The Myth of Bulking Up

Don't be afraid to pull out the dumbbells and go toe to toe with the guys in the gym.

By Kevin Valluzzi

Women across the country are lifting weights at their gyms and in their homes. Lifting light weights is better than not lifting weights at all, but you shouldn't be afraid to do what needs to be done in order to really change and redesign your body. Lift heavy weights! And if you are concerned about getting bulky, let me explain why this won't happen.

Women do not have enough testosterone to grow ridiculously big muscles like those guys you see in the gym. Fair or not, men have the male-dominant hormone testosterone, which is what helps them bulk up. Sure, there are some women who might feel they are gaining too much muscle after they begin a strength-training program, but I would venture to guess that those women have just added a few pounds of muscle without losing any fat...yet. Odds are they get scared and then will either immediately drop back down to light weights or they stop lifting weights altogether because they fear they are going to get bigger. Please do not make this mistake.

Let me explain it this way. Muscle is what's responsible for burning calories (even while resting). The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. So the more muscle you have, the better chance you will have to be leaner and more toned. And the best way to increase your muscle is to lift heavy weights. A lot of women hear "more muscle" and equate that with being "big" or "bulky." That's just not the case. Remember, all women have the same muscles in their body. Whether or not you or anyone else can see them comes down to how much fat is covering them. And if you don't want too much fat covering them then make sure to start lifting weights--heavy weights!