I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve had female clients tell me on their first day of training they’re not interested in lifting weights because they “don’t want to get too bulky”. This is the reason why, in this article, I’m going to bust some girls muscle myths. Because the real truth is ladies, even if you tried, you can’t bulk up like guys. In fact, developing muscle strength is key to your fitness goals – even if they include slimming down.
Here are 5 reasons why women will not become bulky from weight training:
1. It’s not as easy as you think to gain muscle and become “huge.”
Weight training not only can be used to help you gain muscle, but also to shred fat. The difference in these outcomes come down to the way you train. At True Health, there’s many targeted weight training methods we utilise to help our clients get lean, toned and stronger, without ever getting big.
2. You need more than cardio to lose weight.
One of the age-old questions about exercise for fat loss is whether to focus on aerobic exercise or weight training and resistance movement. The answer? You should do both, concurrently, for the most powerful combination for weight loss success. Adding extra muscle onto your frame helps burn a little more energy at rest. While also ensuring your body stays looking fit, toned and healthy; rather than underweight and weak.
3. Women don’t have enough testosterone to become “bulky.”
Testosterone is the primary hormone in building muscle. Since women have significantly less of this key building block, they naturally cannot put on as much muscle mass as men. There are of course exceptions to this rule. For example, when weight training, if you begin consuming more calories than you burn every day you will eventually get bigger. This is a classic bodybuilders formula for weight gain success: Lifting + Eating a Surplus of Calories = Bulking.
4. When you weight train, you increase your body’s calorie burning.
When you do cardio your body keeps burning calories for a short time after you finish your workout. But when you do strength training, you boost your calorie burning ability by increasing your body’s supply of muscle tissue. In this instance, weight training helps you burn more calories than the traditional treadmill workout *yawn*.
5. Yes you will see muscly women on social media, but…
Remember when you see women with massive arms, abs and booty on social media, they’re not women like you. Why?
- They want to look like that;
- They train at a professional level for years to develop this aesthetic, and;
- They match their intense training with a bodybuilding diet which includes consuming a series of specific supplements formulated for extreme muscle gain.
Weight training is like the secret sauce to reaching your health and nutrition goals. But remember, it’s not just about getting lean, toned and fitter looking. It’s also about the way it makes you feel in your everyday life. Our body and mind are inextricably intertwined. That means, the condition of your body reflects in your mindset and vice versa. As your body becomes stronger, you’ll begin to feel stronger in the way you handle and approach the ups and downs of everyday life.
In short, ditch your ‘getting bulky’ concerns and focus on all the wonderful benefits a smart, targeted weight training plan can bring you.
Leanne x