weight lifting for women-question about arms

Kali112 · May 2012

Hi everyone, i have just started following Jamie Eason's livefit plan for heavy lifting for women. I am 22 and need to lose around 15lbs of body fat. My question is this-although i KNOW everyone says lifting heavy for women does not make you bulky as we don;t have enough testosterone blah black, i do NOT want big arms. For example, this is jamie eason, who says weightlifting will not make you bulky:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=jamie+eason&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&biw=1024&bih=544&tbm=isch&tbnid=Bh2l59TpvnfIZM:&imgrefurl=http://contest.bodybuilding.com/bio/193611/&docid=jgu12Ohjo2xx3M&imgurl=http://www.bodybuilding.com/contest_media/18232/193611/d/img_00011296502361.jpg&w=533&h=800&ei=1oy7T4LJBsfd8AP-17zHCg&zoom=1

To me, her arms look pretty bulky. I know she looks great but i personally don't want arms like that. Before everyone jumps on me and attacks me for not wanting a proportional body, i feel like my arms are already quite big for my frame and i do NOT want them to get ANY bigger. However i do want the rest of my body to be like hers. My question-is this possible? Should I just skip working out on arms, or if i do work on them, keep it minimal? Eg if I am working 5 different areas of the body in a week, should I skip the arm part and do a double glutes instead? I know it would take a lot of hard work to get them like her's, but like i said, mine are already big.

jnh17 · May 2012

Put a picture of your arms up and let's see.

dad106 · May 2012

Your arms are big because there is fat on them.. you lose the fat, and they will get smaller. Her arms look like that because she has really low body fat in that picture.

If you don't want arms like that, then don't let your body fat get that low.. that simple.

firstnamekaren · May 2012

I think having arms like that would rock!

twinmom01 · May 2012

Everyone is going to be different - by big do you mean they have some fat on them? - if so you may find they get more toned with lifting.

I work out with a lot of women who lift multiple times a week (4-5) and none of them look like Jamie Eason (although I would LOVE to look like that) - I am betting Jamie Eason also eats to a certain regime of loads of protien and such to maintain her muscle mass. Most of them are nicely toned and none jiggly.

Something to think about when doing a lifting program - drink lots of water and be prepared for the scale to move slowly if you are a scale watcher....as you work and work your muscles you want your body to be well hydrated as water is needed for muscle repair - as your muscles are repairing it will hold on to water - so it is even possible to see an uptick in the scale when you begin. Your best bet to mark changes is to use measurements and an item of clothing that is currently too tight or doesn't fit.

I have been lifting for 6 months (along with a pretty clean diet, high in good fats and protien) and I have lost about 15lbs in that time but people think I have lost 30 + lbs...because my body has changed quite a bit...

ahsats · May 2012

Your arms are big because there is fat on them.. you lose the fat, and they will get smaller. Her arms look like that because she has really low body fat in that picture.

If you don't want arms like that, then don't let your body fat get that low.. that simple.

Also to add: Jamie Eason's body is her profession. You will not look like her from going to the gym 3x a week for 30 minutes.

chrishgt4 · May 2012

I'm with you - I don't find that body type attractive if I'm honest. But she has worked very hard to get like that so I wouldn't worry too much about it happening accidentally. As someone has posted above - it is a case of fat on muscle and if you think you've gone too far then it's not permanent.

DixiedoesMFP · May 2012

Jamie's body fat is probably around 12 - 14%, and she's likely "dehydrated" in that pic.

<--- is what lifting heavy has done for my arms so far. My body fat is probably around 23% currently.

stylistchik · May 2012

Your arms are big because there is fat on them.. you lose the fat, and they will get smaller. Her arms look like that because she has really low body fat in that picture.

If you don't want arms like that, then don't let your body fat get that low.. that simple.

You know how people always say "muscle weighs more than fat" blah blah blah? it's because muscle is more DENSE than fat so like dad 106 said, gaining muscle in your arms would probably make them look smaller, the muscle would take up less space than the fat on your arm. They would only get bigger if you're gaining muscle AND retaining all your body fat. I am on week 3 of P90X and my arms have gotten noticeably smaller with a little definition but there's WAY less underarm jiggle! :laugh: I.e. you don't have to worry about looking like a man.

JNick77 · May 2012

Hi everyone, i have just started following Jamie Eason's livefit plan for heavy lifting for women. I am 22 and need to lose around 15lbs of body fat. My question is this-although i KNOW everyone says lifting heavy for women does not make you bulky as we don;t have enough testosterone blah black, i do NOT want big arms. For example, this is jamie eason, who says weightlifting will not make you bulky:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=jamie+eason&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&biw=1024&bih=544&tbm=isch&tbnid=Bh2l59TpvnfIZM:&imgrefurl=http://contest.bodybuilding.com/bio/193611/&docid=jgu12Ohjo2xx3M&imgurl=http://www.bodybuilding.com/contest_media/18232/193611/d/img_00011296502361.jpg&w=533&h=800&ei=1oy7T4LJBsfd8AP-17zHCg&zoom=1

To me, her arms look pretty bulky. I know she looks great but i personally don't want arms like that. Before everyone jumps on me and attacks me for not wanting a proportional body, i feel like my arms are already quite big for my frame and i do NOT want them to get ANY bigger. However i do want the rest of my body to be like hers. My question-is this possible? Should I just skip working out on arms, or if i do work on them, keep it minimal? Eg if I am working 5 different areas of the body in a week, should I skip the arm part and do a double glutes instead? I know it would take a lot of hard work to get them like her's, but like i said, mine are already big.

Jamie Eason is sssmoking hot. She's got muscle tone, she's not bulky. I would recommend following her plan to the "T".

Chris_acc_can · May 2012

Your BIceps and triceps are secondary muscles that are worked when you do chest or back exercises. If you want to avoid the big muscles than don't spot train them (exercises where they are the primary muscles).

If you do a pull up/chin up etc you will be working your bicep. Same goes for triceps when you do any chest presses. If you want to add more tone/definition you can add a couple Bi and Tri exercises into your routine.

AlsDonkBoxSquat · May 2012

That's what heavy lifting as a job and very low bf% looks like on the arms. Also, because she knew she was going to have photo ops she may have lifted before making her appearance. Generally this is what heavy lifting and a moderate bf% looks like:

this is what the rest of my body looks like (see, not as cut as Jamie):

The "bulk" comes from a larger bf%, the cut (like Jamie) comes from a low bf%. So for the look you want, you want to life heavy and keep your bf% moderate (probably 18 - 20%).

Katie3784 · May 2012

I lit pretty heavy 4 days a week, and my arms don't look like that. They are defined, but not anything like hers. She must consume a lot of protein. I don't think you need to worry about looking like her.

oilphins · May 2012

To get your arms big you need to lift heavy with lower reps. if you want your arms toned but not bulky, you need to cut the weight right down and do alot of reps. When I say alot I mean alot. My brother in law has been a body builder for years and knows his stuff. he normally goes heavy but I don't. What I normally do is for arms is I only do three exercises for biceps because it's the smallest muscle in the body. To start with barbell curls I'll start with a 45 lb barbell and do 50 to 60 reps, second set add 10 lbs and do 40 to 50 and third set add 10 more and do about 30 reps. Then I'll do one more set where I'll drop the weight to 30 pounds and do as many reps as I can until failure. I'm telling you your arms will be very sore the next day and they will get toned without getting really big. You can do the same with your triceps, but maybe do an extra exercise for you tri's as they are a much bigger muscle. And you can really do that type of workout with any body part if you don't want to be huge. Keep in mind if you need to lose any weight, you won't really notice until the weight comes off as there will still be body fat there.

kazzari · May 2012

Your BIceps and triceps are secondary muscles that are worked when you do chest or back exercises. If you want to avoid the big muscles than don't spot train them (exercises where they are the primary muscles).

If you do a pull up/chin up etc you will be working your bicep. Same goes for triceps when you do any chest presses. If you want to add more tone/definition you can add a couple Bi and Tri exercises into your routine.

This ^ and Jaime worked really hard to specifically get that look I'm sure doing lots of isolation work. Your arms are going to get smaller and more defined. Defined is not bulky, but it is sexy. Who wants boring straight cylinders for arms? Keep in mind also that when you see body builders/fitness models in photos they train and get pumped for that photo shoot. Even they don't look that muscular every day of the week.

Kali112 · May 2012

thank you guys for the advice...:) much appreciated

rugbygirlca · May 2012

Don't forget that it can all depend on the picture. Check out the picture of her signing autographs. Her arms don't look even remotely bulky.

Sharyn913 · May 2012

I think having arms like that would rock!

YES!!!

dlynnkind · May 2012

I agree with what others are saying. I am on day 45 of live fit, and this is what my arms look like flexing. I am around 150 lbs 5'6 and still need to work on cutting my bf%. I say follow the program as is. I am sure she did alot to get ready for photoshoots (lifting, diet, cutting out water, etc). I doubt you will look like that on a daily basis. Good Luck. I love the program so far.

moxette · May 2012

There are also lots of ways to lift. I have a friend doing it right now and she WANTS her arms. If you don't want the results of the program then I would suggest trying something else that will get you working toward the results you want. Bodyrock.tv, HIIT training with weights or KBs, TRX. These are all forms of non traditional weightlifting using more body weight with the goal of fat loss AND weight loss. Some of these other programs are based on fat loss and muscle gain (which is great for some but not always the goal).

Abells · May 2012

The picture is also the day of the iron man so I'm pretty sure she carb depleted that week for the show making her arms look more defined. She also has a very low body fat % making em seem "big"

mmapags · May 2012

To get your arms big you need to lift heavy with lower reps. if you want your arms toned but not bulky, you need to cut the weight right down and do alot of reps.

I'm thinking you got this backwards bro. Lifting heavy will build strength but not bulk. Lifting lower weight with 8 to 15 reps will cause hypertrophy which builds bulk but not nessesarily strength. There are many body builders who are big but not that strong as well as many strength atheletes who are strong and not that big.

To the OP, keep lifting heavy and don't drop your body fat too low and you won't get bulk. As you mentioned, you'd have a hard time getting bulky anyway as a woman.

Edit to add: She doesn't look bulky as much as cut. You'd have to work to look like that. As others have suggested, some carb starving and dehaydration probably going on there.

oilphins · May 2012

Sorry mmapags, Not to rain on your parade, but you are wrong. I've talked to many personal trainers about this and my brother in law has been a body builder for 15 years. I do this all the time and my arms are not huge but very toned. Your arms cannot get as big if your going lighter than heavier.

superstarcassie · May 2012

The heavier I lift, the smaller and more defined my arms get. I like seeing the definition, verses the blobby shape they used to be. Don't be afraid to lift heavy. If you feel that your arms are already too big, they may have fat covering the muscle. The lifting will help get rid of that- thus showing off what muscle you already have.

cjv428 · May 2012

I've recently encountered the same problem and I decided to just focus my strength training on my legs and butt for the moment rather than arms, in addition to compress lifts. I'm more concerned with those areas anyway.

DocSavage01 · May 2012

What are the best weight lifting moves to get rid of that Underarm Jiggle!?? I'd like to hear suggestions!! (please and thanks!)

superstarcassie · May 2012

Check out the New Rules of Lifting for Women- A full body lifting program with heavy lifting is the best way to lower body fat percentage, thus eliminating the jiggle!

I have way less arm jiggle, even with my loose skin after heavy lifting!

qtiekiki · May 2012

Her arms aren't bulky. They are muscular. If and when your arms get to be like hers, they will be less bulky than your arms now. I am pretty sure she prepped for the appearance and made her muscles show more than they do normally.

missym357 · May 2012

I understand what you mean. I don't want manly looking arms either, but I have to agree with the above posters that (in that picture, at least) her arms are defined and pumped but in reality probably look suprisingly small. I know that I have scragly little arms, but I lift and have low body fat, so I look more muscular than I actually am- and I especially look very cut right after I lift. I have no doubt at all that she has more muscle mass in her arms though, but she works very hard to have the muscle mass that she has. I doubt an everyday person is going to acheive that without working very hard at it.

kdiamond · May 2012

Jamie Eason's body is her profession. You will not look like her from going to the gym 3x a week for 30 minutes.

This ^^^ and also...her arms don't look like that when relaxed. It is only when they are pumped up. Mine look like that pumped up (not quite to that extent, but close) too, but when they are relaxed they look completely normal and just toned and lean.

wackyfunster · May 2012

The "bigness" that most women fear is not a function of muscle, but of low body fat and water-retention/hydration levels. If you are a woman at 13% body fat, and take steps to flush out any excess water from your body, you will look like she-hulk. If you are at 15%+ body fat and don't, you will not. Most women will never get below 18% body fat. Having "huge" (relatively) arm muscles, may mean that at 18% body fat if you rub preparation H on your arms they will look massive. It won't make you look huge under any normal circumstances until very low body fat.

Hope that helps.

weight lifting for women-question about arms

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