I'm aware that one of the biggest changes when taking estrogen is reduction in muscle mass.  For most that is an exciting thing.  But while I'm very fond of the idea that I would have some curvy hips and/or any degree of breastability, I really am scared about the changes in muscle mass.  My relative fitness as well as my long hair, are the only physical features of mine that I actually like.  Here's my question.  How possible is it to maintain muscles on HRT?  And additionally, does anyone have any advice on how to maintain or gain some buffness?  Thanks a lot for any insight you have to offer!

I don't think you can do it long term if you're taking a transitioning level of HRT. Perhaps some kind of low dose regime, or reduce the anti-androgens, but you'll possibly not get all the other benefits of HRT if you do that. I expect some female body builders take testosterone.

There is no reason why your overall fitness need diminish even if your muscle mass does reduce on HRT (and it will). Of course the here are some very muscley genetic women although I'm not sure if some take steroids to get that way.

Well... I'm very sportive as well and I had the same questions like you. I guess the answer is realy simple... Look at genetic woman and see what can be acheived (without doping of course). The same you can expect as well from your body. It was easier to maintain muscles on testosterone, but it,s possible as well on estrogene without magic... It needs may a little bit more effort... 

But one thing you should be aware of very well is, that muscles are associated with male bodys by others and it will not help you in your transition, when you look like bruce lee... 

Take care... 
Danielle

I have and continue to be very fit. During HRT I continued to exercise daily but I changed my exercise regime to avoid increasing my upper body muscles. Instead I worked on high reps. My cardiovascular exercises remained the same. I stopped exercising for 3 months after srs and slowly built up my routine. These days I exercise every day for 75 minutes in a combination of Yoga, pilates and cardiovascular.

My body was never bulky but I did have a great male body... today I am alot slimmer and I do have fat redistribution but I have great looking atheletic female muscles.  Great muscular shape but much smaller...looks feminine.

Your love of a fit body and exercise need not change.

I've seen a lot of very fit cis-women.  I think if you choose to concentration your workouts on the muscles you want to keep the same or similar, then I do not think there will be a large loss.  I'm speaking from personal experience when I say I kept the muscles I wanted... but this was for the abdomen, legs, and butt, which are muscles I do think most other girls prefer too.

If you have muscles, but you aren't doing anything about them or you are not working out, then I think they will start to decrease even if you are not on HRT.  The decrease would probably be more rapid or noticeable with HRT.

Quote from: Ms Grace on July 03, 2016, 05:05:52 AM
There is no reason why your overall fitness need diminish even if your muscle mass does reduce on HRT (and it will). Of course the here are some very muscley genetic women although I'm not sure if some take steroids to get that way.

While it's hard to imagine not losing some muscle mass, I remind myself that when I was training for triathlon my favorite training partner were cis women and most of those quite femme shaped and plenty strong.

Back then I was learning to balance my primary love of rock climbing and other activities that wanted some upper body strength with the competing objective of having less weight to carry up and down hills on bike and running. Accordingly I focused strength work on high intensity low rep count sets (3-4) for strength and high count / low intensity for endurance.

I'm really pleased to have returned to climbing recently and so far found that in spite of the long absence (it's been 4 years since I climbed) and 6 months on HRT at T level around 12 I'm still moderately strong.

What I have been doing is blowing glass 10-20 hours per week and that certainly keeps strength up.

The other thing I'm given to is keeping core strength and knowing how to use core muscles as the driver for most work / exercise. Core muscles are happily more or less the same for all genders.

What exercises are you doing to maintain core strength? Am about to start low dosage HRT and maintaining my current core strength is important to me. My current regime consists of two sets of push ups of 35 reps, two sets of sit ups of 50 reps. Cardio consists of a three mile power walk with two hills within the three miles. I am doing this a minimum of 4 times a week with most weeks 5 times. Thoughts on what to expect, or changes recommended from my present regime?Thanks