Debugging the Female Myth: Lifting Weights Will Make You Bulky

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We’ve become increasingly knowledgeable about training and nutrition over the last couple of decades.

We no longer avoid carbs after 6 pm for fear of getting fat. We also don’t avoid cardio as much, despite being told that it leads to muscle loss. And, most of all, we no longer subscribe to the idea that more exercise is always better for us.

Knowledge is a great thing.

But despite that, certain myths linger and refuse to go away. One such myth is that lifting weights makes women bulky.

In this post, we’ll examine the myth, where it came from, why it’s wrong, why it’s harmful to believe it, and what to do about it.

Let’s discuss.

The Female Myth: Lifting Weights Will Make You Bulky

Regardless of how into fitness you are, you’ve probably heard this claim:

“Women shouldn’t lift weights because it will make them bulky.”

Men who’ve heard this idea make sure to share it with every woman they know. From their perspective, these men are doing women a favour.

“Leave those weights to us – men. You don’t want to get bulky now, do you?”

When women hear this myth over and over again, they become scared of weights and avoid them like the plague. Most either stick with cardio or do some weight training but with incredibly light weights, trying to get toned.

You’ve seen them. You might even be one of them. These women walk into the gym, do however many minutes of cardio on a treadmill or elliptical, timidly approach the weight area, and pick up the pink dumbbells in the corner. They then do some bicep curls, lateral raises, and tricep extensions before calling it a day.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, there are countless ‘routines’ and workout programs designed to get women fit and toned. These workouts typically feature light weights, which women lift for 20, 30, 40, even 50 repetitions.

Sure, these routines are better than nothing. But, in the grand scheme of things, they only serve to exacerbate the myth by reinforcing the idea that proper weight training is a man’s activity.

And women? Well, they should just stick with cardio and some light weight training to get and stay fit.

Where Did This Idea Come From?

It’s difficult to say precisely where the myth came from. It likely has several independent origins that have become intertwined over time. For example, one likely origin is professional female bodybuilding.

You see, for the longest time, lifting weights and building muscle has been a man’s thing. Even Socrates said it over 2,400 years ago:

“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.”

That’s right. Man, not woman, or both. In fact, the original quote mentions men twice.

Since then (and before), men have participated in all sorts of physical competitions where they’ve displayed strength, athleticism, and muscle mass. In more recent times – and thanks to pioneers like Eugen Sandow – the art of building one’s body has become even more popular. Bodybuilding has followed a slow evolution over decades, and, thanks to other prominent people like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, and Ronnie Coleman, the sport has grown into something considerable today.

And though it may come to you as a surprise, female bodybuilding is relatively new. It only began to gain popularity in the late 1970s when we first saw female athletes on stage. All of a sudden, we saw these huge and muscular women on the podium. So, inevitably, some people concluded that lifting weights can – and does – turn women into hulking blocks of muscle.

Why Lifting Weights Will Most Certainly Not Make You Bulky

Many people believe that women shouldn’t lift weights if they want to retain their feminine bodies and lean appearances. Countless female bodybuilders and strength athletes are living proof that women can build a lot of muscle and appear manly.

But do you know why lifting weights won’t have the same effect on you? Because building muscle is an incredibly difficult and slow process. It takes years of consistent effort, careful planning, and good genetics to build lots of muscle. And even then, progress occurs slowly, over months.

Every muscular physique comes from years of proper nutrition, lots of training, and plenty of recovery. These women consume a lot of food (and often track their calories), lift heavy frequently, and get lots of sleep each night. In other words, these things don’t happen by accident.

Another thing to consider is testosterone – the primary sex hormone in men. Testosterone plays a huge role in physical development, and provides men with unique characteristics including greater height, stronger bones, deeper voices, and more. The interesting part? On average, men have twenty times more testosterone than women. And even they often struggle to build noticeable amounts of muscle. Women have much less circulating testosterone, which is significantly limits their ability to put on muscle.

And finally, we have to address the elephant in the room: performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). Because of various legal and ethical reasons, most athletes don’t disclose their steroid use. So, people who don’t know better assume that these women have built so much muscle mass naturally. In reality, steroid use plays a huge role in physical development.

So, no. Unless you eat a ton of food, train incredibly hard, and possibly take vitamin S, you won’t build nearly as much muscle mass as some of these female bodybuilders and strength athletes.

What Makes This Myth So Harmful For Women Worldwide?

If you’ve read everything so far, you might be wondering, “Well, what is so bad about this myth? People are going to believe what they want.”

Yes, that’s true. People will believe what they want, and there is little you or I can do to change the beliefs of someone who isn’t open to that. But, the problem with this myth is that it exists as common wisdom and robs countless women of fantastic fitness results.

Instead of doing what they want, women feel afraid to lift weights and only stick with cardio. Sure, that’s better than nothing, but aerobic exercise alone can’t deliver the outstanding results most women aspire to achieve.

Resistance training is profoundly beneficial for everyone who is physically capable of doing it safely. It makes us stronger, adds shape to our bodies, builds grit, and strengthens our bones. It also improves our metabolic health, makes us more independent, and reduces the risk of various chronic diseases.

The Bottom Line On This Myth

If you take one thing away from this article, let it be this:

Lifting weights will not make you bulky. The mere act of lifting weights is not enough to induce such a significant change in the way you look. If anything, resistance training strengthens your muscles, bones, and connective tissues. Thanks to that, you reduce the risk of injury, improve your posture, and become more independent in your everyday life.

Add some protein and healthy foods, and weight training can help you build a bit of muscle and shape up your body. Then, with a temporary caloric restriction (dieting), you can shed fat and achieve a lean and athletic look.

So, get to the gym, grab those weights, and begin to lift them. Rest assured, you will not get bulky.

If you’re interested in following a proven weight training program that will elevate your health, mindset, and physical abilities, head over to this page to check out my kettlebell programs. The best part is, you can do these workouts almost anywhere, so long as you have some kettlebells available.

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