Exercising without becoming big.

Hi,
Inspired by the weightlifting thread and noticing that my tummy wanted to expand, I have started to pick up some exercises again.
My goal was to burn some fatty, increase my endurance and strength to a respectable level like when i used to do kung fu. But I don't want the shape or even the tone of my body to change much.
However, my body seems to think that I want to grow big. Especially my (upper) arms. I don't remember that happening a few years ago when I was more fit :P
I'm not easily motivated, and now I'm kind of scared to go on.

I figured the trick was to do many repetitions with my exercises, and reasonably fast. Was I wrong or is my body just being stubborn?
Is there something I can do about it?

Exercise your mind?Xeros606

Since every person is different, I would recommend talking to a professional trainer or exercise specialist because they will be able to give you advice based on your own personal needs and goals. However, the advice you read in health magazines and on internet websites are good general guidelines to follow. They include but are not limited to:

• Eating right

From all that I have read, I get the sense that this is probably the most important aspect of any type of exercise program. Eat your fruits and vegetables, get enough lean protein, stay away from processed food and sugar. This advice will probably serve you well even if you don't exercise at all.

• Cardio Exercising

Since your goal is to lose fat more than to gain muscle, it might be a good idea to focus on cardiovascular exercises and circuit training instead of just straight up weightlifting. The general idea is that you want to burn more calories than you take in. Something else you might consider is getting involved in some sort of physical activity. You mentioned Kung Fu, so perhaps you could take that up again. Getting in shape is definitely a lot easier when you're doing something you actually enjoy doing.

• Rest

It's when you're resting that you reap the benefits of your hard work. Make sure you get enough of it.

Again, most of this is pretty general advice so I don't know how helpful you'll find it. I'll include a couple of links so that maybe you can find some more information, but hopefully this will at least help you get started. Good luck and I hope you stick with it because feeling healthy definitely feels better than feeling unhealthy.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/168062-how-to-build-muscle-without-becoming-bulky/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/114678-tips-lean-not-bulky-muscles/

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,583118,00.html?sPage=fnc/health/fitness

Light weights, many reps --> you won't bulk muscles.

Do for example 15-25 reps with 40kg benchpress (or 30 or 50 or whatever feels light enough for you)

It's actually really simple, just eat under your daily calorie maintenance.

Swim hardcore. Swimmers, like myself, get big in the shoulders and chest area, but if we don't do anything else we slim up and don't tone up anywhere else.

It was kind of a personal question and afterward I really wondered why I asked it on here...
Anyway thanks for the advise and for not being mean :P

I already run and eat about 3/4th what i used to eat, without trouble. In terms of weight i'm actually doing great so far.
I wasn't really overweight to start with, but rather growing out of shape. Now my tummy is almost flat again :P
Just a bit worried that my cute look is disappearing into muscles.

If you're talking about lifting weights, then go light weight and many reps. When I say many, I mean more than 12 reps. If you can't do more reps than that with whatever weight you are at, go lighter.

And don't do fast reps. Do slow, controlled reps.

I'm sorry to break it to all of you, but doing light weight and high reps is exactly how you build larger muscles without building as much strength. That's why body builders are huge and still a lot weaker than powerlifters. And while cardio is important to burning fat, which is your overall goal, lifting weights is just as important. If you only do cardio, you will burn muscle as you burn fat, and that isn't what you want.

You need to eat a balanced diet, do some moderate cardio stuff (do not go overboard), and you need to continue lifting weights. If you want to stop yourself from losing muscle while in a calorie deficit, as you should be, you need to do heavy weights at low reps. The same goes for building strength without bulking up, you want heavy weights with low reps.

Swimming

and eating meals that don't suck.

Hi,
Inspired by the weightlifting thread and noticing that my tummy wanted to expand, I have started to pick up some exercises again.
My goal was to burn some fatty, increase my endurance and strength to a respectable level like when i used to do kung fu. But I don't want the shape or even the tone of my body to change much.
However, my body seems to think that I want to grow big. Especially my (upper) arms. I don't remember that happening a few years ago when I was more fit :P
I'm not easily motivated, and now I'm kind of scared to go on.

I figured the trick was to do many repetitions with my exercises, and reasonably fast. Was I wrong or is my body just being stubborn?
Is there something I can do about it?

KungfuKitten

run, and do low reps?

But why don't you want to get big, like me?

I'm sorry to break it to all of you, but doing light weight and high reps is exactly how you build larger muscles without building as much strength. That's why body builders are huge and still a lot weaker than powerlifters. And while cardio is important to burning fat, which is your overall goal, lifting weights is just as important. If you only do cardio, you will burn muscle as you burn fat, and that isn't what you want.

You need to eat a balanced diet, do some moderate cardio stuff (do not go overboard), and you need to continue lifting weights. If you want to stop yourself from losing muscle while in a calorie deficit, as you should be, you need to do heavy weights at low reps. The same goes for building strength without bulking up, you want heavy weights with low reps.

DieDummsteMann

Yes and weightlifters also generally have a higher fat %

Starve yourself.tratyu92

Edit: Not starve, but eat less.

Lots of cardio helps, have you ever seen a professional distance runner who was "big"?UT_Wrestler

No but a few sprinters are really big.

I'm sorry to break it to all of you, but doing light weight and high reps is exactly how you build larger muscles without building as much strength. That's why body builders are huge and still a lot weaker than powerlifters. And while cardio is important to burning fat, which is your overall goal, lifting weights is just as important. If you only do cardio, you will burn muscle as you burn fat, and that isn't what you want.

You need to eat a balanced diet, do some moderate cardio stuff (do not go overboard), and you need to continue lifting weights. If you want to stop yourself from losing muscle while in a calorie deficit, as you should be, you need to do heavy weights at low reps. The same goes for building strength without bulking up, you want heavy weights with low reps.

DieDummsteMann

[QUOTE="UT_Wrestler"]Lots of cardio helps, have you ever seen a professional distance runner who was "big"?supergoat777

No but a few sprinters are really big.

Lots of cardio helps, have you ever seen a professional distance runner who was "big"?UT_Wrestler

I'm sorry to break it to all of you, but doing light weight and high reps is exactly how you build larger muscles without building as much strength. That's why body builders are huge and still a lot weaker than powerlifters. And while cardio is important to burning fat, which is your overall goal, lifting weights is just as important. If you only do cardio, you will burn muscle as you burn fat, and that isn't what you want.

DieDummsteMann

Hey what about Jump Roping? Isn't that a helpful way to slim down?

Swim. That burns a crap ton of calories and is good for a leaner muscular look.