I am a bit muscular, w a tight male body, and masculine arms. Could I rest assured that my arms will come down a little and soften a little during HRT? I can pass as an athletic female if you eye me bellow the neck (..FFS is coming in 5 months tho)..but I am aiming for a softer looking women w a fit body

 In my case, muscle mass reduction wasn't terribly noticeable by others, but I noticed it myself. While the appearance of my muscles hasn't changed (and if they had visibly shrunk, I would look really strange), I have noticed that I'm not as strong as before.

Perhaps the muscle was replaced by fat, thereby preserving the appearance of somewhat normal arms. I imagine that in someone more built, the being-replaced-by-fat part would probably be skipped, reducing the appearance of muscle overall. I've seen it enough times, after all...

... but then again, HRT is quite variable. I'm not sure if there's much that it does universally, aside from breast growth. And breast growth is only a fact in itself - there is not much way you can expect or determine your potential size.

My muscles shriveled up in a few months. But I think I'm responding very fast to HRT.

I think I will grow huge tits cuz I have massive pecs and developed tendencies to gynocomastia while running a cycle of juice to increase muscle mass during bodybuilding days..I was forced to stop cuz my nipples were jumping off my shirt, which feels tender to this day although they did not grow as bitch-tits (term for man boobs). Estrogem will retrigger all that and sure enough I will grow good tits.

Quote from: Alainaluvsu on April 20, 2012, 12:04:36 AM
My muscles shriveled up in a few months. But I think I'm responding very fast to HRT.

Same, my shoulders and neck are very much reduced. I still have a bit of bicep left but my strength is seriously diminished..i cant lift half of what I could before.

I got weaker but I can't say that I've seen a reduction in my muscle size. But then my job requires me to lift an impact gun that's getting to be the equivalent of lifting my little boy up.

I know two MTFs who were big time swimmers and have that lean but muscled classic swimmers build. I've only known them post HRT. The development around the shoulder area is still there, as well as a good amount of strength without working out or swimming like they used to.

In my own case I never had much in the way of muscles to start with. Definitely a big loss in my arms. No so much in my legs, I do a lot of walking.

Quote from: JoanneB on April 21, 2012, 07:44:39 AM
I know two MTFs who were big time swimmers and have that lean but muscled classic swimmers build. I've only known them post HRT. The development around the shoulder area is still there, as well as a good amount of strength without working out or swimming like they used to.

In my own case I never had much in the way of muscles to start with. Definitely a big loss in my arms. No so much in my legs, I do a lot of walking.

Exactly this.

Same with me too, in my younger days I was basically near Olympic level swimmer, so had a bit of development in the shoulder area, but yeah, it is still there a bit even now. 

It has reduced, but not by much I don't think, at least this is what I have found. 

All my muscles are losing both tone and bulk, slowly - especially noticeable in my legs, standing up for a long time is much harder on the calves than it used to be (partly because my foot muscles aren't able to do so much of the work). Seems to vary from person to person.

Everything i've heard about muscle loss over the last year has had me desperately looking for a job with lighter duties, some days I struggle with the amount of heavy lifting I have to do.
My arms are quite puny but I still hate looking at my arms & seeing my muscles bulging as I work. I won't be on HRT until the end of the year so i've still got time.

I just do not have the strength that i used to have. I was doing something yesterday that required me to lift something heavy with one hand and use the other to hammer on it and i just could not do it.

When i look at pictures of myself i'm still bulked up in the upper body - all size and no strength. I have seen some thinning of my face and neck, but not the shoulders/arms.

Quote from: Jackie Witt on April 20, 2012, 11:55:54 PM
I think I will grow huge tits...and sure enough I will grow good tits.

Omg is this wording really necessary ewww! 

Now where was I...yea so I was never a strongie, but after 21 months on HRT my arms have gotten right small. My father used to have me bring in the groceries, and in just one trip I'd grab and bring in 2-3 parcels of 30 water bottles. Now I can only grab one, and I must use two hands. The loss of muscle mass has been dramatic in my back and shoulders as well.

Back when I was a p-plater I got into a proper smash up and managed to hurt my neck and back. In time the only thing that relieved the constant dull pain was free weight exercise and push ups targeted at strengthening those muscles. Years passed, and I rather forgot about it. Now that old injury is back, aching all the time. My diagnosis: muscle loss!

I have had to re-learn my body and my capabilities as I'm truly not as strong as I once was, and that's haf some serious implications I believe you t-girls should consider. For instance my boyfriend and I were mucking about and I thought I'd have a go at pinning him. Well he easily flippend me from on top of him and then pinned me down to a position from which I simply COULD NOT ESCAPE. I couldnt move. I had him stop at once as it scared me greatly. I realised that my mind thought I was stronger than I really was. The old thought that I might easily fight off an assailant is just not true anymore. Today I might easily be overpowered, and that really is very scary. Please take this into account as it has far reaching consequences, and not knowing ones strength (or lack of) could lead to some dangerous situations.

Oh for a laugh I iust tried to do some push-ups. In 2009 I could do 55 non stop....now I managed TWO, and only one was truly proper. :/

Everyone responds a little differently... the size of our shoulders and upper body usually come from muscle.  When I was in my late teens and early 20's, my shoulders weren't this wide... so skeletons don't keep growning like that!  I have seen body builders get very soft features from HRT, but over time. 

I've noticed a lot of strength reduction, but my shoulders are still wide.  My arms have become more elongated, as the muscle does respond differently.  It will also depend on how much testosterone is still in your body.  My endo says it'll be about 3 years total before my body would be fully feminized.  I'm half way there.

I'm a firefighter, so I have to be in shape..... the getting weaker is sometimes tough, but I'm working on my strength now with more plyo.. (No weights in a while). 

Watch your diet, and your workout routines, and you will get change, but it will be over a greater period of time.

I haven't noticed a change in the shape of my muscles.  Though, I was ridiculously skinny to begin with, so there wasn't much to lose!  Though my arms and legs have gotten... maybe a bit flabbier?

But I've definitely noticed the strength thing.  It's weird!  All of the sudden, I started getting exhausted while carrying groceries.  And I had to lighten up the contents of my ginormous purse because I couldn't carry it any more.  And I can't open jars!  Ack!

I'm not too bothered be this;  it's just one of those "holy crap!" things you suddenly notice during transition. :-)


-anna

Quote from: auburnaubrey on April 23, 2012, 10:17:56 AMMy endo says it'll be about 3 years total before my body would be fully feminized.  I'm half way there.

I'm a firefighter, so I have to be in shape.....

Ah that must be tough line of work in which to be losing some strength...but you show those boys who's boss Aubrey!

As for the 3 year quote, does that also apply to the reduction of body hair? My body hair is GREATLY reduced, but there's still a bit on my tummy that annoys me to no end.

Quote from: PositivelyAnna on April 23, 2012, 10:34:23 AMAnd I can't open jars!  Ack!
-anna

YES YES YES! I mean come on, what do they seal pickle jars with, a precisely placed nuclear bloody detonation?

Apart from that, I really hope HRT helps me in the muscle mass domain. I never had any strength to speak of (my mother is probably stronger than I) since I avoid with a passion physical labour based on strength. I was never really in shape, either, since 24 HOURS IS JUST TOO SHORT FOR A DAY.

Despite all that, I've always had pretty massive muscles everywhere. I'm sort of desperate. Even as a child, I was somewhat bulky. Things don't look up. T_T I wish there was a muscle-destroying drug; a sort of anti-steroid.

Quote from: PositivelyAnna on April 23, 2012, 10:34:23 AMAnd I can't open jars!  Ack!

I could never open jars. Tip: hit the side of the lid a few times with a spoon a few time to emboss it. After 4-8 hits, it should open easily.

I could never develop muscles I was always flab and curves even though I am thin. If I get any weaker on hrt Ima need to do some martial arts training 

Quote from: A on April 23, 2012, 04:06:56 PM
Apart from that, I really hope HRT helps me in the muscle mass domain. I never had any strength to speak of (my mother is probably stronger than I) since I avoid with a passion physical labour based on strength. I was never really in shape, either.

Not sure what I wanted was clear. And I'm really, really worrying a lot all of a sudden, so I felt the need to post again. Do you think there's any hope for me? Was anyone in a situation similar to mine ("natural" muscle despite zero training) and seen improvement? Is there anything I can do? :x

Well, in time your muscles will reduce to female levels.  I have seen HUGEEEEEEE men ecome skinny little women, and vice versa. I think you meant you DONT want muscle mass, so I'd really just make sure your dosage is alright amd give it some time.

Yup, that's what I meant.

Actually, I know that many get a lot of reduction; swimmers, bodybuilders and all. But what worries me the most is that my muscle is all natural - it's over the male average and I've never trained for it at all - and I've more or less had it since my childhood, if I look at the pictures. I wonder if HRT can do much about something that seems more genetic than anything else.

I really, really wish there were anti-steroids.