Women strength training... for real

deninevi

Thanks!
I did a Body pump last night-1hour of torture. i don't get the high reps. low weight thing. I probably won't do it again, as I just started New Rules of Lifting for Women -more my cup of tea!

Don't get me wrong... there's a time and a place for high rep, light weight circuit training. No mode/dosage of exercise can be qualified or disqualified without context. I do tons of circuit training in my practice. For the goal of optimizing body composition in folks who aren't very overweight or obese though, I'd much sooner resort to heavier, intermittent strength work. It's what I'd prioritize at least.

I agree with you, but just somethings don't work for me-I mean I much more do few reps with heavy weights that swing 5-10lbs for 60 min. Any ways, there is something for every one.Thanks for all the great advise!

Victoria2448

I never could understand why women were so afraid of lifting weights? CRAZY!

I wish I had a dime for everytime I heard, I don't want to look like a bodybuilder...like that just happens over night by accident.:laugh:

Bottom line, you want to stay young, look good,lift weights.

Thanks for the info!

MaddameKat

I have skimmed tis thread ( i am at work so do not have all day) and want to add my 2p.

I really like the strong look in women and it is what i am aiming for now as i have tried for the soft think look and failed as i had no goal/ drive to keep me going. However i thought i mention something else what is amazing for muscle building but seems to get missed out as serious exercise, pole dancing. The competetive side ( not the hen night parties) has some amazing women in it. If you google Zoraya Judd, Felix Cane, Oona Kivela you will find strong women with low body fat and the majority train with their own bodyweight alot of the time.

Just an example

crisanderson27

I have skimmed tis thread ( i am at work so do not have all day) and want to add my 2p.

I really like the strong look in women and it is what i am aiming for now as i have tried for the soft think look and failed as i had no goal/ drive to keep me going. However i thought i mention something else what is amazing for muscle building but seems to get missed out as serious exercise, pole dancing. The competetive side ( not the hen night parties) has some amazing women in it. If you google Zoraya Judd, Felix Cane, Oona Kivela you will find strong women with low body fat and the majority train with their own bodyweight alot of the time.

Just an example

Bodyweight strength training can be incredibly, incredibly productive. It's just a matter of finding the right leverage to properly stress your muscles...which with weight, is as simple as adding another plate. This is why most people just go with weights.

I switched to the gym from bodyweight (which I lost almost 40lbs in 3mos with) when 180lb handstand pushups were no longer challenging in a 5x5 format. Yes, I could have added a weighted vest etc...but it was just too much work finding hard enough exercises. What's really funny, is I can do 180lbs worth of handstand pushups 25 times (as I said), but I can only do about 100lbs (total) worth of dumbbell shoulder presses in the same 5x5 format. That gives me a LOT more range, with weights.

Domestica

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!

Dude! If you're paying for a personal trainer and she's not getting you into the weight room -- FIRE HER!!! That's the whole freakin' point!

KarmaxKitty

I need to come back and read this. I LOVE lifting. I HATE when other women in the gym look at me like I'm insane for not picking up stupid pink weights... I can't wait to get back into it, haha.

I always thought to myself: in the post apocalyptic world, all the really hot women are doing three things---

1. sprinting

2. kicking butt/training

3. lifting REALLY REALLY giant, heavy, loaded with ammo guns.

Which is part of the reason their bodies are non-mechanical machine. XD

Yay lifiting!!!

MissMaggie3

Already converted - the benefits are huge, and not just for how you look. If you are at risk of osteoporosis, weight training is the thing to do - an investment for your future health and well-being. I'm a longstanding vegetarian and in my 50s. I'm happy to say that my bones are in the top strength category for my age, which the medics put down to working with weights.

smkey

That video was pretty darn cool. It inspired me to see what I can do for the power squats. :bigsmile:
I just did drop-downs with my trainer yesterday (I'm cursing his name a little today)... 350 for 10 reps then 300 for 15 reps then 250 for 20 reps x 3 sets. My legs and glutes are seriously angry today, but it was fun. I love feeling powerful!

stroutman81

Are you saying you were doing squats with 350 lbs?

crisanderson27

Are you saying you were doing squats with 350 lbs?

What he said.

kensky

I'm on a doctor ordered hiatus from lifting (due to ectopic pregnancy recovery...big fun) and during this twitchy down time I ordered Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength. My original plan for October was to do another round of Level 7 (a high-rep level) but I think the round I did to finish the New Rules of Lifting for Women will do. I am so excited to start really focusing on these basic compound lifts!

lisaisso

BUmP

Crowhorse

I'm not sure if you've read this thread... but women can't get bulky unless they've some serious hormone imbalances. And if you're dieting.... which most of the women around here are... you're definitely not going to be adding appreciable muscle. Heck, even guys who are dieting aren't going to be adding appreciable muscle while dieting.

Look how heavily the women in the video are lifting. They've built up to those loads over extended periods of time. Would you call them bulky?

Toning is about fat loss. Not strength training or whatever.

First off, I don't diet, because I don't believe in dieting. Second, in oder for a man or woman to get bulk, they have to take something and eat a lot to get to that point. It's not easy for a man to get bulk as well. What a lot of people don't realize is that, woman have man in her, hint wo man. If a woman lifts weights like a man and take things like a man, she will bulk like a man.

I strength train to tone my body. I can speak for my body, no one else can.

While this is probably not a very useful point to make, I will say that the notion of man/woman is a contemporary error of an increasing sexist application of language. That is, the etymological root, and denotative definition, of man is as a universal term for human, wifman is the root of woman/female and werman the term used for male. Eventually, the wer was just dropped, and man took on a connotative use as a synonym for male. As such, it is a mistake to assume that the language of gender implies that woman carry some maleness in them (whatever Genesis has to say about the matter), rather, it just implies that language has some sexism in it. And, none of it is applicable to the biology of exercise science.

Considering women are XX and men are XY we can honestly say that every man has a bit of woman in them. ;-)

kensky

I have been lurking until my doctor gave me the all-clear to get back to lifting and while waiting around I ordered Mark Ripptoe's Starting Strength. It's finals week for me so I cannot really dig in like I am dying to but--WOW--I can't wait to get back in the gym and start from scratch with my form. I'll be starting the program outlined in his book starting October 16th!

calderst

I always thought to myself: in the post apocalyptic world, all the really hot women are doing three things---

1. sprinting

2. kicking butt/training

3. lifting REALLY REALLY giant, heavy, loaded with ammo guns.

Which is part of the reason their bodies are non-mechanical machine. XD

Yay lifiting!!!

Yes. And those of us with enough forethought are already practicing.

MsQt

My belly isn't right all the way yet but I love strength training

CommittohealthCHANGED

Bump

Rae6503

I'm totally impressed MsQt!

MsQt

I'm totally impressed MsQt!

Thank you very much!

deninevi

My belly isn't right all the way yet but I love strength training

You look great!