Ladies, Muscle and how much is too much?

I

icklemoley

Cathlete
Last night I was watching my body blast series on DVD (sometimes I just put them in and watch for inspiration!) when my Mother dropped by to say “hi”. My Mother is 5ft 2” and about 9 stone (126lbs). Anyway, she sat down and said “Look at those women’s muscles, it's just not attractive to be that “big” on a woman. They look too vascular!” (note my horror and shock!).

We then had this big debate about what is and isn’t attractive with muscle and vascularity on women. I think Cathe is very attractive and I find her muscle attractive. However I can also see where my Mother is coming from and not being exposed to muscle on women how she can find it “off putting” to even begin a weight training program. I must admit I don’t actually know any women that are is “muscular” or “vascular” as Cathe or even her crew.

I thought that Jaishree Stulpinas was really muscular and lean in the intensity series (and perhaps not so muscular in the body blast series) and it shocked me that she could get such definition. So, I was wondering what you’re thoughts are as most of you on this site 99.9% are women and I would love to hear opinions on this subject.

I remember years ago Rachel McLish and thinking her body was next to perfect and she was probably more muscular than Cathe and yet, still strikingly beautiful. Thank you all …
 
Personally I think Cathe and her crew -- all of them in different shapes and sizes -- are very attractive with their muscles and their smiles. There's a difference between a woman so muscular she looks like a man that the only way you tell she's female is her bra top, and a muscular woman who still has the feminine shape her maker gave her. I can appreciate those female bodybuilders who see their bodies as art and sculpt them hard. I admire their discipline. But I don't want to look like that.

Pinky
 
I think that the body types in BB Series are perferctly balanced. I consider this the fitness model look, and I love the look. However, I do not like the female bodybuilder look, it is not attractive to me. They are too big and masculine. I also don't like the "Shape" model look either, too thin with no muscle tone.

Terri :D
 
What Pinky said.

I admire the dedication of the hardcore bodybuilding crowd but it's an extreme look - for men AND women - and not one I aspire to.

I do like to see muscle definition on a woman, though (especially on me!:D ) A well-sculpted pair of shoulders, biceps/triceps definition, hard abs, lean legs...all are attractive, powerful and feminine to me.

I find women with muscle more attractive and sexy than thin untoned women, like runway models and many actresses.

Just my opinion...

Allison
 
Hi Wayne! You should show your mom pictures of Cathe when she's at rest. She might not think her to be so big and vascular but shapely and healthy. Mom came in when Cathe looked pretty pumped up! Cathe has been training for many years and has a well developed physique. I like the way Cathe and crew look....strong and healthy. I hope your mom won't dismiss lifting weights for herself based on what she saw on the DVDs. I just turned 46 and want to keep what muscle I have and not lose anymore. Plus I need to lift weights to rev up that sluggish metabolism. Does wonders for this time in my life that is changing. Your mom sounds adorable.

Take care and give mom a big hug!
 
There's been alot of research as regards to how much muscle is too much for women. As regards to physicalness the researchers have found that too much muscle is there when there's more than you need to lift for daily functions in an average week. As regards to beautifulness that goes more to age and part of the state, country and world you live in, for example in New York and Las Angeles you can have as much muscle as you want under the age of 75, but in Louisiana you can only have 22 percent muscle and no more and only if you're under 30. I cant remember what they said about Europe or Africa.

Sam Dubya
 
Hello,

This is such an interesting topic because I have often thought about this myself. When I first saw Cathe, I must admit that I did find her too muscular especially in the Pure Strength, MIS, BodyMax. When I showed some of my friends they said the same thing (one girl bought MIS from me but later wanted to return it because she was afraid of gaining muscles). I showed pictures of Cathe and her crew during the filming of the Intensity Series and they commented that they were too muscular.

I am now very familiar with Cathe and don't find her image off putting in the least. If anything, I am even more keen to gain muscles on the shoulders, legs, and stomach (I have a little definition already). However, I am not keen on having big biceps and looking like I spend a lot of time working out or in the gym. I like to look sporty, active and healthy. I think my opinion has changed because I am now more aware of women in sport so I see a lot more women who are 'sporty' with muscles.

Having said that, when Cathe has her photo taken next to ordinary people like us she looks tiny. She always looks the smallest and no muscles at all.

Yen
 
Excellent information Flextoid, you really know a lot. What about women who live in the Midwest, i.e.: Minnesota. Is it true that elevation levels affect muscularity?
 
RE: To Jellybean

According to the Muscularity Institute, elevation levels affect muscularity "only to the extent that humidity levels remain constant to the control group (. . .) however, the northern regions {of which the Midwest is a part} cause people to grow taller and this can affect muscularity due to variations and elongations in limb length".

Sam Dubya
 
Yen, i think that too about Cathe and when she is next to someone. She looks so small and with no really muscle mass at all. Funny eh! lol ... i do think this is an interesting topic, and one that can never have a sure fire "yes or no" answer... but in my opinion, i think Cathe and Crew look great and i find it "attractive". I think Cede is really nice and i think she is a good example of what can be acheived from exercise. Is is just right! She has cardio endurance for days, muscular strengh and endurance and is a good exmaple of health and fitness. In fact, my Mother said that she was the best out of the lot! lol ... horses for courses...
 
Another vote for the fitness model level of muscularity, but the body building level is too much for me. Even on men, it's just too much for my tastes personally. 'Course I'm the type that doesn't care for a guy with a neck circumference larger than his head...
 
Hello Wayne (is that right?),

I am really glad to find a man on here who thinks Cathe is attractive because it means that some men will probably find me attractive (not that I am muscular yet..). I find alot of women's attitude is that they will frighten off the men! I speak for most of my girlfriends, although none has actually said that they are doing it to attract men. To me that is not right somehow.

It's sad that so many women are more concerned with physical appearances than emotional and mental health. This is due to the media's presentation of women more than anything: women are subconciously conditioned to perceive themselves as sex objects.

If these women take a closer look at these women and compare them to non-exercisers then they will find that the fit ones are more attractive because they have better posture, glowing skin, youthful, energetic as well as being healthy.

The other thing most non-exercisers don't seem to understand is that you can control how much muscle you want to put on. You can reduce muscularity as well as increase it. The more you work on your body the more you will understand it and be able to manage it.

Yen
 
RE: To Jellybean

>According to the Muscularity Institute, elevation levels
>affect muscularity "only to the extent that humidity levels
>remain constant to the control group (. . .) however, the
>northern regions {of which the Midwest is a part} cause people
>to grow taller and this can affect muscularity due to
>variations and elongations in limb length".
>
>Sam Dubya


That would explain why I am taller than average. While growing up in the northern part of Germany, all my friends were about the same size as me - then we moved to Bavaria and everyone seemed so short.

Now I am living in the US and my MIL thinks I am huge. Everytime she buys me a shirt it's X-Large (mind you, I am a size 8, small/medium in shirts). I asked her what size of vest I should crochet her and her answer was "Whatever fits you, will fit me" (she is a size 20!!!) It's very hard for me not to take these things personally.

I am tall (5ft10) but compared to my brother I am little.


I don't think a woman can build too much muscle unless she uses SUPPLEMENTS. Cathe and crew looks just perfect, toned, in shape to me.
 
A little O/T, but did anyone happen to watch that awful Madonna movie "Swept Away"? I know she's probably worked very hard to achieve her definition, but it just looks awful! Not sporty or healthy-looking. Maybe it's that macrobiotic diet she eats...
 
I admire the work bodybuilders have to go through and the dedication is must take to look that way. Don't want to look that way myself though.

I like the fitness look on women, muscular but not too bulky.

Something I have been thinking about and don't know who to ask is "When you get the muscle development you like for yourself, how do you keep it without getting bigger?"

Cathe mentioned on one of her videos that work with the weight that will work for you and when it gets too easy, move up on the weights.(makes sense) But how far up do we keep going with the pounds? Do I reach a max weight for my frame and then that is it?

I hope I made alittle sense in my questions. I retyped this so many times, I am getting confused.

Debbie:)
 
Hello Debbie,

If you have got to the point where you are happy with the way you and just want to maintain then it's a matter of relaxing on your diet and exercise regime. Don't go any heavier for longer periods and don't weight train for more than 3 times a week.

I think it is very difficult for a woman to get really big unless she takes steroids or weight train for 2+ hours a day every day. Body builders have to constantly train because they want to get bigger and also to maintain. An ordinary person like you and myself is not as strict with our diets and exercise regime. Also, we include a lot of cardio in our workouts as well, which they probably don't have time for.

My advice is to worry about that when you get there. (Are you there yet?). By then you will have a good understanding of what works for your body and exercise and be able to work out a good maintenance programme. The more you do the more you will learn.
 
Muscles are a matter of taste...for me, I like definition, a little vacularity, and visible tone. Body builders are over the top, since they have diminished what feminine "edges" they used to have (must be the 'Roids x( ) Although...I never thought Rachel McLish was freakish. I have her weight-lifing tape and she is curvy and strong. Since she no longer competes, she has a small layer of "padding" on her body, at least in this workout she does.
I have a co-worker who is so misinformed about having muscles, she makes me want to kill her. Her answer to weight loss is near-starvation, and her exercise "plan" (if you can call it that) is minimal at best, and does not include weight training. I tried to tell her that it does more than just tone muscles and that it is very hard for women to "get big." It's like talking to a wall.
So, here are my 2 bits: For me, being proportional is important. I've seen too many "weird bodies" on women when they overtrain a certain area and they look out of balance. Take the proportion aspect and ad "nice" muscle to it, and voila--that is my ideal for a woman's body (esp my OWN!!)
Take Care,
Lisa
 
I have found that women who DON'T lift weights are horrified by visible muscles on women.

OTOH, women who DO lift weights admire muscles on other women because they KNOW how difficult it is to achieve such a cut and lean look.
 
I love muscular women. I wouldn't want to do the Ms. Olympia thing (nor could I) and I think the women who do, or rather, some of them, go to an extreme and look like men. Rachel McClish is an example of the ones who do it well. But Cathe and gang look incredibly fit and why should the men have all the fun? Feminine but not to be screwed with. Great combo!
http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/user.gif Bobbi
 
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