Is there such a thing as too muscular?

[danzakcpa]

My legs are very muscular and I get a lot of stares and comments on how muscular they are, it has made me feel bad, I know some people make comments like, 'your legs are too muscular' or 'you should stop working out, they don't look feminine'. I am only 5 feet 4 and 115 pounds, but my legs are really ripped, I have thought about cutting down my workouts to lose some size. Do any of you women have this same issue and if so, how do you deal with it or what do you say to people? Any thoughts would be good. Thanks.

Robin

 

[eminenz2]

IMHO, the definition of what is "feminine" really needs reworking. I think whar's "feminine" can encompass a mryiad of body types - large and small, ripped and muscular to more traditionally "typical". I think given the fast changing face of our country's population it also needs to encompass the diversity of cultures we now enjoy. What's beautiful to one might not be another's cup of tea, and so be it.

Additionaly, I think it also comes down to how do you feel about yourself? Do you like your legs? If *they* don't like it, screw 'em Who gives a frog's fat A$$ what they think? If you want to make changes, make sure you do it to please yourself - not someone else.

I am very sorry someone else has made you the target of their insecurities. Their reactions to you speak more about their own problems than about your personal beauty and accomplishments in fitness/taking care of yourself. You are an embodiment of what is possible and serve as a reminder for what they are failing to achieve themselves. So I think they are trying to bully you (unconsciouly or not) because you "oppositionally" remind them of what they despise in themselves, if that makes sense. They're not comfortable with themselves, so they lash out at you.

Rock on, sister! Show us your gams!

Susan L.G.

 

[Vee]

Yes there is such a thing as too muscular for a woman (JMHO).

However at 115 lbs at 5'4" it cannot be you. Even if you had 10% body fat%. My guess Robin is that you have the kind of legs I would love to have.

i think the people who stare at you and make comments have narrow notions of feminity and/or are rude.

 

[Gibbee]

Too muscular? When you look like a guy from head to toe and are so muscle bound it looks freakish... some of the women in the past (bodybuilders) went waaaay too muscular when the trend was to do so (I'm NOT thinking of Cory Everson but several years after her last win, the trend went to the freakish level for a while). They have toned it down in the past couple of years, going back to a more toned, healthy, fit, somewhat muscular look. (In fact, a while back on FitTV they did a special on womens bodybuilding and there were two competitors who had gone to the freakish level and were shown working to actually reduce musclar size and go for a somewhat sleeker look... one lost something like 50 lbs in the process... she was totally transformed and was doing more endurance-based exercise and had returned to gymnastics training.)

I'm sure you have legs that we would all envy!!!

Remember... everyone has an opinion and you don't have to believe it or accept it... just let it float on by.

 

[dorothyrd]

In my 20s I had the type of muscular legs that people would stop and comment on(strangers even). Now at 45, the comments I get are, how to you have such good muscle tone in your legs, and such. Having the big muscles when younger has really helped my body age better. Keep the muscle, you will be glad you did!

 

[Aquajock]

Physiologically speaking, there is no such thing as having too much muscle. From a health standpoint, there is such a thing as having too little muscle mass and too much storage fat.

Judgments about "too much muscle" are entirely subjective, and based on one's own view of aesthetics. That being the case, the only person's opinion you need to worry about is your own.

I've gotten comments in the past that I was "too muscular" (and I'm more "ripped" in the upper body; my legs are muscular underneath a certain amount of fat), and I've simply responded with silence and a stare from head to toe of the commenter. It's amazing how powerful silence in the wake of a stupid comment can be.

A-Jock

 

[Gibbee]

>I've simply responded with silence and a stare from head to toe of the commenter. It's amazing how powerful silence in the wake of a stupid
>comment can be.
>
>A-Jock

You rock! I like your response to those types of comments!