I'm gonna fire my gym. I was going to anyways, because when I joined it was a ladies gym five minutes from my front door which was a godsend, and then they went co-ed on me, which is totally unacceptable, so I bounced out of there. But also I'd already stopped using their weight machines, so aside from the climbers and treadmills there really was no point of me continuing to go there. Also, the way some people tell you to work out, and they do tell women they need to do some weight-bearing exercises for bone health, I can't get behind cause I'm totally anti-weights now, having learned my lesson the hard way. I put on muscle extremely easily. Even following the "don't worry, you won't bulk up" methods. (maybe that is diet related) Slightly toned will be fine, but I don't want any serious definition, anywhere. I prefer soft and curvy to muscular. Soft. The girls on my workout regimen are all in amazing shape and are beautiful, but if my arms actually got that muscular or defined again I would be very annoyed with myself.
All through middle school (yes, middle) and high school I used a lot of weight in my workouts. I loved exercise, still do, but at the time I was really doing a lot of it because it was fun, (thought I would be the next Denise Austin or something) and following the weight programs on t.v. Anyway, as a result I still have arms that are muscular. Hey, I guess once you got it, it's there to stay. LOL During school I just happen to notice one day that my arms were a lot bigger than most of my girlfriends' and my biceps and shoulders did not want to go into some of the smaller tees when we all went shopping. Oh noes. I really hadn't noticed before that, and IF I'd known at the time this would be the result of all that weight-lifting over the years I would have never done that much! Why didn't anyone tell me! Clearly I didn't really think it through. LOL
So, I'm sort of in the dilemma that I do want to be svelte (I enjoy that word) for some of my upcoming costumes, but the way in which I have to train for that right now, because of the short amount of time available, seems to include way too much strength training for my tastes. I'm completely nervous to do anything with weight anymore. I don't even like to do push ups! I know that sounds like I'm being dramatic, but my arms are really strong and apparently really do remember how to put the muscle back on. Even doing something as simple as the weight bearing positions in my yoga regimen really tones them so I feel like doing more than that would be taking a chance.
And some of the girls on this program also have really defined abs. I don't want this look at all for myself. I don't want anything resembling a six pack on me. I understand some girls really want this type of physique, but I have never desired washboard anything. Soooo, I think my yoga and pilates are a great source of strengthening without weights, but don't provide the high cardio and mixed stuff like the other programs.
Hmm... must have helps...
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soft.
ReplyDeleteand.
curvy.
End of discussion.
:)
:D Of course. XD
ReplyDeleteAh, lucky! I have never been into weight-bearing exercise (I prefer cardio), for previous-injury reasons. As a result, I have no obvious tone anywhere. Like I'm muscle-less. :(
ReplyDeleteWhat areas are you trying to tone without bulking? Simple resistance, where you're working against your body's weight as opposed to adding weights can help. Same with just getting into a gentle regimen over a longer period of time, instead of doing power workouts. My PT tells me that strengthening the core without developing a six pack can be done by flexing the pelvic floor muscles, then gently drawing your belly button to your spine (while maintaining a neutral position with your spine) several times a day (especially when walking, about 25% of the time). Might be worth a try.
I think you can be svelte with muscle definition...in fact, muscled arms tend to look masculine when paired with skinny, bony women (like Madonna).
Which costumes are you aiming for?
(reminds me, I am almost set to go with pinup girl Boris Vallejo-ish style, as I was given a fur vest for Christmas...muahahaha). :D
Bethie! :) Yes, the pelvic-floor stuff we got covered with bellydance (and a good thing that is fun as well) and pilates.
ReplyDeleteAnd you can totally tone with yoga and pilates, it's weight-bearing, but it's your own body weight. Have you tried that? You're not muscle-less, silly!
I don't want the muscle definition though. I've always like Madonna's post-yoga arms, and Angela Bassett's and Linda Hamilton's (T2 style). I just don't want that for go back in that direction for myself.
I'm aiming for all my costumes. LOL But I'm with you on the Fantasy Pin Ups next year (see this bloggy of course for those posts), but I don't really lean towards Boris much. I much prefer Julie! I'd love to meet her one day. :)