[Ceci82]

Thanks for the info. I´m trying to avoid the boxy look.

[Ceci82]

I know that you keep the TVA muscles pulled in throughout the day, but i wasn´t sure about if deadlift could make you square.

I´m sorry if my question is silly.

[pom19]

I know that you keep the TVA muscles pulled in throughout the day, but i wasn´t sure about if deadlift could make you square.

I´m sorry if my question is silly.

No, your question is not silly. I think those gals in the pic do not have enough female fat distributed in their body. The current trend is skinny, and is not natural. The natural form is hour glass. So, make sure if you do lifting and burning a lot of calories, then you are replacing it with proper food, specially protein.

[timarie]

I know that you keep the TVA muscles pulled in throughout the day, but i wasn´t sure about if deadlift could make you square.

I´m sorry if my question is silly.

Hi Ceci!

Sorry I have been off for some time, and I did not receive any notifications to my email about your post, either! So I apologize.

As for your question, it is a very good question, in fact. Exercises in which you bear weight in your upper body while pushing through with your lower body (deadlifts, squats, lunges, etc) ALL work the core muscles. I think I mentioned this earlier in one of my posts. It will only strengthen them (as opposed to building them) though, as your core muscles are not a primary muscle worked in the exercise. So, no need to worry!

In reference to the photo you posted, I am assuming you posted it to show what boxy look you do NOT want. I have a couple of things to say about these girls, if you don't mind: 1) They do not look like they lift much at all to me. They look more like cardio obsessed chicks or light-lifting chicks, as they have hardly any muscle tone (or some slight muscle tone) or curves at all. 2) These ladies primarily have genetics working against them. There are different body types that we all work with. I am a pear. These ladies look like bananas or rectangles, which actually most women are (45% of women are this body type). This just means that they will have to work a lot harder to get a curvy look, the one for which you are looking... And, actually, the one woman to the far left looks like an apple, or otherwise known as an inverted triangle, which means her hips are that much smaller than her upper body!

And Pom, thanks for the link! I never heard of Eva Andressa. It is great to learn about other body builders! However, I do not see how that link answers Ceci's question...? Also, about your comment on the photo that Ceci posted: it is not a matter of them not having enough fat, as I assure you their fat would not go their hips but rather to their waists (the center and right) or to their upper body (the left). Fat only works in favor of those who have the right body type, and these women don't ("right" being in reference to what we all seem to agree on as what is attractive). The only way these women in the photo can obtain a curvier (in an attractive curvy way) figure naturally is by lifting very heavy weights for their glutes and thighs to build muscle. There is no such thing as a natural form being hour glass, as that is also a body type that one is born with. I am a pear (otherwise known as a triangle), and nothing will ever change that (at least, naturally speaking), so "pear" is the "natural form" for me. And yes, if one lifts they should be consuming enough protein and proper food, but that will not necessarily avoid the "boxy look" problem.

[pom19]

I know that you keep the TVA muscles pulled in throughout the day, but i wasn´t sure about if deadlift could make you square.

I´m sorry if my question is silly.

Hi Ceci!

Sorry I have been off for some time, and I did not receive any notifications to my email about your post, either! So I apologize.

As for your question, it is a very good question, in fact. Exercises in which you bear weight in your upper body while pushing through with your lower body (deadlifts, squats, lunges, etc) ALL work the core muscles. I think I mentioned this earlier in one of my posts. It will only strengthen them (as opposed to building them) though, as your core muscles are not a primary muscle worked in the exercise. So, no need to worry!

In reference to the photo you posted, I am assuming you posted it to show what boxy look you do NOT want. I have a couple of things to say about these girls, if you don't mind: 1) They do not look like they lift much at all to me. They look more like cardio obsessed chicks or light-lifting chicks, as they have hardly any muscle tone (or some slight muscle tone) or curves at all. 2) These ladies primarily have genetics working against them. There are different body types that we all work with. I am a pear. These ladies look like bananas or rectangles, which actually most women are (45% of women are this body type). This just means that they will have to work a lot harder to get a curvy look, the one for which you are looking... And, actually, the one woman to the far left looks like an apple, or otherwise known as an inverted triangle, which means her hips are that much smaller than her upper body!

And Pom, thanks for the link! I never heard of Eva Andressa. It is great to learn about other body builders! However, I do not see how that link answers Ceci's question...? Also, about your comment on the photo that Ceci posted: it is not a matter of them not having enough fat, as I assure you their fat would not go their hips but rather to their waists (the center and right) or to their upper body (the left). Fat only works in favor of those who have the right body type, and these women don't ("right" being in reference to what we all seem to agree on as what is attractive). The only way these women in the photo can obtain a curvier (in an attractive curvy way) figure naturally is by lifting very heavy weights for their glutes and thighs to build muscle. There is no such thing as a natural form being hour glass, as that is also a body type that one is born with. I am a pear (otherwise known as a triangle), and nothing will ever change that (at least, naturally speaking), so "pear" is the "natural form" for me. And yes, if one lifts they should be consuming enough protein and proper food, but that will not necessarily avoid the "boxy look" problem.

Eva does weight training and has a beautiful curvy body. Ceci was concerned about weight lifting will make her boxy. I hope you see why I sent her that link. Blessings...

[timarie]

Eva does weight training and has a beautiful curvy body. Ceci was concerned about weight lifting will make her boxy. I hope you see why I sent her that link. Blessings...

To be honest with you, I am pretty sure she originally asked if squats and deadlifts make your waist thicker, which was the question to which you responded with the link. In my opinion, Eva has a thicker waist than I would like, so Eva is not a great example of the point you are trying to make, even though you were right that those exercises do not make the waist thicker. Eva's waist is thick from whatever abdominal exercises she does (also can be seen on the link you posted!), not from deadlifts or squats.

[AbiDrew85]

There is no such thing as a natural form being hour glass, as that is also a body type that one is born with. I am a pear (otherwise known as a triangle), and nothing will ever change that (at least, naturally speaking), so "pear" is the "natural form" for me.

And by some very weird chance I do... have the natural hourglass that is. Despite being genetically a male.

Actually there's a surprising demographic of men with natural hourglasses. Though it is VERY VERY rare. Even more so than for women.

For some reason there's this myth out there that all men have the same shape and it's always roughly the same as a female banana.

But yeah. That's why I'm aiming for the "perfect" hourglass. I'm already an hourglass... I'm just not a very shapely one. If I was some other shape I'd be aiming for a perfect whatever-shape-that-was.

EDIT: Oh! And welcome back timarie! Sorry to hear about your rotten luck with some aspects of your attempted program... I've been sticking a lot more to things that are easier to get in the US largely for that reason. I like consistency.

[Ceci82]

I know that you keep the TVA muscles pulled in throughout the day, but i wasn´t sure about if deadlift could make you square.

I´m sorry if my question is silly.

Hi Ceci!

Sorry I have been off for some time, and I did not receive any notifications to my email about your post, either! So I apologize.

As for your question, it is a very good question, in fact. Exercises in which you bear weight in your upper body while pushing through with your lower body (deadlifts, squats, lunges, etc) ALL work the core muscles. I think I mentioned this earlier in one of my posts. It will only strengthen them (as opposed to building them) though, as your core muscles are not a primary muscle worked in the exercise. So, no need to worry!

In reference to the photo you posted, I am assuming you posted it to show what boxy look you do NOT want. I have a couple of things to say about these girls, if you don't mind: 1) They do not look like they lift much at all to me. They look more like cardio obsessed chicks or light-lifting chicks, as they have hardly any muscle tone (or some slight muscle tone) or curves at all. 2) These ladies primarily have genetics working against them. There are different body types that we all work with. I am a pear. These ladies look like bananas or rectangles, which actually most women are (45% of women are this body type). This just means that they will have to work a lot harder to get a curvy look, the one for which you are looking... And, actually, the one woman to the far left looks like an apple, or otherwise known as an inverted triangle, which means her hips are that much smaller than her upper body!

And Pom, thanks for the link! I never heard of Eva Andressa. It is great to learn about other body builders! However, I do not see how that link answers Ceci's question...? Also, about your comment on the photo that Ceci posted: it is not a matter of them not having enough fat, as I assure you their fat would not go their hips but rather to their waists (the center and right) or to their upper body (the left). Fat only works in favor of those who have the right body type, and these women don't ("right" being in reference to what we all seem to agree on as what is attractive). The only way these women in the photo can obtain a curvier (in an attractive curvy way) figure naturally is by lifting very heavy weights for their glutes and thighs to build muscle. There is no such thing as a natural form being hour glass, as that is also a body type that one is born with. I am a pear (otherwise known as a triangle), and nothing will ever change that (at least, naturally speaking), so "pear" is the "natural form" for me. And yes, if one lifts they should be consuming enough protein and proper food, but that will not necessarily avoid the "boxy look" problem.

Hi Timarie, thanks for your response ! I was worried because I see so many women who are literally square-torso, that I freak out.
I´m glad you are back !

[timarie]

Finished my break!!! I'm back

So, I am back, after what was originally supposed to be just a 6 week break (for the purpose of weakening my muscles so that they would respond that much more to my routine upon return) became a 9 week break, and my muscles really atrophied. I went from a 40" hip measurement to a 39" hip measurement. Oh well, it could be worse! At least I still have something with which to work. Below are some up-dated photos taken just this past Sunday after only two weeks of lower-body workouts.

Measurement Update
Underbust/Bust: 29"/35.5"
Waist: 25"
Hip/Butt: 39"

Workout Changes
I have changed up my lower-body workout routine because I believe I am capable of more of a kick-ass routine now, and so I will also give my muscles more recovery time to grow (I will only be working out my lower body once a week now). I also now workout my upper body 5 days a week, with two days for my back and biceps, two days for my shoulders and lower back, and one day for my chest and triceps. So far, I like it a lot. For my upper body, I am using the workouts presented by Jamie Eason in her LiveFit 12-week trainer (see: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-ea...ase-1.html)... but mine will be longer than 12 weeks because, as she makes changes to add new workouts every two weeks, I change every three weeks because 1) I don't need to trick my upper body muscles into responding better because my upper body is already decently cut for not working it out, and I would like the routine to last longer, and 2) I make other changes and do not follow her routine exactly anyway. I use hers mainly as a guide and make changes to suit me where I see fit. If anyone is interested, I will post my upper body workout for all to see. I will also shortly post my lower-body workout! Which, I will add, will be different in some way every single week, to avoid the annoyance of muscle memory which retards growth.

Diet Changes
My diet has not changed much except I changed my slow-digestion protein from Cytosport's Complete Casein to Dymatize Nutrition's Extended Release Elite XT. I like it better so far. I also have begin cooking fish and chicken at home! I'm not much of a cook so this is kinda a big deal

[pom19]

Finished my break!!! I'm back

So, I am back, after what was originally supposed to be just a 6 week break (for the purpose of weakening my muscles so that they would respond that much more to my routine upon return) became a 9 week break, and my muscles really atrophied. I went from a 40" hip measurement to a 39" hip measurement. Oh well, it could be worse! At least I still have something with which to work. Below are some up-dated photos taken just this past Sunday after only two weeks of lower-body workouts.

Measurement Update
Underbust/Bust: 29"/35.5"
Waist: 25"
Hip/Butt: 39"

Workout Changes
I have changed up my lower-body workout routine because I believe I am capable of more of a kick-ass routine now, and so I will also give my muscles more recovery time to grow (I will only be working out my lower body once a week now). I also now workout my upper body 5 days a week, with two days for my back and biceps, two days for my shoulders and lower back, and one day for my chest and triceps. So far, I like it a lot. For my upper body, I am using the workouts presented by Jamie Eason in her LiveFit 12-week trainer (see: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-ea...ase-1.html)... but mine will be longer than 12 weeks because, as she makes changes to add new workouts every two weeks, I change every three weeks because 1) I don't need to trick my upper body muscles into responding better because my upper body is already decently cut for not working it out, and I would like the routine to last longer, and 2) I make other changes and do not follow her routine exactly anyway. I use hers mainly as a guide and make changes to suit me where I see fit. If anyone is interested, I will post my upper body workout for all to see. I will also shortly post my lower-body workout! Which, I will add, will be different in some way every single week, to avoid the annoyance of muscle memory which retards growth.

Diet Changes
My diet has not changed much except I changed my slow-digestion protein from Cytosport's Complete Casein to Dymatize Nutrition's Extended Release Elite XT. I like it better so far. I also have begin cooking fish and chicken at home! I'm not much of a cook so this is kinda a big deal

You look good Timarie, nice hour glass.