The ‘She Hulk‘ theory!
#Strongisthenewskinny, #girlswholift, #fitisthenewthin, #stongissexy, #bossgirls, #liftheavystuff
We see these terms around us on a daily basis, so why is it that the misconception that women
who lift weights will suddenly become bulky and miraculously turn into men?
So many of you wonderful ladies come into Full Fitness Gym and tell me you want a toned and
slimmer physique, but the myth that surrounds women and the freeweights area is keeping so
many of you from acheiving your desired physique.
Below, I am going to debunk the myth of why women aren’t likely to suddenly turn into the hulk
and also why becoming strong is so much healthier for all of us!
WHY YOU WON’T GET ”BULKY”
1- Hormones, Most of us ladies do not naturally posess the levels of testosterone (the male
hormone) to produce or support a bulky physique. While I agree we all have different genetics, the
likelihood of you getting ‘guns like arnie’ without supplementing with hormones is pretty much non-
existent. Ask any bodybuilder you see in the gym and they will tell you that gaining muscle isn’t
easy!
2- Are you ‘bulky’ already? Yes, I said that dreaded word, ‘bulky’! It is a very hard term to define,
what you may deem as to big, might be someone else’s definition of perfect. But guess what!
When you reach your desired ‘toned beach body’ you can switch to a maintenance plan written
up by one of our PT’s at full fitness gym and just keep that beautiful physique you have strived to
acheive. Who are we to determine what someone else’s goals should be? At FFG we want you to
acheive whatever goals you have in mind and help everyone on their route to happiness,
healthiness and a fitter life!
WHY FREE WEIGHT TRAINING IS A MUST!
1- Fat loss, Weight training will grow your lean muscle mass, in turn meaning you will burn more
calories whilst resting as the body burns more calories maintaining muscle then it does fat. Weight
training also increases the ‘mitochondrial content’ in cells which is what in turn increases your
metabolic rate, a number of studies have shown that too much cardio can trigger the adpative
thermogenesis response and actually do the opposite, slowing your metabolism. As well as the
above, you will be burning a large amount of calories whilst performing your workout.
2- Confidence, Not only will knowing that you have accomplished major feats in the gym give you
confidence within yourself, but being able to attain the body you want on the outside will make you
exude confidence from the inside. Even better than that though, their is a plethora of studies to
suggest that weight lifting boosts your endorphine release and helps combat depression and
anxiety. Finally, being strong in the gym doesn’t just stop there- Those jam jar lids, the awkward
and heavy buggy, flipping the mattress on the bed… These all become tasks which are no longer
a struggle and you feel a real air of independance.
3- Healthy hearts, If you already suffer with a higher blood pressure or heart rate, the free
weights section is for you! Just like our other muscles, the heart can be strengthened which is
done through weight training rather than aerobic exercise. It is shown that with resistance training
(weight training) that an unhealthy blood pressure can drop by as much as 20%. It is also proven
that your LDL levels (bad cholesterol) can be effectively lowered through a good weight training
routine and diet; if you are unsure of a good routine then you can always book a PT session with
one of our staff members at Full fitness gym or just come andspeak with us for some good ideas.
4- Bone Density, Now this might not be something we particularly think about in our 20’s or 30’s,
but it is important even for us at the younger spectrum of age. It is becoming prominent that
Osteoporosis is effecting women younger and younger in age and this can easily be attributed to
our common lack of inactivity and ‘weight bearing exercise’ (such as lifting free weights). One of
the most effective ways to reverse these effects and improve bone density (decreasing our risk of
fractures and suffering in the future) is to lift weights. It is also noted by a number of professionals
that resistance training is more effective than cardio training at improving our bone density.
5- Curves in all the right places, Do not give into the idea that you need to be a cardio slave to those beautiful curves you want, gaining muscle will help accentuate your favourite bits,
defy the effects of gravity and even make you have a beautiful booty when you didn’t start with
one at all. Remember, we might not be able to target fat loss, but we can definitely target muscle
growth!
All in all, if you love cardio and classes, thats fantastic, keep it up! But remember that a session in
the free weights area can work wonders for our physique and helping us acheive our goals! If you
need any advice on exercises then do come and see a staff member at Full fitness gym and we
can help you with your routine!
Do not be scared of the weights room, those dumbbells, bars and plates can be some of your best
workout tools and their will always be a friendly knowledgable face around to help you here at
Full Fitness Gym in Watton Norfolk.
Take a little a little thought about maybe trying weights compared to just cardio or speak to one of our professional Personal Trainers, but remember we are all in this together, learning, progressing and striving for our dreams!