The Bulky Myth

This is a throw back to a video we did in 2013 for Hannah's Birthday. 9 minutes of this brutal workout can be viewed below.

Hannah’s workout was based off of Routine #1 of the famous “Colorado Experiment” in which Casey Viator, the youngest Mr. America in history, gained 63 pounds of lean muscle in a 28-day period.  The workout contains a mix of standard repetitions as well as “negative only” (training partners lift the heavier-than-normal weight and the trainee lowers to a 10-second count) and “negative accentuated” (lifting the weight with 2 limbs and lowering with 1 limb).  

The question that should be asked is this:  If Hannah was performing the exact same workout as Casey, how come Hannah’s physique and musculature look so incredibly different from Casey’s?  The answer: genetics.  As a female, Hannah doesn’t possess the genetic predisposition (hormonal make-up, muscle belly length, etc.) to develop the incredibly large muscles that Casey displays.  In fact, when Hannah performs this workout (or workouts like this) her body becomes lean, “toned” and thinner rather than “bulkier.”  Her actual muscle tissue does increase, but her body composition improves.  

The take home message is this: When we observe people with various physiques, it is nearly impossible to draw a cause and effect relationship between their workout regimen and their physique.  Our genetic predisposition plays an important role in how we respond to a strength training or exercise program.