This is probably one of the most common questions I get from clients.

So many women decide to stay away from strength training, believing that performing a regular weight lifting routine will cause their bodies to become big and bulky.

Is it?

Although this is certainly true of men who strength train with regularity and intensity, especially with the help of specially-designed diets, it is simply not true for women.

The reason for this simple: testosterone. The hormone testosterone, which is largely responsible for the vast increases observed in lean muscle mass, density, and strength in men who consistently strength train, is much more abundant in the bodies of men than it is in women.

Normal men typically maintain testosterone levels ranging from 240 to 950 ng/dl, while female testosterone levels typically range from just 8 to 60 ng/dl. In other words, average men have at least 16 times more testosterone than women.

In fact, Even men with low testosterone levels have substantially higher levels than women with high testosterone levels.

Without the hormonal support provided by testosterone, it is impossible for women to reach the level of muscular bulk achieved by their male counterparts.

“So what about the female that have a “manly” body”?

These women typically achieve this appearance by using testosterone supplements and/or anabolic steroids.

Due to that usage, these women also tend to develop other male traits aside from increased muscle mass, including a deeper voice, male patterns of fat storage, and hair growth on the body and face.

Obviously, women who are looking to strength train as a means of improving their overall health and physical appearance are unlikely to take steroids or testosterone boosters.

For this reason, you should never worry about putting on excess muscle mass as a result of weight training. Instead, you should only look forward to having a more toned, sexy, and shapely body, which you’ll achieve through regular strength training and a nutritious, well-balanced diet.