How to Prevent Your Muscles from Bulking

We know — picking up those heavy weights before class begs the question, “Doesn’t heavy lifting make muscles bulky, instead of feminine, lean and long-looking?” Through extensive research and years of experience, we have learned that the answer is no (even better — it’s actually the opposite)! Keep reading to find out why.

At Hilliard Studio Method, we encourage the use of heavy dumbbells — in fact, the heavier, the better! This is because working out using resistance actually boosts your metabolism. This metabolism boost helps your body continue burning calories long after your workout is over. Liz experienced this herself when she first created the method — the more weight she worked with, the more the inches fell off her waist. According to Jacque Crockford, CSCS and spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise, “lifting weights can increase your lean body mass, which increases the number of overall calories you burn during the day.”

Crockford also emphasizes that your body won’t bulk unless your caloric intake does  “Gaining muscle mass comes from a combination of heavy weight training and an excess in calories,” she says. So, as long as you’re not consuming more calories than you’re burning, you surely won’t turn into a competitive body builder overnight!

Bottom line: the idea that heavy lifting in women will make our muscles bulky and masculine is a myth — plain and simple. Working out with heavy resistance burns more calories and creates the shapely muscles you strive for. So next time you’re at the studio, try picking up a heavier set of weights. We promise it’ll have you feeling stronger, healthier and leaner than ever!