They are afraid that they will become like Arrrrnouuuuld and they think any definition in their body is disgusting (except for abs). So my questions are:


1.) How much exercise will it take for a endocrinally normal woman to become like Arrrrrnouuuuld? I know 20 pushups will have different effects on a woman to a man because a man has more testosterone thus enabling him to build muscle mass faster and bigger compared to a female.

Is it a fact that a female has to take steroid supplements to become sculpted and even if they dont, it will take like 1 whole week of continuous workout for months at 6 hours a day to even achieve a little bit of man like muscle tone?

2.) How do I convince them that a little muscle tone is okay? That they are still sexy and feminine?


Thanks



PS...
I am after their genuine well being here and not after to get into their pants (though I wont mind, they sometimes leave spare change there). They see crash diets and starving themselves as a way to lose wieight

I do have a concern with buffing up.  I build muscle really well - which is not what I want, really.  When I first started working out a couple years ago, I ended up with iron legs after just a few months.. I laid off a while so it would go away.

Generally I just focus on cardio... that way I burn fat without buffing up.

Women have a tendency to starve themselves and do insane amounts of cardio. All that does is DESTROY their metabolism which makes them get fat, weak and look older.

Its important for women to learn that building muscle slows down the aging process within your cells and helps keep you looking and feeling young. Strength training also helps you get less wrinkles, avoid osteoporosis later in life, it doesn't crash your metabolism, and you don't have to exercise as often. Its SOOOO much better for their bodies.

Women and men who do only do cardio cause their metabolism to spike and crash, which as I said earlier, slows down their metabolism. Something many of the baby boom generation is discovering is that years of cardio has destroyed their joints, made them lose muscle mass, and caused premature aging of their cells, which makes them look older. Women are already at higher risk for things like fractures, osteoporosis, and hip replacements. Cardio can be SOOOOO bad for women and they don't know.

I'd just throw out some facts about how if they want to stay younger and sexier, they need to build muscle and avoid starving and doing cardio.

I like my muscles...I have no idea what it would feel like NOT to want them.
I've had to cut waaaay back on a routine I've been doing for over 13 years due to a rotator cuff injury.
Today, I start back (slowly) and I can't wait until I see my arms slowly start to look like that of my avatar once again.

My advice?
Hang out with less silly females.

Quoted: I like my muscles...I have no idea what it would feel like NOT to want them. I've had to cut waaaay back on a routine I've been doing for over 13 years due to a rotator cuff injury. Today, I start back (slowly) and I can't wait until I see my arms slowly start to look like that of my avatar once again. My advice? Hang out with less silly females.

Haha, no way... I spent 11 years in a all boys technical school. I am making up for lost time


But you still feel feminine right?



I think this is what my female friends are afraid off, to get to this... you have to like do what I mentioned in no. 1 to get this buff right?



Linda Hamilton mid movie? Kinda bit too much for them but I dont mind I still find her feminine (maybe because I grew up on the swimming team)




Not as much muscle tone as Linda Hamilton but in the okay region too (not too much muscle, still feminine/right amount of body fat)






Linda Hamilton... juuuuuuuuuuust right



Kiddin

Quoted: I do have a concern with buffing up.  I build muscle really well - which is not what I want, really.  When I first started working out a couple years ago, I ended up with iron legs after just a few months.. I laid off a while so it would go away. Generally I just focus on cardio... that way I burn fat without buffing up.

Thanks

Aside from runs, situps, pushups (is it true that it helps with making the er... breasts more shapely?), leg raises... what else do you reccomend?

In order to get like that top photo, you have to either take steroids or REALLY limit your diet and work like a dog.

And I find that look unattractive, personally. If they're afraid of looking like that, education is the ticket: you can't look like that BY ACCIDENT!!!!!!! That chick has MAYBE 4% BFI and that is WHY she looks like that.

Me, when I am working out regularly (3-4x / week)


That's 30 mins cardio + 40 mins weights. I do powersets and lift more weight than the girls you are talking about probably can (not bragging, just showing that all those years of doing it never made me look like the first picture you posted.)
Tell them to put their squeamishness aside, stop being ridiculous and hit the damn gym.

Quoted: Quoted: I do have a concern with buffing up.  I build muscle really well - which is not what I want, really.  When I first started working out a couple years ago, I ended up with iron legs after just a few months.. I laid off a while so it would go away. Generally I just focus on cardio... that way I burn fat without buffing up. Thanks Aside from runs, situps, pushups (is it true that it helps with making the er... breasts more shapely?), leg raises... what else do you reccomend?

Oh man, that is my worst phobia... shrinking boobs. :D

I am not a cardio fiend, and I live for steak and 'taters.   I do enjoy cardio, though.  My routine consists of cardio, a couple aerobics classes per week, and those exercise balls are magical. I generally do 15-20 mins on the ball per day. I don't do much weights... I really do buff up fast, so I have to be careful.

Leg lifts are awesome for your butt.  I know exercise tapes are lame, but for a while I was doing the cindy crawford workout.  That is a great routine for shaping your body to look feminine and toned. You can watch the tape once and after that do it on your own.  It's fairly simple lifts and such.

Quoted: If it is your own view of yourself which concerns you, that is one thing.  Women will think of themselves what they will....

What I am asking is  how  do I change there (female friends) view that exercising will NOT make them less feminine and to reach big muscle proportions as shown above is very hard to do.

But if you are concerned with not appearing feminine to those around you, do not worry about it.  Some of the sexiest women I've ever seen were larger, either with extra fat or a goodly amount of muscle. You will just go from one model of woman to another.

My last post in the quote might had been wrongly structured. I was asking what exercises will be applicable to my lady friends without bulking them up, not what I should do.


I AM A MAN! I WILL SING THE BURGER KING COMMERCIAL SONG TO PROVE IT!

I am man, hear me roar, In numbers too big to ignore, And I'm way too hungry to settle for chick food! 'Cause my stomach's starting to growl, And I'm going on the prowl, For a Texas Double Whopper! "Man that's good!" Oh, yes, I'm a guy! I'll admit I've been fed quiche! Wave tofu bye-bye! Now it's for Whopper beef I reach. I will eat this meat (Eat this meat) 'Till my innie turns into an outie! I am starved! I am incorrigible! And I'm eating scarf (?) a burger beef bacon jalapeno good thing down! (Yeah!) I am hungry! (I am hungry) I am incorrigible! I AM MAN!

sorry... I get sensitive when my dudeness comes in quesition

Quoted: In order to get like that top photo, you have to either take steroids or REALLY limit your diet and work like a dog. And I find that look unattractive, personally. If they're afraid of looking like that, education is the ticket: you can't look like that BY ACCIDENT!!!!!!! That chick has MAYBE 4% BFI and that is WHY she looks like that. Me, when I am working out regularly (3-4x / week) i32.tinypic.com/b88d38.jpg That's 30 mins cardio + 40 mins weights. I do powersets and lift more weight than the girls you are talking about probably can (not bragging, just showing that all those years of doing it never made me look like the first picture you posted.) Tell them to put their squeamishness aside, stop being ridiculous and hit the damn gym.

Looking good Mam

Quoted: In order to get like that top photo, you have to either take steroids or REALLY limit your diet and work like a dog. And I find that look unattractive, personally. If they're afraid of looking like that, education is the ticket: you can't look like that BY ACCIDENT!!!!!!! That chick has MAYBE 4% BFI and that is WHY she looks like that. Me, when I am working out regularly (3-4x / week) i32.tinypic.com/b88d38.jpg That's 30 mins cardio + 40 mins weights. I do powersets and lift more weight than the girls you are talking about probably can (not bragging, just showing that all those years of doing it never made me look like the first picture you posted.) Tell them to put their squeamishness aside, stop being ridiculous and hit the damn gym.

Changing a person's opinion once it's dead set is like leading a horse to water:

You can pound 'em on the head, but you can't make 'em think.  

Quoted: In order to get like that top photo, you have to either take steroids or REALLY limit your diet and work like a dog.

+1, They've got nothing to worry about unless they are going to juice or spend about 4 hrs a day hitting weights.

Quoted: You can pound 'em on the head, but you can't make 'em think.

Maybe not...but poundin' them can be fun!

I was worried about doing "too much" weight lifting too as I'm already a big girl...I'm almost 6' tall and weigh about 160, I don't want to look like any more of an Amazon than I already do.  That said, while I don't look as good as Playmore (how YOU doin'???) I do work out regularly, including strength training.  I have arthritis and strength training is nothing but good for that so long as I don't overdo it and hurt myself.  My arms are defined but not big...

What about "fit is sexy" do your friends not understand?

In my opinion, prissy and delicate is bad (and I don't think I'll get much argument from this crowd on that).

In order to look like a pro female bodybuilder, you have to do some serious working out, strict diet changes, and even steroids... in other words, working out professionally.  Unless you have an unbelievable (and rare) genetic gift, you're NOT going to get "that look" by simply hitting the gym 3-4x per week.  It's simply not going to happen.

Any chance they're just making excuses for avoiding the gym?

Get Playmore, Glockgirl, etc. to start a photo thread in GD.
Eat popcorn, drink beer, and laugh at the leg humpers.

Show said thread to your female friends after it hits 50 pages or so of leg-humping (about 3 hours, give or take)

Quoted: In order to get like that top photo, you have to either take steroids or REALLY limit your diet and work like a dog. And I find that look unattractive, personally. If they're afraid of looking like that, education is the ticket: you can't look like that BY ACCIDENT!!!!!!! That chick has MAYBE 4% BFI and that is WHY she looks like that. Me, when I am working out regularly (3-4x / week) i32.tinypic.com/b88d38.jpg That's 30 mins cardio + 40 mins weights. I do powersets and lift more weight than the girls you are talking about probably can (not bragging, just showing that all those years of doing it never made me look like the first picture you posted.) Tell them to put their squeamishness aside, stop being ridiculous and hit the damn gym.

um.

...

yeah.

Quoted: Get Playmore, Glockgirl, etc. to start a photo thread in GD. Eat popcorn, drink beer, and laugh at the leg humpers. Show said thread to your female friends after it hits 50 pages or so of leg-humping (about 3 hours, give or take)

3 hours?  I don't know if it'd even take that long...

Quoted: Quoted: Get Playmore, Glockgirl, etc. to start a photo thread in GD. Eat popcorn, drink beer, and laugh at the leg humpers. Show said thread to your female friends after it hits 50 pages or so of leg-humping (about 3 hours, give or take) 3 hours?  I don't know if it'd even take that long...

A girl CAN dream, can't she???
...oooh...I typed that outside my head, didn't I?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Get Playmore, Glockgirl, etc. to start a photo thread in GD. Eat popcorn, drink beer, and laugh at the leg humpers. Show said thread to your female friends after it hits 50 pages or so of leg-humping (about 3 hours, give or take) 3 hours?  I don't know if it'd even take that long... A girl CAN dream, can't she??? ...oooh...I typed that outside my head, didn't I?

Girls bitch about the leg humpers, but they like their egos being stroked.

I know your game womenz!

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: 3 hours?  I don't know if it'd even take that long... A girl CAN dream, can't she??? ...oooh...I typed that outside my head, didn't I? Girls bitch about the leg humpers, but they like their egos being stroked. I know your game womenz!

You missed the double entendre...I'm disappointed in you!

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: 3 hours?  I don't know if it'd even take that long... A girl CAN dream, can't she??? ...oooh...I typed that outside my head, didn't I? Girls bitch about the leg humpers, but they like their egos being stroked. I know your game womenz! You missed the double entendre...I'm disappointed in you!

I should be spa...er, uh.

My bad.

Quoted: Quoted: You missed the double entendre...I'm disappointed in you! My bad.

There are two types of people that go to the gym - those that go because of what they look like and those who go because of what they want to look like.  The latter is always more successful in achieving and maintaining the desired result.

I haven't been able to lift for quite awhile due to various ortho issues but when I was younger and more resilient I lifted as much as I could and I never got bulky like those chicks that compete, that's juice man. I got well defined triceps and a six pack, but not what I would call bulky. I wouldn't have cared, it just didn't happen. I could do over 40 push ups (the real ones), about 15 pullups, benched 125 for reps (a shoulder issue prevented me from going heavier), and could dead lift about 300lbs. I could squat quite a bit on the smith machine, forget how much. I have really strong legs.

I just got a meniscus tear in my knee fixed last year, and some arthritis stuff scraped off my kneecap, and now I have torn cartilage and arthritis in my shoulder. It's really bumming me out. One thing about lifting weights is it made it easy to maintain my weight. I also do back exercises for my neck and spine and the shoulder thing makes that impossible so my neck is kind of stiff. I used to ride a bicycle a lot when I was younger and had some bad wrecks, those old bike wreck injuries are what is flaring up now.


Oh well, I am supposed to have physical therapy 3x a week, just started that Fri. I hope it works but I am skeptical. If it doesn't work then they can fix it with surgery.



I noticed back when I was hitting the weights a lot at the gym that a lot of women don't really try hard when they work out. Like doing dumbbell presses with 5lbs then quitting after a "set". Six months later they are still working out with 5 lbs. Obviously PM isn't one of those women!

Maybe a different gym would help. I am a "Y" member now, used to go to golds. The "Y' had nice equipment and machines I like, and normal people go there. There are quite a few women that do "real" workouts and look very trim and fit, yet muscular in a "feminine" way. If she saw other chicks working out and not looking like a monster she might decide to do it too.



I have noticed that women that do no physical activity when they are young have a much harder time later on in life. And if they decide to get active later on it's harder as well, you're tissue and bone strength develops when you are younger.

I just get rock hard when I work out with weights - not bulky and manly looking - as stated previously it would take drugs to get that look on a female body. It's just a totally toned hot body look with no flabby gunk that I happen to be working on again right now (after I finish my beer).

Quoted: They are afraid that they will become like Arrrrnouuuuld and they think any definition in their body is disgusting (except for abs). So my questions are: <snip> PS... I am after their genuine well being here and not after to get into their pants (though I wont mind, they sometimes leave spare change there). They see crash diets and starving themselves as a way to lose wieight

If they don't want definition, you can't change their minds. I don't have any use for definition on my body, though I think it looks nice on other women, and I can't see myself changing my mind any time soon. I'd get pissy if someone suggested it.

These women sound like they'll do anything to stay out of the gym. Can't say I blame them. Crash diets are stupid and don't work, but regular diets can. If they don't want to work out, they may be willing to go for a walkl, bike ride, kayaking, or run around the yard with the dog and a pull toy.

Be very careful giving unsolicited suggestions about looks to a woman. Even if they're veiled as "for the sake of her health".