Many times when I meet with a woman to discuss what they are really wanting to accomplish in their exercise program and their life, they tell me they want to exercise but they don't want to bulk up. With a little bit of education, I encourage the women to add strength training into their lives and explain why women do not bulk up.
Women sometimes correlate strength training with body building, so the end result is they don't strength train at all. Women are afraid of getting too “bulky” or having a
masculine- like body if they weight train. You cannot walk into a gym a couple times a week and "bulk" up. Testosterone plays a factor in building muscle mass and women have very little testosterone and more estrogen which does nothing for muscle building.
Women who are healthy and fit will
have a well defined lean muscular body, which is covered with a thin layer of
body fat. To obtain this goal it is necessary to train with weights heavier than those 2lb weights you see the women in the magazines using; but don't get scared, you still won't get bulky. The bulky women on those magazine covers have made it their career to look muscular or they are taking some type of supplement to help them build excess muscle. Ladies; the more lean muscle you have the higher your metabolism and the more efficient your body will burn fat.
Another very important reason for weight training is the adaptation your body goes through, each time you challenge the muscles, they tear down and rebuild, thus getting stronger, but this also happens with your bones and connective tissues as well. Weight bearing exercises are very important for women because as we age we start to lose our bone mass as well muscle mass as our estrogen levels decrease.
Put down those 2lb weights, challenge yourself and you will love the results. If you need help contact me.
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