Question: This might seem like a strange question for you, but I’m trying to get my girlfriend to join the gym where I train so we can workout together. She’s in good shape now but is starting to gain some weight where she doesn’t want it, and is thinking of starting an exercise program. The problem is, she doesn’t want to work out with weights or even machines because she’s afraid of developing big ‘masculine looking’ muscles. Can you help me out here?

Thanks, Todd.

Answer: Actually, this is a very good question Todd. The idea that females will develop big, bulky muscles if they so much as look at a barbell or dumbbell is a myth that just won’t go away.

The truth is that most women could never develop really large muscles even if they wanted to. This is due to several factors, including the number and arrangement of muscle fibers and the size and strength of connective tissue, but the main reason is hormones. The body requires certain amounts of the primary male hormone testosterone to build a large muscular structure and while females do produce a small amount of testosterone, they produce primarily estrogen – not exactly the best hormone for muscle and strength building

Now there are those female bodybuilders and some other athletes your girlfriend may have seen in the magazines or on television who do have a very marked degree of muscular size and definition. These are by far the exception rather than the rule…and such size and overall look is most likely achieved by some serious hormone manipulation. Can you say ‘steroids’?

So tell your girlfriend not to worry about getting big, bulky muscles. If she works out regularly and watches her diet, she’ll end up looking head-turning sleek and toned…which means you’ll have to keep on your training toes, too!