Question for you guys!

I want to thank all of you in the past for the advice on running.  I have now ran two 5k's in the past two months both done in 30 minutes.  I am very excited about that! I ran faster than I expected and my only goal was not to walk one step and finish with 12 minute miles.  I didn't walk and 30 mins for me is incredible! So thank you! But I have another question but this one is in reguards to weight lifting... As you can see in my avatar.. I have built great muscle tone using the circuit machines and some free weights.  I only do it twice a week.  30 minutes upper, 30 minutes lower body.. so 2 hours total, one hour for each body system. Why do I build so easily? I do get in 120 grams of protein and drink a shake following my workout to help with fluid loss and muscle repair/build.  I also do my cardio (running of 3-4 miles) before I hit the weights.  I am not complaining but others can' t believe me when I tell them this is all I do with this sort of results and honestly it has only been within the past month that I have been going even two times a week, was very sporadic prior to that.  Are some of us just more inclined to build more muscle? I also only do 2 sets of 8 reps at maximum resistance.  To the point of "oh my god.. i can't take another rep" and really feel the burn. Thanks for any information you can provide me.  Again not complaining just wanting to learn and figure out why.. curiosity I guess! Thanks!

Earl, stop drooling!!! Some people just have it and some don't.  See thoes people that win the 5K's you run,  well they will never put on that much muscle no matter how hard they work. - ever!  However, I think that it's safe to say that you will probably never beat them in a 5K no matter how much you work at it.  It comes down to simple genetics.  When I take a few years off from lifting, it takes about 3 weeks for me to get back to where I was.  My friends are jealous because it takes them longer. I suppose that you could try to lean out a bit if you wanted to by doing more sets and reps in the 15 range.  If I had those pipes, I'd keep doing what you are doing.

Lol.. you guys are great. Thanks so much for the info.  I never expect to be much faster than I am.. and honestly I do not want to "beat" my time as much as I just want to keep running longer.  I guess you could say I was made for comfort and not for speed! ;)  It is amazing how fast I can get back in the game with my muscles when I take time off too.. I have always had HUGE calf muscles even when I was obese.. never understood it.  Now my arms are defined and I am loving it (other than the nice loose skin hang at the bottom.. grr) I might shoot for reps of 10-12 eventually. I just find that at max resist.. 8 is about as far as I can pu**** by the time I get to # 8 on the second set I am practically doing that male grunt you all like to do.. rofl.. oh but I love the burn. :) thanks again!

Those sure are some "Guns"... Great job with your new body

Aw thanks!

Youre welcome.. I just cant stop looking at those Guns.... Looks like I need to take in a bit more protein so I can get some muscles as well...

Yep, as Scott said, it's pure genetics.  I was a shot-putter in high school and have always been able to build muscle easily.  You have great definition because you are lean also.  As long as you're happy with it, keep going with what you're doing.  I think you're doing great!      Linn

Thanks Linn, i do feel it has to be somewhat genetic as I have been very lucky to acquire this with not much effort (or at least I feel).  I want to build muscle and not so much tone.. so this seems to be working whatever I am doing.  I guess not having a lot of fat there does show the muscle more eh?  I wish I had that in my abs now.. oh what a disgrace lol.  Its the first place I gain and lose weight STILL.. I eat carbs and POOF out the belly goes.. I get more protein and limit the carbs and it sags down again.  Weird.. I wi**** wasn't that way though.  Makes eating more balanced hard sometimes but I guess all the years of eating low carb, high protein I haven't helped matters, my body just holds on to so much water when I eat them.  even good sources.  thanks again for the advice, I got off on a food tangent somehow.

Hey Melissa. Like Scott said...genetics. But you still deserve  . You're doing a number of things absolutely correctly, if you're goal is to build muscle in the least amount of time. Most people way over train and don't understand that less is more if you're trying to build muscle. They read Arnold's old book or a bodybuilding magazine and think you have to do 20 or 30 sets for your bicep.  Like you put in your post, you do a couple of intense, heavy sets and you're done. That's all anybody needs to do...if you workout intensely and heavy. If you just go through the motions like most people you won't really see the results. I do a lot of sets but I'm old and all but the last one or two are warm up sets for me. You're taking in more protein than 99.99 % of all women which is good. Plus, you drinking protein shakes right after your training, which I'm one of the ones that believes there's a window of time where your body can really use a shot of fast absorbing whey protein...right after your workout. Again, your doing more than 99.99 % of the women out there.  As for the genetics, you're lucky to have them. If you thing one part is outgrowing another, do train that bodypart and spend your energy on slower growing bodyparts. I know the people with the best calves in the world, rarely have to train them. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr You're doing great. Earl

Hi Earl!  Thanks for the "oh though not worthy" emoticon.. lol.  I am not sure I deserve him but I will take it! My goal is to build right now rather than tone.  I friend of mine (Terri R from the RNY board) told me to do less reps and more resistance to build and the opposite to tone so I listened to her on that and it does seem to be working.  It really hasn't take that much effort, amazingly.  I am glad that me drinking a shake post workout helps.  I tend to get in 120 grams a day and sometimes even way more.. i love my protein and protein drinks.. im weird.  I worry about my kidneys tho, I see people saying 100 is too much but then I can get 160 easily if i wanted if not more.  eating is no problem for me :) lol.. I need to work on my left arm, it is smaller than the right.. I will take your advice on this.  Thank you so much! Btw.. I have always had huge calf muscles.. i do nothing with them ;)  Had them even when i was 328 lbs.. my dad has this too, always has.  guess it is genetic! Thanks again! Hugs, Melissa