this post was submitted on 29 Jul 2024
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I know this is a weird question. But I'm just wondering. Please don't kill me.

I do body weight exercises. And finding it harder to do exercises that want me to lay down on my front side. ^Because,^ ^my^ ^____^ ^is^ ^squishing^.^๐Ÿ˜ฎโ€๐Ÿ’จ^

Also, there is a stupid stigma that exercise makes women more masculine. But are there any workouts that make a man look feminine? Like, it would be bit weird to see a BLL sized butt on a man, right?


This question came to my mind when I saw a workout plan in my app. The plans' name is "Bikini Body". I was like, "I should probably stay away from this. But what happens if I did it anyway?"

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[โ€“] [email protected] 42 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The stigma with excersises make women more masculin is because of the mentality that muscles are for men. Excersises will change your body and they will give you a new image but depends on you how you want to view it and choose people around you that view it the same way.

[โ€“] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Thank You.

mentality that muscles are for men.

ikr

[โ€“] [email protected] 12 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

A lot of the whole thing about women avoiding exercises because they dont want to look more masculine is ridiculous. Its like putting $50 in a savings account and worrying about the tax implications of your future millions, its not going to happen by accident.

[โ€“] [email protected] 26 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Nah, there's no such thing as an exercise that does what you're asking.

Ignoring the bullshit involved in gender norms, and ignoring the variances in different cultures, a cis man that went through male puberty isn't ever going to have the kind of body that would be considered feminine, on average, by exercise. Too much of what is considered feminine depends on boobs and hips. Boobs can't be exercised into existence, and you aren't going to change your skeleton enough to have the kind of hips that truly feminize a silhouette.

A cis man can definitely achieve androgynous looks, and can also shape their body to emphasize curves and such, but not by exercise.

Also, if your dick/balls are squishing, try different undies. You need better support, imo. My best friend is what you might call compact in frame, and is hung like a damn bull moose, but can do any exercise he wants because he has good support via well fitting undies. There's no single recommendation as per brand or style, but he's a briefs guy. I've worn boxer briefs for decades, and never had any issues when they were in good condition (though once they get a year or so of use, they loosen too much for comfort because the old frank n beans slide down the leg)

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

any cis man that went through male puberty isnโ€™t ever going to have the kind of body that would be considered feminine

Not necessarily true. Iโ€™m a cis male and Iโ€™ve always had a slender waist. If I really dedicated my workout to legs and glutes and just abominable with none of the side stomach muscles (Iโ€™m pretty new to working out and donโ€™t know the words) and I completely disregarded my upper body, my body would start to look more feminine. My body stores fat on my hips too, so no cardio? Yeah, Iโ€™d have one sexy lady bod.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

slender waist

This is why I asked this question in the first place..๐Ÿšถ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™‚๏ธ

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Yeah, man. Youโ€™re good. Small waist boiz unite. And look fuckin fabulous

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

If you literally want to bulk your waist, obliques do build mass (to my despair) so that can give you a thicker look though there, but I thought that V shape with a small middle was idealized by bodybuilders?

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

V shape with a small middle was idealized by bodybuilders?

I think it is due to how it will make their upper torso look massive compared to the small waist.

Thank you.

[โ€“] [email protected] 17 points 1 month ago (3 children)

If you want to avoid squishing your junk, I recommend buying some elasticated boxers that are just a LITTLE bit tighter than you would buy for every day wear. Keep your business pulled in close and tight.

As for avoiding workouts... theres a lot to unpack there. The short version is "You have the DNA you have" no amount of a "Bikini body" workout is going to give you tits or a BBL booty and any workout that mentions "Targeted fat loss" is bullshit. Situps do not burn belly fat. Workouts for bodybuilding and workouts for functional strength are different. Workouts for cardio and workouts for conditioning are different.

But what might build a bunch of muscle and functional strength for a 60kg woman might only qualify as a warmup for me, programs written for women will likely be different because (THIS IS NOT SEXISM) men on average carry more muscle as a percentage and less fat. Workouts programmed for women tend to have more cardio and lower weight. Not to say that you couldnt do that workout and hit it with intensity and get results, but its likely to be suboptimal.

If you're interested in learning more about exercise science Dr Mike Isratel of Renaissance Periodization on YT has some fantastic and easy to digest videos (not exactly geared for beginners but theres some very quality insights if you find the right videos.) As well as James Smith, Dr Pak, Jeff Nippard and their associated friends.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

Thank you for the valuable insight.

(THIS IS NOT SEXISM)

It's sad that you got to mention this specifically. I almost got called sexist in this same comment section for asking this question. ๐Ÿ˜ฎโ€๐Ÿ’จ

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I think the term you're looking for is called Sexual Dimorphism, and I have only ever heard edge-lord-feminists call it sexism. Most feminists that I have met acknowledge it.

Edit: to be clear while the conversation of gender equity is in part concerned about sexual dimorphism, the human species as a whole is sexually polymorphic. However the discussion of Turner's syndrome, Klinefelter's syndrome, ect is tangentially related.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

What's funny is the Mike Matthews books, they are pretty much identical advice but the one for women is called:

Thinner, Stronger, Leaner

And the men's - Bigger Stronger Leaner

I cannot lift as heavy as my husband no way no how. But the mechanics of how we work out are not that different, only the weight.

And the body fat comment is very true - if I am carrying 20% bodyfat I look lean as fuck, and 30% just looks normal but husband at 20% bodyfat looks padded. I don't understand how that works but it's absolutely true and he still (we are in our 50s) gets stronger faster, both in an absolute and a proportional sense, than I can. Not just muscle mass, also power. I have to do more to keep strength, he has to do more to fight getting fat.

[โ€“] [email protected] 15 points 1 month ago (1 children)

If your equipment is being squished, your surface may not have enough give.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[โ€“] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

Alternatively, buy a lot of sugary drinks to make the otherside more squishy.

[โ€“] [email protected] 15 points 1 month ago (2 children)

The only one is being aware of good artery health and reducing overexertion as it can significantly increase your risk of stroke, and that the Navy has phased out crunches and sit-ups due to consistent spine injury, and the Marines later followed.

I'm no military lover, but if the people trying to exercise the people to fight our wars are phasing something out for health concerns... that's pretty significant.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I can see why Crunches affect spine..

Thank you.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Thank you.

Unrelated Question: Why are US military called marines, but also have separate navy?

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

If I'm not mistaken, I believe the Marine Corps is a specific department of the Navy, and are typically the first on the ground for special operations and are stationed at a lot of the U.S. embassies. The Navy as a whole is more focused on the sea and shorelines, and the Marines cover land and sea.

I don't know much more than that, I'm not a huge military person haha

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Thank you.

Asked this because in almost all the movies, they say "I'm ex Marine" and not Army or Airforce or something else.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Definitely! Yeah the Marines are pretty hardcore, so if someone is proud of being a Marine it's because even the basic training puts people through a really rigorous program, moreso than the Navy and some other military departments.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

United States

[โ€“] [email protected] 12 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

Dang it. I was just planning to do it this weekend.

[โ€“] [email protected] 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Any fitness physique you see on Instagram (male or female) took a ton of effort to achieve (and possibly some pharmaceutical or surgical assistance). You can pick any routine in the world and you are not at risk of looking like that unless you are really dedicated to it.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

The analogy I tell people is that getting a look like that without using a specific program and requisite effort is like taking algebra 101 at a community college and expecting to get a PhD in math.

[โ€“] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago

Yeah, listen, I was doing my own exercises and I was everyday watching my wife doing her exercises, and then I realised "holly hell she is exercising way harder than I am", and working muscle groups that I really wanted to work so I gave up my routine and joined hers.

[โ€“] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I think exercise selection is a pretty personal thing. There are going to be exercises you like that feel good and some that you don't really get into. I'd say mix it up until you find a routine with exercises you enjoy or at least don't mind that still hit the muscle groups that you want.

I don't really know how to answer the rest of it. If you find exercises you enjoy and they are helping you towards whatever your goals are I'd say who cares what people think but that's just me.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago
[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I would say the most beneficial thing you could do for yourself instead of investing energy in to avoiding "feminine" workouts, is to work on unlearning the toxic masculinity that has created these false, sexist, and bioessentialist ideas in your mind in the first place.

Once you've done that you'll be free to consider what exercises actually works best for you, rather than what exercises to avoid because you don't want to be considered "inferior" (by yourself and others who harbour toxic masculinity).

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

toxic masculinity false, sexist, and bioessentialist ideas you don't want to be considered "inferior"

I never said or even didn't thought any of these things.

A Man wanting Masculine body is sexist now ?

I don't know whether this is sExIsT ot not. But I do think there is certain body type that people love to see on their partners. And it differs from person to person. And as a person who just discovering the world, I'm just curious what other people's opinion is like. And just found out that not everyones' opinion is worth of my curiosity.

Maybe you should unlearn the way of seeing everything in the lens of toxic masculinity, sexist, inclusivity, etc.

The fact that people are doing this in a conscious manner is pretty weird itself. Like, Is that what people like you got in mind all the times regardless of the context?

Also, I don't like fact that clumping Masculinity with Toxicity became a exciting hobby for many people for whatever reason that only God may know. Which is sickening.

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You should do workouts that align with your workout goals. If you're a man and you wanna do workouts that are gonna give you a dump truck ass and juicy thighs then fucking go for it. If you're a woman and you wanna do workouts that are gonna give you a body like Schwarzenegger, fucking go for it! If you wanna do workouts that are gonna do very little for your physical appearance but leave you fitter and healthier, do those!

Your workout plans should align with your workout goals, and your workout goals shouldn't be dictated by what someone else thinks isn't appropriate for your gender.

[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[โ€“] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

You are absolutely welcome and best of luck with your workouts!

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Yes, odd question. I'm a lady, and honestly could deadlift and squat and curl all day and never would my body end up looking like a guy's - like my husband and I could literally do the same exercises and end up looking so different.

I see guys in yoga class all the time and they look lean and fit, not bulky, that's still a strong and manly look. As my biologist daughter says "testosterone is a hell of a drug."

I don't think you can err here, just don't skip legs and butt.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago
[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

If you want a aesthetic bodybuilder body then don't train abs, go light on legwork. This gives you a V shape and makes your frame look massive. Personally I don't like the imbalance and false strength that comes with it.

IMO do legs but don't over do it and end up with a out of proportion bubble butt or you'll look like a gayman. I also don't like the look of massive traps but you won't get them without roids so don't worry.

Other than that I think men should train every muscle and focus on being all round strong. Don't worry about looking fem the only thing you can over train is your ass and the fix is as simple as not training it.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

All pecs all the time is the only thing I can think of.

If you want to be particularly manly I'd say go for the cobra muscles (lats, traps, delts) and everyone loves a good butt so don't skip leg day.