MYTH: Lifting Weights will Make Women "Bulky"

“No, I don’t want to lift weights; I don’t want to get big and bulky like a bodybuilder!”

As a personal trainer, I hear something similar to this statement sometimes when first speaking to women about their health and fitness goals.  They want to lose weight and “tone up,” but don’t want to do any strength training (also known as resistance training, or training designed to increase strength and endurance) due to a fear of “getting too big” and looking “too muscular.”  “What if I accidentally start looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger?!” they might ask.

Well, I can promise you, you won’t ever accidentally look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

But I get it.  I’m sure these ladies have seen pictures like the one below* and realize that is not the look that they desire.  

*Image from https://curvygirljournal.com/a-female-bodybuilder/

 But the truth is, the women in the picture above don’t really look like that all the time.  It’s actually very, very tough to look like that, and this “competition-ready” look is achieved by manipulating certain variables in a very specific and targeted way.  In the weeks, days and even hours leading up to a bodybuilder’s competition, the workouts she does, the foods she eats, the amount of water she drinks, the amount of sleep she gets, etc. are all carefully planned and optimized so she can look her absolute best for the competition.  It takes a massive amount of long-term dedication and a specific plan to look like the women above.  

This look won’t be achieved “accidentally” by adding strength training to your exercise routine!

Another important point to mention is the difference in natural testosterone levels in the male and female bodies.  Testosterone is a hormone that plays a key role in growing and maintaining muscle mass.  In general, males have higher testosterone levels in their bodies than women so they are able to build muscle easier and faster. To get the desired muscular look, a lot of female bodybuilders (not all) must take some sort of supplements in order for their bodies to have the proper amount of testosterone needed for the desired muscle growth.

The benefits of strength training are too many to ignore!  Don’t let the myth of “getting too muscular” stop you from adding it to your fitness routine – it is just a myth!  Trust your personal trainer – strength training is essential for long-term health, especially for women!

If you’d like to talk more about this, fill out the contact form on our website and I’ll be contacting you shortly to see if working with a Swamp Fitness Gainesville personal trainer or registered dietitian nutritionist may be a good fit for you!

-Sarah Kunkler

NASM Personal Trainer Gainesville FL