Maintaining Muscle Mass

Beezil
Beezil Posts: 1,677 Member
edited October 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I wanted to ask this here, rather than sifting through many different pages on many different websites to get an answer that may or may not be helpful. I know there are a lot of knowledgeable people on this site who do build muscle and/or try to simply maintain their current physique. What I would like to know is, as a woman, how much is too much when it comes to strength training?

I currently do 5 strength training classes a week using the Turbo Fire program. One 20 minute upper body, one 20 minute lower body, one 20 minute core, and two 30 minute total body classes. I also do a 10 minute ab workout 2-3 times a week and one 40 minute stretch class once a week. I don't want to become bulky, and although I know as a female many people have said it would take a ton of work and time to even begin seeing any bulkiness, I still would like to know where a good guideline to draw would be. I am loving the tone and look of my muscles right now, but I think if they got any bigger I would not be as happy with them. I still want to be strong and maintain what I have though. Any advice is much appreciated! :smile:

Replies

  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    it looks like from your profile you are at your goal weight. Congrats on that. To get "bulky" or increase your muscle mass, you will need to increase your calories to achieve a caloric surplus rather than maintenance calories. That with weight training is the only way to get bigger muscles.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    Weights: you shouldn't work the same muscle groups with weights 2 days in a row, that includes abs. Since it looks like Turbo Fire is full body strength training you should only be doing it 3 days a week. However, I'm not familiar with turbo fire. That much core is unnecessary, it's another muscle group that needs rest to repair.
  • Tarah1218
    Tarah1218 Posts: 36
    There really is no "too much" unless you are feeling worn down, tired, crabby, etc. Any symptoms of overtraining and I would scale back but if you like what you are doing go right ahead doing it. I do an hour of lifting on mondays, 45 minutes the rest of the week (4 days), cardio 6x a week, and I take sunday off.

    You won't gain muscle unless you start eating a good amount above your maintance calories on a regular basis and train hard.

    To maintain just eat at maintance, get your protien in, and keeping doing what you are doing.
  • Beezil
    Beezil Posts: 1,677 Member
    Weights: you shouldn't work the same muscle groups with weights 2 days in a row, that includes abs. Since it looks like Turbo Fire is full body strength training you should only be doing it 3 days a week. However, I'm not familiar with turbo fire. That much core is unnecessary, it's another muscle group that needs rest to repair.

    Thanks! It's a mix between full body strength training and high intensity cardio workouts. I have been thinking I've been doing too much core work, so maybe I will tone down on that a little. Thanks again. :)
    There really is no "too much" unless you are feeling worn down, tired, crabby, etc. Any symptoms of overtraining and I would scale back but if you like what you are doing go right ahead doing it. I do an hour of lifting on mondays, 45 minutes the rest of the week (4 days), cardio 6x a week, and I take sunday off.

    You won't gain muscle unless you start eating a good amount above your maintance calories on a regular basis and train hard.

    To maintain just eat at maintance, get your protien in, and keeping doing what you are doing.

    Thank you for your help! :heart:
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