Bulking up?

Yesterday was a great work-out day!  Our car was in the shop for a tune-up so I took the opportunity to run to boot camp instead of drive (about a mile).  Then at boot camp we ran another 3/4 mile and did some crazy awesome circuit training that focused on the legs and core muscles (front and back).  Then I ran another mile home.  I felt great all day!

Someone asked me last week if I was worried about "bulking up" with all the strength training I'm doing right now.  When I used to strength train and weight lift for basketball back in my teen years I never bulked up.  I only got strong and lean.  I'm not an expert on anatomy or anything, but its a myth that women get "bulky" from weight training.  Why?  Because we lack testosterone, the key component to "bulking up".  Only chemically altered female athletes bulk up (like in the body building magazines where women have comical balloon-sized calves and biceps). 

One of the great boons of strength training and doing weight bearing exercise is that it boosts my metabolism.  The stronger and more engaged my muscles, the easier and quicker they help to burn fat.  Also, I think you have to pump a serious amount of iron for a long long time to get that kind of tone.  I'm doing it for 3-4 hours a week.  I spend the rest of my time running or doing the odd yoga class.  So no, I'm not worried about bulking up.

See... Marilyn did it.

She lifted weights and cross trained...

...and did crunches.

And she looks pretty good to me!