Bodybuilding for Women

Fake tans. Biceps. The most glittery bikinis you’ve ever seen — sure, this is the culmination of bodybuilding for women, if you choose to compete in the sport. But there’s also a much less glamorous side to being a female bodybuilder: dieting and meal prepping, counting macros, waking up early to do cardio, spending hours in the weight room, and peeling calluses off your hands.

Bodybuilding “does not come without its fair share of sacrifice,” says Linzi Martinez, C.P.T., a nutritional health coach and owner of Body on Fire Fitness. “However, if this is your passion, it’s worth every second. It requires you to harness your willpower and mental strength, and you’ll reap the empowering gains across all areas of your life.” (Not to mention, lifting weights comes with a host of health benefits.)

Curious? Read on for the complete guide to what it’s like to be a female bodybuilder.

What Is Bodybuilding for Women, Anyway?

Bodybuilding is actually a sport. It comes with a very specific lifestyle that involves detailed workout training and precise nutrition to strengthen, sculpt, and develop the body’s muscles (aka hypertrophy training).

While some people practice bodybuilding to look and feel strong, for many, training and dieting culminates in a bodybuilding competition where you’re judged on your physique and muscular development — in either the bikini, figure, women’s physique, bodybuilding, or fitness categories.

Before you read on, know this: Participating in a sport where you’re judged almost solely on your appearance can be rough on the psyche. “It’s important to attend to your spirit and mind in addition to your physical body,” says Ana Snyder, C.P.T., a fitness model and competitive bodybuilder based in New York City. “If you already struggle with body image issues, attaining what the outside world (or judges) views as the perfect aesthetic does not guarantee that you will see a different person in the mirror.”

If you’re looking for a way to goal-orient your strength training, a physique competition can be a great option; however, keep in mind that even though the judges are scoring your abs, the health and performance gains you’re making are even more important.

That said, you can still take advantage of bodybuilding workouts and the training style even if you have no intentions of competing and just want to get stronger. Read on for an example fitness plan for female bodybuilders.