What if you DO BULK from weight lifting?

[jlmyers73]

I know that a lot of the things I read say "you can't/won't bulk" from weight lifting as a girl...but I've seen some bulky looking weight lifters that are girls-not the steroid type of look but like a female shot-putter type of look, if you know what I mean? Is this just dependent upon the person and how they build muscle, or is it due to not having a low body fat percentage?

When I was in high school, I definitely had a "bulkier" look--I was more like 135lbs as opposed to 120lbs now, and I probably had more muscle, particularly in my lower body because I was a competitive soccer player, but it was NOT an attractive female look in my opinion. I remember dresses just not looking good on me because my arms and back were kind of thicker, etc. It could have been a combination of having more fat AND muscle than I do now. I know I ate way too many carbs back then, since I was young and sold on the "only eat low fat" stuff thing. I have a fear of looking like that again since I'm quite short and it's pretty easy for me to start looking bigger with the smallest amount of size added.

So My post is hoping for some feedback to explain why some girls DO look bulky...and help me feel like that won't happen to me...or what to do to ASSURE that doesnt happen?

I'm only about 2 weeks into my new weight training/ HIIT cardio style of working out.

 

[Rosie Chee]

I know that a lot of the things I read say "you can't/won't bulk" from weight lifting as a girl...but I've seen some bulky looking weight lifters that are girls-not the steroid type of look but like a female shot-putter type of look, if you know what I mean? Is this just dependent upon the person and how they build muscle, or is it due to not having a low body fat percentage?

When I was in high school, I definitely had a "bulkier" look--I was more like 135lbs as opposed to 120lbs now, and I probably had more muscle, particularly in my lower body because I was a competitive soccer player, but it was NOT an attractive female look in my opinion. I remember dresses just not looking good on me because my arms and back were kind of thicker, etc. It could have been a combination of having more fat AND muscle than I do now. I know I ate way too many carbs back then, since I was young and sold on the "only eat low fat" stuff thing. I have a fear of looking like that again since I'm quite short and it's pretty easy for me to start looking bigger with the smallest amount of size added.

So My post is hoping for some feedback to explain why some girls DO look bulky...and help me feel like that won't happen to me...or what to do to ASSURE that doesnt happen?

I'm only about 2 weeks into my new weight training/ HIIT cardio style of working out.

For one, no one said that ""you can't/won't bulk" from weight lifting as a girl" - because you most certainly can gain muscle mass of you're eating and training for it! What is meant by this is that you are not going to look like a man - review Breaking the Myth: "If I lift heavy I'll end up looking like a man!"

You are talking about athletes that have muscle mass, yes, but also a lot of bodyfat. Aesthetics are not as important to them as power and athletic performance in their chosen sport - which, if shot-putting, does not require athletic abilities like speed, etc.

Eating carbohydrates is not going to make you bulky.

Height can have an affect on how you look as well - a shorter individual like me for example, if I gain ANY mass, I end up looking stocky (right now I am ~125 pounds, which is more than you at your height, so I fail to see how you can think YOU look bulky); however, if I lose the bodyfat, I look slender. A taller individual with less muscle mass and more bodyfat, or more bodyfat in general is going to look "slimmer" than a shorter individual.

Body composition plays a role in how you look as well. Since you used your high school look as an example, I will follow that. In high school I was ~110 pounds and have pretty much stayed around this weight for the last ~12 years. However, even at heavier scale weights now, I look slimmer and better than I did back then, because I have more muscle mass than I did then. Adding muscle mass is not going to make you look bulkier. but actually give you a more slender figure - provided you don't gain a lot of bodyfat as well.

Most of the time you'll find that it's very much a perception you have in your head, and no one else sees you like you do. Perhaps you need to change your perception, and change your mindset to observe things objectively from a HEALTHY perspective.

If you "DO BULK from weight lifting", then you are EATING for gaining mass, and training for it!

If you don't want to gain fat or mass, then watch your nutrition. Watch how you train. Everyone is different and responds differently to different things, but there are some principles that apply no matter what - for example, if you're eating MORE than Maintenance, you're going to gain mass, period, and if you're lifting low and heavy alongside that, you're probably going to gain some muscle mass, etc.

~Rosie~

 

[jlmyers73]

Thanks again rosie!
I probably do have an unrealistic view of how I actually look, but that is very hard to change. It would probably take many years of therapy haha!
But I'm going to keep at weight training and really try not to be "scared" it's making me bigger.

 

[Rosie Chee]

Thanks again rosie!
I probably do have an unrealistic view of how I actually look, but that is very hard to change. It would probably take many years of therapy haha!
But I'm going to keep at weight training and really try not to be "scared" it's making me bigger.

No worries

Women need a healthier attitude and mindset towards weight training, and this is something I would love to see changed. Unfortunately, as with all things that have been conditioned into an individual, it cannot be changed overnight, but it CAN be changed.

There's no need to be scared of the iron. If anything, it will just help make you better - re figure and as a person.

~Rosie~

 

[jiberish]

I heard figure competitors who get too bulky drop their protein to reduce muscle mass.

But girls with muscle, esp with good legs are hawt