Why are women so terrified of bulking up?

Insight, please?

Original Post by lune_ash:

the average woman wants to be what society regards as beautiful or sexy. in america that is lean, toned, thin... big boobs. lol. so typically it is not a bulky chick (in my mind the word butch pops up)

if men stopped finding that type of woman sexier than an muscular chick, then most women would lift more weights. so don't act all confused as to how this behavior is motivated. there is a reason why MEGAN FOX is maxims hottest woman and not SERINA WILLIAMS.

i hate people saying women just prefer to be weak. forget you. i'm in the military and i didn't need to have a body builder physique to make it. >:-P

 Serina Williams is hotter than Megan Fox. I don't care what the guys I know think. Looking athletic and healthy is beautiful. Looking emaciated is not.

Original Post by lune_ash:

if men stopped finding that type of woman sexier than an muscular chick, then most women would lift more weights. so don't act all confused as to how this behavior is motivated. there is a reason why MEGAN FOX is maxims hottest woman and not SERINA WILLIAMS.

I hear Gisele pulls a mean Romanian deadlift...  And I wouldn't say that 97-lb Suzanna is at all bulky.

Point being - you can lift weights and be muscular without being "bulky."

I also think many women don't really have a clue what men find attractive.  If you look at the difference between female models for women's products and female models for men's products, there is probably a 20 pound difference.  Of course, it may be all boobs...

If women realized how many MEN don't really "bulk up" with hard lifting, maybe it would help.  Unfortunately, men don't whine to everyone about their "problem".

Original Post by lune_ash:

the average woman wants to be what society regards as beautiful or sexy. in america that is lean, toned, thin... big boobs. lol. so typically it is not a bulky chick (in my mind the word butch pops up)

if men stopped finding that type of woman sexier than an muscular chick, then most women would lift more weights. so don't act all confused as to how this behavior is motivated. there is a reason why MEGAN FOX is maxims hottest woman and not SERINA WILLIAMS.

i hate people saying women just prefer to be weak. forget you. i'm in the military and i didn't need to have a body builder physique to make it. >:-P

 thats the whole point. is that you can lift heavy without looking bulky. well many can anyway, there are always exceptions.

Original Post by amethystgirl:

Original Post by hotfuss:

Original Post by crazydiamondchrysalis:

i keep telling my friends i'm lifting so i can bulk up for a fight. heh.

The main reason I run is so that I am ready for the imminent zombie apocalypse.  I guess I can apply that to lifting too.  In case I lose my firearms, I need some major upper body strength for head bashing with melee weapons!

Have you read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? It's a story of how you can be lady-like and still fight soulless hordes of undead.

 Pride and Prejudice Zombies?! I love P&P, and I love zombies, why have I not heard of this? It's brilliant!

I watched GI Jane a couple of nights ago. If Demi Moore in that film is "bulked up", bring it on! She made me want to work out BAD. So I did.....I'd love to have the dedication it takes to maintain muscle on a woman. What I don't like, though, is the low body fat and strong muscles combo. Looks too...ropey or something. I want stong, defined muscles, and still be voluptuous. That's MY ideal, and if I can just get into a gym routine, I will attain it.

I agree with the poster that said it's the term itself that makes it unattractive...who wants to be "bulky"? Not me. I also recognize that won't happen if I lift weights, not unless I take steroids or get a sex change. I also recognize that my ideal is not everyone's, so maybe some women who prefer the waifish look would see my ideal as bulky, I dunno. I just think to myself "****' and move on.

I personally am fearful of bulking up because I am as tall and as wide as a man, I don't need huge muscles making me feel worse.

I think it has a lot to do with the backwards thinking that gaining muscle means losing femininity.

Another reason I think is a total lack of knowledge of fitness in general. I always thought that if I lifted weights I'd just add muscle to the excess layers of fat and get 'bigger'. Not exactly 'ripped' but just larger in size. [At least that's my definition of bulky.] I posted a question not too long ago asking what exercises to do to avoid bulky legs.. because all my life I've heard different things - Swimming will make you look like a line backer.. running will make your legs big, etc.

So I don't think the women who are afraid of bulking up are necessarily afraid of gaining some muscle, but are perhaps as confused as I was and have the mindset that the muscle will just add to your overall size and the fat will still be there.

Original Post by helionix:

Original Post by amethystgirl:

Because they might look like this?

And what's wrong with that? Why is that look okay on a man but not on a woman? Why do women have to look weak to feel feminine?

 For me it's just my taste. I personally wouldn't even like my man to look like that. I think he should be muscular but not that muscular. And I like the way my body is without all the muscles. I do think it is more feminine not to be muscular in my opinion and I would like to continue to look like this. Just me. I'm tiny. I'm girly. but I'm not bulky. Love myself! :)