are woman muscles sexy or butch??

I always notice at the gym there are VERY few women who do strength training...and even less who actually lift a respectable amount of weight.  I see girls hop on the machines and do 20lbs and think to myself...whats the point, dont break a nail!  So my question is, do both men and women view strength or visible muscles as an unattractive physical trait??  or just what are your thoughts on it? 

i am one who lifts about 10-20lbs when strength training simply because i have no strength, everyone has to start somewhere. i think some muscle on a woman is nice but bulging man muscle is not exactly my idea of an attractive trait, just a personal opinion though!

I think definition on men and women is attractive.   a woman doesnt have to have manly muscles to have definition.  I think a woman can still very much keep her feminine figure while still maintaining strong arms and legs.  I personally think that  women and men both who have a body of a prepuberty teen is rather unattractive.  i guess i dont find stick arms and legs to be attractive...

Honest question here, lbaxleyl1048:

What constitutes "respectable" weights in your opinion, and what's the point or goal of lifting said "respectable" weights?

I ask because while I incorporate free weights in my fitness routine, and have a decent amount of muscle definition, I do it to be fit not to be able to lift a certain amount of weight. I'm far more interested in being able to use my muscles in real life, not in lifting a metal rod with plates on each end.

My goal?  So i can do my job with ease...and lifting 20lbs at the gym is not going to get me that.  i work in an er and transporting patients, trying to hold people down, doing chest compressions, moving 400lb people and not hurting my back ect is why i am trying to build more muscle.  And i personally find muscle to be sexy on people.  granted there comes a certain point in my opinion when it stops looking sexy as veg also said manly bulging muscles....

I agree people have to start somewhere when it comes to strength training, as veg said.  but at the end of the day if you are strength training and that is all you do EVERYTIME you do your routine...what is the point?  If you can walk in and do 20lbs 10 times with ease and are looking to tone...the 20lbs probably isnt going to do much for you. 

just my thoughts on it....

Fair enough, and in your case I'm glad you are lifting enough weights that you could transport me with ease :-)

For me, I incorporate weights so I can do the activities I enjoy even better. That includes running, yoga and Pilates.

To answer your original question regarding muscle definition on women, well pretty clearly I think it looks good since I have it and work to keep it and improve it. I like the definition in my arms and legs and I also really like (and am proud of) the definition in my abs. At my age (almost 48) and having had seven major abdominal surgeries I sure didn't think I could ever be in such great shape. Surprise!

I think the main reason why you see so few women in the weights and even fewer actually lifting anything that strains them is because the women will get bulky muscles if they lift heavy myth still persists. 

I always find it interesting that I see all kinds of women posting on here about how to lose more weight because they got to their goal and find they are still soft and jiggley.  What most women don't seem to realize is they don't need to lose more, they just need to do fill in their bodies with muscle by doing weight training with heavy enough weights to challenge them; however heavy of a weight that is.  People don't seem to realize that most of the women that they see in magazines that have "toned" appearances lifted weights to get that way and not little pink dumbells either.

Not to mention that building muscle keeps the metabolism up as you age and counteracts the natural muscle loss everyone goes through after 30.

patches i agree!!  and its awesome checking yourself out and seeing definition that wasnt there before its very gratifying as well.  A woman is not going to get manly bulging muscles unless she takes supplements...a woman does not have the testosterone to do so on her own!  I also find it interesting that people who are trying to lose weight dont clue in to the strength training aspect.  cardio burns calories now, while building muscle continues to burn through out the day after you are done working out.  both are important!  too many women feel that the weight room is a mans world...how are you going to show off those hot abs...if you dont really have any to show off??  again those "pink" dumbells more than likely arent going to do the trick.

Smaller people lift smaller weights. For a 300 lb person, 30 lbs is only 10% of their body weight. For a 100 lb person, it's 30% of their body weight. That's three times as much relative to the weight they carry around all day.

After two years working out, there are still certain machines I can only do 20 or 30 lbs on - like the shoulder lat raise. What's the point? So far, a lot of definition, many clothing sizes down, and over 30 lbs lost. Not "respectable"?

 Totally hot, of course. What, like anyone expected me to answer differently?

 You know, in some measure I think the Pink Dumbbell Myth is on the same scale of BS that "girls aren't good at math" and "Women  shouldn't have a career outside the home" - it's keeping you from exploring your potential and finding out if it's something you'd enjoy.

 Not everyone will want a PhD in mathematics but being able to balance a checkbook is nice, not everyone will want to be able to squat a Buick but being able to carry your own shopping or rearrange the living room furniture without getting a hernia is good.

 Besides, challenging yourself and overcoming that challenge is exilerating - why should you be left out of the fun?

I agree with lbaxley and patches - the only way to tone is with heavy weights. And even if you get to the point where you can lift as much as some of your guy friends can, chances are you won't bulk up. I am 10 lbs heavier than I was in high school - but there is SO much more muscle on me now and I love it!

butch women are hot :-p

I think it is a little silly to only lift weights if you can do so easily, but if you are working your way up and 10lbs is quite challenging, then that's not silly at all!  I lift anything from 10-70 lbs, depending on the machine, and I am certainly trying to increase my strength.  I would like to lift free weights, but I admit that I would feel rather stupid doing so because I KNOW I would only be using 10lbs sometimes, and I feel like people would be looking at me thinking "weakling, what is she doing here?".  I think that fear also keeps a lot of women from doing weights.

Trid

OMG... woen who are fit and muscualr like  Fitness trainer Jillian Michaels are very SEXY. Personaly I think if a women is too muscualr it's not attractive. Fit and tone with definition is sexy to me. It's just my opinion. It's sexy when a women has confidence and is secure in her body no matter what she looks like. :) But muscle ROCK!!!

I think lbaxleyl1048's point is that if you are able to do 20 reps of any exercise with ease, the weight you are using is too light to give you any benefit.  The point of lifting weights is to get stronger/stay strong, and doing three easy sets will not do anything for you, whether your intentions are to be fit, look cut, or just feel great.  You have to challenge your muscles or they will not improve so the last few reps of each set should be difficult.  If you're not sweating after fifteen minutes of weights/machines, you're not doing something right!

sexy!

i lift heavy weights, and trying for heavier...check out my profile pic and tell me if i look butch! i think not!

not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

Women with muscle are sexy! Of course! Women are just afraid that if they lift anything heavier than their pink dumbells they will magically turn into muscular she-hulks. Ummm, that's not gonna happen.

I'm 56 y/o and have been lifting dead weights since before dirt was invented.

I lift heavy...dumb bell chest presses with 35/40 lb dumb bells...that's a total of 70/80 lbs...

I do dead lifts ranging 115-140 lbs...

I am neither bulky, or "manly!"

What I am is defined and strong!  I also have a bodyfat % around 20%....I've had it as low as 8% but that was back in my serious training days..

Ladies...we have muscles, use them....  Muscles are the most efficient fatburning mechanism there is..

Why spend hours on a treadmill/eliptical/bike when all you need to do is build your muscles and do enough t/e/b to keep your heart healthy..

I'm just about always the only woman in the weight room, and I'm always old enough to be the mother of most of the guys in there.

But I can't tell you how many have asked my advice on lifting, how many have admitted to being embarrassed that lb for lb, I lift heavier and harder than they do.  Granted I can't lift the amounts they lift but in comparison of my bodyweight/frame size, I am stronger.

Why do I do this...I like being strong, I like seeing the definition, I like supporting my bones, I like keeping my bodyfat down, I like doing physical labor!

Women do not get naturally bulky...it's nearly impossible... Even when I was seriously training and in the gym 5-6 hours everyday, I still looked like a woman!  Anything else requires drugs!

Come on ladies, you're stronger than you think!

Original Post by tridymite:

 I would like to lift free weights, but I admit that I would feel rather stupid doing so because I KNOW I would only be using 10lbs sometimes, and I feel like people would be looking at me thinking "weakling, what is she doing here?".  I think that fear also keeps a lot of women from doing weights.

Trid

 I lost most of muscle mass due to extreme dieting, so I had no choice but to start out with 10 lb dumbbells. Imagine how that felt, as a guy?

And to answer the original question, yes women with muscles are sexy.

YES ooooner explained things the way i wanted it to come out.  I just feel that people should live up to their potential with stuff like that. 

Building muscle and seeing the results on your body and stack of weights you are able to increase towards is very gratifying, and boosts your confidence.  I do 150-190lbs for legs and 120-150 for arms/shoulders, except curls i do 80lbs.  on the seated back extension i max the machine at 285lb.  i find it entertaining the looks some men give when they watch you set your weight sometimes.  and its an even better feeling having to watch them readjust the weight lower than what you had it.  Am i bragging??  maybe a little :) but i think i have that right when ive worked my butt off to be able to do that much, i dont see many other women doing it.

Muscle looks a lot better than jiggly fat, and burns more calories as well!!

women with muscle are sexy!

I like long lean muscles on women. Especially on the arms and shoulders- those great lines.