How NOT to build bulky muscles.

[Qualitee]

I like muscles but not bulky muscles. I want to start strength training but I dont want to bulk up. I want lean muscles.........How to I prevent bulky ones?

I want arm and stomach muscles like these:
http://i42.tinypic.com/2u55e9g.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/2qlzu5w.jpg

http://i40.tinypic.com/xeoltt.jpg

Not like this:
http://i41.tinypic.com/66ygbb.jpg

http://i40.tinypic.com/x54mcj.jpg

[kbragg]

Eat less calories than you burn and you'll burn body fat. You'll gain lean muscle, but as long as you're in a caloric deficit your muscles won't hypertrophy. Lift moderate weights where you hit failure around the 15th rep. Using 5lbs dumbbells will not do the job. Oh and keep your protein moderate, 65-75 grams is sufficient to preserve lean mass but not enough to build size.

[CHECKMATE!]

Less weights combined with more reps,that will give you the lines/cuts you want :yep:

[kbragg]

Also keep in mind that big muscles are not easy to build and you're not going to wake up one morning and POOF you're like the women you posted that you consider bulky. For us women you really have to train and eat religiously to build that type of muscle. If you keep your reps around 15, your protein moderate, and your calories below maintenance you'll get the look you want, but trust, doing a bazillion bicep curls with 3lb weights will do nothing but give your muscle the endurance to do more reps but still look flabby or scrawny:lol:

[FlowerHair]

Don't do weight training if you want to look like Rihanna.

[tuffCOOKiE]

Well, doesnt it also depend on your body type? Do you have naturally large muscles w/o working out much?

I think you will have to do some type of tension exercises. I don't know what it's called but basically using your own body weight as the weight. Examples of this would be Pilates.

[kbragg]

Don't do weight training if you want to look like Rihanna.

And don't eat either:giggle::look::duck::rolleyes::angeldevi

[Qualitee]

Also keep in mind that big muscles are not easy to build and you're not going to wake up one morning and POOF you're like the women you posted that you consider bulky. For us women you really have to train and eat religiously to build that type of muscle. If you keep your reps around 15, your protein moderate, and your calories below maintenance you'll get the look you want, but trust, doing a bazillion bicep curls with 3lb weights will do nothing but give your muscle the endurance to do more reps but still look flabby or scrawny:lol:
so you mean I have to left weights below 10 lbs and do longer reps?
Don't do weight training if you want to look like Rihanna. Rihanna said she lift weight when she works out. I think she lifts light weights

Well, doesnt it also depend on your body type? Do you have naturally large muscles w/o working out much?

I think you will have to do some type of tension exercises. I don't know what it's called but basically using your own body weight as the weight. Examples of this would be Pilates. I barely have any muscles.:nono:

[SweetCaramel1]

pilates, pilates and more pilates :yep:

it also depends on your body frame.

[kbragg]

so you mean I have to left weights below 10 lbs and do longer reps?


Since you're naturally thin it's going to be darn near impossible for you to get bulky without some serious supplements and LOADS of protein.

A rep is lifting and lowering the weight. You'll want to do around 15 reps with a heavy enough weight that you won't be able to do a 16th. Check out the book "The New Rules Of Lifting For Women" and that sgould be pretty helpful:yep:

[Blizzard]

Yes. You want to avoid free weights (weight training). If you go to a gym and use the machines (even the ones with weights) you will gain strength. If you use free weights you will bulk up.

ETA:

Bulking up isn't bad I guess (in moderation) you'll need to do some to get good body tone that's where paying attn to the amount of weights and longer reps come in.

[Brownchiq]

Lets put it this way, I have Rhianna arms unless Im preparing for contest. Rhianna definitely weight trainings or her arms would be flabby with no definition.
Lift light to medium weights with high repetition and do more circuit training to keep your heart rate up during your workouts.
Eat healthy.

[Brownchiq]

Yes. You want to avoid free weights (weight training). If you go to a gym and use the machines (even the ones with weights) you will gain strength. If you use free weights you will bulk up.

ETA:

Bulking up isn't bad I guess (in moderation) you'll need to do some to get good body tone that's where paying attn to the amount of weights and longer reps come in.

Free weights will not bulk you up. There is no difference in the muscular development when using cable vs free weights. It has more to do with your program. Shoot for more circuit training, boot camps etc.

[Blizzard]

Free weights will not bulk you up. There is no difference in the muscular development when using cable vs free weights. It has more to do with your program. Shoot for more circuit training, boot camps etc.

I came in ready to share my new found knowledge :grin: I was talking to my trainer about this today maybe he has me on a special program?

[Brownchiq]

I came in ready to share my new found knowledge :grin: I was talking to my trainer about this today maybe he has me on a special program?
Hey!
Im sure he has a rhyme or reason behind it. From what it sounds like he probably has you doing machines because the cables offer you resistance with your reps.
I do cable leg extensions all the time. I do a heavy weight when I build the muscle (bulk) and a lighter weight with them when I want to concentrate on the defiition of the muscle. However, I could achieve this as well using the leg extension with the free weight plates.
HTH!

[LoveLiLi]

I'd like Rihanna arms too. I don't go to the gym, so I don't have access to weights or machines.

But I'd like to know what exercises to do at home that will help me tone up without looking bulky. I haven't been exercising lately due to a car accident I had at the end of December and I'm still not at 100%. Yoga moves that used to require no effort now feel like torture :nono:.

However, I need to stress my desire to be toned but lean. Even when I slack off for long periods of time and do absolutely nothing people stop me to ask me if I work out and describe me as buff. It makes me feel as though I don't look feminine and one friend said I look like I work out too much and her husband said I looked scary - I was only practicing yoga at the time and was avoiding upper body moves :ohwell:.

I guess I naturally look like I work out, but I feel paranoid about how my body will look if I actually do work out. I think I may look really buff instead of lean and feminine.

[kbragg]

I'd like Rihanna arms too. I don't go to the gym, so I don't have access to weights or machines.

But I'd like to know what exercises to do at home that will help me tone up without looking bulky. I haven't been exercising lately due to a car accident I had at the end of December and I'm still not at 100%. Yoga moves that used to require no effort now feel like torture :nono:.

However, I need to stress my desire to be toned but lean. Even when I slack off for long periods of time and do absolutely nothing people stop me to ask me if I work out and describe me as buff. It makes me feel as though I don't look feminine and one friend said I look like I work out too much and her husband said I looked scary - I was only practicing yoga at the time and was avoiding upper body moves :ohwell:.

I guess I naturally look like I work out, but I feel paranoid about how my body will look if I actually do work out. I think I may look really buff instead of lean and feminine.

Well I hope your "friend" checked her husband:perplexed What does HE look like with his shirt off?:grin: I've found that 9 times out of 10 if a guy disses a girl for being lean and toned he probably looks like the Pilsbury dough boy with his shirt off:lachen: A secure man appreciates a lean toned women and isn't jealous and intimidated by the fact that she's in better shape than him. Men who like to keep women fat and pudgy or skinny and scrawny have control issues IMO:nono:

ETA: Just re-read what your friend said. What do SHE look like?:lol: Girl brush them haters off, they just jealous because you've got the whole package, bangin' hair AND body and they prolly go neither!:rolleyes:

[Tootuff]

What size weights do you guys recommend for muscle definition (not bulk)? I am currently using 8 lbs weights and doing 10 reps and I am not seeing much results but I have only been doing it about a month.

[LoveLiLi]

Well I hope your "friend" checked her husband:perplexed What does HE look like with his shirt off?:grin: I've found that 9 times out of 10 if a guy disses a girl for being lean and toned he probably looks like the Pilsbury dough boy with his shirt off:lachen: A secure man appreciates a lean toned women and isn't jealous and intimidated by the fact that she's in better shape than him. Men who like to keep women fat and pudgy or skinny and scrawny have control issues IMO:nono:

ETA: Just re-read what your friend said. What do SHE look like?:lol: Girl brush them haters off, they just jealous because you've got the whole package, bangin' hair AND body and they prolly go neither!:rolleyes:


He didn't say it directly to me; I can't imagine that would have gone over well, lol. She brought it up after a group of us went out to dinner one night. And you're right, he was on the pudgy side :yep:.

As far as the friend, she's on the slim side, but likes to describe herself as thick :ohwell:. She never matches and rarely combs her hair.

This isn't hyperbole - she would come to work with her hair dry, uncombed and she'd put a scully on her head even though all her hair didn't fit under it so there would be pieces sticking out here and there :blush:. She is a 4a natural and said she just didn't have time to comb her hair.

So, yeah... she should be more concerned about her appearance than mine.

[Ms Lala]

Rihanna looks like she weight trains. I have a body type similar to hers. I actually want more definition but have a hard time getting it. It would take an awful lot for me to ever see serious definition in my arms and legs. I lift fairly heavy weight at 10-12 reps, the last 3 reps are very hard, and there is no bulking going on at all. I would have to probably take supplements and eat a bunch of protein to really see some definition (which I wouldn't mind actually)