Unfortunately, it’s still a huge mindset that if a woman weight lifts, she’s going to to get big. Like Jay Cutler big.

Despite more and more proof today that that’s false, it still somehow holds ground. Making women fear the weight rack or machines.

Sure, there are women out there who quest to be bigger. To build a lot of muscle and be pretty stacked. For the most part though, women want to slim down and tone up. Maybe put a little bulk on. Become stronger. Fitter. Better.

That was how I started. Now I’ve been bit by the muscle bug and want to put on a little more size before summer gets here. Leading me to Jim Stoppani’s “Shortcut to Size”. It’s a 12-week micro-cycle program focused on making you not only bigger, but stronger. It’s a win-win. I’ve seen on Twitter the explosion of positive results from it, so I finally jumped on the train.

Despite others around me telling me that it was a workout for men.

Where did that come from? Since when? Does it say: This workout specifically for men and men only? No. Women can do a man’s workout. Just because it’s about size and strength, doesn’t default it to be a man’s workout program. But that’s because of the mindset: women will lift and end up looking like Cutler or Mike O’Hearn.

No, sorry, that’s now how it works. I’d have a long, very, very long road full of illegal substances and dedicating 24/7 to the gym to get THAT big.

I started that first week, and never, ever have I wanted to throw in the towel on any workout. Ever. No matter how grueling it was.

The first three workout days are all upper body exercises (with calves on two of those days). My arms hated me. Tying my hair up, brushing it – even brushing my teeth! Nope, not happening. I practically had to lay on the ground to wash my face, brush my teeth, etc… Then leg day came. It takes a lot to get my legs worked up. Between sprints, heavy leg sets, and whatnot, it really takes a lot of have them pissed off at me and tell me “No, you are not pressing that gas pedal, it ain’t happening!”

I felt good walking out the of the gym the night I did the leg workout… but like with most leg days, the next day is the true test. When I woke up Saturday, yoga quickly got shelved because my legs just weren’t having any movement at all. I needed crutches. A wheelchair. A Segway. Something.

But I stuck with it. Despite traveling out of the country all last week, I found my way into the gym and made sure to tackle week two of STS. More weight, less reps. Same feeling at the end of the week.

At the start of this week, it’s even more weight, fewer reps with drop sets on the last rep. With STS I’m finding that I’m willing to push myself even farther than I ever have (and I’m the queen of pushing my limits when it comes to exercising). I’m already stronger. My body is becoming even more defined in just two weeks. I’ve done some pretty rigorous programs, but never have I seen progress (or success) so quickly.

If you want to check the program out… go here bodybuilding.com.

(And if you’re a woman, don’t let it stop you! Touch those weights, you won’t get super jacked like Phil Heath, I promise!)