Strength training make you bulky

Other View vs Mainstream View

There is a non-mainstream point of view that "strength training makes you bulky". Let's take a look into pros and cons of this statement:

1. Pros: Your waist may become bigger due to increased muscle mass in the core and obliques.
   – Cons (Mainstream View): Strength training often leads to fat loss, which can slim the waistline. Muscle growth in the core is usually not significant enough to increase waist size dramatically.

2. Pros: Your hands may become rough and calloused, making them look like you work on a farm.
   – Cons (Mainstream View): Callouses can be prevented by wearing gloves or using proper grip techniques. Having some callouses is not necessarily a bad thing and does not equate to a "bulky" look.

3. Pros: Women may start to look more masculine due to muscle growth.
   – Cons (Mainstream View): Women typically do not have enough testosterone to develop large, masculine muscles. Strength training enhances feminine curves and creates a lean, "toned" look.

4. Pros: You may need to go up a clothing size to accommodate your new muscle mass.
   – Cons (Mainstream View): Gaining significant muscle size is a slow process that takes years of hard training and proper nutrition. Slight size increases are often offset by fat loss, resulting in a leaner physique.

5. Pros: If you start strength training while you're still growing, it may affect your development and lead to a bulkier frame.
   – Cons (Mainstream View): Strength training is safe and beneficial for youth when performed correctly. It does not stunt growth or lead to excessive bulk, but rather supports healthy development.

Terms

• Bulky: Having large, prominent muscles that make one look more massive overall. Often seen as an undesirable physique, especially for women.

• Hypertrophy: The growth and increase in size of muscle cells, leading to larger muscles. Caused by challenging resistance training and eating to support muscle growth.

• Resistance/Strength Training: Exercise that causes the muscles to contract against an external resistance like weights, bands, or bodyweight with the goal of increasing strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of muscles.

An analogy

Worrying that casual strength training will make you bulky is like worrying that running a few times per week will turn you into an elite marathon runner. While your running will improve, reaching an elite level requires years of intense, structured training and genetic gifts. Similarly, achieving a bulky, heavily muscled physique takes rare dedication, consistency, and often unique hormonal and genetic factors.

The history

The idea that women shouldn't lift heavy weights dates back many decades:

• Pre-1950s: Weightlifting is seen as a masculine pursuit and women are discouraged from participating to avoid damaging their femininity and reproductive organs.

• 1980s: Female bodybuilding rises in popularity but also solidifies the association between women lifting weights and extreme muscularity and "bulk". Many women avoid weights for fear of looking like bodybuilders.

• 1990s-2000s: The myth persists that lifting light weights for high reps is best for women to "tone" without getting bulky. Women continue to avoid heavy weights.

• 2010s-Present: More information spreads debunking the bulk myth and touting the benefits of strength training for women. But many women still fear heavy lifting will make them bulky.

Three cases how to use it right now

1. A woman who has avoided strength training starts lifting weights 2-3 times per week, focusing on learning proper form and gradually increasing the resistance. She gains a few pounds of muscle, loses some fat, and feels leaner and more energetic.

2. A man who wants to gain some muscle mass starts a dedicated hypertrophy training program, lifting heavy 4-5 times per week and eating 300-500 extra calories per day. After several months he notices modest muscle gain but no extreme "bulk".

3. A post-menopausal woman takes up strength training to combat muscle and bone density loss. The resistance exercises help her maintain lean mass and strength without adding masculine bulk.

Interesting facts

• Women have 15 to 20 times less testosterone than men on average, making it much harder to gain large amounts of muscle mass.

• You would need to gain 10-15 lbs of pure muscle to see a noticeable change in your size. This would take a beginner male lifter 6-12 months, and 1-2 years for a female beginner.

• 1 lb of muscle takes up ~22% less space than 1 lb of fat, so you can gain muscle and lose fat without getting bigger.

• Lifting weights increases bone mineral density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis by 30-50%.

• Resistance training can boost your metabolism by 7-8% due to the increase in muscle mass.