“I heard lifting weights is good for you, but I don’t want to get too big. Will lifting weights make me bulky?”
I get this one all the time.
Mostly from women, but honestly from guys too. They sit down and say something like “I just want to tone up” or “I want to build lean muscle, I don’t want to get TOO big.”
I get it. I really do. Nobody walks into a gym wanting results they didn’t ask for. And it’s important we’re clear on your goals before getting you started with the right program. Because basic strength and weight training and training to get “too big” look pretty different!
But here’s what I always tell people: getting “too bulky” doesn’t happen by accident. It takes an insane amount of calories, specialized training, years of focus, and a very intentional routine to get to that level. Competitive bodybuilders work incredibly hard to look the way they do (and often have some additional…”supplements” that help them achieve that insane look). You’re not going to stumble into it because you picked up a heavier dumbbell.
It’s just not how it works.
So what actually happens when you start lifting heavy?
You get stronger. You function better in your day to day life. You have less aches and pains. You just overall feel better. Oh and more confident.
And typically? People really like how their body shape changes.
Here’s the thing that surprises a lot of people. It’s not always about losing or gaining weight. It’s about how you hold the weight. Two people can weigh the exact same number on the scale and look completely different based on how much muscle they’re carrying and where.
That’s what strength training does. It changes your shape, not just your size.
I see it every day at our gym. Someone comes in convinced they need to lose 30 pounds. A few months of lifting later, they’ve maybe lost 10 on the scale but they look and feel like a completely different person. Their posture is better. Their clothes fit differently. They’re carrying themselves with a confidence they didn’t have before. The scale didn’t tell the whole story. The mirror and how they feel did.
One of my favorite examples is a member of ours, Shelly.
She started training with us in her late 40s. Her goals were pretty straightforward. Build some strength. Lose some weight. Feel more confident. Have her clothes fit better. And of course, not get too bulky in the meantime.
Coach Sebastian put together a routine for her that was a mix of strength training, muscle building, core work, and conditioning. Not some special “toning” program. Real lifting. Real work.
The result? She lost weight. And she had to go get all new clothes because the old ones didn’t fit anymore.
Not because she got bulky. Because her body completely changed for the better.
Shelly’s story isn’t unique either. We see this over and over. People come in nervous about lifting too heavy, and within a couple months they’re asking their coach to add more weight to the bar. That fear disappears real quick once you start seeing what your body can actually do.
So if you’ve been avoiding the barbell or sticking to the lighter dumbbells because you’re afraid of what might happen, I want you to hear this.
You won’t accidentally get results you didn’t work for. You won’t wake up one day so big and bulky that you just can’t stand it. That’s not a thing.
Building a base of strength will only benefit you. And I can pretty much guarantee you’ll like the results.
Try it for a month or two. See what it’s like to be strong.
You can always stop if you don’t like it.
(Spoiler… you’re not going to want to stop.)
Talk soon, -Joe
