For lean definition...

goldenrun358

Cathlete
Should taller girls lift heavier?

I'm 5'10". Does this mean to get that lean and defined look I will need to lift more weight that shorter women (say, Cathe)?

I've often wondered this and have never seen anything about it.

Anybody have an answer?
 
I personally do not feel height has anything to do with it, in order to get results you have to challenge your body with the weights you can use, forget about what someone else is lifting.


To get lean and defined you have to eat right, and build muscle, that means lifting weights that challenge your body. Its true, some shorter people have shorter muscle bellies which make the muscle "pop". Some tall folks have the longer muscle bellies, this doesn't mean you cannot build muscle, they will just appear different than someone with a different build. You know how some people are built more like runners with longer muscles? They have a harder time building mass than someone built more like a sprinter.

Everyone is different, you have to be the best you can be.:)
 
"You know how some people are built more like runners with longer muscles? They have a harder time building mass than someone built more like a sprinter."

This is exactly what I wa suggesting to you in my response to this same question of yours in the other forum. It seems likely you have an ectomorphic body type rather than mesomorphic, like Cathe. So you don't necessarily build muscle easily. On the one hand, rejoice! You probably have lovely long and lean legs! On the other hand, you'll need heavy weights to build up some muscle mass and definition on the upper body. I have the same body type and heavy upper body lifting works!

Clare
 
I think that because of their shorter muscle bellies, muscles show more easily on short people (or at least on people with shorter limbs), which means that to get the look of the same amount of muscle, those with longer limbs actually have to have more muscle.

I think 'lean and defined' or not depends more on your body type (ie: ecto--harder to put on muscle, endo--harder to get rid of excess fat, meso--puts on muscle more easily).
 
Hmmm....good points.

I've always had a hard time classifying my body as any one type and think that I am probably some combination of the two. I don't really know if I have a hard time putting on muscle as I only have myself to compare to! And I wouldn't necessarily say that I have hard time getting rid of excess fat either (I've been down to about 15% in the past). It's confusing! Oh well, either way I enjoy lifting and getting stronger and am going to continue! I'm in better shape now than ever and am loving it!
 
I could be wrong, but I think that muscle definition has as much, if not more, to do with body fat percentage than muscle size. At a certain point what you eat affects muscle definition more so than how much you lift. Unfortunately me, it's a lot easier to up my weights than stay away brownies.
 

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