Barre vs. Weight Training - the question of bulking - your experience?

[RedPanda]

Originally Posted by nyxblack1

But then again, heavier weights also help some of us stay smaller (like me).

That's been my experience too. I lost two dress sizes(!) when I started lifting weights, without losing any scale weight, and I'm sure that if I stopped lifting I'd blow up again.

I have fairly low bodyfat and my thighs are going to look "bulky" anyway, so I'd rather they were shapely muscle instead of blobby fat. I have defined muscle on my thighs, which I like. I've recently taken up barre work with impressive results (If you do a search for RedPanda+butt+V-Core you'll see me raving all over VF about it). I was surprised that barre work has shrunk and lifted my butt, shrunk my hips, and shrunk my saddlebags - in fact I've lost almost a pants size in about two months.

For me, barre work is a great complement to traditional strength training as it has improved my balance and enabled me to perform moves I couldn't do before, like single-leg deadlifts. I think it's because it works the smaller, deeper muscles that are hard to target with traditional strength training.

So I'm going to keep hitting both the barre and the heavy weight room at the gym.

[F1mom]

Originally Posted by Jane P.

Personally, the Firm leaned out my lower body, but I never used anything heavier than two 12 dumbells, and I didn't use those very often.

That's the odd thing in my history of the FIRM: I'm no longer pear-shaped and my lower body stays constant. It's my upper body that lead me to barre and Sylwia in particular.

I'm willing to be an experiment in the bulking vs. fat issue once I'm postpartum. I'd decided to do P90X as soon as I'm able to physically handle it. I figure I can always go back to what works even if my arms and shoulders build up more than I'd like, but frankly some of the results videos I'm watching lead me to believe that P90X doesn't cause bulk. The CLX videos, now that's another story.

[lfcjasp]

An endo/meso (or meso/endo) weighing in here. I am carrying too much body fat...no doubt I thought I'd read that heavy weight/low rep work built STRONG muscles...which is what I want/need...not so much BIG muscles. Just want the strength, please. Can muscles LOOK stronger than they really are?????

Anyway, I'm doing CLX (heavy wts/low reps for the most part) and am already wondering what to do when I finish up...Red, you've given me something to think about...

[KathAL79]

Originally Posted by Fitmama

However it is known that certain training methods are used to create hypertrophy of the muscle: lifting heavy weights for low reps.

Actually, very heavy weights for very low reps is not commonly used for hypertrophy; this range is thought to build strength rather than size best. The vast majority of people working at home to exercise videos are not lifting truly very heavy with very low reps, however.
That said, Fitmama's point still stands because what passes for "heavy weights" and "low reps" for many at home exercise video users is in the range believe best for hypertrophy: the 8-12 reps that Nyx mentioned (or sometimes going as low as 6).
Here's Tom Venuto's take on the different rep ranges and their supposed effects (strength, hypertrophy or growth, endurance): Rep Ranges and Muscle building. I've seen people quibble with this, though, and YMMV based on your genes, your fitness base and level, what weights you're actually using, the rest of your fitness program, your diet, etc.

[cherimac]

I leaned out a lot when doing my Squeeze Down rotation. Then I maintained with barre. I switched to more traditional weight work this January (The Firm, Sylwia, Powerfit, BBL, Slim Series etc) mostly due to ongoing knee pain from barre and some burnout from the last two plus years. I haven't bulked up at all. I really enjoy how the more traditional weight work has my lower body looking. I'm a medium-framed mesomorph so YMMV.

P.S. As you can tell from that list, I've not been going really heavy for my lower body. 20 pounds max is all I generally use, when lifting my "heaviest."

[counterclockwise]

Originally Posted by Jane P.

Nyx,

I think your goal of doing a pistol squat on each leg might be just the ticket for you. However, I do think such moves are harder on women who tend to hold weight in their lower half. You also have to have enough flexibility in the tibialis (front of lower leg) muscle that you don't fall backwards when you go down that low.

Awesome! When I saw that KB trainer yesterday I asked her if she could do them and how she built up to it, and she did a few and showed me some things to try to build up to it.

Originally Posted by RedPanda

So I'm going to keep hitting both the barre and the heavy weight room at the gym.

I should also mention I also do unweighted endurance-style lower body stuff, too, (like the Montenegro Method Endurance workouts) b/c I want to be good at that, too.

Originally Posted by F1mom

I'm willing to be an experiment in the bulking vs. fat issue once I'm postpartum.

Will definitely be looking forward to hearing about your results.

[counterclockwise]

Originally Posted by lfcjasp

An endo/meso (or meso/endo) weighing in here. I am carrying too much body fat...no doubt I thought I'd read that heavy weight/low rep work built STRONG muscles...which is what I want/need...not so much BIG muscles. Just want the strength, please. Can muscles LOOK stronger than they really are?????

Yep, this is what's suppposed to happen if you did workouts like Cathe's Meso 3 (some would say even lower reps) and truly use the heaviest weights you can for it.

[killoffsonny]

Originally Posted by Sara1000

I can see where certain body types tend to bulk up but I guess what they call creating long lean muscle is really just the absence of bulky muscles?

I have a naturally lean, small boned body. I tried for years to 'bulk up' my legs as they tend to look too thin, even if I'm overweight in other areas.

I TRIED to get those slab type thigh muscles by doing weighted leg presses, squats etc. but never saw any visible change.

Now I don't do weighted lower body and although my legs are still thin, after losing a few pounds I am seeing more definition than when I was doing the heavy work. No bulk, though.

My theory is, the ectomorph body type builds muscle better doing lighter work and nothing much happens doing very heavy work. But I can only speak for myself.

I do remember reading though that Bruce Lee tried and tried to build big muscles by doing endless reps on machines and eating tons of egg whites etc. but always remained tight and lean although VERY defined, no matter how strong he got.

This speaks for me too!! The only thing negative for me about not lifting heavy anymore is I've lost strength. But I don't care. I'm not in a competition and I can do my normal every day activities fine.

[F1mom]

Originally Posted by nyxblack1

Will definitely be looking forward to hearing about your results.

Thanks!

Here's some of the inspiration I've been getting. Note that the first woman started with Si6, then moved on to P90X, P90X+, CLX then back to Si6 and P90X.

The second woman has had great results, too, but different. She's done 4 rounds of P90X with Insanity thrown in. I think I asked on her page what size weights she used but I can't remember if she's responded yet.

http://www.youtube.com/user/coachbar...15/5SiNF5Sh_a0
http://www.youtube.com/user/coachbar.../4/4SF7W9J58DM

http://www.youtube.com/user/souljagu...46/toK6yXUEox0 (before/after pics start at 5:30)
http://www.youtube.com/user/souljagu.../1/v4nawasZjBU (before/after pics start at 2:23)

[nadir]

Originally Posted by Sara1000

I've always been suspicious of the 'long, lean muscle' claims. I think it has more to do with genes and body type.

I also agree,
I Did weight training at the gym for several years, and the last year I've been doing barre at home. I've gotten exactly the same results. My shape looks the same. I'm also slim and long and I've never bulked up.