Women & Weight Training – Dispelling The “Bulky” Myth
If I had a dollar for every time a woman said that to me, I wouldn’t have to work.
Time and time again I have seen women scream at the weights and run for the cardio machines… why? Out of fear that they will ‘bulk up’ when their goal is to be slim, toned, and with minimal body fat.
I’m here to debunk that myth.
Let me start by saying, I get it. I used to fear the dreaded ‘bulked-up’ look and thought weights would make me able to give Arnold Schwarzenegger a run for his money, but it’s just not true.
Here’s 3 simple reasons why.
People who are bulky are 9/10 times TRYING to look that way: That is their goal! They are eating more than their share of food, training multiple times a week, working with a coach (most likely) and tracking everything to a T! Every single piece of food that is put into their mouth, every single training session they are doing is undertaken with the GOAL of becoming bigger and stacking on the muscle.
It is HARD for women to get bulky: “Wait what? But… I’ve seen girls who are muscle machines…” How many? Do you see a ton of them walking around the streets? No. Exactly! Our genetics limit us as to how much muscle and size we can actually gain. We do not have the same hormonal profile as men, so unless we are taking exogenous hormones (i.e., Testosterone/estrogen boosters or performance enhancing drugs) we cannot get bigger than our genetics permit us. (If you want to know more about female hormones, watch this space. We here at BodySeek are setting up a Ladies Health Seminar!)
Weights at the gym don’t speak a secret language to your muscles: What do I mean by this? Your muscles don’t know a dumbbell from a handbag. Load is load. Receptors in your muscles detect resistance (weight) and react accordingly. Mum’s out there, you wouldn’t refuse to pick up your newborn out of fear of getting bulky? No, you wouldn’t. You wouldn’t leave your groceries or shopping spree collection in the car out of fear of getting muscle man arms would you? No!
Muscle is a dense tissue, far denser than fat. It is far more metabolically active, meaning, it boosts your metabolism and allows you to burn more calories both at rest and as you move around. Doesn’t that sound lovely? If you’re wanting the ‘toned’ and ‘tight’ look, resistance training is your key to success.
Not only that, strength training itself:
Boosts metabolism both during and after exercise: Its post-exercise caloric burn lasts anywhere from 24-48 hours, as opposed to aerobic exercise which gives you a 4-8-hour window.
Number #1 for bone health: The stress placed on the bone as your muscles contract around them during exercise triggers a cascade of events which lead to increased bone strength, reducing your risk of osteoporosis, injury and osteopenia.
Increases insulin sensitivity: What does this mean? Your body is better able to tolerate carbohydrates. It has more storage room for carbohydrates and is less likely to store them as fat.
Increased strength: Your ability to perform activities of everyday living (ADL)’s goes up! Carrying the kids, shopping, and all your man’s problems won’t be as tiring. Your body adapts to the stress in the gym, allowing you to be stronger, healthier, more resilient to fatigue with a better posture and overall quality of life.
Mental health and increased self-esteem: Exercise is great for your wellbeing, we all know this. But proving to yourself that you are strong in the gym and feeling yourself master different exercises leads to increased mental resilience, self-perception and self-esteem. You, and every woman out there, deserves this.
So ladies, next time you head into the gym, wonder over to the weights section and have a go. If you are nervous, ask a coach or someone who knows their way around the gym to show you the ropes. Strength training is so important for us, not just for physical health, but also mental health.
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Tim's knowledge and execution of training, nutrition, and supplement programs to suit a person’s age, background and lifestyle, and secure amazing results, is brilliant.
As is the case with anything somewhat difficult to attain, a fair amount of grit and determination are required from yourself as an individual, but to have the support of Tim and his team maximises every minute spent in the gym, every meal decision made, and ensures profound results..
Sick of all the advice so called 'people in the know' bang on about yet leaves you without a result? Give the guys at Bodyseek Personal Training a call and see what makes them so different.
Have never been fitter, healthier, or happier in my life as I am now, and I am well into my fifties..
I have been attending Bodyseek for 6 months. The gym has excellent equipment and is very clean and well maintained. I have been training with Lucas since joining and I have benefited from his rehabilitation knowledge and training expertise in that time. I arrived with a number of issues with my knees and walked with a limp and was in varying degrees of pain most days. Lucas has built a progressive training plan for me focusing on building the strength stability and mobility of my knees and overall body strength and we have achieved great results. My mobility and movement have improved noticeably. I look forward to continuing my journey with the Bodyseek team.
Personal training with Lucas is as elite as it can get. You’re provided with knowledge about the specifics of what you’re training to prevent injury, gain strength and nutrition on your wellness journey. Definitely moneys worth.
Awesome place to train great facilities and coaches Lucas Lim is an amazing coach very professional.
Chris is a wonderful coach he always pushes me to do better. The whole team have become like family a great fun and supportive environment to work towards your fitness goals.
If you want to change your life around through wellness one can't look past Chris and Bodyseek. I could write in detail how great the work and ability for transformation to positively effect all facets of one's life but I can't recommend Chris and the work from Bodyseek enough so I'm encouraging anyone reading this review to try them and see it for yourself. It's no run of the mill gym or programme. The service here is completely personal where you're made to feel a part of the team and the results can be incredible if you're willing to put the work in.
Joining BodySeek almost six months ago is one of the best decisions I've made this year. BodySeek provides a highly personalised and professional personal training service.
I had never stepped foot in a gym prior to BodySeek and so was somewhat apprehensive and unsure of what to expect. However, the process to date has been seamless and transformational for my physical and mental health. Joining is easy and the gym is well-equipped, private and low pressure (but high intensity!).
My trainer, Kevin, is a legend. He's fantastic at inducting new people to the gym and made an amateur like me feel completely comfortable learning and growing throughout the initial 12-week programme. I also did one session with Jack when Kevin was away and he was also excellent and insightful - the amount you can learn from these guys is immense! I have ended up staying on as I've enjoyed it so much. I've made great progress and I'm looking forward to continuing!
Both Kevin and Tim (the owner), are invested in your progress and success. I've found them to be available and highly knowledgeable and have learnt a lot about technique, physical fitness and nutrition.
Tim has a real focus on excellence and ensuring that BodySeek delivers a best-in-class training service. If you're looking for a personalised PT & gym I recommend giving them a go!
Best decision to join Bodyseek six months ago!! Very professional group of trainers. I was so apprehensive about getting a PT for years… but Kevin is an absolute legend, he’s helped me get through the initial challenges and to a stage where I actually quite like training and want to do even better (and so I have added an extra session!) Tim the owner is super knowledgeable and will help you stay on track and supported with any overall life and nutrition changes needed so that you can achieve something sustainable 🙂
I am so glad that I chose Bodyseek when I was looking for help to strengthen my bad back, lose some weight and sort out my bad eating and drinking habits.
I had never had a personal trainer before, but I believe it's worth the money for the attention that you get.
My trainer Kevin has pushed me way beyond any limit that I thought I could do, while teaching me good technique to avoid injury.
Tim is fantastic with sorting out nutrition and is incredibly knowledgeable with supporting any health issues.
I have enjoyed it so much that I have just completed my 12 week block and have stayed on for another round. That says a lot because I'm not a 'gym person'.
I'm loving how strong I am becoming and my over 50's body is going to look awesome this summer!
1 train 3 days a week with Dasha l love how she challenges me to do better and because of her help l am keeping up my Flexibility and mobility which is so important as you get older without my training l would struggle day to day.
