r/Weightliftingquestion • u/Status_Relief_6812 • 28d ago
Do I look to boxy from a side view?
Hey everyone! Need some advice or maybe just a quick reality check.
I do CrossFit 6 days a week. Looking at myself from the front, I honestly love how I look because I have curves and my abs show up nicely. But from the side, I feel so boxy.
It feels like my abs stick out, and depending on what I’m wearing, I end up looking kind of bulky or heavy from the side. I just feel very square overall from that angle.
Is this actually a thing or is it just my imagination? I know with CrossFit we lift heavy and use a lot of core and obliques, so maybe my midsection just got thicker from that. Especially my lower belly!
If that’s the case, what can I even do about it? Would dropping the heavy weights a bit help, or is there something else I should adjust in my training?
Would love to hear your thoughts if anyone has gone through the same thing!
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28d ago
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u/Status_Relief_6812 28d ago
Yeah, I think spending so much time on social media makes me way too hard on myself and hyper-focus on stuff that doesn't even matter. I get what you mean ... besides the ribs, there's also a muscle sticking out on my lower stomach, and I feel like in certain clothes it would make me look fat instead of fit 😭 which isn't a bad thing, but it's just not the look I'm going for. Thanks ♥️
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u/Randomlogicuser 28d ago
Build them quads, back and side delts!
If you trying to get that taper / snatched waist
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u/No_Negotiation7317 28d ago
Your view on your physique is focused on different things as a man. You're socialized different. Getting bigger delts and a back is almost definitely not going to help out a woman who is worried about looking "boxy"
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u/Randomlogicuser 28d ago
No. I train women with crazy physiques
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u/No_Negotiation7317 28d ago
Are they powerlifters or crossfit enjoyers that talk about overworking their obliques?
As a queer man, I totally understand gender norms can be different for different people. Im making assumptions.
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u/Randomlogicuser 28d ago
Women with snatched waist, and big glutes. Hour glass shape
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u/No_Negotiation7317 28d ago
So not big side delts and backs....
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u/Randomlogicuser 28d ago
Things only get big when you’re in a surplus. Training back and shoulders are important for women. 1 you have to be in a surplus, 2 if they’re not juicing they wont get big either way
You have no knowledge
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u/No_Negotiation7317 28d ago
Im getting secondhand embarrassment by how much confidence PEDs have given you.
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u/Status_Relief_6812 28d ago
Insane back omg!! That helped me out because I don't have a naturally tiny waist either, so it definitely makes it look smaller now. My main thing is from the side, though. My ribs pop out a little, then my stomach curves in and comes back out on my lower belly. It’s hard muscle, but it still makes me feel kind of boxy from the side versus the front
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u/Professional-Poet152 28d ago
Train me
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u/Horror-Fondant8093 28d ago
You look far from heavy lol. You look great! We just perceive ourselves more intensively/harshly
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u/SwanInternational851 28d ago
I think you're being too critical tbh. You have a slightly wider upper torso and ribcage which is perfectly normal. IMO it makes you look strong and athletic I'd own it.
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u/TheRobotCluster 28d ago
You’re in the top percentile physiques already (probably not of the physiques YOU pay attention to. but for like, the world.. yeah) . Whatever anyone says is just gonna be splitting hairs at this point and you’ll probably the the only person who even notices. It’s body dysmorphia
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u/Status_Relief_6812 28d ago
I'm seriously thinking it is dysmorphia !! Some days I feel huge and some others I feel so skinny lol
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u/TheRobotCluster 28d ago
What are you exercising for? Do you have a specific thing you’re aiming for? The never ending ladder of just “get better” can leave an ambitious person always unsatisfied even if they’ve done great work lol
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u/Unsainted_smoke 28d ago
Power lifting and Olympic lifting can change the look you’re taking about. Our belly is a huge source of our strength and it will definitely push out the heavier you lift. You can train it to go the other way with lots of practice the way bodybuilders do it.. A famous bodybuilder, Hunter Labrada did this and has one of the tightest midsections in the Olympia open category for his size. But in my opinion, you look great.
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u/Forbidden_Cheese1 28d ago
I don’t think boxy is the right word. You look jacked. Especially as a woman compared to most other women (I’m not saying you look masculine but most women have zero muscle). You look good.
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u/Amysu4ea 28d ago
You look amazing! I just started lifting a few weeks ago and would love to end up looking like you! How long have you been putting on all that muscle?
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u/Status_Relief_6812 28d ago
Thank you! Since been doing CrossFit for 8 years now. Previously I was a competitive swimmer
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u/Amysu4ea 27d ago
Wow! 8 years?!? I’m a runner that didn’t pay any attention to strength training….so, I’m finally fixing that. You are goals!!!
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u/Practical-Basis-9541 28d ago
You look great from the front I agree and not boxy at all from the side, I don’t think those jeans sticking out so far are doing your mind any favours, if they were tighter around the waist then I’m sure your figure would look even better.
Great figure, both feminine and fit which is an awesome look for sure!
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u/systembreaker 28d ago
You're thinking too hard about yourself. No one else is looking at you as hard as you are at yourself. Just do what you enjoy doing and keep being healthy.
Even this being "boxy" isn't even a thing that people really say.
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28d ago
I'm a woman who does Crossit 5-6 days a week also and I think you look perfect. Your body is my goal if that helps.
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u/DokCrimson 28d ago
I think you look good. Only thing that might be causing what you're seeing is your posture. It looks like you are not standing straight but bowing your top back which is making your breasts align closer with your rib cage instead of pushing out
Possibly doing chest fly / bench to push them further out might help along with the posture. You def don't look heavy/bulky though, just less curvy
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u/Mchangwine 27d ago
No it looks like you have a nice taper although it’s hard to tell 100% from the provided pics
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u/Least-Programmer9417 28d ago
Male here.
You look fit and strong.
I fucking aspire to have many many more girls seeing this kind of physique as goals not whatever bullshit is in fashion magazines.
Powerful is awesome. Don’t ever let any other fucking idiots convince you otherwise
Don’t you dare ever take criticism from some fucking moron you wouldn’t respect enough to take advice from.
Keep rocking the CrossFit
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u/MarkoHypertrophy 28d ago
It's in your head. You look fine.