Can gym workouts harm femininity?

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2014-09-14

The phobia of many women is the fear of becoming muscular by going to the gym. I encounter this constantly. It seems that they all think that a few sessions with dumbbells will turn them into huge pumped-up gorillas.

I look at myself in the mirror and see a person who has been engaging in strength sports for 15 years. And I’m still very far from being a gigantic gorilla. And this is considering that I am a man, and my body is much more adapted to building muscle than women’s. Well, enough admiring myself in the mirror, it’s time to write the article. ))

So where did this myth come from? After all, there’s no smoke without fire. Professional competitions in weightlifting, bodybuilding, powerlifting, etc. are often shown on television. Here, along with men, women — professional female athletes — are also featured. But let’s not confuse sports with recreational fitness. In sports, any means are valid to achieve victory. Women consciously go for “transforming” themselves into men through the use of pharmacology. The only exception here is perhaps a sport like fitness bikini.

In this article, however, we will focus on recreational fitness. That is, when girls go to the gym to look good, not to win competitions.

Why can strength training not harm femininity?

1. The level of testosterone in a woman’s body is much lower than in a man’s. This level directly affects muscle growth. Thus, it is much harder for a woman to develop large muscles than for a man.

2. The female body is structured in such a way that the muscles of the lower body (legs and glutes) grow more readily than those of the arms and shoulders. Therefore, with equal distribution of exercises across the body, the lower part will still outpace the upper part in growth.

3. The shape of the skeleton is determined by hormones from birth. Even from conception. This means that no amount of strength training can change the shape of a woman’s skeleton into that of a man’s. And the shape of the skeleton largely determines the shape of the figure. Moreover, women have thinner bones and tendons than men.

When can strength training still be harmful?

1. The use of anabolic steroids. In this case, a woman’s hormonal background begins to resemble that of a man. And the body starts to develop secondary sexual characteristics of the male type. This effect is called virilization.

2. Training only the upper body. But this does not apply to girls with a slim upper body and fuller legs (pear-shaped figure). If a girl with average initial proportions diligently trains only her arms and shoulders, they will naturally grow larger sooner or later. Although, I repeat, it is more difficult for women to achieve this than for men. Therefore, even if you try very hard, the harm to your femininity will be easily reversible and not that significant.

How can strength training enhance femininity?

1. Strength training increases one’s own testosterone levels. And testosterone affects sexuality and libido for both men and women. A woman with a higher level of testosterone always looks and acts more sexually. She is more attractive in this regard. But do not confuse increasing testosterone levels through anabolic steroids with doing so naturally. In the case of steroids, testosterone can increase by not 20%-40% (as in the natural option), but dozens of times more.

2. Muscle shape determines body shape. The shape of your glutes is made by your muscles. The shape of your shoulders, thighs, and calves is also determined by your muscles. And the only way to give your muscles shape is through strength training. More precisely, that’s not entirely accurate. Strength training is the best means to shape your muscles. This would be more precise. The only exception to this statement is the female breast.

3. Strength exercises that engage the pelvic muscles (various squats, twists, leg raises, etc.). Here are some examples:

In most cases, these improve sexual sensations and increase the intensity of orgasms. This is related to improved blood flow to that area. Additionally, as practice shows, trained women have much easier labors. Both of these facts have been confirmed multiple times by the girls I’ve trained. ))

Conclusion

No physical activity, including strength training, can harm your femininity. But this is provided that your goal is to have a beautiful body, not to win the world championship in bodybuilding.

Although this article is dedicated specifically to gym training (as are most of my articles), I believe that all of the above can be applied to all types of physical activity to a greater or lesser extent. I simply write what I know. Good luck!