Thread: Are my arms big from fat or lifting?

I feel like the title says it all. I think my arms are too big and I want them to look like a ballerina's. BUT i'm worried that if I start just using youtube ballerina arm videos i'm going to lose any tone that I have from lifting weights. I've attached pictures of my arms - please let me know if you think I need to:
A - lose fat (but am at a healthy weight so i'm not sure how to do that)
B - lose some muscle (again, not sure how to do that - I want to look like a ballerina but the videos I follow never seem to challenge me)

I'm willing to try anything to get my dream body. (and I would take ballet classes/Barre workouts but I live in a small town with neither)

The answer to your question is neither as your arms aren't big.

I imagine they look more noticeable to you because you look very slim. What is your height and weight?

Ballerinas are very strong individuals whilst maintaining a low body fat (for good or bad depending on the level). You would most likely benefit from working on your body through weight training program and not trying to lose any more fat/ muscle as this will impair in the ballerina body physique.

You will need to do arm workouts as well as this will develop more muscle structure which when you progress will cause natural muscle shape to be present in your upper arm.

I would advise you follow a structured weight training program such as these ones:-

https://liftvault.com/programs/stren...m-spreadsheet/

https://atlargenutrition.com/baby-got-back-routine/

https://igoodies.000webhostapp.com/?viagra=showt...9172473&page=1

As I stated the ballerina physique is achieved by naturally developing strength combined with muscle endurance this is generally achieved by completing a mixture of rep ranges, however special interest in the higher reps will need to be considered to help muscular endurance if you plan to ever take part in ballet.

This blog explains quite well the importance of muscle strength and muscle levels for ballerina's physique:-

https://cmghealthfitness.com/2016/07...allet-dancers/

Getting bigger is about your nutrition and not your training program so if you wish to limit size growth then consuming maintenance/ small surplus TDEE calories will ensure you don't gain weight excessively. When combined with adequate protein and you will build mainly muscle to add with your dream figure. Read this for more info including calories, macros and health requirements:-

https://igoodies.000webhostapp.com/?viagra=showt...hp?t=173439001

I would advise you find your maintenance TDEE and add around 100-150 calories to it and aim to gain a max of 1lb a month whilst following a well designed training program.

Ok... gonna be direct to the point.

You will never look like a ballerina if you don't have the ballerina frame (thin frame, small bones, narrow hips and shoulders, etc, etc). I'm not saying you don't have it, because it is impossible to say judging by the pics you posted.

But I'm sure losing fat gonna help you.

Originally Posted by GODself

Ok... gonna be direct to the point.

You will never look like a ballerina if you don't have the ballerina frame (thin frame, small bones, narrow hips and shoulders, etc, etc). I'm not saying you don't have it, because it is impossible to say judging by the pics you posted.

But I'm sure losing fat gonna help you.

Mate she is tiny as it is and 17. Really come on she needs more muscle ballerinas are damn strong they have to pick up male partners......

I will wait for her weight but no weight loss is advised.



Misty Copeland principle dancer of the American Ballet theatre she certainly has lean muscle and not skin and bones.

Originally Posted by hardyboysare

Mate she is tiny as it is and 17. Really come on she needs more muscle ballerinas are damn strong they have to pick up male partners......

I will wait for her weight but no weight loss is advised.



Misty Copeland principle dancer of the American Ballet theatre she certainly has lean muscle and not skin and bones.

Muscular lower body. Skinny upper body. She is just lean.

Leaner than OP. So OP should indeed loose fat to achieve that body type.

[QUOTE=hardyboysare;1586126791]Mate she is tiny as it is and 17. Really come on she needs more muscle ballerinas are damn strong they have to pick up male partners......

I will wait for her weight but no weight loss is advised.

I'm 5feet 6inches and weigh 116 pounds

Originally Posted by GODself

Muscular lower body. Skinny upper body. She is just lean.

Leaner than OP. So OP should indeed loose fat to achieve that body type.

Yep tiny as twigs no arm muscle at all......

Lets agree to disagree on this. The girl is 17 and cutting is not advised for many reasons but I am sure a female perspective will be along soon.

[QUOTE=FurtureSHEHULK;1586127511]

Originally Posted by hardyboysare

Mate she is tiny as it is and 17. Really come on she needs more muscle ballerinas are damn strong they have to pick up male partners......

I will wait for her weight but no weight loss is advised.

I'm 5feet 6inches and weigh 116 pounds

Your BMI is on the low end of healthy so you will be lacking lean body mass not excessive body fat.

[QUOTE=hardyboysare;1586128131]

Originally Posted by FurtureSHEHULK

Your BMI is on the low end of healthy so you will be lacking lean body mass not excessive body fat.

BMI means nothing. I thought we had already passed that point.

A low BMI means low weight for her height. That all it means. And it just doesn't say a lot.



When I started working out, I was 120lbs at 5'9'' or 5'10''. And my body fat percentage was around 13-14% (obviously lack of lean body mass). So I gained almost 70lbs before I did my first cut.

I cant really say judging by pics on OP, but she probably needs to gain some mass (mainly lower body mass if she wants to achieve the ballerina body type) before she cuts some fat (the small amount she has). Or cut some fat first and then gain some mass. But thats up to her.


As I said multiple times. Judging by her pics, I dont even know if she has a decent amount of muscle on her legs, but I don't think so judging by her weight.

Everyone has different standards, but most would consider 5-6, 116 to be relatively thin as a starting point. From the pics, her arms aren't tiny noodles but they aren't fat either - some strength training and visible muscle tone without changing the size much would change their appearance a lot.

We can't see her legs much from the pics, but at her weight I doubt they're gigantic either - and some strength training probably would tone them up and give them some athletic size as well. IMO her body looks good now, and with a little work can look even better and close to the ballerina aesthetic (although it'd be tough to achieve the exact look of someone like a ballerina or gymnast without actually going through the years of training to develop the same skills).

Plus I think any Fu(r)tureSHEHULK would want to put on some muscle more than lose some fat.

Originally Posted by FurtureSHEHULK

Are my arms big from fat or lifting?

Love, your arms are not big!

Originally Posted by hardyboysare

We are not going to agree on this.

The BMI is useless when you take consideration high lean body mass however it is a useful tool linked with individuals who are too light for there height in relation to health problems:-

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4021191/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5625617/

https://www.healthline.com/health/un...s#weight-range - underestimates are generally present from muscle wastage due to age.

As you can see BMI is generally masked by lean body mass making the overweight reading blurred but the underweight is very difficult to be inaccurate due to nothing blurring it, therefore in the general population it is a very useful tool for the untrained.

Secondly she is 17. Under no circumstances are a lean and small individual of adolescent age expected to loss more weight or cut as this will only cause nutritional, growth and possibly mental issues towards their body image. Likewise this is the prime to build muscle as female hormones are still primed to admit growth during puberty due to levels of IGF-1 (growth hormone)

https://academic.oup.com/jcem/articl...2/5870/2849397

I am not try to cause and argument nor prove my need to be correct, my advice comes from the fact adolescents teens are not advised to cut unless they are overfat, generally I would advise against counting calories as well as that is not needed. What your choice is down to you being an adult (I assume) a 17 is not yet finished growing and would advise maintain or gaining muscle up to around 21 when growth hormones are lower especially in women.

She can post a pic if she likes but it wont change my view one bit.

Anyway I will leave it there as this advice will make her confused and is probably best to get a range of views except ours. I do apologise OP for making it confusing read my first post for my advice and feel free to read others advice and decide from there.

Being underweight doesn't mean nutritional problems. And at 5'6'' 116lbs she is not even underweight.

At 17 most women are fully developed or close to it and a caloric deficit will be harmless (unless the deficit is too big).

But we don't know if she is a late bloomer, so I give you that.


She can just gain lean body mass first and then (at 18 or 19yo) focus on cut some fat. If she feels like it is safer like that.

Originally Posted by kimm4

Telling a 17 yr old who's already thin and clearly under muscled to lose more fat is the most retarded thing I've read all day. At 5'6" and 116 lbs there's nothing big about her (including her arms.)

But... but... but... it's a girl. Doesn't that mean the answer is ALWAYS lose fat?

Your arms are perfect already.