Any woman who likes working out has probably heard these famous words of caution about a thousand times over – Stay away from heavy weight lifting if you don’t want to bulk up. But how much truth is in this piece of advice. Any DC based personal trainer will tell you what REALLY happens when women lift weights and will help you understand the reasons behind women not being able to bulk up even if they lift heavy weights.
Why is it impossible for women to build up muscles like men in spite of lifting heavy weights?
For one, women don’t have as much of the hormone testosterone as men do. With only a fraction (15 to 20 times less) of the testosterone amount men have, women simply can’t build the kind of bulky muscles men can. Which is perfectly okay, and it’s therefore also perfectly okay for women to lift heavy weights, assuming health, physical condition, etc., makes this safe to do so.
What REALLY happens when women lift heavy weights?
Since women have a little amount of testosterone, their body gets toned up instead of developing bulk muscles whenever they lift weights. They end up developing muscle without mass, because of the lower testosterone levels.
* High numbers of sets and repetitions cause muscle bulk, while most women prefer relatively few repetitions.
Men use heavier weights and do a higher number of reps when they lift weights. Women on the other hand use lighter weights and do fewer reps which only results in building strength and not volume.
* Heavy weights develop strength, not size.
When women lift heavy weights, they’ll gain strength, but won’t bulk up. The nervous system is stressed as much as the muscles are during weightlifting, which is going to give women neurological improvement and greater muscle strength, but not size.
* Lifting heavy weights benefits you in more ways than one, as a woman.
Now that all your doubts regarding weightlifting and bulk in women have been clarified, you have every reason to take up lifting heavy weights, provided your health and physical conditions allow it.
If you are avoiding lifting heavy weights, you’re doing yourself a disservice because lifting heavy weights can do several positive things for you. It strengthens muscles, to be sure, but it also makes connective tissues and bones stronger, too. And that can help you avoid problems that can occur as you get older, especially diseases like osteoporosis.
Josef Brandenburg is an award winning DC based personal fitness trainer. His clients depend on him to help them get the bodies they want in the time that they actually have and without starving themselves or eating nasty food. Click here to find out more about his 7-Day Free Trial.
