Strength training and breast size: if you develop your chest, will your breasts become smaller? … and more of your questions answered here - Fitness Q+A

Shape, Sept, 2002

Q: If I do strength training for my chest muscles, will I lose breast size? I want to be toned but definitely do not want smaller breasts.

A: No, developing your pecs won't make your breasts smaller. In fact, says Detroit trainer Neil Maki, a spokesman for the American Council on Exercise, doing quality chest exercises will tone the muscle underneath the breast tissue, so your chest may appear to be bigger."

In female bodybuilders, steroid use can cause the breasts to shrink And the combination of extremely well-developed chest muscles and very low body fat can make a woman's chest appear less rounded, more flat and sculpted. But in the typical woman, strength training has an overall toning effect. If, however, you lose significant body fat, you may reduce breast size, but the decrease will be proportionate to fat loss from the entire body.

Q: I'm 40 pounds overweight and find the recumbent bike more comfortable than other machines. Is it really a good way to burn calories and tone up? After 10 minutes on the stair climber or elliptical trainer, I'm exhausted and want to quit.

A: As long as you get your heart rate into the aerobic zone, you'll burn plenty of calories and boost your cardio fitness on the recumbent. Your heart doesn't know the difference between the recumbent bike and the stair climber," says Tom Seabourne, Ph.D., director of kinesiology at Northeast Texas Community College, Mount Pleasant. The stair climber and elliptical machines, however, may burn more calories, on average, and provide a greater aerobic benefit. This is because you're using a larger percentage of your muscle mass and you're supporting your body weight when working out on these machines. However, if you're so tired that you can't last more than a few minutes, you won't get much benefit from the workout.

"The whole point of the recumbent bike is to make you feel comfortable," Seabourne says, "so hopefully you can last longer and push harder." In general, pedal at a level where you're just below breathless, Seabourne recommends. But twice a week, include intervals in your workout: For about 10 seconds, crank up the intensity so that you feel winded and your legs burn, then return to a comfortable pace until you feel recovered. Then sprint again. Or, if you're watching TV as you pedal, speed up for the length of one commercial. As you become more ft., you'll last longer at higher intensities.

Although the recurnbent bike is great for cardio fitness and burning calories, only strength training will provide the muscle tone you're seeking. Lifting weights also can help you lose weight by increasing your metabolism. "For every pound of muscle you develop, you'll burn about 50 extra calories per day," Seabourne says. "You can build 1 pound of muscle in three to four months." Just make sure to lift heavy enough weights that your muscles fatigue after eight to 12 repetitions.

Q I will be entering the armed forces in three months and must be able to run two miles in 19 minutes and 30 seconds. I'm not much of a runner and don't want to get injured or flunk the test. Where do I begin?

A "The test might sound daunting, but you won't have any problem," says Gainesville,. Fla., track coach Dave Milliman, managing director of the United States Track Coaches Association. The key is to avoid overtraining.

For the first month, simply increase your activity level so that you're in the habit of exercising five or six days a week, whether it's swimming, volleyball or step aerobics. The second month, start a walk/run program, completing no more than two miles five days a week. Start by walking three-quarters of the total distance and running one-quarter. For instance, alternate 1/2-mile of walking with 1/4 mile of running at a comfortable pace. Gradually increase your running and decrease your walking so that you do equal amounts of each.

At the beginning of the third month, time yourself on a two-mile run. If you can't complete the run in 19:30, increase your distance slightly but not your intensity. "The mistake people make is going out really hard, and then they can't move for three days," Milliman says. "To train for this test, you never need to go hard. Run at a pace where you can easily talk." Continue your walk/run program throughout the third month, increasing your running until running comprises two-thirds of your workout. Every third workout, run one to two consecutive miles.

On the two days before your test, don't run or walk, and you should be plenty well-rested.

Q My hamstrings are so inflexible that I can't touch my toes without pain, but I find stretching exercises really boring. How many minutes a day do I need to stretch, and how long will it take me to comfortably touch my toes?

A How quickly you gain flexibility depends on your age, your genetics and the flexibility you had as a kid. In general, exercise physiologist Tom Seabourne says, people age 25 and under tend to gain flexibility more quickly than people who are older, and those who were Gumby-like in childhood tend to have greater potential for flexibility as adults. Regardless if your past experience, Seabourne says, if you stretch daily, "you'll definitely see improvements in two months."