This week we debunk a common myth that women who gym are at a higher risk of becoming big and bulky. Lifting heavy weights are not only great for building strength, but it can help girls develop a lean, muscular body and develop a higher resting metabolic rate
In recent years, the landscape of sports and fitness has evolved significantly, with women taking centre stage in what was once a male-dominated arena.
Podcasts have emerged as a powerful platform to amplify these voices, and to celebrate the achievement of women in sports, SportPlus.sg is pleased to provide a space for women to share their experiences, challenges, and triumphs.
Lifting weights has long been linked with developing a muscular, bulky physique. But does this hold true for women?
In the fourth episode of the "Fit Talk" podcast, SportPlus.sg hosts Haw Jiaxuan and Chermaine Zhou discuss with calisthenics and yoga instructor Erin Ong the common myth that lifting weights for girls would automatically make them have a higher risk of developing a bulky physique.
This is in fact untrue, with weightlifting offering many benefits to women including enhanced strength, improved muscle tone, and better overall health. However, there are several factors to consider when it comes to the impact of weightlifting on a woman’s body.
The idea that women will become overly muscular from weightlifting is a common misconception, says Erin.
"I think this myth arises because when we think about bulky, we always picture men with very big muscles. Traditionally, men are the ones going to the gym and women don't usually work out at all but what I think is nowadays, it’s important for women to workout or to go for strength training because it helps to build lean muscle mass."
When asked by Jiaxuan why there is a negative connotation of women who have a muscular frame, Chermaine replied with another question: "Could this stem from the fear of looking bulky be because girls are afraid to look more masculine than their partners for some women?"
Erin shares: "To be honest, I’m not very sure. I think it’s because we see men in the gym being very big. Maybe it’s people picturing women with big muscles, it doesn't look very feminine. When girls think, “if i look more masculine, I don't want to look like that in the gym.”
"Bulky in essence means you build muscle mass but in order to really bulk up, we actually need a lot of the testosterone hormone. That’s why it’s easier for guys to bulk up because they have a lot of testosterones in their body. For women, we will not bulk up as easily because we don't have that. We need a lot of protein and eat in caloric surplus to gain the extra bulk which means you need to eat more than what you expense," says Erin.
"So if these two conditions aren't met, we won't get bulky. So actually women don't need to worry because even if we exercise and do strength training, because we don't have as much testosterone and we don't eat a lot of protein, we won't get very bulky."
Hormonal Differences
Women have much lower levels of testosterone than men, which is the hormone responsible for significant muscle growth. While weightlifting does help women build muscle, it doesn't lead to the large, bulky muscles that many people associate with bodybuilders.
Going to the gym and lifting weights can also boost your self-confidence, help you cultivate a better relationship with your body, and even improve a woman's health.
Types of Weightlifting
The type of weightlifting program a person follows determines the outcome. If a woman focuses on lifting heavier weights with fewer reps, she can build strength and muscle tone. If the focus is on higher reps with lighter weights, the result is more likely to be a lean, toned physique rather than bulk.
Nutrition
Nutrition also plays a huge role in determining how much one bulks. Building muscle requires a caloric surplus (eating more calories than you burn), along with proper protein intake. Most women who lift weights aren't consuming enough calories to get "bulky" unless they are intentionally following a program designed to build significant muscle mass.
Erin explains: "It’s really because of our hormones and diet is very important too. If you’re not eating enough, no matter how much you work out, you can’t bulk up. That’s what happened to me because I started working out but realised I wasnt increasing weight. I wanted to increase muscle mass but when I measured my body composition, I realised that my muscle still stayed the same. I slowly learned it was because I didn’t eat enough protein."
"Even now, as a strength trainer, I'm not too particular on my calorie count but everyday, I always make sure I eat enough protein. That’s the only thing I make sure of."
Genetics is a factor
Some women may have a genetic predisposition to gain muscle more easily, but this varies widely between individuals. Most women will see improvements in strength, muscle definition, and overall fitness, but not excessive bulk.
In short, lifting weights is an excellent way for women to improve strength, boost metabolism, and increase muscle tone without becoming "bulky" unless that is their specific goal.
Functional Fitness
If you're concerned about building excessive muscle, you can always tailor your workout to focus more on endurance or toning by seeking the help of certified fitness trainers from the industry to guide you on your fitness journey.
"I think functional fitness started to come about to build better mobility because I think as we grow older and have kids, it’s important to make sure we can still move freely and do the things our kids do. Imagine we grow older and we can't keep up with the kids because we are not fit enough. Functional fitness like going to the gym and doing some arm work strength, you can still be healthy, fit and move pain-free as you grow older."
"You don’t want to injure your back when you carry heavy luggage or you can’t even put up in the cabin. For some of us, we like hiking. So if you like hiking but you aren't fit enough, you won't be able to do it and experience what you want to do. Strength training actually carries over to your daily activities."
Can lifting weights help one lose weight
When asked whether one can lose weight by doing weights or if cardio exercise or mandatory in order to do so, Erin surprised us with her response. "If you compare cardio and strength, I would say both can help lose weight. If you want to lose weight fast, cardio is a good way to start."
"If you’ve never done anything before and want to start, running and high intensity interval training, if you do it regularly like almost everyday or every other day, that would be the fastest way to lose weight. If you compare it to strength lifting, you lift for one hour, you don't burn as many calories so maybe that’s why people have that perception."
"Why I say that strength training can also help to lose weight is because in the long term if you do strength training, you build muscles. And when you build lean muscle mass, you’re actually increasing your resting metabolic rate. Resting metabolic rate is when your body naturally burns calories when you’re at rest." "If you have higher muscle mass in your body, your resting metabolic rate will increase. So for long term weight loss, go for strength training. If you want the best results, do both (cardio and strength)." Erin is a full time Strength & Yoga coach and personal trainer, with expertise in Functional Strength, Calisthenics, Yoga and Mobility.
With 8 years of coaching experience, she strives to help her students/ clients achieve functional strength, longevity and the ability to move freely and pain free.
If you’re keen in 1:1 private coaching with Erin, click on this link or drop her a DM on her instagram page @erinongwc. #FitTalk #SgFitFam #SgFitness #WeightTraining