MYTH- IF A WOMAN DOES WEIGHT TRAINING,SHE WILL LOOK MANLY
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The short answer is no. The ridiculously “man looking” female bodybuilders are on steroids, “juicing” as they call it. There is no way the average woman could get that absurdly huge from only lifting weights.⠀
Most of the time I see women perform a 30-minute sprint on the stationary treadmill/ bicycle or an aerobic activity, and call it a day.⠀
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“I don’t want to look too bulky, I just want to tone up” – this is something we hear a lot as personal trainers when we start talking to female clients about lifting weights. Although more and more women are embracing weight training, some still worry that lifting heavy will make them look “manly” or “bulky”.⠀
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Well, to start with, building a significant amount of muscle takes a lot of hard work and time! Adding weights into your training regime will not see you suddenly develop huge amounts of muscle. It takes time, commitment and a well-designed training programme that includes progressive overload and a effective nutrition plan.⠀
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There’s still a misconception that lifting weights will make you “big”. While it’s certainly possible to add mass and grow your body through weights, that’s just one outcome. With proper programming, you can use weight training to simply shape your body and create a toned, lean look. ⠀
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TESTOSTERONE PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MUSCLE BUILDING⠀
Thanks to hormonal differences between men and women, notably the far lower levels of testosterone, it’s much more difficult for women to get “bulky” when strength training. To give you an idea, in blood tests adult men may have anywhere between 240-950 nanograms of testosterone per deciliter, whereas adult women can expect to have between 8-60. Since testosterone is a key driver of muscle strength, logic follows that men will find it relatively easier to pack on muscle mass compared to their female counterparts. So, instead of worrying about putting on unwanted mass, focus on the fact that lifting weights will help to strengthen your bones and give you increased muscle definition.
