most women can pull of broad shoulders and I’m not one of them . That’s because I’m still overweight and imagine overweight + broad shoulders + really tall . Not a good combo right ? Exactly 😭
I don't think you hut anyone's feelings. People are just saying that your perception may be off. You don't get broader shoulders by lifting weights. Period. You get more defined muscles which always looks nice, and certainly doesn't make you look masculine. As you lose weight, your shoulders actually get smaller because of fat loss.
And you don't lose shoulder fat by lifting weights, you lose it by eating at a calorie deficit.4
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