To be so upset that exercise has effectively ruined my figure?

[MyBodySucks]

I was a size 6-8 until about a year ago, when I started Pole Fitness classes, as well as a few other classes at the same club, things like Body Pump.

I've eaten the same as always (clean!) but the exercising has given me a body that I hate and I'm so upset about it.

Basically my thighs and upper arms have beefed up, for want of a better expression. I can barely even get size 10 jeans over my thighs now, and my arms look like men's arms. My waist, and tummy look good I suppose but everything else is just horrible and I hate how I look!

I'm quite short at 5ft 4 inches and so in clothes I just look large and stocky.

Has anyone else found the same thing? I am stopping classes and going to just walk and do pilates in future and hopefully my muscles will shrink and I'll look ok again.

AIBU to be upset?

Bodies change over a lifetime. My body at 20 was narrower hipped, smaller breasted, wider thighed than at 35. I became more top heavy, shouldery. Now 45 I'm experiencing the belly spread, bit lopsided because of a knee op. Just part of life, how you use your body, if you have kids, age, wear, genes.

I know what you mean. I build muscles really fast. My arms are normal size now, but they have that muscle dent and look really toned. I can do 5 push ups only, because i never work out my arms.
I tried body pump classes for a while, but after 2 months of weekly exercises i noticed that i got a lot more muscular, especially on my upper body, so i quit. I now do running, yoga, pilates etc. No more muscle exercises.

ThorFull Do you mean me? This blog post covers the majority of my issues with Bodypump and this review from Stack. Of course if it works for you, find it fun and gets you exercising then rock on!

Your feelings are your feelings and they are valid but there is some pretty complex internalised misogyny going on when healthy, fit women feel so upset at the prospect of looking strong and taking up a bit more space.

Buy bigger jeans?

When your older you'll be thankful for those muscles that will keep you mobile more than others

So depressing that I'm seen as a complete wierdo when I feel so damn feminine when I have my morning flex.
Plus I like the fact I have enough definition I can use myself as a drawing reference most of the time.

I am shorter than you, but I completely understand what you mean. I don't do heavy weights as I hate that look and when you are only small, you do look dumpy.

I just do lots of ab work and resistance and I speed walk.

You need Tracy Anderson’s workouts. Guaranteed long, lean, dancer’s limbs.

I had a problem with bulking when I did a particular weights routine years ago. I put half a stone of muscle on in 3 months. Its your body type.

@Blondiney just mat work. Brilliant teacher.

My quads and neck bulk up really quickly when I train hard.
My stomach, however, never loses its blancmange appearance!!

So I sort of understand. And sort of hate you a tiny bit

Bodypump is always dominated by women, as it uses very low weights

That's up to the participants, if they go and waive a 2 kilo bar around. Bodypump weights are not pre-prescribed and the bar fits quite a lot.

Can someone please explain to me what you mean by getting 'long' muscles? Last I checked, mine tend to be anchored to bone, where is this newly developed length supposed to go?

@YellowandGreenToBeSeen

Pilates. Long, lean, toned muscles. I have defined thighs, arse, arms and stomach but no bulk. I am not a fan of the big arse, thick thighs look currently being peddled as ‘the ideal’.

It’s natural for some people, like your lean muscles are for you.

Both types are ideal (and can be praised without denigrating the other).

@MyBodySucks google Racheal Attard

This is soooooo common

Women can be muscular and athletic too. It doesn't make you look like a man. It just makes you look like a strong fit woman.
But if you're not happy with the effect it's having stop doing it.

One thing I’d say OP is that those muscles would stand you in very good stead when you’re older, and could prevent all sorts of issues and injures even now.
I used to think like you and was a skinny size 6-8 too. I did two long runs a week, one Body Attack (aerobic) class, and one Body Pump. I thought I was pretty fit. I then tore the ACL (ligament) in my knee in a pretty innocuous looking fall when I was skiing.
Cue seeing a proper physio for my post op rehab and realising just how woefully weak I actually was, and what a price I was paying for it now. My rehab took about 14 months, including a lot of leg presses, and countless deadlifts, squats, lunges of every flavour you can imagine. The surgeon and physio both had to have a gentle word with me and explain that if I wanted to stay healthy long term I had to build a bit of muscle. It was a difficult thing to get my head around, but ultimately I had to because I valued mobility more than I did being ultra skinny. I discovered with time that I like my stronger body, I feel healthy and I’m happy that it can hopefully protect me better in the long term.
A little bit of me thinks if I was stronger at the time, my muscles would likely have protected my knee when I took that tumble.

I know exactly how you feel and I’m the same height as you. I think it’s having short legs that does it 😭.

Pole is predominately an upper body and core orientated sport. Not sure where you've got the thighs from - possibly squats and side training? - but you can't really blame those on it.

[quote YellowandGreenToBeSeen]@Blondiney just mat work. Brilliant teacher.[/quote]
Wow, that is impressive! Really fancy giving it a go.

Eat fewer calories.
Lift heavier weights for fewer reps instead of what you're currently doing.
Buy bigger jeans.

Oh and YABU.

OP your figure sounds bloody stunning, not only that but fit and strong too! Very jealous and would trade my size 12/14 frame with you any time.

Thanks for those @BlueboxRedbox. Food for thought. I’ve read back and it was actually @InfiniteSheldon who I was interested in hearing from. That was the poster who said that 20 years of bodypump had ruined her thighs, and wishes she’d never started.

Healthy =/= skinny.

And seriously, what on earth did you think was going to happen if you went to a class called Body Pump? That's literally got the clue in the name: it'll pump up your muscles.

I sympathise. If I do spin classes my thighs bulk up and because I am short I start to look square. The simple answer was to stop doing spin. In your case reduce the body pump and build in other exercises like Pilates, yoga and barre work. You might also benefit from sticking to lifting light weights rather than getting all competitive and trying to lift heavier ones.