This is a topic that I feel the need to discuss because I hear on a regular basis from clients and members that they don’t want to become bulky from weight training. Many of them associate weight training with very muscular people with large bulky muscles, and therefore have the misconception that if they lift heavy that they too will get these results. This is a myth that I have to discuss with most of my female clients. It’s this fear of “bulking” that prevents many people from getting their desired results.
The truth is that gaining muscle is not an easy task, and achieving a body builder like physique is even more challenging. It’s a goal that takes deliberate action and planning to accomplish, and for women especially, a large bulky physique is almost impossible to achieve without some type of hormone enhancement.
Instead, weight training can lead to many benefits, such as, improved posture, and a stronger, healthier, back. It can help us perform daily tasks with ease, improve bone strength, and give us more confidence.1 These are all good things and things that I think everyone would enjoy. Having more lean muscle mass also helps your body burn more calories. 1 pound of muscle burns 4-5 times more calories per day than a pound of fat does2. Therefore adding muscle mass will help you get and stay lean.
I believe this misconception can be blamed on the marketing strategies of many television commercials, health magazines and supplement companies. These companies have conditioned viewers to think that dramatic results can happen in days, and that we can get tight and toned by using gimmicky workout equipment, that requires minimal effort.
So the next time you see that pill or that “as seen on TV” workout gadget in the checkout line at Walmart that promises crazy results, leave it on the shelf where it belongs and get to the gym. You will never regret working hard to achieve your goals, but you will regret being fooled into buying junk.
Resources
1Trotter, K. (2013, November 02). Huffington Post Canada - Canadian News Stories, Breaking News, Opinion. Retrieved October 6, 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/
2Kent, L. T. (2015, April 21). LIVESTRONG.COM - Lose Weight & Get Fit with Diet, Nutrition & Fitness Tools | LIVESTRONG.COM. Retrieved October 06, 2016, from http://www.livestrong.com/
Photo Credit: http://tinyurl.com/h6heetq
Good blog post. It is amazing how un-informed the masses, and even people in this field, can be when it comes to weight training.
ReplyDeleteGood blog, once again. During high school my cross country coach gave the impression that "heavy lifting would make us bulky and as runners we don't need that." It wasn't until I came to college that I realized the lack of truth in his teachings. Adding weight training into my workouts added all the benefits I had been missing out on in high school.
ReplyDeleteI love this! There are so many people that need to read and understand how true this is. Awesome job!
ReplyDeleteI love this article. people do not need to be worried about gaining muscle. Lifting weight has so many health benifits
ReplyDeleteI like this article. Thanks to you, I think I will change the way I practice. Awesome results!
ReplyDeleteI love this! There are so many people that need to read and understand how true this is. Herbal Supplements
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