Myth Busted: Lifting Light Weights Will Get Me Toned But Not Bulky
When it comes to lifting weights women have an apparent fear of getting bulky and big. There is the idea that lifting heavy weights will have you looking like one of those bulky muscle women seen on American Gladiators.
So what solution do most women choose? Lift light weights for high reps… and get toned and thin? This is the biggest myth and I really don’t quite know whom to blame for this idea.
First off, getting “toned” really just means increasing muscle and decreasing fat to allow that muscle to show a bit more. And sure… lifting light weights for high reps is a decent workout program… but not for getting toned. It is best for increasing your endurance and burning calories.
Let’s dispute the first part of the post: women just don’t have the body or the hormones required to get all jacked up like a man. Those women you see on magazines or bodybuilding shows are not natural and the chances of you getting that big is very very slim.
Ok, so you want to get “toned” and you want to get slim… now what? Lift weight! Real weight, don’t be afraid to move up on the barbell rack and really push yourself. Instead of lifting light weights for 15-20 reps, aim for 6-10 reps but lift heavy enough so you can’t get past the 10th.
That is what lifting and making progress is about. Pushing yourself, and fear shouldn’t stand in the way. Women deserve to get the body they want and you need the facts to do that.
I started weight lifting 3 years ago and while I am much more toned and in shape… my weight and clothes size have decreased. Plus, my race times have improved with every race I have entered… and I only run once a week!
So improve your body, improve your health, and improve your athleticism… all with just grabbing real weights and pushing yourself! If you need help getting started don’t hesitate to get with a personal trainer and get a great program going.
Good luck! Taylor Ryan is a NASM certified personal trainer and figure competitor. She is the owner of the site www.theartofweightlifting.com.
Angie Schumacher is a Certified Fitness Professional who trains clients in her home and is a Women's Boot Camp Instructor in Colorado. She is the author of The Fat Blasting Boot Camp Program and has offered a one stop website to help you with all of your health and fitness needs. Please visit www.BuildingABetterU.com to find exactly what you are looking for!
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Such a good thing to make note of- lifting weights is a GOOD thing, it shouldn’t be something people are scared of!
[...] is a good post over at Women’s diet and fitness that helps explain this.You really do need to push yourself or you will not make much progress and [...]
It’s great to finally have a lady preach the word of heavy resistance training. It’s always tricky to convince my female clients that “Yes, heavy weights will make a women look sexy!”
You just got stumbled Angie.
Ray Burtons last blog post..How To Build Your MMA Sports Workout Program
I agree with ya!
Ever since I’ve started to lift weights my endurance has improved and I start to burn more calories.
We don’t have too much testosterone and so, we won’t bulk up that much.
Angie Tans last blog post..Light Overcame Darkness…
@Sagan~ exactly! So many women are intimidated by weights, when they should use them and feel superior!
@Ray Burton ~ I haven’t used heavy weights in a while, been doing boot camp workouts and I SO MISS the feel of the heavy weights!
@Angie Tan~ Kudos to you!! that is awesome about your endurance and yes you do burn way more calories when you lift weights!
This is a great clarifier–I definitely have fallen into the category of not wanting to get bulky–however I definitely do get a bit bulkier–just my body type–and I have had to really rewire my body image and what it is to be healthy…most models are not healthy and if we hold those body shapes up as perfect then we will never win.
jh
http://www.bodaweightloss.com
Almost every bodybuilding/fitness site I visit says the same thing, that it is virtually impossible for women to get bulky from weight training. My trainer has also told me a million times, while rolling his eyes, that it’s just not going to happen. So why is it then that after a year of weight training and about 4 months on a very strict wheat-free, dairy-free, sugar-free diet, eating 5-6 small meals a day, (including shakes), I look like a bloody balloon, albeit a toned one. I’ve lost a good amount of weight, although I really had very little to lose in the first place, and I started a program wanting substantial muscle gain, but instead I look hulkish. The muscle I’ve gained is quite noticeable, but I certainly am not achieving the kind of definition I want. Am I missing something here? Is it because I’m short? I’m 5′1″.
Also, I do see women at my gym who have achieved great results with weight training. However, I also see women, some of them personal trainers, who have the same bulky look that I do and I have to say, it’s really not an attractive look. Sure, they have good muscle definition, but some of them look like bloody linebackers. Please, any advice would be helpful.