Women shouldn't lift heavy weight!

Options
5n0wbal1
5n0wbal1 Posts: 429 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was at my grandparents-in-law's house, and my mother-in-law fussed at me for picking up a 40-lb box of clothes and carrying it to our car. "You shouldn't be carrying that; your husband should be carrying that for you!" When we picked it up together, I took over carrying it because it was so ridiculously light to me. She called me stubborn.

I offer to go to the store to buy the bottled water my husband's grandparents are requesting. My grandfather-in-law: "You shouldn't have to carry that; you're a woman! And once your back is ruined, it's ruined!" I pick up 2-24pks of water at the same time and carry them around just to prove him wrong. My husband takes over and fusses at me.

I tell you what, my in-laws make me want to be a powerlifter. I've been shopping for barbell weight sets and making plans to save up for one.

Any thoughts, MFP community?
«13

Replies

  • melinda189
    melinda189 Posts: 48
    Options
    they're just old school. in their days women didn't lift heavy things & a man wasn't a man if he allowed her too. Just try not to lift anything heavy around them......it'll help keep their blood pressure down :smile:
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
    Options
    Tell em, "hey guys, just cut it out with the weights stuff, okay?", but then, that might earn you a reputition as the cranky B :laugh:
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,026 Member
    Options
    I wouldn't recommend becoming a powerlifter out of spite. You will hurt your back, and once your back is ruined it is ruined.
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
    Options
    I was at my grandparents-in-law's house, and my mother-in-law fussed at me for picking up a 40-lb box of clothes and carrying it to our car. "You shouldn't be carrying that; your husband should be carrying that for you!" When we picked it up together, I took over carrying it because it was so ridiculously light to me. She called me stubborn.

    I offer to go to the store to buy the bottled water my husband's grandparents are requesting. My grandfather-in-law: "You shouldn't have to carry that; you're a woman! And once your back is ruined, it's ruined!" I pick up 2-24pks of water at the same time and carry them around just to prove him wrong. My husband takes over and fusses at me.

    I tell you what, my in-laws make me want to be a powerlifter. I've been shopping for barbell weight sets and making plans to save up for one.

    Any thoughts, MFP community?

    Buy the barbell set. They are just old school. You might not want to show your strength off to them, if it upsets them enough to comment on it. You can concentrate your lifting on the barbells at home. :wink:
  • obum88
    obum88 Posts: 262 Member
    Options
    Was squatting 120 on the barbell in the middle of the living room with the help of my husband and my stepfather in law was like that's too much weight, i snickered as i was thinking this is not even my body weight. Good thing my husband understands fitness and was yelling at me 'one more one more'! loved it!

    Different generations, even his mom comments on how much i workout!
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Options
    Stop talking about it and DO it! :drinker: I :heart: being able to haul heavy stuff around without help.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    Options
    I was at my grandparents-in-law's house, and my mother-in-law fussed at me for picking up a 40-lb box of clothes and carrying it to our car. "You shouldn't be carrying that; your husband should be carrying that for you!" When we picked it up together, I took over carrying it because it was so ridiculously light to me. She called me stubborn.

    I offer to go to the store to buy the bottled water my husband's grandparents are requesting. My grandfather-in-law: "You shouldn't have to carry that; you're a woman! And once your back is ruined, it's ruined!" I pick up 2-24pks of water at the same time and carry them around just to prove him wrong. My husband takes over and fusses at me.

    I tell you what, my in-laws make me want to be a powerlifter. I've been shopping for barbell weight sets and making plans to save up for one.

    Any thoughts, MFP community?

    I just hit 135# for squats on friday. Hubby just asks that I don't hurt myself, so I use a spotter. My FIL doesn't quite understand me wanting to lift, but he is impressed when I talk about it.

    If you want to lift heavy, go ahead and do it! You feel like such a hardcore bad@ss when you do it :D
  • Papillon22
    Papillon22 Posts: 1,160 Member
    Options
    I just finished my first workout with shiny new dumbells (bowflex 552) and I'm very excited. They were a huge investment, but I'm already thinking about how long it'll take me to reach 8 reps with heavier weights...I think I'm already addicted.
    As for your in laws...it's an generation thing.
  • DrunkenFaeGirl
    DrunkenFaeGirl Posts: 107
    Options
    When I was pregnant for my daughter I was buying a 24 pk of water and the women ringing me up and bagging for me were trying to convince me that I shouldn't be lifting my case of water. I mean, really? I know what I'm capable of lifting, when. Being a woman, even being pregnant does not make us disabled.

    I actually knew a woman who was younger than me who bought into all of that though because she enjoyed making her husband, brother and father do all of the heavy work while she sat around eating or napping.
  • 5n0wbal1
    5n0wbal1 Posts: 429 Member
    Options
    Was squatting 120 on the barbell in the middle of the living room with the help of my husband and my stepfather in law was like that's too much weight, i snickered as i was thinking this is not even my body weight. Good thing my husband understands fitness and was yelling at me 'one more one more'! loved it!

    Different generations, even his mom comments on how much i workout!
    That's just epic! My husband says that if I get as strong as Staci on Nerd Fitness (deadlifting 300 lbs), that he'll have to come back at me by deadlifting 500+!
  • 5n0wbal1
    5n0wbal1 Posts: 429 Member
    Options
    When I was pregnant for my daughter I was buying a 24 pk of water and the women ringing me up and bagging for me were trying to convince me that I shouldn't be lifting my case of water. I mean, really? I know what I'm capable of lifting, when. Being a woman, even being pregnant does not make us disabled.
    I had my mom-in-law fuss at me picking up my then-21-month-old son, who was just under 30 lbs at the time, when I was 8 months pregnant. It felt no different than lifting up a grocery bag to me; my arm got adjusted to him sitting perched on it, and it feels natural now.

    My childbirth ended up having absolutely no complications, and I was feeling good enough to go to the bank the day I was released.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Options
    That's ridiculous. Women from my grandfather's village could lift anything and did lift anything. I don't know where this notion of women as Precious Little Weaklings came from, but it absolutely is NOT "traditional".

    If Caroline Ingalls had balked at carrying buckets of water around, the West would have never been settled.
  • DrunkenFaeGirl
    DrunkenFaeGirl Posts: 107
    Options
    When I was pregnant for my daughter I was buying a 24 pk of water and the women ringing me up and bagging for me were trying to convince me that I shouldn't be lifting my case of water. I mean, really? I know what I'm capable of lifting, when. Being a woman, even being pregnant does not make us disabled.
    I had my mom-in-law fuss at me picking up my then-21-month-old son, who was just under 30 lbs at the time, when I was 8 months pregnant. It felt no different than lifting up a grocery bag to me; my arm got adjusted to him sitting perched on it, and it feels natural now.

    My childbirth ended up having absolutely no complications, and I was feeling good enough to go to the bank the day I was released.
    I didn't bother telling those women that I was still working a very physical job in my 8th month. I stopped 5 days before my daughter was born and even then it was only because my blood pressure was up due to family stress not because I was physically incapable or doing it. Every person knows what is safe for them based on body cues. Granted, some people choose to ignore them but it doesn't sound like you're one of them.

    My labor sucked. 2 hours of pushing because she kept turning as she came out and ended up being delivered in the wrong position. My CNM told me after that 90% of women who deliver as I did have to be rushed to c-sections. I'm positive that it was how active I was during pregnancy that made the difference.
  • CannibalisticVegetarian
    CannibalisticVegetarian Posts: 1,255 Member
    Options
    That's the old school mentality right there. My grandmother has fussed at me on many occasions because I was lifting something (or someone) that was considered "heavy" to her. Each time she scolded me it was always the same line: "You're a girl/woman (see how long she's been yelling at me for this?). You don't want to mess up your back because one of these days you're going to want to have babies and if you keep this up it'll hurt you."


    Riiiiiight grandma. Because you know how I'm all about pregnancy. Just 24/7 pregnancy...but bless her heart she's only looking out for me.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    Options
    I was at my grandparents-in-law's house, and my mother-in-law fussed at me for picking up a 40-lb box of clothes and carrying it to our car. "You shouldn't be carrying that; your husband should be carrying that for you!" When we picked it up together, I took over carrying it because it was so ridiculously light to me. She called me stubborn.

    I offer to go to the store to buy the bottled water my husband's grandparents are requesting. My grandfather-in-law: "You shouldn't have to carry that; you're a woman! And once your back is ruined, it's ruined!" I pick up 2-24pks of water at the same time and carry them around just to prove him wrong. My husband takes over and fusses at me.

    I tell you what, my in-laws make me want to be a powerlifter. I've been shopping for barbell weight sets and making plans to save up for one.

    Any thoughts, MFP community?
    Tell them this isn't the 19th century?
  • spatulathumbs
    spatulathumbs Posts: 125 Member
    Options
    Sounds like you'd benefit from a little less time spent with the in-laws, and a little more time lifting heavy things. If that's what you want to do, then do it! ;)
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Options
    Tell them this isn't the 19th century?

    Women in the 19th century lifted heavy things, a lot.
  • CherylPierce
    CherylPierce Posts: 73 Member
    Options
    I WAS a powerlifter and competed (and won) at age 41. You can do it!
  • mapnerd2005
    mapnerd2005 Posts: 363
    Options
    shooooot, I know I was raised in a unique family, but my grandpa has always considered the girls to be both physically and intellectually equal to the men. My mom (his daughter) married my dad, who had the same beliefs. In fact, the girls were more athletic than the boys! Just last week I went to my grandpa's to get a drafting table and moved it by myself, with his encouragement! I don't believe in that old-school crap, but maybe I was just raised by strong women who demanded to be treated as equals even when society didn't agree.
  • 5n0wbal1
    5n0wbal1 Posts: 429 Member
    Options
    My labor sucked. 2 hours of pushing because she kept turning as she came out and ended up being delivered in the wrong position. My CNM told me after that 90% of women who deliver as I did have to be rushed to c-sections. I'm positive that it was how active I was during pregnancy that made the difference.
    That's an excellent testimony to the benefits of staying active. I'm sorry you ended up going through that, though.

Categories