How can I get tone without getting BIG??

Mechie started this discussion · 7/1/2011

I've always had this issue in the past...Whenever I hit the gym, unless I do only cardio...I always gain a lot of muscle and get "bulky" from any strength training...Is there any way to avoid that?? Does this have to do with how often you do strength training?? Or does it depends on how many rest-days in between?? I tried searching the forum but I don't see topic related to this. =(

31 replies

chemgoddess1 · 7/1/2011
It has nothing to do with rest days and everything to do with genetics. How do you define "bulky"? The only women I have ever seen that get "bulky" is usually body builders, the rest of us I think imagine things that are not there.
Mechie · 7/1/2011
Well, when I said bulky I mean more like "chunky", not really muscle with nice cut.... If I do a lot of strength training I can feel myself getting stronger but not slim (unless I starve myself). I really want to be able to get tone muscle and getting strong at the same time. PS. I'm not "fat".. 5'4, 115lbs...just not toned and slim.
Runemist34 · 7/1/2011
I agree with Chem, it has so much to do with genetics, and those generally determine how your body reacts to things like exercise. I know that, generally, if one would like tone and less volume, one should go for higher reps and lower weight, but I can't say if that's an old wive's tale or not.
BACE16 · 7/1/2011
I get "bulk" when I strength train. I've never really have tone, but I hate cardio and I think you need to burn the fat away to see the tone. For me as my muscles get bigger, it just seems to push the fat more to the surface and almost buries any tone I did have. I know I'm getting stronger and leaner, but I totally don't look like it. However, my butt looks awesome. Butt muscles + lack of butt slimness = some really great complements when you wear tight jeans. So look on the bright side ;)
Veena · 7/1/2011
Yes Genetics have a lot to do with it, and so does body fat. Low body fat will always make a person look more "cut" but it is not necessarily a healthy thing to strive for. Also as Runemist mentioned if you are lifting for bulk to gain, then you want to go real heavy with the weights and use low reps. If you are looking to increase strength and improve your over all health stick with higher reps and less weight. When doing higher reps don't go beyond 20 reps or you risk overuse injuries. BUT its good to mix it up a bit and not ALWAYS do one or the other, there is a time and place for both. I love my muscles ❤️
Dancing Paws · 7/1/2011
I have the problem of I retain my chub over my muscles, so when I bulk up I look fat. Grrrrrrrr.
luvlee · 7/1/2011
I love that I am getting stronger, however, my non existant boobs are just nipples and skin now and my arms got huge. My arms do not fit in tops that fit my chest and I have to get bigger shirts for my arms and the shirt looks like a bag on my chest. LOL! I will get this fixed w in the next 2 yrs but for now, I am unsure how I feel about my are muscles. It is hard to find tops and my old ones do not fit right anymore.
CalBear · 7/1/2011
Yes, I DID NOT want to get "bulky" at all when I started pole. Because I love to do photoshoots as well and if they're not going to be fitness photoshoots, they want girls that are not bulky. By the time I started inverting I began to gain more mass in my shoulders that were quite noticable. Till this day, I don't really like them, but I feel it's something that comes with the territory of pole. I keep tabs on my caloric intake and output also, to assure I'm not consuming an excess amt of calories. And yes, I think genetics has a lot to do with it. I'm genetically prone to muscle hypertrophy. But there's a way that you can gain strength via stronger neural firing as well, which I've read in my personal training book but have not forgotten lol.. sorry :(
Legend · 7/2/2011
I've been struggling with the same issues recently... I started poling a little over a year ago and this summer i was almost forced (oh bummer ;) ) to buy new shirts and tops, because nothing fit on my arms and shoulders... thats when i realized how "bulky" i've become.. that freak me out a bit, my body haven't been trough so much changes since puberty! also never felt very feminine to begin with and now my super small boobs have more muscle then fat... not happy with that... it took me a while to adjust but overall its woth it. I mean, i absolutely love poling and want to become the best poler i can be, for that i need strengh so.. its a fair trade ;) most of the polers i admire have muscle and are still very feminine so you dont need to sacrifice one thing for the other. Poling changes all your body, posture and even perception of beauty... embrace it ;)
Veena · 7/2/2011
I also have small boobs and I am muscular but I just LOVE my muscles!!!! Finding tops is hard but I think strong women are sexy!
sparrow · 7/2/2011
Quote: I also have small boobs and I am muscular but I just LOVE my muscles!!!! Finding tops is hard but I think strong women are sexy! Amen, sister! I have been so happy to discover so many other polers with my kind of physique--small chested, muscular, ballerina type physiques that are so damn strong and sexy. I get comments on my arms all.the.time. They are feminine but ripply. 😎
TinyDancer04 · 7/2/2011
Ok I'm probably going to get eggs thrown at me for saying this- but I'm a former personal trainer and know a bit about this subject. Usually when women are experiences this problem it is due to too much food / wrong type of food consumption. For example- there are two main phases that body builders go through. Bulking and cutting. In the bulking phase (gaining more muscle) they eat plenty of carbs and protein. In the cutting phase (reducing body fat) the carb intake is much lower. They cycle through these stages deliberately in order to change their shape. Veena made a very good comment about how to do your workouts. By increasing your reps and lowering the weight you are working on strength and endurance. While less reps and heavier weights is working on gaining actual muscle. I would definately start by having a close look at your diet, in my experience it affects everything! Hope I helped :)
EvaRut · 7/2/2011
I have heard that stretching after training also makes difference. Your muscles don't get as big if you stretch really good. Don't know if that is true or not. I stretch for about 10-15 minutes after every practice and I have pretty toned muscles. But I dont know why that is. I eat pretty unhealthy though :S
RoseMay · 7/3/2011
I'm gonna have to agree with Alesha84 here. Whether you look "bulky" or "cut" depends on your body fat level ... and the main factor for this is nutrition. If your fat covers the muscles they'll look bigger and not cut. Short interval training several times a week might also help reducing the body fat. But in my experience it's all about what and how much I eat 😉
Mechie · 7/6/2011
You guys are awesome~~ I was down in NYC for the long weekend and didn't have any internet connection. When I came back there's a long list of respond...lol I think I'll take up some of the suggestions....I'm going to increase reps and lower weight plus cut down on carbs (gosh...I LOVE rice!!)...I'm not sure if I can cut down on my ice-cream intake but for pole...I'll give it a shot...lol @ Veena - I don't mind nice tone muscle...just not bulkiness of fat!! (Oh...I have small boobs too..😀) @EvaRut - I normally only stretch on days where I don't pole...but I think I'll incorporate 10-15 min of stretching from now on ❤️
Meleania · 12/3/2011
Ive read that high weight and low reps is best for strength training without increasing the volume of your muscle, just look at this link http://bretcontreras.com/2011/06/where-my-ladies-at/ all those women arent bulky and they are doing high weight low rep. Im always confused by this. I want to gain strength without making my muscles any bigger
PaulettePoles · 12/3/2011
I struggle w this too! Its hard for me to loose fat- I run 5 miles a day and never seem to move. However, any strength training I do, I gain muscle quickly then I feel bulky. Unfortunately I have large breasts not small so that also contribute sto the look. I find when poling hard, I have to stretch the arm holes of my shirts due to the muscles there! Sympathize! I also am aware though that muscles burn more fat so if I ever want to cut through it- I need those muscles there to help burn. Sympathy!
aisha reid · 12/3/2011
Meleania I think you've posted that before somewhere and further research I did supported it. Google muscle hypertrophy and look at Wikipedia -it gives the different reps for strength and endurance. Those reps appear to be backed up with other stuff I found. I spoke with a personal trainer who does star academy in Beirut*was random meeting on the train-and asked him how to get back my chin ups and that I wanted to do 10 unassisted. I'd been trying to reduce my weight assistance gradually but he said to do as many unassisted as you can-do for me 1!-and try to do 15 every workout 15 mins apart. Paulette pole I have read Billy Beck:s e book on fat burning-check his website or I can send it you. Jut basically too much cardio can be counterproductive to muscle which Burns fat. It seems to make sense and I'm inclined to believe him when you check his credentials -such ad personal trainer of the year!! I'm going to sign up to his online personal training programme in the new year! And I can't remember who said this earlier ad on mobile and
aisha reid · 12/3/2011
I meant tinydancer- I think you're right! I now just need to cut the Choc and carbs!!x
pegasusaerialfitness · 12/4/2011
If you tend to get bulky....Try Pilates..or some other mind/body type exercise. It will keep your muscles from getting "square" and help them stay a more feminine shape like a dancers. You the weight training to balance out your shape where you dont build muscle easily. (I always have to work my butt more...I have lazy glutes, and I train with weights for my back too.) If you only have mat work available use the flex bands and small equipment. Less is more. Contract your muscles on both parts of the movement and use as light a resisitance as you can. Gravity and your own body weight can be a great toner and keep the muscle closer to the bone and not "pump" it up. Eating clean will help, stay away fron things in bags and eat fresh food.
litlbit · 12/4/2011
Veena and https://www.studioveena.com/users/view/bc5974aa-d89d-11df-ab19-12313b090e12 are right. You can shape/sclupt your body but nutrition is extremely impotant and is different for bulking verses toning. And the reps/weight ratio is critical! AWESOME advice ladies!!
vickiezoo · 12/5/2011
Sensualscimitar, I am the same!! I am toned but still feel there is some fat over the muscles that i cannot shed, Nothing major but enough to make me feel chunky. I do love my carbs and chocolate though.
Dancing Paws · 12/5/2011
I think my problem is I don't really like eating animal products, so I naturally eat a lot of carbs. I think that is making it harder for me to lose weight, despite the fact that I eat a lot of veggies, I also eat a lot of pasta and bread. My main protein is beans, nuts, and combining plant products. I am also genetically prone to big hips and thighs, not to mention all these seizure medications make weight gain a problem.
poledanceromance · 12/5/2011
There's already some really good advice here but please keep in mind that you can only increase muscle definition (at any level of strength!) by decreasing your body fat %. If you're really working out and eating a BALANCED diet and your body fat % isn't budging, then you should work on accepting what your body looks like at its healthiest. I certainly had a different picture of what I thought my body would look like years down the line...my body changed in ways I wasn't expecting. But I find it helps to look at yourself in the mirror as a WHOLE and not allowing yourself to look at or pick at specific body parts. If your eyes drift to one place on your body, pull them back and look at the whole. Observe the proportions. Think of your body in terms of what it DOES for you; acknowledge that your body looks the way it does because of all that it does for you. Most women would really have to do unhealthy things to their bodies to be able to have rippling muscles. Some of us are made for that look and some of us just aren't. Remember to stick with what is HEALTHY and appreciate what healthy looks like FOR YOU.
UTpoler · 12/5/2011
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/311990_301029416593449_115272125169180_1185881_501979260_n.jpg

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