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About Karen Sullivan
Expertise
Karen can help with lifting technique, muscle recovery, weight loss, body building and powerlifting. She has been certified by AFPA for the last 10 years as a Personal Trainer and has recently acquired a certification from the same agency as a Post Rehabilitative Exercise Specialist. Any recommendations or advice rendered are based on fitness information as specified by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Fitness Professionals and Associates.

Experience

Past/Present clients
Clients include athletes training for marathons, mountain climbing and general weight loss. In addition I have clients troubled with COPD, Fibromyalgia, and Parkinsons as well as stroke rehab. She was the Strength and Conditioning coach for Williamsburg Aquatic Club, a USA Swim Team, in Williamsburg, Virginia for 3 years. Karen is presently working at Main Street Gym in Historic St. Charles, Missouri where she teaches Pilates and continues her work with clients. Her training reaches across the country with her long distance Body Restoration eTraining. Her dedication to fitness reaches into the nutritional supplementation with Shaklee products. She only works with clients who add nutritional supplementation to their training. Read more of her story on www.shaklee.net/BodyRestoration

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Weightlifting & Exercise - muscular arms and shoulders

Expert: Karen Sullivan - 10/28/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi Karen,
I have 2 questions regarding excersise and training:
First of all I am about 5 foot 4 and I weigh about 55 kgs, but i've got a tiny frame. I was a very active kid and i excersised a lot- i played sport all the time, climbed trees, rode my bike, swam and ran. I was always very slim but muscular. I used to get picked on at school for being really skinny so when I was about 15 i started lifting weights and stopped after about a month because my shoulders and biceps got really really muscular and i didn't want to look too manly! I took up karate after that, and I put on muscle around my waist and shoulders (again). I really enjoy training with a punching bag and hopefully will do boxing one day, but the more i train the muscular i get! I don't want to be too muscular, but i love sport...so my first question is why is it that I have a tiny frame but put on muscle so easily? How can it stop?

My second question is, although I walk everywhere (i don't have a car) My legs are not muscular at all, they are rather flabby and normal. What are some ways I can tone down my thighs and buttocks without making them muscular?

ANSWER: Abbey,
The one issue we haven't approached here is your diet. How do you eat? Are you actively involved in sports now? Also, when you were lifting what kind of routine were you doing? How often did you lift? How many exercises for each body part? How many sets and reps? This will help. Also what kind of weight did you use? Thanks. This will help.
Karen
please write back I'd love to help

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: My diet's pretty reasonable, basically I eat a lot, but most of the time eat simple home made things such as fruit meat vegetables and rice. I eat out probably 4 times a year, and don't eat much processed stuff at all. I always have a huge bowl of cereal with yoghurt and fruit for breakfast, and don't usually eat much in between meals. Also, I don't smoke, don't drink a lot of alcohol, don't drink coffee but drink heaps of tea.

I still do karate, although less now that i'm studying. I play sport during winter for my college, although less than i used to.

When i lifted i had dumbells at home, 25kg, not the nylon coated ones runners use but my dad's old ones where you add the weight and screw on the bold (sorry about the vague desription!) I used to just hold them with my arms straight down at each side and palms up, and just bend my arm all the way up, keeping my biceps at my side and palms facing up. I did about 20 every day for about a month, so it wasn't much.

Answer
Abbey,
I do remember the weights you described. I used to have some like it. I think you are not realizing how many calories you are consuming. You say you eat a lot and talk about a huge bowl of cereal. Perhaps you can cut back on your portions as a start.

Then the thing I realize is that you only describe lifting for your biceps. Do you do any other body parts? The thing is 20 reps every day with 25 kg (which is 55 lbs!) That is a lot of weight. I can inderstand why you grew. Is 55 the only weight? Can you use less weight? this web site
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/exercise_demos.asp?exercise_type=

has great demonstrations of exercises. You need to do a more well rounded routine. Now, mind you, this is if you aren't lifting at all on other parts of your body. The exercise of the karate is good but I have many martial arts people who still lift for balance in strength. You just need to do more reps 15-20 with a lower weight. Alternate upper and lower body parts.

As nearly as I can tell those two things might be your issue that is keeping your weight up. Try it and let me know how it works.
Thanks, Karen

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