Muscle Question

[rivergrl]

I know this is kinda a weird thing to talk about but it's something that I want to strive for. I'm of course new to riding and I can tell that I feel stronger and have more stamina but naturally the scale hasn't changed so I've given up on that. However, I'm hoping to see slow changes in my body and I'm hoping one of them is leaner arms!

What I'm wondering is if all this riding will help me have smaller, leaner arms as my overall body and muscles tone up? I've always wanted more lean looking arms. I have what I call swimmer arms...larger, muscled up arms and I just want them to be leaner and smaller so that I don't feel so insecure in a sleeveless top. Even when I was a size 8 I still had large arms. I see all the cycling people and their arms are tiny but very toned...can this ever exist for me if I keep at it?

Any advice on exercises that might help make my arms more lean (not bulked up)?

[Nanci]

My big biceps and forearm muscles from shoeing horses 30 years ago never went away...

Nanci

[Craicgirl]

I was kind of wondering the same thing almost. I just started cycling and was wondering what it was going to do to/for my body. I just lost 165 pounds this past year and I have a lot of extra skin on the upper arms and thigh areas. I was kind of hoping that cycling may help this (along with strength training).

I finally had to put the scale away for good. I was addicted to it. I would get on it every day and then chastise myself if there was any upward movement in the numbers (even though I know that fluctuations are normal). Now I am just going by how my clothes fit and how I feel and I most say in the few weeks I have been cycling I have felt a definate difference in my body. I just FEEL leaner. It may be all in my head, but I like the way I am feeling.

Kerry

[pooks]

I knew someone once who had lost 135 pounds. She looked great but told me that she had folds of skin that would require surgery if she wanted to get rid of them. I have no idea whether she was right, and this was 15 years ago so things may have changed.

[rivergrl]

Yeah, I have a feeling that I will probably never have those lean arms I always envy.

[fatbottomedgurl]

Well... I'm with Nanci, but it was shovelling manure...
Some of us are mesomorphs and look muscle-y and some are ectomorphs and lean, and some are endomorphs and soft and huggable. Can't fight it too much. Because I mountain bike I use my upper body a lot, and have the biceps, tri's, and deltoids to prove it. I love it, nothing to be ashamed of.