So, you’re looking to put on muscle. Or, perhaps, you don’t even realize why it’s actually a good thing. Today’s post will help you to do just that by providing you the basic blueprint for putting on lean, strong, functional muscle. And yes, you read the title correctly. We’re in for another two-parter here, because it’s still a prevailing misconception that putting on muscle is a bad thing for women and that cardio should be the mainstay of your exercise regimen. So, I’m already to really slash these myths once and for all and show you the ins and outs of putting on muscle. Are you ready? Let’s begin!

Women and Muscle

Let’s get this common misconception out of the way for all of the ladies in the ZGYM: building muscle will not make you look like a man. You will not explode into a giant Hulk by picking up a weight or doing resistance training. Nor will adding muscle to your body turn you into a bodybuilder in a matter of days. Building muscle takes TIME and COMMITMENT. After all, even in bikini and bodybuilding competitions, the process takes months, not days, to occur. And maintaining the EXTREME amounts of muscles that you do see at the peak of competition isn’t always sustainable (you’ll see that as soon as these competitors return to a normal, sensible amount of exercise and training, they look more normal and, for lack of a better word, athletic). Again, I am referring to extremes here: shredded to the bone with single- if not zero- digit body fat and vascularity… like walking anatomy charts. Trust me, unless you’re a competitor, you will not look like this year-round. Those that do are either insanely blessed by their genetics, are taking performance-enhancing drugs, or, are hiding their “off-season” bodies and only post their competition-ready physiques on social media. You don’t always see their everyday body and might even be looking at old pictures. Heck, even some of them get doctored by special apps that are made to edit their appearance. So, do not be deceived by what you see online. And if there’s a woman you know who seems to look a certain way, know that you’re only viewing a small piece of a bigger picture. Is she on steroids? Is she eating an insane amount of food and working out 24/7? Again, be aware of the lifestyle and genetic differences between you and the person you’re comparing yourself to. Everyone reacts differently to different training modalities when it comes to building muscle. But as a whole, women will not become any more masculine by building muscle.

Why You Must RESIST

Believe it or not, building muscle is what will shape and define your body! For example, running on a treadmill may help with cardio and burning calories, but what it doesn’t do is give you that toned, sexy back that looks amazing in bikinis and backless dresses. A step master doesn’t hold a candle to exercises like the hip thrust for lifting and molding your booty. Cardio has its place, but when it comes to building muscle, your go-to plan should be incorporating resistance training. For myself, although I love and believe in the benefits of cardio, I too know that it’s only part of the equation. You burn, but then you build. By incorporating a form of resistance- whether it’s through the weight of your own body or heavy weights like a kettlebell-, you challenge your muscles to overcome and adapt. And it’s that adaptation that enables them to grow and strengthen. To sum this up, in order to build shapely muscle that defines your body with all of the right curves and lines, you’re going to need to incorporate resistance training into your routine. This can be done with bodyweight alone or by using heavy weights in the form of kettlebells and dumbbells. I’d say get the best of both worlds and use as many variations as you can.

On another note, may I add that building muscle and getting stronger does wonders for your confidence? Trust me, when you realize that you DO have the strength to pick up something heavy and nail the obstacle like a badass, you’ll feel like a superhero.

So, not only are you building a better body, you’re also fortifying your mind.

Ladies, we can still be feminine while being strong. The two aren’t mutually exclusive. Getting stronger in your body has a ripple effect into your mind since you know that if you can endure a challenging workout then you can also take on whatever challenge life throws at you. And whatever you’ve endured in life can empower you to have the will to crush your workout. It’s funny how the two go hand in hand! But believe me, you’ll be surprised by how far you can go if you take a leap of faith and focus on cultivating your inner and OUTER strength, too.  

With muscle, you’re not just looking tight and toned for that bikini or dress. You’re also whipping your internal health into shape. I’ve already gone over the benefits of it for building your self-confidence, but it’s also great for your overall health, from improving cholesterol and heart health to helping with bone density and keeping your tendons and joints strong. There’s even a boost for your metabolism, too. (Similar to how HIIT training can boost it, resistance training gives your body a metabolic leg up, enabling you to take in more fuel- aka, food- and burn more calories in order to build and maintain muscle. For a closer look into the total body benefits of muscle, read this post,which is sure to inspire you!)

Alright, let’s close things off right here. To recap, we’ve gone over the mental blocks that prevent us women from even touching a weight or focusing on our muscles. We’ve gone over the benefits of resistance training and how it also affects your mental and physical health. With this very important prerequisite out of the way when it comes to having a healthy approach to putting on muscle, we’ll get into HOW you can do that in Part 2 of this topic. Don’t worry, it will be here right before you know it. In the meantime, let me know if you’ve ever considered putting on muscle, and what’s holding you back from doing so! Thanks again for reading and see you soon for Part 2!