Exercise And Bulking Up

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

I was just wondering if anyone had experience with weight lifting and such. Lately I've been trying to put on some muscle. I know that bio-females vary a lot in how readily they put on muscle and how big they'll get. It might just be vanity, but I think my natural T levels are highish. Does anyone know how long I'd need to lift weights before I see some kind of results? Right now I've been at it for about a month. I usually get to the gym like 4 to 5 times a week.

[Guest harvester52]

I don't really know anything, but I have high testosterone levels too, and I bulk up really quick just doing hard labor at work and stuff.

[Guest Marion]

I was just wondering if anyone had experience with weight lifting and such. Lately I've been trying to put on some muscle. I know that bio-females vary a lot in how readily they put on muscle and how big they'll get. It might just be vanity, but I think my natural T levels are highish. Does anyone know how long I'd need to lift weights before I see some kind of results? Right now I've been at it for about a month. I usually get to the gym like 4 to 5 times a week.

You need to work out about two weeks before you start to see any real change, I have extensive knowledge on the subject having lifted weights for over six years until I started to transition (I am mtf) so good luck with it and let me know if I can help in any way as I stated before I have extensive knowledge on weight lifting and every thing that goes with it.

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

You need to work out about two weeks before you start to see any real change, I have extensive knowledge on the subject having lifted weights for over six years until I started to transition (I am mtf) so good luck with it and let me know if I can help in any way as I stated before I have extensive knowledge on weight lifting and every thing that goes with it.

Cool. Thanks! Like I said, I've been at it for about a month. There is definitely some change, but I want more definition in my arms. Should I be trying to do a few reps of as much as I can handle or should I do a lot of reps at a moderate weight? ...or both?

[Guest J-Walker]

There is definitely some change, but I want more definition in my arms. Should I be trying to do a few reps of as much as I can handle or should I do a lot of reps at a moderate weight? ...or both?

Doing a lot of reps at a weight that you can handle easily is basically just showing off. It strengthens your ego but it won't strengthen your arms. You should be able to push yourself to at least 8 reps. If you can't get it without needing to stall, I'd go down a weight. I usually try to push to 12 but if I can't that's fine too. I go 3 to 4 times a week and by the next week I've usually moved up at least 5 pounds in lifting (I'm a wimp though - I can only bench 45 after a month or two ).

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

Sweet...that's pretty much what I'm doing. I don't know how much I can bench now because I don't use the free weights (no one to spot for me). So far I've gone up 10 pounds on some exercises and less on others. Thanks for the tips!

[Guest Michelles_husband]

If you're wanting to bulk up your arms, instead of worrying about the weight you're lifting all the time, look at what excersises you're doing. I've been lifting weights for 6 years now and I still try new things every now and then and add them to my routine and even without starting T yet, I can bench a clean 10 reps of 250lbs. But I've worked up to that point, I could never imagine going for less than a year and doing that. But that's just my two cents.

Jess

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

If you're wanting to bulk up your arms, instead of worrying about the weight you're lifting all the time, look at what excersises you're doing. I've been lifting weights for 6 years now and I still try new things every now and then and add them to my routine and even without starting T yet, I can bench a clean 10 reps of 250lbs. But I've worked up to that point, I could never imagine going for less than a year and doing that. But that's just my two cents.

Jess

You can bench 250? Nice. That's what I'm going for. Well, I'm going to stick with it and see what comes out of it. Already I can lift more than when I started. I'd pay for sessions with a trainer, but no one ever wants to show bio-girls how to get stronger. They just assume you want to be "pretty". Sexism, in any form, just sucks!

[Guest washougal]

I'm glad that you have discovered weight lifting. I have found that it makes it easier to live in my current body because it makes me feel and look more masculine, plus it makes me healthy! One thing that I would recommend is to make sure that you are lifting in cycles. If you are constantly trying to increase the weight than you will eventually become what athletes call over trained and you will actually lose functional strength and be at greater risk of injury. I would recommend looking for a book in your local library or info on the internet about lifting for athletes. (I do track and field and have found that the lifting routines for track have made me bulk up and lose body fat). It is very important that you start to weight lift in some sort of cycle soon if you intend to keep lifting long term.

Hope this helps.

-washougal

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

Thanks! Since I don't know what "cycles" are, I guess I'd better run out to Barnes and Noble and get some literature. I don't want to mess myself up, especially since my overall goal is to be healthy and feel good. Weight lifting is the most awesome thing I've discovered in a long time. I'm definitely looking to do it long term. It really does help me be a little more comfortable in the body I have.

[Guest Tay-Tay]

in weight lifting we have it set up were u will do 5 by 5 by5 then a 10 at the amount u can handle and then the next day it is 4 by 4 by 4 + 10 and then the next day we bo 2 by 3 by 4 by 5 +5 then a 6 and that really helps and we switch wat we do like we will do 3 diff things a day like hex bar bench and the parralell then the next day it would be towel and box

[Guest Lee]

I have a question to add to this thread, please. Whenever I work out I always get really tired and feel like I've got to take a nap, no matter what time it is. It doesn't matter for how long I've been lifting weights, either, because when I took weight lifting in school and had to work out everyday I still felt sleepy afterwards. Does anyone know why this might be, and if there's anything I can do to stop feeling so tired?

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

Hmm...that's a tough one. Have you had your iron levels checked? I've heard that being anemic makes you feel tired.

To some extent, I feel tired after working out too...but not like I want to go to sleep.

[Guest Huff]

I have a question to add to this thread, please. Whenever I work out I always get really tired and feel like I've got to take a nap, no matter what time it is. It doesn't matter for how long I've been lifting weights, either, because when I took weight lifting in school and had to work out everyday I still felt sleepy afterwards. Does anyone know why this might be, and if there's anything I can do to stop feeling so tired?

There are a number of different possibilities. The simplest would be that you're depleting your blood glucose (sugar) and muscle glycogen stores. You might want to try eating a recovery snack or meal immediately after you finish, which would include complex carbohydrates and some protein. Also, you may want to try drinking a sports drink through your workout to keep your blood sugar levels from crashing in the first place.

Other lifestyle things you should definately look at: are you getting enough sleep for your body? is your food intake adequate AND nutritious? are you consuming more than two caffinated beverages per day (and I DON"T mean two super-caffinated energy drinks)?

Other possible issues listed in order of increasing complexity: vitamin B deficiency, anemia, thyroid problems, chronic fatigue syndrome, various auto-immune diseases

Hope that sparks some ideas for you.

MK

[Guest raydub]

dude.. MK's got ALL the answers.

Ray