Just 2 General Questions...

claralara

I’m just looking for a bit of info and I have been reading through bits and pieces but I’m reluctant to trust the internet sometimes so I though I’d come in here and ask genuine people who actually know their stuff.

Could anyone explain what the story is with building muscle under abdominal fat? Does spinning / cycling and running build muscle in the lower abdomen? And if so would this build up under the fat or would it burn off the fat first? I feel a little bloated around the lower abdomen in the last week or so but it feels pretty hard too so I’m wondering if I’ve just increased muscle mass – I would find this a little hard to believe though. I bought some psyillium husks yesterday as another potential cure after reading an interesting thread on here. I’m finding my hard belly particularly worrying!

Also have a question in relation to discrepancies between BF percentages. I’m female, weighing just under 9 nine stone (by my scales) and just under 5’5 high. I got my BF measured in the gym by callipers about 4 weeks ago and it came out at 21%. Then I got it done by the doctor on the scales on Friday and it came out at 29%. Big difference in a month eh? In that month, I did have 2 weeks of exams so I wasn’t exercising as much as I had been but I also wasn’t eating as much as I do when I am exercising. I was also away for a week which included a bit of eating out and a few glasses of wine here and there but not binging by any means and it’s not like I’m a teetotaller normally anyway. So I was just wondering should I take an average between the 2? Or which one should I believe? Or is an 8% hike possible in a month? (Bearing in mind my weight didn’t change except for maybe a pound up or down).

Thanks guys, looking forward to some insights!

TommyKnocker

Hi Claralara

claralara wrote: »

I’m just looking for a bit of info and I have been reading through bits and pieces but I’m reluctant to trust the internet sometimes so I though I’d come in here and ask genuine people who actually know their stuff.

Not an expert by any means, but this would be my opinion. See answers to your points below

Could anyone explain what the story is with building muscle under abdominal fat? Does spinning / cycling and running build muscle in the lower abdomen? And if so would this build up under the fat or would it burn off the fat first? I feel a little bloated around the lower abdomen in the last week or so but it feels pretty hard too so I’m wondering if I’ve just increased muscle mass – I would find this a little hard to believe though. I bought some psyillium husks yesterday as another potential cure after reading an interesting thread on here. I’m finding my hard belly particularly worrying!

Cycling and Running will help strengthen your abdominal muscles and these exercies will use your entire core for stabilisation. Even sitting and walking with propper posture will engage your core, and once you core muscle are engaged they will feel firm/hard.

I don't believe that either of these form of exercies will "build" your abdominal muscles. For this, I believe resistenace training, focusing on the core area would be required.

Also I don't believe building your abs would lead to feeling "bloated". I think a bloated feeling would be more to do with your diet and the health of your digestive tract. Also IMHO muscle mass is not going to appear over night, so if this is something that seems to have appeared suddenly and doesn't resolve itself fairly quickly, then maybe a visit to your GP might be the way to go.

Also have a question in relation to discrepancies between BF percentages. I’m female, weighing just under 9 nine stone (by my scales) and just under 5’5 high. I got my BF measured in the gym by callipers about 4 weeks ago and it came out at 21%. Then I got it done by the doctor on the scales on Friday and it came out at 29%. Big difference in a month eh? In that month, I did have 2 weeks of exams so I wasn’t exercising as much as I had been but I also wasn’t eating as much as I do when I am exercising. I was also away for a week which included a bit of eating out and a few glasses of wine here and there but not binging by any means and it’s not like I’m a teetotaller normally anyway. So I was just wondering should I take an average between the 2? Or which one should I believe? Or is an 8% hike possible in a month? (Bearing in mind my weight didn’t change except for maybe a pound up or down).

As for the descrepancy in BF % measurements, I believe that this is down to the scales. Weighing scales which measure BF are not the most accurate. The reading can be influenced by your hydration levels, how long after a meal the measurement was taken etc. I would believe the calliper reading more, as long as the person using it knew what they were doing.

When measuring your weight or body fat you should try and do it at the same time each week/forthnight and under the same conditions. And in the case of having it measured in the gym, then have the same trainer measure it each time.

Different folks can have a slightly different measuring technique or use a different algorithm which can skew the change the readings. Don't get hung up too much on the actual figure, but the trend. If you are lookign to loose BF and each time the reading is (even slightly ) less, then you are going in the right direction. If you remain static over a couple of readings or start to increase, then you need ot reevaluate what you are doing diet and/or training wise.

Thanks guys, looking forward to some insights!

Just my 2 cents worth.


Best Regards,

M

claralara

Cheers for the reply!

The girl who did the bodyfat measurement used the Poliquin method or something like that? She said it was worth reading about so I might have a root around. I'm just interested in educating myself a bit more and the rubbish that some people preach is unbelievable. I was in circuits with some girl the other day who refused to lift more than 5kg for a bicep curl because she didnt want 'man arms' and then she was disgusted that I was going spinning because 'that gives you chunky thighs'. :rolleyes:

The discussions you guys (male and female I know) have are pretty interesting and there's some great advice in here so keep up the good work.

Khannie

claralara wrote: »

I was in circuits with some girl the other day who refused to lift more than 5kg for a bicep curl because she didnt want 'man arms'

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

TommyKnocker

There really is nothing like the pink fluffy 5kg dumbells to prevent a lady ending up with "Mans Arms" :D

My gym has recently bought a new set of dumbells. They go from .5kg all the way up to 5kg. I thought this was a stuipd purchase, but now I see it was probably out of concern for the lady members becoming too masculine



M

G86

I recently discovered 1.5kg pastel coloured DB's in my gym. Apparently they're used for bootcamp - this is why I don't do bootcamp.

OP, I'd definitely go with the callipers over the scales for the bodyfat.

claralara

0.5kg… About the weight of a latté?! I’m sure she has no problems getting the high reps in on those every day of the week!

g'em

The weight of the average handbag is now just under 1.5kg - amazingly in 2006 it was 3.5kg - maybe it was around this time that a slew of women across the globe discovered their once petite, frail and delicate limbs becoming almost hulk-ish in nature and they abandoned their bags for fear of a full body transformation?!

Killme00

I've used 2.5 and 5kg dumbells a few times when working on some should mobility things and wanted some very light resistance and bands were giving too much. Dont knock them as they have there uses.

AS for 0.5kg, i dont know

TommyKnocker

Killme00 wrote: »

I've used 2.5 and 5kg dumbells a few times when working on some should mobility things and wanted some very light resistance and bands were giving too much. Dont knock them as they have there uses.

AS for 0.5kg, i dont know

I have no problem with folks using light weights for shoulder mobility, prehab/rehab. It's when trainers give them to ladies to work out with telling them that heavy weights will make them masculine looking, or ladies reading in magazines that lifting heavy weights will do similar, that I have a problem.

Yet I have seen ladies carry heavily laden shopping bags or their young children around town for ages with no problems.


M

claralara

I am sure the light weights have their uses in terms of mobility, rehabilitation etc. But I’m referring to a perfectly healthy young woman who was complaining about being fat and looking for a miracle cure while making faces at me because I was pushing myself with weights that were causing me to let out the odd grunt. She felt the need to express her opinion on me, I kept my mouth shut.

g'em

Unfortunately this perception of women & weights is something you'll come across time and time and time again. For as long as mainstream 'trainers' keep perpetuating those myths, women will keep buying into it.

Enjoy knowing that your progress will supercede hers at warp speed and spread the good word to those open minded enough to listen to it

Hail 2 Da Chimp

g'em wrote: »

maybe it was around this time that a slew of women across the globe discovered their once petite, frail and delicate limbs becoming almost hulk-ish in nature and they abandoned their bags for fear of a full body transformation?!

Just got a mental picture of loads of petite women power cleaning their handbags onto their shoulders

g'em

Hail 2 Da Chimp wrote: »

Just got a mental picture of loads of petite women power cleaning their handbags onto their shoulders

you know there's actually a business opportunity there for someone with an entrepreneurial mind

Hail 2 Da Chimp

I'm pretty sure that's how kettle bells started out...

TommyKnocker

Hail 2 Da Chimp wrote: »

I'm pretty sure that's how kettle bells started out...

What, with the Russian special forces power cleaning their handbags :eek::eek::eek::D:D


M

d'Oracle

B-Builder wrote: »

What, with the Russian special forces power cleaning their handbags :eek::eek::eek::D:D


M

Work hard, play hard.