Ladies help shed some light on this one for me...

[MostMuscle]

I am aware of the general misconception that many females have when it comes to fear of gain large amounts of muscle mass.

But...

A young lady walks into the gym today and asks me how she can go about losing weight without gaining too "muscle tone" as she state her body type tends to gain muscle very easily.

I suggest lets take a few measurements:

5'8
245lbs
38% BF

At 38% it is hard to believe she is worried about looking too buff? With further questioning I discover that the "pump" she gets from lifting weights makes her seem like she is getting overly muscled (at 38% BF...WHAT???)

Is the fear of muscle that strong in most females or is this just a general misconception?

[Lady C]

Originally Posted by MostMuscle

Is the fear of muscle that strong in most females or is this just a general misconception?

I think this depends on the women and how confident she is with herself.

Personally, I have no issues with having muscle, lifting heavy things and eating healthy. On the other hand, I have met women that are as thin as a rail, eat <800 calories per day and are afraid to pick up anything heavy. Some how these women connect any muscle with not looking good in that strapless dress.

BTW: I rarely feel the "pump" with lifting heavy. I would venture that the pump is more associated with light weights and lots of reps. Is this wrong?

[CF-OC_gal]

It's inconceivable to me as is 38% bodyfat. That is one body type and lifestyle I cannot relate in thinking with.

If she's bulky it because she's carrying to much weight not because she is muscular! Perhaps she is actually trying to sabotage efforts to change by number one setting you up so she can blame you for her "bulkiness" (which she thinks is muscle) instead of herself. It's such a subjective term you will never win with someone like that. The second thing is she can say she didn't choose to weight train because you wouldn't guarantee that she won't "feel" muscular.

A lot of women do actually like the fitness/figure look.

I wish I could be of more help.

[Sophie]

I want muscle. I want slow twitch on my legs and fast twitch on my arms. I'm genetically the opposite though. But I have fun trying to even out my muscle composition.

[gymgirl]

Originally Posted by Brat

It's inconceivable to me as is 38% bodyfat. That is one body type and lifestyle I cannot relate in thinking with.

If she's bulky it because she's carrying to much weight not because she is muscular!

i agree with brat, she's bulky becuse she's carrying extra weight. it sounds like this female is misinformed and thinks that lifting will make her larger.

i personally like to look fit and toned, the only time i don't enjoy it is when my legs get a bit too big for my body and i can't find pants for work. i don't understand why everything is made for either stick skinny women with no shape or for plus size women. what about us women with athletic builds? i went through a period about 6 months ago where i was lifting a lot of legs, i loved the way they looked but i could not find pants to fit me comfortably, if it fit in the waist it was tight in the butt and legs.

[Sophie]

Originally Posted by gymgirl

the only time i don't enjoy it is when my legs get a bit too big for my body and i can't find pants for work. i don't understand why everything is made for either stick skinny women with no shape or for plus size women. what about us women with athletic builds?

I couldn't agree more. I practically live in stretch pants. Jeans just do not work. I have an extra small waist and medium hips. As much as I love muscle, I just want my lower body to be smaller.

[kungfu74]

I'm not a women but I have been married long enough to understand a 'little' bit about how 'some' of them think. It took me about a year and a half to help my wife understand the difference between total body weight, and body fat percentage and how lifting weight would help her meet her goals. To many people equate 'acceptable body weight' with being in shape or healthy...

Too many people (including men) just simply do not understand body fat percentage vs body weight... remember the majority of people aren't visiting here and getting good information.

Think of it this way, when you visit the Dr. office they weigh you in and take your height, basically tell you, that you are either within the 'acceptable' range for your height / weight / and age. we know that doesn't really mean squat, but most people don't understand that. When I visited the Dro office a while back sitting 5'8" weighing in at about 185 and bodyfat around 10-11% the Nurse that weighed me one time told me that I was a little heavy for my height / age and that I should be carefull as I had 'gained about 15 lbs' from my last visit a year before, (when I was in BAD shape)...

[gymgirl]

Originally Posted by Sophie

I couldn't agree more. I practically live in stretch pants. Jeans just do not work. I have an extra small waist and medium hips. As much as I love muscle, I just want my lower body to be smaller.

sohpie have you ever tried seven for mankind jeans? they are one of the only jeans that work for me, and are made for women with curves and booty! i know they are kinda expensive, but i have a few pairs and have worn them for 4 years now so for me it is worth the money!

[minime]

I have heard overweight women say they want to 'lose the fat before building muscle' due to the misconceptiton that the fat will turn to muscle and they will remain the same size lol. An overweight friend of mine used to come to the gym and spend 1.5hrs doing cardio - she claimed that she wasnt doing any more situps because she could feel her 'muscles' getting really big in her tummy. I thought this to be quite funny

I myself want muscle, and it aint easy getting it thats for sure. Even women with a good deal of muscle mostly look 'normal' and not bulky when relaxed, so i dont think there is anything to be scared of when it comes to using weights!

[Amkey]

I can see where they are coming from but just using the wrong wording or do not know how to fix the issue. For an example I am a person that can care less about those myths and I love to lift as heavy as possible with as little cardio as possible. I have the body type that packs on some serious muscle but I play hell with cutting fat. Once I cut the fat I need to, I can probably step on stage as a bodybuilder. Figure competitions will never work for me because the way I pack on muscle. Now I look like a linebacker in a spaghetti strap dress. but it's because I am carrying a bit of fat on me. Once I lean up I will look good, but women fail to see this part of it. I mean a chick does not go into the gym at 300lbs and then go straight from fat to lean. There is going to be a transistion where she is putting on muscle under that fat which will make her look "puffy" I am lucky and know how to fix this problem and really do not care so it does not bother me that when I wore a strap dress to a ball someone asked me how long I have been bodybuilding. It actually made me feel real good since I am real fatty right now. To be quite honest and speaking from experience only, this whole building muscle and losing fat at the same time is a crock of crap! Lifting heavy as hell and often sure put a lot of muscle on me and yeah I lost some fat, but I am no where near lean and was not getting there. Now I have completely changed my diet and workouts to burn fat and just to hang on to as much muscle as possible. I am not lifting heavy anything! Also DAMN is it easy for a guy to go from fat to lean.

[arbit]

Originally Posted by Sophie

I couldn't agree more. I practically live in stretch pants. Jeans just do not work. I have an extra small waist and medium hips. As much as I love muscle, I just want my lower body to be smaller.

Why not get some loose jeans ? Wear a belt if its too loose at the waist ?
Why do women feel the need to wear skin tight clothes ???:confused:

[lyra]

Originally Posted by Amkey

Now I have completely changed my diet and workouts to burn fat and just to hang on to as much muscle as possible. I am not lifting heavy anything! Also DAMN is it easy for a guy to go from fat to lean.

Meh? I'm confused, don't you hang on to as much muscle as possible during cutting by lifting weights? And when you do lift weights aren't you supposed to lift to your full extent, ie heavy? Did I miss something?

~Nicole

[arbit]

Originally Posted by Amkey

Also DAMN is it easy for a guy to go from fat to lean.

Aaaaaaaaaayy !!!!!!!!!

[Amkey]

Originally Posted by arbit

Aaaaaaaaaayy !!!!!!!!!

In all honesty it is though. You guys have all this testosterone that helps you build muscle, us chicas have all this estrogen that we hang on to that just seems to kick us in the foot at most times.

[Amkey]

Originally Posted by lyra

Meh? I'm confused, don't you hang on to as much muscle as possible during cutting by lifting weights? And when you do lift weights aren't you supposed to lift to your full extent, ie heavy? Did I miss something?

~Nicole

I am lifting heavy but not as heavy as I was. I was benching 130 lbs for 3 sets of 6. Now I am working different body parts different ways. My range of motion is completely different as well.

Nicole, this is where I think people really do differ. I mean I (in my opinion) it is a crock especially for my body type. I was eating about 2000 calories a day and lifting heavy as crap! I mean doing 175 on the deadlifts, 130 on the bench press and just going heavy heavy heavy. Well my fat never went anywhere. I built some nice muscle, but it's covered in my bodyfat. So now I lift and eat to maintain my muscle but not to really gain per se. My primary focus right now is to cut bodyfat. Also when people cut, they lose some amount of muscle. I am learning a completly different way of training from this guy I am working with, and he is kicking my butt in ways I did not think were possible.