That’s a fair argument when starting a weight training program.
But, it isn’t an immediate concern, or a concern at all. What about being concerned about getting leaner? How about getting stronger? I’m going to go out on a limb and say that being lean and strong is what most people want when they say they aspire to be “slim” and “toned”.
If someone were to become leaner, less adipose (fat) tissue by definition, their muscles would show more because there’s nothing in between the skin and muscle. “Lean” and “toned” are redundant terms.
Diving in further, what does bulky mean for you?
Granted, this may fall into a self esteem issue, but self esteem can go any which way. People want to be muscular if they’re on the slim side, and people want to lose weight to be slim. Where’s the middle ground?
Overall, it takes consistency and dedication to proper eating and training.
That’s right, it not just the weights that do the talking. Proper diet has a massive influence on “bulking.” Developing that nutritional consistency through proper habits takes weeks and months.
Touching and lifting weights will however, make you blow up with confidence. Trust me, it takes months and years to transform a physique, it doesn’t happen overnight.
The body has to be subjected to large amounts of stress repeatedly to induce adapation. Doing 10 pushups a day, won’t make your muscles huge, but you will get stronger. The muscles and the nervous system have to realize that stress is being put on them day after day, and then it will start to change to what needs to be completed. Once the body realizes that 10 pushups a day is getting easier, more reps can be completed.
The more reps completed, the more your muscles stress and adapt, most likely in growth. The muscles realize during growth, “Whoa! I need more muscle tissue to handle these 30 pushups, I better grow.”
But strength supersedes size. The nervous system gets involved first. Ever go for a longer run after not exercising at all for months and feel like you’ve been hit by a truck the next day? That’s your central nervous system freaking out, it goes away if you keep exercising. In a smart way of course. Starting exercise should always look like an upside down funnel, start small with just a little bit, then start adding more and more.
P.s. our coaches know this, you’ll always be in good hands.
Is getting stronger a bad thing though?
Ultimately we should train our bodies for strength and function, not form (form/physique of body that is). A great physique is the byproduct of training for function. Your upper back, low back, glutes, and hamstrings will develop because you’re working them through deadlifts, pullups, ring rows, sandbag carries, squats, everything!
You will feel so much better when you’re stronger, that’s a promise. No one hates being strong, but people can be turned off to doing the work it takes to get strong.
Once you start lifting weights and doing compound lifts (deadlift, squat, bench press, should press, olympic lifts), you will start chasing numbers instead of any number on a scale.
We’ve seen it time and time again. “I want to put 20# on my deadlift/bench press/snatch.” This is a common goal in our 90 day check in for new athletes. They begin to realize how much fun it is to do compound lifts and see themselves be successful. Be successful in something so primitive, picking something up. Adding more weight, picking it back up. A new feeling comes out of somewhere deep inside us and says, “I crave this feeling. I want more.”
Truth be told, we are a data driven program. CrossFit lends itself to data, to show us success. This tangible data is the means to prove to yourself you’re getting fitter, healthier, stronger.
All of our staff hopes to impress that upon anyone that walks through our doors (or joins a video call with us).
Strength is never a weakness, it can only help the way we view ourselves. In the mirror, and hopefully with admiration for our willingness to improve our physical self.
Seeking improvement is the way. This is the way.
Friction CrossFit
