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Why You Shouldn’t Worry About Getting Too Big

getting too big

“I don’t want to get too big and bulky.”

This is something that I hear a lot from people who are just starting to work out.

They want to build muscle and get in shape, but they don’t want to end up looking like the incredible hulk.

Or like this monster.

bulky guy

As a trainer, part of my job is to convince such people that they aren’t going to get too big. That their fears are entirely unfounded.

Yup, it ain’t going to happen, so stop worrying about it already and lift those weights!

What, you want actual, substantive reasons why this isn’t a problem?

Well, after reading this article, my hope it that you’ll realize that with all the things you could spend time worrying about, getting too big doesn’t need to be one of them.

Let’s dive right into it.

The Elephant In The Room

OK, first things first.

Whenever I get this question, I ask the person to show me the kind of big that they are talking about.

And 9 times out of 10, they will point to a picture of some brutish, steroid-injecting bodybuilder.

The guys that typically weigh over 200 pounds of solid muscle, and walk around with their shoulders threatening to envelope their disproportionately small head.

Most people don’t think that this is a good look, and I can understand that.

But let me make one thing perfectly clear…

There is absolutely no way that you will ever get like that without taking steroids or other such illicit drugs.

It just doesn’t happen.

If you’ve read my article on the Fat Free Mass Index, the biggest natural weight lifters clock in at a maximum of 25 on the scale. In contrast, steroid users regularly get into the 30s.

The monsters that you see in these pictures are definitely in the 30s on this scale, I’ll tell you that much.

So, in short, if you aren’t planning on taking steroids, you have absolutely no chance of getting freakishly big if you start lifting weights.

“Ok, But I Don’t Want To Get Non-Steroid Big Either”

I understand. Not everyone wants to get big at all – even in that natural weight lifter sort of way.

We’re talking about guys that look like this:

wolverine

Yes, I know this is Wolverine, but this type of muscularity is possible as a natural weight lifter (although admittedly at the higher end of the spectrum).

Still, for a whole variety of reasons, some people really just don’t want to develop that sort of body when they start lifting weights.

So if you’re one of these people, I’ve got some good news for you:

Developing a body like that does not happen overnight!

It takes years of dedicated weight lifting and an assiduous focus on your nutrition to look like that.

The bottom line is that you won’t end up looking like that if you don’t want to look like that.

How do I know this?

Well, quite simply, once you start getting anywhere close to that size, you can simply cut down the amount of weight you are lifting, or the number of calories you are eating.

Yes, it is always completely in your control, and you should never worry about just waking up one morning too big to fit into normal sized clothes.

Again, it just doesn’t happen – especially if you are consistently monitoring your progress, and logging your results, as I strongly recommend that all of my clients do.

…And For The Women That Don’t Want to Look Like Men

While readers of this blog are primarily men, I wanted to take a moment to address the women out there that share this particular concern.

You see, many women are deathly afraid of lifting weights heavier than 5-10 lbs dumbbells – fearing that it will make them look all bulky and masculine.

Again, this fear is unfounded – women simply don’t have the testosterone to develop anywhere near the level of musculature.

Not naturally, at least…

Instead, if you lift heavy weights, you’ll simply get stronger, more toned, and just look better overall.

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