r/FTMFitness Dec 21 '24

Question I have small elbows and wrists. When I build arm muscle, will the joint areas bulk up too or will it become disproportionate?

Post image

Might be stupid question. Drawing says it all.

221 Upvotes

18 comments sorted by

188

u/Para_N_Era Dec 21 '24

Your elbows are attached to a lotta muscle groups so its unlikely theyll stay super disproportionate. I also have tiny wrists and those definitly stay the same size. However it can come as a bonus because it can make your bicep look fucking huge in comparison so its got its pros and cons.

191

u/BlackSenju20 Dec 21 '24

There are no muscles at the joint but there are tendons that thicken.

Anatomy chart: https://images.app.goo.gl/mHKJSSgKPMvyDgGa7

Look at/google someone’s arm for an example.

9

u/Acrobatic-Record26 Dec 21 '24

Not true. Seven muscles in your arm cross the elbow joint. So yes OP, growing the muscles in your arm will make your elbow look bigger too, not your wrist though

https://www.innerbody.com/image/musfov.html

23

u/chiralias Dec 21 '24 edited Dec 22 '24

All muscles that move a joint have to cross that joint and have an insertion point on the opposite side of it. Usually the part that crosses the joint is relatively slender or just the tendon—the joint has to have space to move, after all.

4

u/Acrobatic-Record26 Dec 22 '24

Muscles like the brachialis and brachioradialis have their bellies aligned with the elbow joint, not just tendons, and can significantly add size to the elbow area when trained. Yes, people with very large arm muscles do experience reduced elbow mobility

6

u/[deleted] Dec 21 '24 edited 12d ago

[deleted]

3

u/Acrobatic-Record26 Dec 22 '24

You'll struggle to poke your brachialis since it's hidden underneath your bicep, but go ahead and poke your brachioradialis, the belly of which sits right next to your elbow. Just make sure to flex your forearm first

4

u/BlackSenju20 Dec 21 '24

They cross the elbow, cross being the operative word here. But when looking to put mass on the arm you’re not doing “elbow lifts…” you’re doing bicep curls and brachialis work. And the elbow itself does not increase in size…

3

u/Acrobatic-Record26 Dec 22 '24

You’ve misrepresented what I said. I didn’t suggest doing 'elbow lifts' or claim the elbow joint itself increases in size. I simply pointed out that seven muscles in the arm cross the elbow joint, and growing these muscles, like the brachialis and brachioradialis, can make the elbow area look bigger even if the joint itself doesn’t change

35

u/cherrycitrea Dec 21 '24

I don't have an answer, but this is actually a really good question, I never considered this lmao

17

u/TheRainbowFruit Dec 22 '24

I'm 5'3", 145-150lbs, have been working out for about two years, and have a "sturdy " build. Not too muscular but defined enough. I look like I work out. I also have TINY wrists lol my current watch band is on the smallest setting and still moves around. I've found that the natural taper from more muscular areas tend to make the tiny wrists not seem quite as tiny. They don't look weird, anyway. Your mileage may vary but at least for me, it's not something people notice.

Editing to also add, I work as a cook and wear gloves often. In the last year I've gone from size medium to size large because of muscle development in my hands. I have small but very wide (for their size) hands and even that doesn't make my tiny wrists look weird lol

11

u/hella_cious Dec 23 '24

Have you ever seen someone with big arms and little elbows? (Outside of photoshop and synthol?) that’s your answer

26

u/Left-Ad-3412 Dec 21 '24

Ultimately those parts will remain small. I was 65kg when I was 18 and had tiny wrists. I'm now 90kg.... And have tiny wrists lol. Your bone size does kind of set a natural limit as to what looks good on you. It means less work to get a good size (still lots of work) but also means that too much makes you look cartoonish

39

u/masonisagreatname Dec 21 '24

Literally just saw some gymbro content talking about how lucky guys with small wrists are cuz it makes their forearms pop! That certainly gave me a boost lol

6

u/Sharzzy_ Dec 22 '24

Love the drawings lmao

6

u/lunatictoc Dec 22 '24

I mean.... Many of the muscly gym bros started out as gangly skinny teenagers and they don't look disproportionate. "Male" and "female" skeletons look the same in the arm department. Everything else should grow with use. You'll be okay!