women should lift weights?? wtf?

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  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    If you don't enjoy working out you be much less likely to do it.

    In addition to this, I think finding a form of exercise you love also helps with dietary adherence. You work out. You like it. You then pay more attention to your diet. You begin to consciously make better choices. You want to do it more. Its a self reinforcing circle.

    I often find when I stop working out consistently by diet goes to hell as well. I'm sure I'm not the only one...
  • crmhaske
    crmhaske Posts: 66 Member
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    Body weight exercises like pushups, crunches, lunges, squats, chin ups etc. are just as effective at toning as is weight lifting. I prefer body weight exercises because as a martial artist I need to be able to use my muscles in conjunction with others, I need superior balance, and I need proper hip alignment. Machines have no crossover to real life. It has been demonstrated in several studies that a person who built their muscle using machines is no better at using their body in the real world than they were before they started training. If I do strength training I do it with real life things like flipping truck tires or heaving sand bags. I also like a good 10 lb medicine ball.

    Here's a good article on the body weight exercises vs. free weights vs. machines debate: http://liftforlife.com/content/bodybuilding-fitness-diet-health-articles/training-articles/252-bodyweight-exercise
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    Going with everyone else on this post.. it's not really should or need, it's more that we are encouraged to lift weights.

    I know that when I started my fitness/weight loss journey in January, if I hadn't started lifting with my trainer I wouldn't be as tiny-looking in the middle as I am now. My legs/arms wouldn't be as tight as they are, without all the jiggle. So there are benefits to weight training.. but only if you like to weight train.

    I personally am trying to get into the weight room more.. I see a trainer twice a month, but then on our off weeks, I don't really lift... mainly because I am terrified of someone watching me or coming over to yell at me that I'm doing something wrong. Currently that fear is dissipating a bit, but not by much!
  • crmhaske
    crmhaske Posts: 66 Member
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    Also, to add to my previous post, those who are losing a lot of weight (50 lb or more) NEED to build muscle. It helps your skin fit to your body once the fat is gone instead of drooping. Toning is what helps your skin heal.
  • Emma1903
    Emma1903 Posts: 195
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    Body weight exercises like pushups, crunches, lunges, squats, chin ups etc. are just as effective at toning as is weight lifting. I prefer body weight exercises because as a martial artist I need to be able to use my muscles in conjunction with others, I need superior balance, and I need proper hip alignment. Machines have no crossover to real life. It has been demonstrated in several studies that a person who built their muscle using machines is no better at using their body in the real world than they were before they started training. If I do strength training I do it with real life things like flipping truck tires or heaving sand bags. I also like a good 10 lb medicine ball.

    Here's a good article on the body weight exercises vs. free weights vs. machines debate: http://liftforlife.com/content/bodybuilding-fitness-diet-health-articles/training-articles/252-bodyweight-exercise

    Agree where ever possible use weights kettle bells dumb bells barbells instead of machine, with free weights you let your body move the way it want to not in alignment with a machine. Or use rope pulleys.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Pages & pages of mildly entertaining debate, just because one person takes exception to what they "should" do.

    Gotta love internet forums.
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
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    my reason for posting this is just that ive been thinking about it a while.
    Its diets as well as exercise. People constantly depriving themselves of things they like and being very very restrictive and strict, or even forcing themselves to eat things they dont actually like because its "good for them", then doing exercises they hate, or overdoing the exercise, which while is fine for crash weight-loss in the short term, y'know if youre doing it for a specific occasion, then thats fine, but youre not going to get a realistic idea of your natural input or output or anything.

    I think there are sooo many ways to acheive a healthy lifestyle and a healthy weight, but to do it long term, its got to involve living normally to a certain extent. I believe EVERYONE has their sport. They just need to find it
  • crmhaske
    crmhaske Posts: 66 Member
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    Body weight exercises like pushups, crunches, lunges, squats, chin ups etc. are just as effective at toning as is weight lifting. I prefer body weight exercises because as a martial artist I need to be able to use my muscles in conjunction with others, I need superior balance, and I need proper hip alignment. Machines have no crossover to real life. It has been demonstrated in several studies that a person who built their muscle using machines is no better at using their body in the real world than they were before they started training. If I do strength training I do it with real life things like flipping truck tires or heaving sand bags. I also like a good 10 lb medicine ball.

    Here's a good article on the body weight exercises vs. free weights vs. machines debate: http://liftforlife.com/content/bodybuilding-fitness-diet-health-articles/training-articles/252-bodyweight-exercise

    Agree where ever possible use weights kettle bells dumb bells barbells instead of machine, with free weights you let your body move the way it want to not in alignment with a machine. Or use rope pulleys.

    I really love rope pulleys! We do an exercise at taekwondo where you partner up and one person takes off their belt with one person holding either end. One person has to pull the other person towards them with the belt, and the other person has to resist by leaning their body weight back.
  • katkins3
    katkins3 Posts: 1,360 Member
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    Body weight exercises like pushups, crunches, lunges, squats, chin ups etc. are just as effective at toning as is weight lifting. I prefer body weight exercises because as a martial artist I need to be able to use my muscles in conjunction with others, I need superior balance, and I need proper hip alignment. Machines have no crossover to real life. It has been demonstrated in several studies that a person who built their muscle using machines is no better at using their body in the real world than they were before they started training.

    I practice Tai Chi and agree that toning exercises help balance and posture as well as strength.
    If you don't enjoy these exercises though its unlikely you will do them. Perhaps you would enjoy them more to music.
    Jazzercise has a body sculpting class that make it fun; maybe you could find something like that. It's more like dancing that just hoisting hand weights.
  • lcarter25
    lcarter25 Posts: 286 Member
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    I agree that people should find exercises that they like suzycreamcheese as there's no point slugging away at stuff you hate. Like I used to do spinning and aerobics - is it good at burning calories yes do I like it hell no!! So i took up zumba, street dance and belly dancing which I love and cannot miss a class!
  • crmhaske
    crmhaske Posts: 66 Member
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    Body weight exercises like pushups, crunches, lunges, squats, chin ups etc. are just as effective at toning as is weight lifting. I prefer body weight exercises because as a martial artist I need to be able to use my muscles in conjunction with others, I need superior balance, and I need proper hip alignment. Machines have no crossover to real life. It has been demonstrated in several studies that a person who built their muscle using machines is no better at using their body in the real world than they were before they started training.

    I practice Tai Chi and agree that toning exercises help balance and posture as well as strength.
    If you don't enjoy these exercises though its unlikely you will do them. Perhaps you would enjoy them more to music.
    Jazzercise has a body sculpting class that make it fun; maybe you could find something like that. It's more like dancing that just hoisting hand weights.

    I do enjoy those exercises very much. It's using machines I can't stand. I don't like doing something out of context, so I don't have a gym membership. I do taekwondo, yoga, and I dance. I do body weight exercises at home with sandbags and medicine balls. I love it!
  • QUETA2212
    QUETA2212 Posts: 81 Member
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    What makes the statement women should do strength training untrue? The fact that you dont want to do it doesnt make it untrue. The fact that you feel like you dont have to do it to reach your goal doesnt make it untrue.
  • craft338
    craft338 Posts: 870 Member
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    what about women like me who have very large frames? i'm already naturally strong and muscular to the point where men ask ME to open jars for them. i have very broad shoulders and big arms and legs. if i lift weights, i would look like a man. i did it in high school and college for sports and guys would always ask me, "how much can you bench?!?" and it didn't really make me feel very "hot and sexy". i KNOW i won't get bigger because i don't have the testosterone and so on, but i don't need there to be more visible muscles in my already very manly looking frame. the muscles in my legs are already leaning towards masculine, and that's with just WALKING everyday. i don't think i will ever use weights again, no matter how many people tell me i "won't bulk up". i would like to go out with a guy for once without feeling like i can take him in an arm wrestle.

    i'm all for women being strong and all that, and i'm not saying i want to look like a girly girl with pink ribbons and flowers. i'm just saying that because i ALREADY look big and strong, i don't want to make it worse by using weights. i'll stick to my cardio :flowerforyou:

    EDITED TO ADD - i understand the other points of view and i'm not trying to argue that using weights is BAD, because i know that they're not. i know weights are healthy and that MOST women look wonderful when adding weights to their routines. it's just my personal preference that i would like to keep doing what i'm doing. i've NEVER been a normal weight, so maybe when i reach my goal weight, i might have different thoughts about my own body. but for now, i feel that my exercise routine is fine without weights.
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
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    What makes the statement women should do strength training untrue? The fact that you dont want to do it doesnt make it untrue. The fact that you feel like you dont have to do it to reach your goal doesnt make it untrue.

    the "should" bit.

    but that doesnt automatically mean they shouldnt.


    If you like weight training, then great, do it. If you dont, then there is no should about it. Thats ALL im saying.
  • aj_rock
    aj_rock Posts: 390 Member
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    If you're wondering why you should do some resistance training (not even weight lifting; body weight exercise, swimming, circuit training all count) just do a search on googe scholar:

    http://scholar.google.ca/scholar?q=benefits+of+resistance+training&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart

    -reduces risk of diabetes
    -reduces risk of osteoporosis & loss of bone density
    -reduces risk of high blood pressure and subsequent cardiovascular diseases/problems

    Like I said, it doesnt have to be a gym or anything but with all the positives of resistance training it almost seems silly not to, and not just from a weight loss perspective.

    When it comes to weight loss though, the general idea seems to be that it prevents you from losing too much lean body mass. And LBM doesn't always refer to muscle.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    Body weight exercises like pushups, crunches, lunges, squats, chin ups etc. are just as effective at toning as is weight lifting. I prefer body weight exercises because as a martial artist I need to be able to use my muscles in conjunction with others, I need superior balance, and I need proper hip alignment. Machines have no crossover to real life. It has been demonstrated in several studies that a person who built their muscle using machines is no better at using their body in the real world than they were before they started training. If I do strength training I do it with real life things like flipping truck tires or heaving sand bags. I also like a good 10 lb medicine ball.

    Here's a good article on the body weight exercises vs. free weights vs. machines debate: http://liftforlife.com/content/bodybuilding-fitness-diet-health-articles/training-articles/252-bodyweight-exercise

    This is exactly my view. I want to build my muscle bulk a bit, but I won't be lifting weights because it isn't sustainable. I don't have access to a gym, and I don't have room for a weights machine at home. Nor do I have any inclination to have free weights (apart from my 6.6lb hand weights) lying around the house with small children around. I do circuits classes and have resistance bands to try to build muscle. I do a fair few press ups and planks and core work too, and when the children are older I intend to get back into martial arts (which I did for 6 years before getting pregnant), but for me, lifting weights would be a short term solution, because it isn't something I will do for the rest of my life.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    I really don't get what people are getting so het up about. The OP isn't saying women shouldn't do weights. She is objecting to being told we should, or NEED to. When we don't. There is no NEED to do weights. It doesn't make you live longer. My grandmother lived to 91 without lifting weights once in her life.
  • FatGirlSlim89
    FatGirlSlim89 Posts: 53
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    It has been demonstrated in several studies that a person who built their muscle using machines is no better at using their body in the real world than they were before they started training.

    Although I think you're other advice is sound, I have to disagree with this. I love weight training on machines, and it's improved my strength more than I could have imagined. I think this is the sort of thing the OP was trying to voice, we need to respect that everyone is different. I too am fed up with blanket 'EVERYONE SHOULD' or 'YOU'RE WAY IS WRONG' statements.
  • 1953Judith
    1953Judith Posts: 325 Member
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    I agree with the OP that the word "should" can be off-putting. I have learned the hard way that good nutrition and exercise is not just about physical appearance on the outside and it is not just about the point in time we are in. I take a post-cancer medicine that is very corrosive to my bones. I take a low dose of medicine to counteract the effect of post cancer medicine. I want to keep on the smallest dose possible. I try to do by exercise and diet as much as possible for my body. I took up body pump last year (I hated anything to do with weights). Per my latest bone scan, I AM increasing bone density not just stopping the corrosion. I encourage all of us to look at our bodies as a whole, treasure the miracle that they are by integrating healthy habits when and where we can.
  • pedalpusher5
    pedalpusher5 Posts: 39
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    If the posts that are supportive of resistance training really bother you, you could choose not to read them. That way, the information would still be here as education, help and support for the members who are interested in the benefits of muscle development, and all the positive effects that it brings (which I would venture to say is the vast majority of us), without offending you.

    These forums are here to be a source of education and support. Strength training is a huge part of being fit, for most people, so to get bothered by discussion of the topic on a fitness forum would be like joining a boating forum and getting pissed whenever someone mentions water.

    You always have the option of skipping over any post that is about subject matter that doesn't pertain to you or your goals. You even have the option of just logging your calories and exercise and ignoring the discussion forums altogether. But for those of us who believe in and are interested in strength training, this is "our" topic, ignore it and move on and leave us to support each other.

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