"I just want to tone, not bulk up."

vs.

Wow, I swear I've heard this statement a million times. It has become such a catchy phrase that tends to get thrown around aspiring women athletes and non-athletes alike. I think what people mean when they say this is that they want long, lean, and defined muscles with barely any fat on top vs. big hunks of bulky muscle. Makes sense--I don't know of any woman who wants to look "big" per se.

Let's debunk something really quick: muscle tone is actually when a muscle has continuous tension on it. So, let's say, when you're standing up, you're core muscles (those attached to your pelvis and spine) must have a certain amount of tension to hold your body up. It's not really the look of a resting muscle that you're thinking of.

Here's the deal...first of all, women do not have the amount of testosterone in their system as men, which is a natural steroid that causes muscle hypertrophy (or gains in muscle mass). Some women of course have more testosterone than others, but in general, women just do not have the capacity to get all bulky just because they lift a few weights. Steroids would definitely help a girl bulk up, but don't even go down that road.

Second of all, doing a million reps is not going to perfectly create lean, long muscles. It probably won't even challenge your muscles at all, and you'll end up seeing no difference, whether bulky or toned. So get rid of those 3 and 5 lb. weights...girls, you're stronger than that! Instead, choose a weight that is fairly challenging (probably 8-15 lbs.), allowing you to do 10-15 reps, but no more! What will end up happening is your muscles will get stronger and grow in size a bit (but still not huge) and they will have a higher capacity for burning more calories throughout the day (because you have more muscle mass in general). Result: what appears to be a more "toned" muscle with less fat laying on top so you can actually see your beautiful muscle.

Just get it out of your head the toned vs. bulky debate--it's a poor excuse for not strength training. So, strength train to your heart's content and you'll probably like the results. You'll be stronger and feel more fit. Trust me!