Women strength training... for real

stroutman81

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEkpST0vSbg

I'm sharing this video to highlight that it's possible to get very strong without turning into a man. I know I say it time and time again on the forum and in email conversations. But I also know that seeing is believing and many of the women might 'hear' me but it's just not enough.

The kicker is... in my experience, in order to reach the physique that many women are shooting for... they need to be picking up heavy stuff and putting it back down. Form follows function. The slightly lean, yet still feminine look that many women are shooting for is a strong look. Get strong and look strong.

I posted this on my blog earlier today and there wasn't a lot of comments. Which is fine... but I hope women weren't turned off or scared by what they saw in the video.

And of the comments I did get on my profile... a common theme was "I lift weight but nowhere near that heavy." Please don't miss the forest for the trees. This isn't about lifting that much weight. Don't compare where you are are to where the women in the video are. They've built that strength over a lot of years are dedicated and hard work.

The important thing is to start at a point that's appropriate for you... no matter how light that might be. And then, after you start... the next step is to focus on getting stronger over time.

Just some random thoughts.

Stay strong,

Steve

nokittyno

Thanks!

Here is an article from BB.com similar in information

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/womans_lean_sexy_bible.htm

taso42_DELETED

*thumbs up*

I'm sitting here procrastinating my weights session right now, and this was just the bump I needed. If these ladies are doing it, I better go pick up some dumbbells. I don't want them showing me up.

MB_Positif

I used to be able to lift more than my college boyfriend's roommate, haha. That was awesome! I am hoping to get back to that point someday! Loved the way I looked when I was lifting regularly!

jetscreaminagain

I love my body and how it responds to weight training. I love feeling strong and being strong. I like it better than cardio. Strength training doesn't make me bulky. Being fat does.

achampionsheart

i do weight training and can already tell a difference..i see a personal trainer once a month and maintain the program he gives me over the time that he is gone until he comes back into town....i do well and he has me doing some pretty extensive exercises with the weights...im bench pressing 55 lbs., im increasing to 60 lbs next week....and all kinds of weight equipment exercises...one of my concerns is that i would get too bulky and unnatural looking and i voiced my concern....i want to look "naturally sexy" not bulky like a woman who enters weight lifting competitions (i say that with much respect, no offense meant).....tone lean muscle is what im after.....i have lost 25 lbs and my body is changing weekly, i love it...cant wait to see the final product=)....thanks for the comment, great stuff

clong1985

Wow... just... wow.
How inspiring! Thanks so much for sharing this awesome video. I want to start strength training but have been feeling kind of shiftless and confused about starting. It's great to see real success!

nokittyno

Based on what i've read .. Women cannot really get "bulky", as it appears women have like.. 1/100th(example) of a mans testosterone .. those who achieve a unnatural bulk, or manly physique have help(ie. steroids or testosterone pills) SO I have been told anyway.

kevinlynch3

Awesome...I already directed a couple of my female friends on here to check this out.

Every really toned (with definition) woman in the local gym I go to lifts.

julslea

Thanks for posting this. I know for a long time I would do only cardio but have now (with the help of my hubby) gone over and done some weight training and after seeing that video I will keep it up and work on getting stronger.

nokittyno

Oh, and I will also add..lol..

I love strength training, as another member stated almost more than cardio, and I was a cardio junky running ONLY.. and that was it. But something about pushing weights and doing lower body work(like yesterday) and not being able to walk up the stairs at work(like today) is a weird satisfaction 'cause I know I pushed my body harder than the last.. Lol .. though I look strange waddling to my breaks..

S'all good the next day ..

Don't let my weird rendition of DOMS scare you though..lol..really..

crisanderson27

it's possible to get very strong without turning into a man. I know I say it time and time again on the forum and in email conversations.

AMEN!!

And I promise to try not to get this thread deleted!

=D

stroutman81

I posted this on my profile and it opened up some great discussion. Here's a Q&A from it that needs to be shared here.

The questions:

}]I'm definitely not afraid of lifting heavy but I have a question though when you say that it needs to be done in order to reach goals. That must obviously be dependent upon goals. If the goals are just leanness and general fitness, do you think heaving lifting has to play a role? If so, how can that explain people like Zuzana (of bodyrock.tv fame)? She used to be a dancer, so she's always been athletic, but she says she is only doing the short, metabolic workouts that she posts. She's lean as hell and, although she might not be able to squat as much as those ladies, I don't think anyone would say she is weak. I'm honestly curious about the differences. Thanks for all of the information that you post!

And my reply to that is...

Here's the deal. And keep in mind that I don't know what Zuzana looks like. But you can't pick one genetically gifted person from the crowd and deduce that "that's the way it is for everyone." I've been in the gym scene for a very long time. And I've been fortunate enough to train a lot of women.... for whatever reason.

I've also always been objective in my application of programming... meaning I never married myself to any one training philosophy. I simply experimented and kept what worked for the average client and ditched what didn't. On top of this... I've dedicated a large chunk of my life to researching the topic. I not only wanted to see what worked... but to also understand why it was working that way. Science doesn't answer everything for us... but it paints some pretty clear pictures.

You're certainly right... it's going to depend on the goal. When I say "it's needed in order to reach the goal" I'm referring to the goal physique that most women come to be desiring. The toned, lean, yet still feminine look. And sure, some women are going to be able to focus solely on metabolic work... on cardio. And when they reduce fat levels low enough, they're going to be left with a rocking shape and a very admirable base of muscle without ever even touching a weight.

But coming full circle... they're the genetically elite. Head into any gym and you're going to find a bunch of classes... some of them even using weights... but they're very light and the classes aren't really strength training... they're just metabolic sessions using weights. Or they're dance classes, as you referenced. The vast majority of women in these classes won't have or obtain the physique they're shooting for. Sure... there will be some statistical outliers. But in my experience... in order to build and maintain an appreciable enough base of muscle to have the leanness and shape that most women are shooting for... they need to get under some heavy (relative to their strength) weights. Does that make sense?

Domestica

Thanks for spreading the "heavy" love! I am definitely a super-heavy lifter and always get weird looks from dudes in the gym when I pick up weights that they themselves are using! But, when I'm not all "monster-like" in my gym clothes and sweating it out, I get compliments from women ALL the time about how great I look! Little do they know, to get the body they're coveting, I'm lifting weights they think will make them look like a guy!

So yeah...if you want the rock-hard body, you gotta lift heavy ladies!

Push-up contest, anyone?!

stroutman81

Based on what i've read .. Women cannot really get "bulky", as it appears women have like.. 1/100th(example) of a mans testosterone .. those who achieve a unnatural bulk, or manly physique have help(ie. steroids or testosterone pills) SO I have been told anyway.

Very true. Though I think it's closer to 1/10... but that makes all the difference in the world. Hell... I've trained a ton of guys who, even when thins are structured perfectly, can't get bulky.

And let's not forget that many women around here are eating in a calorie deficit... which means their bodies aren't going to go adding a bunch of muscle even if they had the hormonal profiles to support such growth.

crisanderson27

Here's the deal. And keep in mind that I don't know what Zuzana looks like. But you can't pick one genetically gifted person from the crowd and deduce that "that's the way it is for everyone." I've been in the gym scene for a very long time. And I've been fortunate enough to train a lot of women.... for whatever reason.

Zuzanna, is freaking ripped. But, she's also doing a lot more than just simple cardio type workouts. Her stuff is brutal, and very much on par with lifting heavy in my opinion. FAR more than it would compare to any cardio.

I am another example...up until a couple weeks ago, every ounce of my gains were bodyweight given. However, my program was a 5x5, STRENGTH training based workout. If I could do more than 5-7 reps of an exercise on my first set...it was too easy an exercise, and it was time to add leverage, or some other form of resistance (standard pushups as compared to decline, or one leg up pushups etc). After 5 sets of 5...I was blasted. You can see beginning and more current pictures in the link in my signature.

My point with all of this is, it's not necessarily the weights, it's challenging your muscles to the point of failure in a few short reps. If you can do that with a sandbag like Zuzanna (she does more reps...but the difficulty is extreme), or bodyweight like I did...go for it.

Weights just make it a HELL of a lot easier...thus the reason I belong to a gym now.

MzMiller1215

I personally enjoy weight lifting and always have. I consistently receive comments that I don't look like I weigh as much as I do and I know it's from weight lifting. I don't mean those itty bitty weights either. I won't even do a weights workout in the women's firness area because there are no heavy weights in there.

victoriashea

THANK YOU. I get so riled up about this...

"I don't want to lift too much and accidentally get bulky," they say.

That's ridiculous. That's like saying, 'I don't want to drive to much and accidentally become a race car driver'.

questionablemethods

Here's the deal. And keep in mind that I don't know what Zuzana looks like. But you can't pick one genetically gifted person from the crowd and deduce that "that's the way it is for everyone." I've been in the gym scene for a very long time. And I've been fortunate enough to train a lot of women.... for whatever reason.

Zuzanna, is freaking ripped. But, she's also doing a lot more than just simple cardio type workouts. Her stuff is brutal, and very much on par with lifting heavy in my opinion. FAR more than it would compare to any cardio.

I am another example...up until a couple weeks ago, every ounce of my gains were bodyweight given. However, my program was a 5x5, STRENGTH training based workout. If I could do more than 5-7 reps of an exercise on my first set...it was too easy an exercise, and it was time to add leverage, or some other form of resistance (standard pushups as compared to decline, or one leg up pushups etc). After 5 sets of 5...I was blasted. You can see beginning and more current pictures in the link in my signature.

My point with all of this is, it's not necessarily the weights, it's challenging your muscles to the point of failure in a few short reps. If you can do that with a sandbag like Zuzanna (she does more reps...but the difficulty is extreme), or bodyweight like I did...go for it.

Weights just make it a HELL of a lot easier...thus the reason I belong to a gym now.

Oh yeah, she's not dancing around a studio with pink weights. She does pistol squats and pullups and lots of pretty intense stuff.

And... she also won the genetic lottery. :happy:



Don't take any of this to say that I don't think lifting heavy is beneficial. I used to and I loved the results I got. I don't have access to heavy weights at the moment, which is why I am doing the Body Rock workouts, which have also been pretty amazing. They have both gotten me a lot farther than hours on the treadmill.

starwhisperer

I really enjoy lifingt, I am far from the level these women are at... probably because while I really do enjoy upper body (would do it every day if I could) I am not as much of a fan of lower body. I have a finicky back and every now and then I will go into a squat and not come completely out of it for days lol. I do love the way it makes me feel though, like when I am doing cardio I can feel the muscles doing their job more effectively then they did before I started with weights. Thanks for posting.

atomdraco

awesome

LOVEsummer

^^ That body rock girl is smokin!!! This was so amazing, thanks Steve for posting it, love it!!!

EthanJeremiahsMama

bump

Karabobarra

I so needed to see this today! It just made me realize I'm not getting where I really want and I only have myself to blame...I have a personal trainer but he still is not really putting me in the weight room that much... I've been afraid to attempt it on my own, but this really encouraged me. Now I just need to get a good starting routine and work from there.

Thank you for posting!

Kalrez

I signed up for a weight training class for college this fall. I can't wait to get started. I know I won't be able to get to the level of the ladies in the video in only a few months, but still. I'm really, really looking forward to it!

I just wish we had CrossFit place in town. But alas, it's only Zumba everywhere. >.<

stroutman81

Here's the deal. And keep in mind that I don't know what Zuzana looks like. But you can't pick one genetically gifted person from the crowd and deduce that "that's the way it is for everyone." I've been in the gym scene for a very long time. And I've been fortunate enough to train a lot of women.... for whatever reason.

Zuzanna, is freaking ripped. But, she's also doing a lot more than just simple cardio type workouts. Her stuff is brutal, and very much on par with lifting heavy in my opinion. FAR more than it would compare to any cardio.

I am another example...up until a couple weeks ago, every ounce of my gains were bodyweight given. However, my program was a 5x5, STRENGTH training based workout. If I could do more than 5-7 reps of an exercise on my first set...it was too easy an exercise, and it was time to add leverage, or some other form of resistance (standard pushups as compared to decline, or one leg up pushups etc). After 5 sets of 5...I was blasted. You can see beginning and more current pictures in the link in my signature.

My point with all of this is, it's not necessarily the weights, it's challenging your muscles to the point of failure in a few short reps. If you can do that with a sandbag like Zuzanna (she does more reps...but the difficulty is extreme), or bodyweight like I did...go for it.

Weights just make it a HELL of a lot easier...thus the reason I belong to a gym now.

Actually it is about load... or weights as you put it. Actually it's about tension in the muscles. We need tension overload in order to drive a strength or hypertrophy adaptation. And that tension is generated by applying force against an object have it be the floor when your doing a pushup or a the floor when you're squatting with a barbell on your back.

If a certain threshold of tension isn't reached, no adaptations as far as strength/hypertrophy are going to take place. Sure, you can get a training effect. You might build muscular endurance. You might build cardiorespiratory fitness. But here's my real point...

Not everyone needs to pick up a heavy barbell to realize this tension overload. For beginners, simple calisthenics can provide enough of an overload to drive improvement. Hell, in the research, taking sedentary folks and starting them on a walking regiment was enough to add muscle to their legs. Their bodyweight was enough.

And even when your body adapts to basic body weight stuff... as you eloquently pointed out, you can change aspects of the exercise to increase the tension while still relying on your body weight. A perfect example being the pushup... someone might start with a modified pushup, move to a full pushup, then move to a feet elevated pushup, then to single leg pushups, then to one arm pushups.... etc, etc.

And as you eluded to... eventually it's going to be tough to generate enough tension without resorting to some sort of implement lifting have it be sandbags, kettlebells, bands, barbells, dumbbells, etc, etc.

But going back to my original point... tension is generated by the weight being moved... and you need sufficient tension to get an improvement that we're shooting for. So it really is about the weight.

Good discussion.

odusgolp

Wow :-) and Thank you.

ninerbuff

I so needed to see this today! It just made me realize I'm not getting where I really want and I only have myself to blame...I have a personal trainer but he still is not really putting me in the weight room that much... I've been afraid to attempt it on my own, but this really encouraged me. Now I just need to get a good starting routine and work from there.

Thank you for posting!

Tell him to. It's your money! I tell my clients all the time that if there is something they want to try or do and it's something I'm capable of teaching (for instance I don't do Pilates or Yoga) then I'll do it for them. That's part of what they pay for.

stroutman81

I so needed to see this today! It just made me realize I'm not getting where I really want and I only have myself to blame...I have a personal trainer but he still is not really putting me in the weight room that much... I've been afraid to attempt it on my own, but this really encouraged me. Now I just need to get a good starting routine and work from there.

Thank you for posting!

What does your trainer have you doing? Don't be afraid to fire him! There are a lot of clowns in that profession. No intentions of throwing him under the bus... maybe he's great. I don't know enough to open my mouth. I just get fired up about people accepting the bad in this industry.

theba2il

Bump

countrygirl_717

Thank you! I LOVE to weight train - its amazing how fast your muscles respond and how you can lift heavier. Thanks for trying to inspire more women to start!