My biceps got too big!

[Daphne M]

<center><font size="1" color="#ff0000">LAST EDITED ON Nov-22-99 AT 06:10PM (EST)</font></center>

LAST EDITED ON Nov-22-99 AT 04:41 PM (EST)

I guess I must put on muscle easily in my upper arms, Cathe, because my biceps are really looking BIG! Too big! No one has asked me if I'm a biker mama or anything yet, but when I was on the elevator this morning, I could have sworn that this lady was trying to see if I've got a club tattoo.

So I wanted to ask your advice on slimming them down. First of all, I have to tell you that I'm cleaning up my diet for the next few weeks -- on Saturday, I "slipped" into a pair of pants that used to be loose. Well, the "slipping" only got me so far. Then I was shimmying and finally, plain old shoving. So hopefully, the decreased body fat project will help a little bit in the big arm department.

I've already figured out that I should decrease my weights during the biceps sections of Pure Strength. Will I get better results (slimmer biceps) if I increase my reps or sets at the same time?

How about MIS? Same question -- if I decrease the weight, should I do more sets or reps?

I plan to do the bicep section of Body Max just the way it is. (I've never been able to do more than 25 pounds on that section anyway.)

Any advice for me and my big bi's? Norm's been looking kind of scared of me lately.

Daphne

 

[Gina D]

Mine aren't big enough...

Actually mine are fine, it's just that I'm one of those people that actually want to bulk. I am probably going against my genetic code, but I want to get bigger. My legs respond very well to heavy, heavy weights, but I just can't seem to get past a certain poundage for my biceps. They aren't responding the way I would like, nor is my back or chest.

Sigh, if only I could be in your position. Definition is good, but I want your bulk. Let's trade!

Gina

 

[Daphne M]

I'd trade in a heartbeat

But I don't know if you want the bulk as much as you think, Gina. Just wait until YOUR husband calls YOU "Popeye!"

It's weird because my biceps aren't even that strong. And biceps are my LEAST favorite body part to work. Guess it's genetics.

 

[jennifer2]

I can relate!

Daphne: you beat me to this post

. I have the same problem--my upper body just tends to bulk very easily (even though I don't feel like my strength is increasing quite as rapidly--I just can't seem to increase my weights on the excercises). I was about to ask Cathe for a way to modify the upper body work on BodyMax, MIS, and PS because I love those workouts too much to stop doing them!!

By the way, I just wanted to say, "Hi, Cathe!!" I've been coming to this forum for a loooong time, but this is the first time I've worked up the nerve to post. I guess I've been a little star-struck

. But now that I've found my nerve, I just wanted to thank you so much for making such great workouts!! You are my fitness hero

 

[Jabakk]

I'm interested in Cathe's response too!

Hi Daphne!

I'm having the exact same thing happen to me!! Some of my shirts are starting to get too tight and needless to say I'm definitely a card-carrying member of the BWB Club now (actually I've always been a member but now I think I should be on the Board of Directors or something)!! Yikes! I know this is not additional body fat either. Apparently I'm blessed (or cursed??

) with genetics that allow me to build muscle easily but that's not the look I'm trying to attain. I've already decreased my weights and have been lifting more reps and sets but with no videos.

I'm very interested in what Cathe will say as to how to use MIS and the PS tapes; ie, should we use lighter weights and pause the tapes to add additional set/reps?? Looking forward to hearing her answer!

See ya later, "Popeye"! ~grin~

Bev K.
P.S. Do they sell Supersuction for biceps?????

 

[srmohler]

What does BULK mean? hahaha

I couldn't bulk up if I ate spinach at every meal! I wish I had your problem. I work and work and work, and my arms are still spindly and weak. They don't jiggle though, so at least all this lifting is doing something..... If I were concerned about bulking, I'd cut WAY back on the lifting, and concentrate more on cardio. Those long distance runners have very skinny arms, so you could probably reduce them with more running, stepping, etc.

Sandi M.

 

[jennifer2]

reducing weights

Bev: You mentioned that you had changed your routine by reducing your weight and upping the reps--working out by yourself, instead of working out to videos. Have you seen a difference?

I always tell myself that I'm going to try the low weight/high rep route or maybe even more of a pilates-type workout for my upper body, but I always flake. I just love Cathe's strength work (high weight/low reps) so much that I keep on doing it even though I'm getting bulkier in my upper body (I should indicate though, that I'm naturally bigger in my upper body to begin with)... I hope I will be able to modify her tapes so that I still get to use them and still get the results I want!

 

[HONEYBUNCH]

I love having muscles!

I wish I could convince you that muscles on a gal (just look at Cathe! Or, remember Flo-Jo?) are sexy! I'd much rather take my muscles now than my ex-body of the same weight that was 2 sizes bigger. I'm getting more compact, AND,

I can eat like a teen-age boy!

We have been brainwashed into thinking that we should be thin, and that muscles are not "feminine." How sad!

 

[Jabakk]

Hi Jennifer!

I've just started this routine of lower weight/more reps so it's really too early to tell any difference yet. I, too, LOVE lifting heavy! Those PS tapes are great, aren't they??

However, when my clothes (especially my shirts) started to get too tight I knew it was time to make some adjustments in my workouts. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm no female Arnie and I DO think muscles on females are great however, there's a limit on how muscular I want to be. Like Cathe always says, "do what works for you". Right??

I'm looking for muscles that are trim, toned and defined, not bulky. Hard to explain. Like in the PS tapes, Cathe (to me anyway) is NOT bulky but trim and defined.

E-mail me if you want to discuss this more. Maybe we can motivate each other to keep this up and see what results we get. See ya!

Bev K.

 

[jennifer2]

I hear ya!

Bev: my goals are exactly the same as yours

. Ideally, I'd like to be trim and defined but not "big." I love lifting heavy too (makes me feel so powerful

), but unfortunately, my upper body responds just a little too well to it LOL.

I'm just finishing up a 6 week PS rotation, preparing to switch over to a BodyMax and MIS rotation (boy have I missed those tapes!). I think I will do what you did and lower my weights, and if I don't feel like I'm working hard enough, I'll increase my reps at the same time. This morning I did MIS with lower weights than I usually use and I felt the exercises just fine LOL, so I don't think I will missing out on any strength gains by lowering my weights...

We'll see what kind of results I get in the next few weeks! Good luck with yours, and please keep me posted once you find what works for you

 

[jennifer2]

muscles...

Oh, don't get me wrong, I LOVE the look of muscles on women! I don't think it takes away from our feminity at all when we have muscles. In fact, I would love to have Cathe's physique

. Unfortunately, I don't have Cathe's physique LOL! My muscles are bigger and not as defined... It's probably a combination of genetics, lack of proper attention to good nutrition (though I consider myself decent enough in this area LOL), and maybe doing the exercises in a way that perpetuates this particular shape...

Anyhow, I'm definitely not going for the Twiggy look. Ideally, I'd love to have nice, compact, defined muscles. Whether or not I ever get my "dream physique" remains to be seen though LOL... Gotta keep working at it!

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Daphne!

I liked your description of getting into those jeans

! Just be happy that you don't have to resort to the ones that I have to wear now, hee hee!

As for your biceps. If you are feeling that they are more sizeable than you like, then generally the best thing to do is to take a couple weeks off of working them and come back to doing them with a lighter weight. There is no need to add on extra sets to compensate for the lighter weight. Once your biceps have gone down to a size that you are happy with, maintain working them once and definitely no more than twice per week with that lighter weight(I personally would stay with once). If they are not feeling as "cut" as you would like them to be, you can try adding on more reps/sets with lighter weight, AFTER you have let the size go down(but keep in mind that this does not always work for everyone). More importantly, I would keep an eye on your diet since this plays a big part in keeping that "cut" look(not exactly the advice you want to hear the day before Thanksgiving)

,

.

SIDE NOTE: Another thing that you might want to consider while trying to decrease the size of your biceps is to do extra running during the two week period that you are refraining from working biceps. I wouldn't recommend extra running on a permanent basis since it has a tendency to slim the ENTIRE upper body(shoulders and triceps too).


IN SUMMARY REMEMBER: Just as you have to do more to increase the size of muscle, you have to do less to decrease it. Good Luck!

 

[Daphne M]

This sounds good, Cathe

<center><font size="1" color="#ff0000">LAST EDITED ON Nov-26-99 AT 01:03PM (EST)</font></center>

I'm already well on my way with your suggestions. I skipped biceps work last week (actually I skipped ALL strength work last week. Probably the first time I've done that in more than 14 months.) Yesterday was PS BB&A day and I skipped the biceps. Next week, I've scheduled 3 endurance strength workouts and the following week I'll go back to Pure Strength and just cut down on my weight on the biceps work.

The Body Fat Project is a little more daunting, but I'm on day 5 and am feeling much better about my nutrition. OK, so I pigged out yesterday

, but I pigged out on delicious, healthy foods.

I'll try to up the cardio as well. I'm usually good for 5 to 6 cardio sessions a week, including 3 or 4 runs, but I'll plan to commit to 4 runs per week for about 3 weeks. (I don't like to run any more than that, I'm afraid of overuse injuries.) And I'll keep mixing in my step and hi/lo and kickboxing workouts as well. So many great videos, so little time!

I'll check back in a couple of weeks with a progress report. Thanks for putting together such a thorough and thoughtful plan for me. My biceps and I thank you.

Your friend, Popeye -- oops, I mean, Daphne (my only regret about this is that I was almost to the point where I could beat Norm at arm wrestling

)

 

[Daphne M]

Note to Gina, Honeybunch and Sandi M

I love muscles too, ladies. I think women look great with firm, hard, shapely curves on their bodies. I've worked really hard to build the muscles that I've got and I'm proud of them. I'm not afraid of muscles.

You'll just have to take my word for it when I tell you that my arms have gotten too big. I've got size without good definition. Mushy biceps aren't attractive on anyone, male or female. Even before I weight trained, people used to ask me if I was a swimmer or tennis player, because I have big shoulders and arms. Right now, I think I need to lean out some and firm up what is there. I'm not trying to achieve a super slender look, that's simply not possible with my body type. But I do want to keep my muscles in proportion.

 

[Daphne M]

Final Report on the Biceps Project

OK, I took all of Cathe's great suggestions and attacked these bulky bi's with a vengeance.

As recommended, I went for 2 weeks without any biceps work. Actually, I'd already started on this before Cathe told me to.

As much as I hate working my biceps, I found myself feeling guilty every time I skipped. Go figure!

OK, then I started back up with my regular bicep work, but went lighter than usual on the weights.

I also ATTEMPTED to increase my running to 4x per week, but my holiday schedule didn't agree with that at all, so I settled for 2 or 3 runs per week and crossed my fingers. I still got in a solid 6 cardio workouts per week, so I think that should make a difference.

Finally, I cleaned up my diet. Not completely -- still some cobwebs here and there.

The result -- my arms might have slimmed down some. I can't really tell! I think I figured out that my individual genetics have a lot to do with it. And that I gain muscle relatively easily. So maybe I'll just learn to be grateful for all the good things that come out of that and accept that I've got big biceps.

My favorite result of this whole thing is that I got to decrease my bicep weight to 32 pounds for PS. Without guilt.

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Thanks for the report!

<center><font size="1" color="#ff0000">LAST EDITED ON Dec-13-99 AT 03:44PM (EST)</font></center>

Hi Daphne! Don't totally give up yet. It still might be to soon to tell. Also, keep in mind that all of that gift wrapping, cookie mixing, and holiday card writing, can substitute as a light weight musclar endurance workout for your biceps too

....(oh so what, I stretched the truth a little, hee hee!)