Do Women Get Big and Bulky from Lifting Weights?

Question: My wife thinks she’ll get big and bulky if she starts lifting weights. Will she?

Answer: This comes up all the time, and it’s one of the biggest myths out there. First of all, women simply don’t have the proper hormonal balance to put on large amounts of muscle tissue. Secondly, even if they did have the right physiology, it would take some serious training to do it. Getting bigger muscles requires high-volume workouts (lots of sets and repetitions) and a pretty high intensity level as well.

Picking up a few weights here and there isn’t a recipe for building mass—it’s what you do and how you do it that really makes the difference. Weight-training programs can always be tailored to specific goals, so if she doesn’t want to put on large amounts of muscle, that’s just fine.

Generally speaking, a full-body circuit with higher repetition ranges a few days per week would work well if she’s just looking to tone up or maintain her current level of muscle tissue. If she wants to get an individualized program based on her goals, look for a qualified personal trainer in your area.

About the author: Grant Pritchard is the club owner at Anytime Fitness in Buckley & Orting.