I am the woman in the freeweights section of the gym

Four_Leaf_Clover

I have had a couple younger guys tell me I have great form on my squat, and let me say that is better than getting carded for alcohol!!

Amen to that!

I've worked with a trainer for a few months with basic/lighter weights, but just started out on NROWLFW and I love it. I work out very early so there are not many people in the gym - but I feel very confident walking in there and getting it done. I have to smile some days when it's just me (fat 40 yr old mom of 4) with the two 19 yr old college guys home for the summer.

I do need to conquer the actual squat rack though - I have been using a barbell but now at 40/50 lbs I need to rack! So Friday, I conquer the rack!

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hayleylouise9699

I've been lifting weights since I was in my.last to year at secondary school with the support from my Dad and brother.

I've not looked back since. I often hear women talking about how lifting weights makes you look butch. This isnt the case and I find it really frustrating.

If your lacking confidence maybe train with a friend? Give it a week and your have the bug.

Squidgeypaws007

I'm new to the thread as well, and I greatly prefer heavy weight lifting over cardio, been doing it for a while now. I've been an athlete most of my life so I never considered weights a "men's" thing. If I can pick it up and put it down then it's my thing. Heavy lifting has done wonders for this lady.

Just saw a girl the other day press nearly 800lbs. Go out there and do it, ladies.

My heroine!!

And ladies....the MENs weight room? :huh: Get in there and show them how its done :bigsmile:

PtheronJr

I kid you not. She was spotted by 4 men.

I'm trying to do math on how many plates that is. SHEESH that thing must have been maxed out. Our leg press will only accommodate 12 plates on the sides, and 4 up top.

It's a leg press, you can have like a 1/10th range of motion, where the weight is set up at an incline with a leverage that means you're only technically lifting around 70% of the weight, and it's at an optimal angle to move the weight with no stabilization required from your body.
Quoting leg press numbers is freaking pointless.

EDIT: Everyone, post your Smith machine bench press and assisted pull up reps.

pamd66

I agree

Venividivici2014

I started lifting in January and was terrified of looking stupid in the weights room as I go to a body builders gym. However I got the owner to show me a few things and felt better with him around. I then got myself some wireless headphone s and took my phone so I could look things up on YouTube if I was struggling with how to do something. I looked up workout plans online to give me a guide.

At first I wasn't taken seriously and it really bugged me with guys asking if I needed help re racking my weights... Arghhhhhh. Now the owner trains me once a week and I'm squatting at a personal best of 210lbs and on my way to achieving my goal of 10 pull ups! Woop. I FEEL GREAT! I've dropped nearly 10% body fat and am so much more confident.

It no longer bothers me walking into the weight room as I see the same faces regularly and feel more 'accepted' . I stick my headphones on and ignore everyone as they do me.

I'd encourage all women to give it a try as you will never regret it. Sure the first few weeks are super awkward as most men look at you like they have never seen a woman in the weights room before.. But that is their problem! Strong girls rock!

jimboodee2

This is a great post thanks. I have recently put quite a bit of weight on but am on a good diet now and doing classes etc but really want to get into the weights again I used to do it when I was a lot younger and it feels good. But cos of my increase in weight I feel quite anxious about going into the weights section of the gym.. And thought maybe better to do once I have lost my 1st stone. I need to pluck up the courage and just go... I will have a read of the book also. Thanks again x

Jonesie1012

Such a great post! I used to feel comfortable in the freeweights section, but since I've gotten so out of shape lately, I'm self-conscious EVERYWHERE in the gym. Just have to suck it up, go on, and know each day I'm there, I'm getting better and stronger than the day before. I'm also the girl with her shirt soaked front & back, sweat running down every part of her body, and having to wipe up the puddles on every bench she sits on. The gym isn't the place to go looking "pretty," it's where you go to get healthy and confident so you feel attractive everywhere else.

aryaesque

the worst thing is when you can't for the life of you find a gym with a freeweights section in your area. my gym has a tiny "freeweights" section that is basically just one bench with the bar on a rail and some dumbbells, so i do most of my training on the other machines.

because the area is so tiny, it's also usually fully packed, and it's not that i don't dare to go work out next to the guys, it's just that i find it uncomfortable to be physically surrounded on all sides and having to wait to use the racks and... taking up space and time with my sets and making others wait for me.

getitamb

I love the free weight section. They are really concerned with themselves. They are helpful too!! They have given me great lifting advice.

Liftng4Lis

At first I was a bit "cautious", but hey, I pay my membership just like them, I have no problem going up there! I'm in this for me! Seriously, most of the time the men are pretty helpful.
Thanks for this post.

kjstaley70

My gym has a very open area where machines are close to the free weight section. After working with a personal trainer for a length of time I feel quite comfortable walking over and taking up space with the free weights. I feel as if I push myself harder by using the free weights, which in turn has done a better job of defining muscle. I know it is not always comfortable to have to squeeze in when the men are taking up residence but I have found that no one man or woman minds making space for anyone who wants to work out!

FitFitzy331

I joined a new gym at the end of May (that I LOVE!) and I've always seen the occasional woman in the free weight section with me so I never even put much thought into being a woman in there. Last night (I also went later than normal so the usual people weren't there) I realized I was the only one benching and using dumbbells, the only other female in the section was speaking to her boyfriend (by their mannerisms I assume their in a relationship). Once I realized I was the only female working out in that section I actually got a sense of pride about it. I love lifting, I love picking up weights from the week before and realizing they are too light this week and reach for the next set up. It's an amazing feeling and I don't care who else is working out in that section, as long as we aren't in each other's way, I don't think they care either

SammieJustMe

Last week I was at the free weight section with my friend. And there were 3 guys making fun of the woman in the section. They made really rude comments and were laughing at everything we did. Not only to me and my friend, but also at other woman there.

THIS was exactly the reason I didn't want to go there before.

It's a good thing I train there at least 2 times a week and it never happend before. But if it would be the first time I probably never would go back.

levitateme

Get it girls. I can squat more than my 220 lb boyfriend and he brags about that to people. Benching is another story, a sad story :sad: but I keep at it even though it feels impossible sometimes.

megacoco

I remember being really intimidated at first. So I went during a quiet time at the gym to get used to it. Once you keep at it you realize most people don't really care what anyone else is doing at the gym so long as they're not hurting themselves. Sure you'll get the occasional jerk... all the more motivation to work harder and lift more than them

MMarvelous

I just "mean mug" all the men and I get anything I want LOL I don't have issues with the men at my gym. If I have an issue I will do like I do at work...and it isn't taking them to HR.

MMarvelous

Get it girls. I can squat more than my 220 lb boyfriend and he brags about that to people. Benching is another story, a sad story :sad: but I keep at it even though it feels impossible sometimes.

I can bench 40 lbs and that's it. I have am not good balancing the bar. I need to spend more time on the bench to get better. :grumble:

estelle74uk

I was really self conscious in the gym at first, although I knew what to do as I do it at home. Always the intimidation thing. But then I found a gym I am really comfortable in, all the people so nice it's makes all the difference. I am normally the only girl in the weight room but all the blokes are doin there own thing.

Even yesterday one was talking about what I was doin, I said I was bulking at the mo and think he was quite shocked. I said I had been training off and on for ages but seriously want to build now. He said whatever your doin it's working. Ahh

AMW47

I just want to pop in to tell everyone here that because of these boards and all the amazing success stories I've seen on here, I decided to start lifting with free weights. So Friday night I went to the gym and walked right up to the squat rack and started doing squats with the bar. Yeah, I was a little intimidated and yeah I was a little concerned I looked stupid but as I looked around I realized that no one cared what I was doing. And it was great.

Special bonus - when I finished with my squats, every squat rack was busy and they were all filled with women. And most of those ladies were lifting serious weight.

LauraS523

I started weight training almost ten years ago, and I am a committed gym rat now! I think it is very normal to feel intimidated and self-conscious when you start. I was for sure! But you start with adding some basic moves to your routine, and learn as you go, and if you stick with it you get comfortable and stop feeling like everyone is staring at you! :-)

I love weight training! :-)

levitateme

Get it girls. I can squat more than my 220 lb boyfriend and he brags about that to people. Benching is another story, a sad story :sad: but I keep at it even though it feels impossible sometimes.

I can bench 40 lbs and that's it. I have am not good balancing the bar. I need to spend more time on the bench to get better. :grumble:

How's your form? I find arching my back so that just my lats and butt are touching the bench allows me to lift a lot more weight than I thought I was capable of. I figured this out by watching videos of 130 pound powerlifting women benching 300 lbs.

BellaGettinFit

i used to feel so silly doing free weights at the gym

Buzzerman

Please excuse me but I have not read everybody's post or reply's but I used to work in a gym so here's my take on things.......

.First of all a lot of guys will feel intimidated by the girls who have the brass to walk into the free weights area

. Secondly they will also feel intimidated if you walk in and start squatting like a mean machine or doing any kind of technical exercise not only with perfect technique and full range of movement but also with some weight on.

.Thirdly to reach your goal you should be prepared to do what ever it takes - Which is more than chest and biceps lol, more than half the guys in the free weights area will be wearing track suit or jogging bottoms - there is a reason for that lol!

.If you have a good body and feel a bit intimidated in that way with young men looking at you my advice would be to square up to them in front of everybody and ask them if they want a picture, tell them your only willing to do this as an exchange deal...... For example if you have a good rack or nice bum tell um you'll do a pic exchange for there quads lol, Then watch there face deflate like a led zepplin.

The guys who look good probably do so as they put a lot of time in and train correctly - unless there on juice of course but if they are training properly and have a full look about them there vanity will overpower watching you lol

You could also wear some loose clothing and ditch the make-up, Speaking from personal preference I always had and still have time for the girls with no make up, Its not a fashion show, You don't care about the blonde on the Cross trainer who is caked up in make-up updating updating to facebook and instagram every five minutes in between wiping every little drop of sweat away as god forbid it could make her make up run!

Train properly you will attract attention but the right kind from people in the know, People will approach you and start correcting your technique, you can then build up a rapport and maybe even get a quality training partner.

Just my take on things and yes I am looking for somebody as committed as me in the Leicestershire area lol. That's the UK! - But I have a passport and a sports holdall so can travel!

Keep it real, Train Hard and UP THERE'S lol!!!

ebitnet

I love lifting and I've been doing free weight exercises for about 35yrs at this point. I think it's amazing to see women lifting as well. At our college gym, there are always 3-8 women in the free weight section.

My advice is that if you are new to free weights, men or women,...get a trainer to teach you the correct forms and to keep you motivated. I can't stress form enough. You can seriously injure yourself if you do not use the correct form for each exercise. Weight training is not just bench-pressing or dead-lifting as much as you can.

CLM1227

I have never been intimidated to enter the gym room because "girls don't go there."

I've been intimidated from a general lack of knowledge, my personal goals, and body image issues (something that has kept me out of the gym, too).

My personal goals are not to be a body builder. Personally, I don't get why women want to be body builders, but each her own. But weight machines have seized to provide any benefit to my workouts to where I don't get stronger on the appropriate weight and still can't do the next weight. I've seen more improvements in my physique & strength and felt like I was accomplishing something learning to do free weights.

I have no desire to do heavy lifting, I have no desire to enter the swimsuit competition, I'm not cross-fit or whatever. I just want increased strength and a stronger metabolism. I want to be FIT.

lamps1303

IN!

Great post. I am usually the only female in the free weights area. There has been the odd occasion when the men are outnumbered...or I am the only person in the free weights area!

I think there is a lot of stigma around the FWA. Women seem to be scared to set foot in it; almost as if all the men will suddently turn round and throw them out! I used to be one of those women - the FWA was unknown territory and I wouldn't go near it...

...Now I'm never out of it. I'm usually in the gym about 1hr each time - about 45mins of that is spent lifting with the fella's.

Most men honestly don't care who is in the FWA, they are just concentrating on what they're doing and couldn't care less about anyone else. As a female, I do get the odd glance from guys but I take it as a compliment!

horseswinelife

I loved this post!

I just started with a trainer on Monday and he took me straight to the free weights. I was completely intimidated! It doesn't help that on his off time, he is a drill sergeant.... Anyway - Once my legs stop shaking I'll be back in the free weight section trying it again. I just hope it doesn't take me as long to recover!

hurricanelena

I will echo the sentiments that this is a great thread!

I've found the intimidation factor has depended on the particular gym that I'm at. Rather than take the "easy" PE class in high school I did weight lifting, which was taught by this little old lady who could out lift us all, lol. There were two girls in the class including myself, and the teacher told me that I was intimating the guys because I could out bench most of them, which goes over really well at 16/17. I did sports in high school and college and the coaches were always good about cross training, but it was less intimidating because I was with my teammates and my college was rather small so I had no problems there. It wasn't until I started going to "public" gyms that I faced the funny looks. I've also seen more than a few guys pick up weights, look at me, and then pick up heavier weights. But the gym(s) that I go to are run by the local hospital network so there are a wide variety of people and the free weights are not just "gym rat" looking people, but all shapes/sizes/ages, which is great!