Unleash Your Inner Strength: Let’s Talk About "Getting Too Bulky"

Throughout my years of working as a personal trainer/coach, one of the common concerns that many individuals express when working with me is “getting too bulky.” While I respect, and appreciate, that these individuals have a preference/vision of what they would like their body to look like, I would like to break down some of the science behind this misconception of lifting weights equating to a “bulkier body".

First and foremost, it is important to understand that sociocultural factors such as age, gender, and ethnicity will shape a person’s perspective around exercise and body image, and should always be acknowledged and respected. It is also important to acknowledge that there is a lot of misinformation about fitness out there, and much of it is the result of professionals attempting to secure a means of profiting from the misinformed. Let’s get one thing straight though, muscle takes TIME, specific NUTRITION, and significant EFFORT to build.

The reality is, that building large muscles requires a specific and intentional approach. It involves incorporating heavy weights, high-volume training, and a surplus of calories in your diet. The idea that lifting weights alone will transform you into a bodybuilder is inaccurate. Our bodies adapt to the specific demands placed on them, in other words, how you move determines your build.

Powerlifters, like myself, lift heavy weights for many sets and repetitions over months at a time because they need to prepare their bodies to overcome maximal loads, so their bodies develop large muscles as a direct response to their training. Not to say all people with large muscles are strong, science has shown that other factors such as genetic disposition and muscle fiber type distribution can influence the actual size, appearance, and capacity of muscle tissue.

Many of the fitness bodies you have seen are the product of training over a long period of time (like 6 months to 1yr+), as well as structured resistance training programs that specify intensity (load, sets, reps, time, etc) and is progressively overloaded (increased) over time. Our bodies are really good at adapting, if it isn’t challenging you, you aren’t growing and getting closer to your physique goals.

Another important concept to understand is muscle is really hard to build, not just physically but nutritionally as well. You need to eat a lot of protein, but you also need to combine it with the appropriate carbohydrates and fats your body needs to not just maintain your muscle, but help it grow. Often when people see a “bulky” body they are seeing a person who is eating a surplus of calories, coming from not just protein, but fats and carbohydrates as well.

Therefore, with the right nutrition and resistance training program tailored to your goals, you can achieve the physique you would like without getting “bulky”. If you’re unsure where to start and what to do, work with a coach like myself to provide you with resources to develop the tools you will need to get you moving in the right direction.

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