Should GIRLS do weight training?? in front of guys

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natalielismore
natalielismore Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello,

Okay I'm 18 years old and I've done weight training (light reps, e.g. 10 kg lunge weight) but with more than 800 reps in a single workout (which includes both upper and lower body). Therefore it's high reps and low weight training.

I'm petrified of the weights section at my gym and usually weight train at home. That's because the majority of that section is filled with huge, muscular guys pumping, some with their nostrils flared, teeth clenched. eeeeeeeeeek Anyway I went there yesturday with my light weights (lol I know) but I did enjoy a full body workout which was good. However, I felt so many stares from the guys, which was emphasised by the use of mirrors :O

Therefore, I felt self conscious... I've been to weight training classes so I hope I have good form and stuff, but are they just staring because of the light weights?? And should I train at home instead.. leave that domain to the guys??

What do guys actually think of girls who weight train?
a) ARGHH she's trying to get buff and it's not looking good
b) those weights are light pfft
c) oh a girl who isn't doing cardio, interesting
d) she's trying to hang out with guys
e) that's awesome

Thanks!!
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Replies

  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    E
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
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    I think they were staring because they are guys and you are a female. I think they are just being perverts.
  • speedy740
    speedy740 Posts: 141 Member
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    They don't give a crap what u look like, they don't care u are there, just keep lifting seriously they don't really care. Period.
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
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    Can I ask why you are using such low weight that you can do 800 reps in one workout? What are you trying to accomplish? I would think if you switched to heavier weights you would get more benefit in less time.

    As far as working out with the guys, I would think that only the meatheads would judge you based on the size weights you are using. And who cares what those guys think? Any guy who's worth knowing would probably be thinking c) or e)
  • Akijade
    Akijade Posts: 210 Member
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    Ignore the guys and do your workout. I would think about maybe upping the weight if you can do 800 reps. It's not going to be doing much for you. And don't worry, despite popular believe, you won't get bulky lifting heavier weights.
  • tiddles_yeah
    tiddles_yeah Posts: 117 Member
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    I always do my weight training (heavy lifting) in front of the guys as the gym

    Why should i let what other people may think of me stop me from working out and achieving my goals?

    Let them think what they like! Even if im just lifting small weights - hey youve got to start somewhere

    I do this for me, not for what other people think :)

    Good luck!
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
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    I think the girls who weight train like "guys", will have good result and know what they are doing. You don't get big from lifting heavy weights, you get big by eating a lot of calories.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    Not much weight listed to use, exercising in front of blokes - they might well be staring because they enjoy the view.

    But, lets say they are derisive of what you are doing; so what?

    Walk down the street and half the people staring will probably be sneering because you're too pretty/ugly/fat/thin compared to them. Doesn't stop you walking down the street.

    I've often been in mostly-female classes I once did a proper aerobics class - got confused because it had the word 'attack' in - I'm sure they were staring because I was a bloke in 'their domain' and looked rather silly failing to do the moves.
    I didn't care and have to say, I ached a lot the next day :).

    Do what you do.
    Though, personally, I'd go for heavier weights - even if you're focusing on muscular endurance, I'd have thought strength would also help.
    Incidentally, what you describe sounds very like 'body pump' lessons. If your gym has them, worth giving it a look.

    And yes, if I see a girl even entering a weight area, I generally think 'awesome' - though now got my own setup, so I generally know them first :).
  • iLOVEbabySARA13
    iLOVEbabySARA13 Posts: 88
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    I used to lift pretty heavy, and guys seemed mostly cool about that. Which they should be!

    I'd tick off some of them mostly because I was doing full sets with good form and still lifting heavier than them...it was pretty funny though. They'd seem all disgusted. But hey, whatever!
  • LindseyAlyssa
    LindseyAlyssa Posts: 156
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    Any guys I have worked out with or near have either A. Not commented, or B. Thought it was great I wasn't just doing cardio and would readily be there for me if I needed help for spotting or if I wasn't familiar with something. Diversity is a good thing.

    And I agree that you should probably (definitely) increase weight if you're doing so many reps. Unless you are training like a pro, you aren't going to get bulky at all. What you're doing is just going to make your fitness progress slower than it needs to be.
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    Obligatory link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBvHbnhl3M8
  • Booksandbeaches
    Booksandbeaches Posts: 1,791 Member
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    I lift weights. I go to the "guy's area" of the gym. Who cares if they look. If they want to look let them look. People usually have such short attention spans though they don't look for long. Get your workout and ignore the others. What I find funny are women who look. Once there was a woman who saw me bench pressing and she then asked her boyfriend (husband?) to help her do it too. I thought that was cool.
  • MsJulielicious
    MsJulielicious Posts: 708 Member
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    I remember feeling a bit self conscious when I first started out. It was mostly because I had no idea what I was doing.
    Just keep going, learn good form, progress as you go and before you know it you won't even notice anyone else is there.
    Most of those guys don't really care about anything else other than what they are doing.
  • delicious_cocktail
    delicious_cocktail Posts: 5,797 Member
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    1 no one cares
    2 e
  • Raptor_Jesus
    Raptor_Jesus Posts: 1 Member
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    Just act like you belong there. (EDIT: Because you do.) Most of them won't care either way. The ones that do you can just ignore.
  • natalielismore
    natalielismore Posts: 8
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    Not much weight listed to use, exercising in front of blokes - they might well be staring because they enjoy the view.

    But, lets say they are derisive of what you are doing; so what?

    Walk down the street and half the people staring will probably be sneering because you're too pretty/ugly/fat/thin compared to them. Doesn't stop you walking down the street.

    I've often been in mostly-female classes I once did a proper aerobics class - got confused because it had the word 'attack' in - I'm sure they were staring because I was a bloke in 'their domain' and looked rather silly failing to do the moves.
    I didn't care and have to say, I ached a lot the next day :).

    Do what you do.
    Though, personally, I'd go for heavier weights - even if you're focusing on muscular endurance, I'd have thought strength would also help.
    Incidentally, what you describe sounds very like 'body pump' lessons. If your gym has them, worth giving it a look.

    And yes, if I see a girl even entering a weight area, I generally think 'awesome' - though now got my own setup, so I generally know them first :).

    Did you mean "body attack" referring to your aerobics class?? heeeheeee :)
  • hipomix
    hipomix Posts: 10
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    All I know is you should do whatever you want, people can think lots of stupid things... and that's not having an opinion, that's just being dumb. Just, whenever this happens again, you should just concentrate in what are you doing, I wish I could at least, lift my school bag without crying seriously...
  • Tropical_Turtle
    Tropical_Turtle Posts: 2,236 Member
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    Why not? Half the time they do not care what you are doing. You are there to do your own thing. Your perceptions are what is holding you back.
  • unFATuated
    unFATuated Posts: 204 Member
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    I'll nearly guarantee that they aren't thinking about you as much as you think they are. Once you let go of the worry that people (any people) are looking at and judging you, it's SO MUCH EASIER!

    I'd probably look into getting a program with some heavier weights/lower reps though. Low weight/high rep isn't going to do a lot for you.
  • kwb87
    kwb87 Posts: 70 Member
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    I understand how you feel. I'm not a self-conscious person in general but do choose to do most of my weight training at home for the same reason. The gym I go to is very male dominated and there's often groups of lads who take turns on the machines. I go to the gym on my own and I'm pretty new there so still wary that I'm 'in their space' I guess - though I'll get over it at some point :)

    You're training there so good to hear it's not put you off. Keep it up :)

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