"Bulky" vs "Muscular". The real definition.
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So how do I become "muscular and defined" for a woman who has a lot of muscle but also fat, eats at a calorie deficit, and wants to start weight lifting for better definition and strength?
I always liked the thin "toned" look thinking that was supposed to be the ideal for a woman but now like the "muscular defined look BETTER! I will never be thin so why try!!! I think all the women in the pictures are beautiful....
What you need to do is lose fat while maintaining this muscle you already have. This is done by dieting at a moderate calorie deficit (which means loss will be slower but this is good). Eating adequate protein while dieting (1 gram per pound of lean body mass). And, lasting, by strength training with "heavy" (for you) weights.
Could you have really muscular legs with a lot of fat on them, start training as a beginner, have a moderate calorie deficit and gain some more muscle on legs and lose some fat at the same time? Your legs become more muscular than you would like?
People very new to lifting can gain some muscle while on a calorie deficit. But it's not much. When eating at a surplus a woman can only hope for gaining a pound a month (and that's over her entire body not just her legs). So "newbie" gains would not be more than that and would probably be less. Maybe a half pound a month, that doesn't convert to very many inches gained.
I have muscular legs with fat on them, pretty much have since I was 11. Did before I started weight lifting again. When I started lifting again I decided I wanted to go all in and I actually ate at a surplus instead of a deficit. I only gained an inch on my upper thighs and my quads (lower, a few inches above the knees) actually got smaller. So I'm not sure what happened my leg muscle probably stayed about the same size, and some leg fat came off on the lower section and some gained on the upper section. There are some before and after pictures in my profile (Sept to Feb).
But for me there's no "more muscular than I would like". I like muscular legs. My legs are genetically "bulky" as well. I've grown okay with this. It's where my body stores it's fat and that's just who I am. I'd rather have muscular legs with some fat over them than just fat legs or skinny legs. Eventually I want muscular legs with "less fat" than they have now...0 -
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So to sum up:
Bulky = muscular with high body fat, 27%+
Muscular = muscles with moderate body fat. 20% to 26%
Muscular and defined = muscles and lower body fat 12% to 19%
That's true. So many women think they "bulk up" when lifting heavy which isn't true. The only reason for this is for most of the time they're building muscle under their thick layers of fat which is why their getting bigger but it won't happen if they were to have a low to normal body fat percentage. I'm an intermediate heavy lifter & right now my body fat falls between 19-20% which explains why my body look "toned" for the general population but still not that defined because I still have a few fat to shed. So ladies to look "muscular" requires a very low body fat which is very difficult to achieve & you need to have very strict diet for that.0 -
Depends on your disposition. If your legs are already "muscular" you probably aren't new to lifting. If you're a former athlete returning after a long layoff..........possible. If you're obese/very overweight...........possible. But even if your disposition were those 2, the gain of muscle would be minimal at best.Could you have really muscular legs with a lot of fat on them, start training as a beginner, have a moderate calorie deficit and gain some more muscle on legs and lose some fat at the same time? Your legs become more muscular than you would like?
A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
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Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
I thought I had muscular thighs -- until I started losing weight off them, now they look like regular thighs. LOL.0
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So how do I become "muscular and defined" for a woman who has a lot of muscle but also fat, eats at a calorie deficit, and wants to start weight lifting for better definition and strength?
I always liked the thin "toned" look thinking that was supposed to be the ideal for a woman but now like the "muscular defined look BETTER! I will never be thin so why try!!! I think all the women in the pictures are beautiful....
What you need to do is lose fat while maintaining this muscle you already have. This is done by dieting at a moderate calorie deficit (which means loss will be slower but this is good). Eating adequate protein while dieting (1 gram per pound of lean body mass). And, lasting, by strength training with "heavy" (for you) weights.
Could you have really muscular legs with a lot of fat on them, start training as a beginner, have a moderate calorie deficit and gain some more muscle on legs and lose some fat at the same time? Your legs become more muscular than you would like?
People very new to lifting can gain some muscle while on a calorie deficit. But it's not much. When eating at a surplus a woman can only hope for gaining a pound a month (and that's over her entire body not just her legs). So "newbie" gains would not be more than that and would probably be less. Maybe a half pound a month, that doesn't convert to very many inches gained.
I have muscular legs with fat on them, pretty much have since I was 11. Did before I started weight lifting again. When I started lifting again I decided I wanted to go all in and I actually ate at a surplus instead of a deficit. I only gained an inch on my upper thighs and my quads (lower, a few inches above the knees) actually got smaller. So I'm not sure what happened my leg muscle probably stayed about the same size, and some leg fat came off on the lower section and some gained on the upper section. There are some before and after pictures in my profile (Sept to Feb).
But for me there's no "more muscular than I would like". I like muscular legs. My legs are genetically "bulky" as well. I've grown okay with this. It's where my body stores it's fat and that's just who I am. I'd rather have muscular legs with some fat over them than just fat legs or skinny legs. Eventually I want muscular legs with "less fat" than they have now...
Thanks for that.0 -
I really do not like skinny bashing but this picture just makes me sad
I just wanted to add that just because you have low body fat % does not mean you will look more defined or muscular as you can clearly see here.
and she probably thinks she is not think enough..0 -
More muscular in "competition" and "bulkier" in the offseason. TIANNA TA is one of my favs.
Perfect example! Same physique...just a little more bodyfat in the off season.
Yeh, that's a great example. Thanks.
Gorgeous body in both pics. Definitely someone I would love to model myself after.0 -
So to sum up:
Bulky = muscular with high body fat, 27%+
Muscular = muscles with moderate body fat. 20% to 26%
Muscular and defined = muscles and lower body fat 12% to 19%
I am aiming for the muscular and defined, that is my dream look.0 -
this! 0 -
I really do not like skinny bashing but this picture just makes me sad
I just wanted to add that just because you have low body fat % does not mean you will look more defined or muscular as you can clearly see here.
and she probably thinks she is not think enough..
You mean there are still people on the planet that think that picture is real?
/headdesk0 -
"Bulky" is not a term of art. Neither is "muscular." Besides, most women who are concerned about putting on too much muscle (usually in certain places where they are predisposed to put fat) are concerned about getting "bigger," not "bulky." They also do not want to be "skinny" or "skeletal."
I bought a program that tailors exercise for women with these concerns. What I liked was that the trainer acknowledged that many other trainers are not listening to women. I suggest looking into "Visual Impact for Women." I have no connection to it.0 -
Wooot! I'm in the "muscular and defined" category! Day has been made.0
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Thought this needed to be rebumped and re-emphasized to dispell the word "bulky" when referring to an athletic, muscularly build female.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
bump because it needs it again0
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I really do not like skinny bashing but this picture just makes me sad
I just wanted to add that just because you have low body fat % does not mean you will look more defined or muscular as you can clearly see here.
and she probably thinks she is not think enough..
You mean there are still people on the planet that think that picture is real?
/headdesk
Unfortunately I knew a woman who looked exactly like that. While this particular picture might not be real there are people who look like that.
The woman I knew ended up dying a few months ago.0 -
When I was in VA there was a female who was in the gym in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening always only doing the stepmill for an hour at a time. The drawback was where I worked at the time, we couldn't engage conversation with her on her over working out and anorexic look........................until she fainted trying to walk out of the gym.
I really do not like skinny bashing but this picture just makes me sad
I just wanted to add that just because you have low body fat % does not mean you will look more defined or muscular as you can clearly see here.
and she probably thinks she is not think enough..
You mean there are still people on the planet that think that picture is real?
/headdesk
Unfortunately I knew a woman who looked exactly like that. While this particular picture might not be real there are people who look like that.
The woman I knew ended up dying a few months ago.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Love the criteria of BF % to work out where you lie, I'm def bulky by this but gives me a goal!0
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bump0
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If I were an olympic athlete, I don't think I'd care much about being bulky either.
Cause I'm at the Olympics, biatches.
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