SS Fitness

While scrolling for an embarrassingly long time, I came across a trend that struck a chord with many women- the decision to stop their regular upper-body strength training. One woman, in particular, shared her journey. She used to hit her upper body 4 to 5 times a week, and she loved how her arms looked in the gym. When it came to wearing dresses, they felt bulky and less feminine. Her solution? She transitioned to Pilates, a change that significantly boosted her body confidence. She said that upper body training was not her thing and took away her confidence, so she did not want to return to being bulky.

My opinion on these types of videos is a mix of caution and understanding. I believe they could potentially discourage many women from exploring heavy lifting. Trainers, coaches, and influencers often discuss the challenge of getting ‘bulky,’ but I argue that this term is subjective and varies for each person. When you start lifting, your body composition is primarily influenced by genetics, diet, and the amount of weight you lift.

What I think of as muscular could be severely different from what you think. You aren’t going to put on 20 lb of lean muscle overnight, but what I picture as an average amount of muscle for a woman may look different than what you think. I blame this partly on the slander that muscular women look masculine presented by the media, especially when you look around the 1990s, which is where many of my current clients grew up.

Genetics plays a significant role in fat deposition and muscle growth. While proper diet and exercise can shape your body to some extent, genetics greatly influences muscle formation. So, the rate at which you put on muscle is largely curated by your genetics. I’m not saying you can’t grow muscle everywhere, but some places may be easier than others (my quad-dominant girls know).

Do I think some women are destined to look ‘bulky’? Yes and no. Everyone has a different definition of bulky, so it’s time to remove the term altogether. As someone who loves training the upper body, I’ve had days where I felt that my arms looked too ‘bulky,’ especially when my body fat percentage is higher. With my very boxy build, looking feminine can be frustrating, and I find that most things just do not flatter me in a way that I like. We all have insecurities, and it is important that we work hard to achieve our goals, but it is also good to accept those things that won’t ever really change. You will probably always be able to find something wrong with yourself, but I encourage you to sometimes look for what you like. We are so busy searching for imperfections that we miss all of the progress that we have made!

However, you don’t have to focus solely on training your upper body if you don’t want to grow a ton of muscle. The woman in the video was training her upper body 4-5 times a week, but you don’t need to stimulate the muscle that much to see benefits. For newcomers to the gym, I recommend 2-3 days of full-body resistance training each week. Later, I often switch my clients to push-pull-legs routines based on their goals. If your goal isn’t to have massive arms, you don’t have to train them to be, but if you have genetically well-defined arms, the choice is yours. The key is to find a routine that aligns with your goals and makes you feel good about yourself.

The benefits of upper body strength outweigh the aesthetic cons. We should redefine the narrative that having muscle in your arms means you look manly. The benefits of a heightened metabolism, decreased risk of falling, improved mobility, and maintaining bone density outweigh the concerns about aesthetics. If you’re worried about gaining too much muscle, it’s okay. It’s not a look for everyone, and you can train in a way that fits your aesthetic and is realistic and healthy. However, you can still achieve this by incorporating strength training into your routine.

Your physical body is unique, and how you care for it will shape your age. Genetics plays a significant role in how ‘big’ you appear when you gain muscle, but this can be managed with a personalized program. While strength training may not be your preferred activity, it’s crucial for your bone and overall health. Aesthetics are valid, but don’t let current trends push you into unhealthy habits. Consider the benefits of functional resistance training and your daily actions, which may become more challenging as you age and potentially lose strength.

You might be okay now, but it’s essential to consider your future self and how you can best prepare. There will always be curve balls, but training your upper body to maintain independence for as long as possible is crucial.