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Arms are getting bigger…..help!!?
I started poling in December and I am learning tons….loving it! And aside from the bruising, front foot soreness and other small complaints that are all worth it, the one I'd like to fix is the fact that my arms are getting bigger. I already had very large fat arms, now they are becoming very, very large toned arms. I am a plus sizer who does hope to drop pounds and now shirts and suit jackets are starting to no longer fit. They are tighter in the boobs and the arms……yowser. Although the waisteline and hips are certainly looking much better. I don't want to be any more top heavy than I aready am and I certainly would like to shrink my arms. I am gaining strength but can't I have both smaller arms and strength? Any suggestions?
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30 Replies
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Welcome to the world of pole. Unfortunately there really isn't much you can do about your arms getting big. Mine are huge and I've learned to love it! (also encourages the boyfriend to keep lifting 😉 lol) But whaat you can do is start lifting ( i know it seems counterintuitive) with low weights and high reps. It'll keep toning your arms without getting bulkier. I love muscles on a woman. It's sexy and empowering! Embrace it 🙂
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Yes i learned to love it as well. i sometimes hate it when im bellydancing and my arms are in high first bc u can see everything but u know what… =) everyone compliments them an loves it. an i notice how fit i look in normal clothes as well. starting to love clothes ive never wore before just bc im getting more toned. =) its a great thing.
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oh an sasha i didnt know that about the little weights i actually started doin that last week. GOOD to know!
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Yep! To get big you want to do high weights and low reps. To tone or stay smaller- low weights high reps 🙂
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Thanks Sasha…..I like muscles too. I just don't like the arms to be big with muscles. I'd like small and muscular but realistically, the best I will do is medium and muscular. I will start doing the low weights, high reps. And if it doesn't work, then I'll have to get used to big, muscular arms, I guess.
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While low weight/high rep will tone, as soon as you start lifting you own body weight that goes out the door.
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So Chemgoddess1, are you saying that doing the low weights is not going to make a difference at this point. I do the SV lessons on strengthening and then I go to the sudio and do the kick butt conditioning with a wonderful instructor. I can do a body weight lift about 4 inches off the ground now and we practice this alot, along with the tucks and climbs during the aerobic parts of the class. And if it doesn't get the better through low weight/high rep will the fat at least burn off at some point? 🙂
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I understadn what u mean tho sensual. i didnt want big arms either. but i made the decision that im making pole a big part of my life no matter what so whatever it does to my body so be it LOL!. i look at all these pole stars and think they look great. even the body builder ones look great still! They are look beautiful. so i tihnk itll all fall into place once it starts transforming your body. =)
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Sounds like maybe you need to add some aerobic movement to your conditioning, maybe boxing? Although yes polers have big arms! I think doing some boxing and even some slight resistance moves will help shed some fat and lean out the muscle you are building.
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XxMy, you are absolutely the pole stars and SV polers look great….agreed. And you do not have giant arms…well toned, nice muscular arms yes. Your arms look amazing. But these things I have are giant…..:) Not beautiful….probably some of that coaching big woman psychological stuff going in my head. However, don't get it twisted I am not going to quit poling…I love it way too much but I was hoping there was some cure for it. It will fall into some place overtime, I am sure. I'll just keep at it and see where it goes…….
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Jessilee, yes, I thought that might be the problem. I already kickbox once a week but maybe I will add another class. I was thinking some cardio might help….melt it away theory.
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You have to think about this: you are lifting/holding your entire body weight and typically only a few times per move. This is high weight/low rep. For me it is 165 lbs. If your body is genetically coded for you to have large muscular arms you are going to have them as soon as you start lifting your body weight.
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Yes, Chem that is true. For me it is obviously more than that weight and yeah, my body is genetically coded for large muscular arms, I guess. I like the cuts that are coming in them though. If I can get rid of the chicken wings, then I'll be fine—I guess. I just don't want to get new clothes or have to start getting size 10 pants and 12 tops–especially since the boobies are bigger too……(shaking my head).
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It kills me to have to buy large or extra large tops now. My chest has not gotten larger but my back and lats have exploded. I pretty much bust out of all of my button down shirts. And pull over sports bras I swear are the devil. There is also nothing quite like trying on a pull over dress at the store and NOT being able to get it back off.
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Sensual- your arms will get smaller as you burn fat. Right now you are gaining muscle from your activity but the fat hasnt burned off yet. This will initially cause you to gain size. Just like a steak, our muscles have fat marbled within. It needs time to get burned off. Keep building muscle, you will not get like a man, women do not have the testosterone to build that big without steroids.
High rep/low weight wont do much for you. Lift moderate to heavy. 6-10 reps. It will give you gorgeous shape, not manly at all.
Shirts will still not fit properly though. Most clothing is created for skinny girls, not healthy fit girls. So expect tight across lats and squeezing the arms at shoulder/bicep because you will really be building some awesome upper body with what you are doing. But that is a good thing! 🙂
Here is a great article on building muscle. http://buffmother.com/free-help/articles/muscle-burns-fat -
Thank you Crystabel, that article helps me to understand better. I will keep piling and exercising otherwise which will burn off this fat. Got it!!! That makes sense.
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Thank you Crystabel, that article helps me to understand better. I will keep piling and exercising otherwise which will burn off this fat. Got it!!! That makes sense.
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Thank you Crystabel, that article helps me to understand better. I will keep piling and exercising otherwise which will burn off this fat. Got it!!! That makes sense.
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I have lost weight everywhere but gained muscle in my arms & shoulders so I had to start getting larger coats, long sleved shirts & button downs o_O can’t help but feel like im in a scene from tommy boy sometimes when I reach for a older long sleved top! Lol!
I think It’s worth it for sure 🙂 -
That is the experience that I am having thus far too Jen. Tommy boy…that is funny. I too think it is worth it.
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Eat less calories if you don't want to gain muscle. Muscle can only be built when you give your body enough nutrients to grow. That would also help with getting rid of the fat above the muscle – making the arms look smaller.
But I gotta agree with the ladies here – nothing's sexier than strong women 🙂
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In my experience, this is just something our body decides, without our consent- same as it decides where to take the fat from when we work out and it needs the efficiently stored energy!
Muscle is built where it's needed, and the way it is built depends on how we are working out (the difference between lifting huge amounts of weight a little bit, or little amounts of weight a lot), as well as our genetics and several other factors which I don't currently remember.
Honestly, I stick with the group: Nothing sexier than a strong, confident, happy woman. I know I've had to be careful buying shirts, and due to my bust size, I have to be even more careful! But I also know that shirt sizes, weight and BMI have nothing to do with how I feel, what my level of fitness is, and my health.
As long as YOU are happy with the way you look, and you feel great, then that's all that matters! It's the clothing companies that need to figure their stuff out- they are going to have to get on board with the fact that we're growing muscle, and we're getting fit… or else we just won't be buying their clothing. Hah!
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OH yes. My arms and lats are huge. The days of buying a shirt without trying it on are long gone. Oh well fair trade I suppose.
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I have always been tiny so when I gaining muscle mass I was excited–although I ripped my favorite long coat! Didn't realize I had managed to get that ripped! 🙂
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*started gaining muscle ugh late night typing!
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