Until very recently, I had no idea that it was possible for a woman to build strength without bulk. I can admit that I have avoided working with weights – or I’ve used lighter weights or fewer reps than was likely appropriate for me – because I didn’t want to get big. After all, I love to bake and I love to eat, my goal for a long time has been getting smaller, not larger!
My Misunderstanding of Building Strength Without Bulk
Before I get to really talking about how to build strength without bulk, I just want to say that I have every respect for women who muscle up. Powerful women – whether or not it shows physically – are amazing. Particularly now that I know how much more challenging it is for us to achieve those types of goals than it is for men. It really is! Read on!
I want strength without bulk because that’s what I feel is right for me. It’s the look and outcome I want for my body. If you want massive muscles or if you want to be slim and willowy, that’s all up to you. For me, I want to be solid and capable but not outwardly largely muscular. I don’t mind having some tone and definition to my muscles, but I don’t want to look like I’m going to be in a bodybuilding competition either. The good news, it’s nearly impossible to do that accidentally if you’re a woman!
Getting Stronger Doesn’t Mean Getting Bigger
As it turns out, women build strength without bulk far more readily than we build big muscles. It’s just not something we do to any extreme degree without serious focus and regular attention to building workouts, special diets, and a lot of time and effort. Those women you see in competitions didn’t get that way by using hand weights three times per week. They put in some major hours with an extreme focus on what they eat and what they do.
This is great news for someone like me, because I’d love to get stronger and, this year, it’s one of my goals. While my muscles will likely (hopefully!) get some definition, I now know that getting strength without bulk isn’t something I need to specifically have to aim to do. Because the female body has far lower levels of testosterone than the male body, we just don’t build large visible muscles like many men do simply by doing regular average workouts.
So, if you’ve been avoiding getting stronger because you thought that with strength comes bulk, then join me this year! Let’s take some healthy, straightforward steps to strengthen our bodies, enjoy what it is to be strong, and not avoid it because of a misunderstanding around muscle growth!