building muscle

I am a woman.  and i want to be muscular.. i know i'm not going to look like a weight lifter (no steroids here) but i know my body type and i've got a large bone structure.. and when i was thin once before.. way back when.. i had bigger muscles than an average woman.. but not super big..

am i the only one here who actually wants to be tough and strong?  instead of extra thin with small muscles (which is not an option for me anyway).. who else out there wants to enjoy their body type and maximise it for all it's worth?  :)

I do. :)
Does it matter if I'm not a woman?

i wasn't asking only the women.. but unfortunatly women are always wanting to not be muscular.. and i feel like i'm a weirdo that i want to be tough strong and muscular.. :)

I don't want to have huuuge muscles but I want toned muscles. I've noticed that a lot of girls that are at the gym stay on the cardio machines and barely ever lift any weights. I do though. I've never wanted to be super skinny, just not flabby.

yeah!  that's what i'm talking about!  i want to be super toned.. and the reason i wondered about this was because it was only me and one other woman in a room full of men using the weights this morning.. i found it quite odd that women are so adverse to lifting weights and building their muscles.. women aren't desinged to have bulky muscles, so for me, that's a non issue.. but i want to be really nicely toned.. :)  i'm glad i'm not alone in this.. :)

I told hubby what I want...when Im standing with my arms relaxed, I want you to be able to see the definition.  no fat! let me find a pic.

i know just what you mean slappy.. :)  i have a definition line starting between my shoulder and upper arm and i'm soooo happy!  :)  i'm gonna be a tough cookie!  :)  

Obsydian, I'm so with you on this. To say I'm not athletically inclined would be an understatement, but since I've been working out with a trainer I've found out that I'm unusually good at weightlifting. I've really gotten into it and it's so much fun.

I think a lot of people, especially women, have a misconception of what a woman who lifts weights looks like. I saw pictures from a bodybuilding competition and all the women looked totally normal with clothes on - really fit and thin, in fact. The only reason they have such defined muscles in competition is because they diet down to really low body fat levels. Otherwise they look great.

i want MUSCLES!! i think nice toned muscled arms on women are really sexy.  and i want nice back muscles.  i think muscles are hot lol-- not like body builders (um ugh) but healthy and strong looking.  

yeah!  let's do this gals!  :)  oh.. and guys too!  :) 

funny you say back muscles.. i just started working those out today.. :) 

Totally agree about the muscles.

When I was training competitively, part of our routine was intense weights, and I loved them better than anything else - just loved watching the muscle appear!  When I flexed I had biceps as big as my boyfriend (who was also training competitively, not a twiggy boy) and I was proud of it!  And since we are girls, we don't LOOK huge.  I was doing some exercises with the same weights as the biggest guys in the gym (which was awesome to see the look on their faces), but I didn't look huge - just really toned.

Too many people define 'beautiful' as 'skinny', which is so incorrect.  I'm glad there's some of us out there that realize muscle is beautiful.

We should make August "Muscle Challenge" Month :D

I want muscles!  I want to be strong, too.  I had a teacher in college who was an amature body builder.  She didn't use steroids and she was gorgeous!  Like, boys get whiplash when she walks by, kind of gorgeous.  I'll never be that built, but I want to be able to see the muscles in my arms and my thighs (already can see them in my calves.  ^_^).  And I want to see the muscles in my back.  Just because.

I've never understood the number of posts we get here with girls saying "Oh help, I'm bulking up!"  It takes a LOT of work to get bulky as a woman.  And what the heck is wrong with having lovely muscles, anyway?

hk- ohhh.. that sounds good!  :)  maybe you should suggest that!  :)

everyone else.. thank you for making me not feel so alone in this!  all those posts about not wanting muscles made me feel like i'm the only one.. probably because i KNOW that when i work out i get more defined muscles.. and my muscles are a bit big.. i don't care.. i'm embracing my full potential.. and if that means that i'm gonna be a bulky woman.. i dont' care.. as long as i'm strong and healthy!  :)

i think women with athletic bodies just look better... healthier. that is what i am striving for, to be healthy, and to look athletic! i'm on my way!

im in for a muscle challenge.... how would we do it tho?

drea- i don't know.. that's why i'm leaving it up to HK.. :)

I'm with you on the whole muscle issue.  I am not built to be a waif.  Even at my thinnest, I was swimming competitively and had muscles. Muscles rock! 

I just wrote something like this in my journal, but muscles propel you thru the water and the air and the wonderfulness that is life.  They let you carry large sacks of stolen jewels, pick up and comfort crying children, or dance until 2 AM.  Muscles are smaller and firmer than fat, softer than skin and bones, and look cool besides. Madonna never looked better than she did with killer back muscles in "Papa Don't Preach". 

Muscles signify capabilty, strength, endurance, and sometimes speed.

Love your muscles!

I definitely want muscles, no questions.  In fact, one of my biggest peeves is the (seemingly) prevailing female attitude that muscles are bad and that it's bad to be 'bulky'.  I've said it before - I've yet to see anyone who claims they are bulky that I would actually use that word on, or even remotely come close to describing them as such. 

Hubby loves that I'm getting more muscular, too.  When we lift together, he'll feel my leg muscles as I'm working them so he can feel how big they are getting.  :)

I want defined muscles too!  In fact, there's progress.  I put shorts on the other day and walked outside to where my bf was waiting and the first thing he said to me was "you have muscles!"  He was referring to my thighs.  Now, if only I could get my arms more defined.  As far as being strong, yes!  I want to be healthy looking and feeling and I want to be strong, for many years to come.  I never want to be a wimpy woman.

I so agree. Muscles are super sexy.

I want my muscles to be defined and visible. Not pumped with veins sticking out or anything, I think thats kinda icky even on guys, but just toned and sculpted.

I was, way back at 20yrs old, a dancer and had gorgeous muscles. *sighs looking back at photos*

Besides which all that lean muscles is good for your metabolism, great for your bone density and make you feel fitter and stronger.

I'm up for the muscle challenge...  whatever that may be.