Women: 2 Reasons Weight Lifting Won't Bulk You Up

With all the weight management benefits that strength training has to offer, it's disappointing to know that most women won't lift weights. One of their most common objections to strength training is the fact that they're scared they will bulk up. It is so important for women to know that the chances of them bulking up without trying are slim to none.

There are several reasons for this.

1. You're a female.

Women are not genetically wired to bulk up when they lift weights. Yet, many women seem to think that if they lift anything heavier than 5 pounds they're going to look like Rambo. Even though this isn't true, women still picture oiled up, tanned, female bodybuilders when they think of lifting weights.

The fact of the matter is that these women train extremely hard to look this way. They have to spend hours and hours lifting weights each day to get that effect. Not to mention the fact that they are deliberately structuring their workouts to end up looking that sculpted. Rest assured ladies. If you are lifting even a modest amount of weight and doing one or two sets a few time per week, you will NOT bulk up.

2. Bulk is not in your gene pool.

Ask any man that has ever lifted weights if it's easy to bulk up and he will probably give you big, fat, "heck no". If you find a guy that lifts weights, you are far more likely to hear them tell you how their attempts to get bigger muscles have failed miserably (that is if they're not ashamed to admit it).

This is because most people, male or female are not genetically able to bulk up very much when they lift weights. When you see a very big, muscular guy you are seeing the results of two things. First, he was born with genes that give him the potential to bulk up. Second, he trained intensely to get that Incredible Hulk effect.

Incredibly strong and athletic people make bulking up look easy, however it is anything but. Think about it this way, to get really big muscles you have to have the perfect storm of genes, training, and nutrition come together all at once. Aside from that, it's just not going to happen.

Yes, it's inspiring when Lance Armstrong wins the Tour de France. But that doesn't mean that Joe Six Pack can get on a bike and reproduce his success. Mr. Six Pack would have to be born with an extraordinary lung capacity for starters. Then he would have to train like a madman and have the mental fortitude and discipline to stick with it. And that still doesn't guarantee the desired outcome. That's just the plain truth, ladies.