Entering a male-dominated free weights room

helenium

I've been pole dancing for 5 months now and I have significantly more strength than I used to. Nevertheless I could not tell you at all what the weights I can lift are. I would like some way to compare my strength to an average female, male etc. and to do this I need to try lifting free weights at the gym.

Only problem is my gym is the university gym in which none of the ladies lift weights! I have never seen a woman in the power lifting room, only on the cardio machines. As much as I'd be ok with being the only female lifter in sight, I haven't lifted free weights before. I don't want to be the clueless girl asking one of the university rowers for help *grumble grumble*. I'm also not sure what I'd need help with other than proper form. Plus, there's testosterone is pretty much dripping from the ceiling in this room. Quite intimidating.

Any clues as to how I can avoid attracting attention? Will I be able to work out which weights are for what exercise? Any bloopers I should avoid?

Also, to get a comparable figure for lifting, should I aim to measure my maximum weight for 1 rep, or for 5-8 reps?

What is considered a non-pathetic weight liftable by someone with a female physique on different exercises? I'm very interested to know my arm strength especially. For example, should I be able to bicep curl 10 lbs? 15 lbs?

I am already gaining strength through pole dancing, I just want to quantify it.

fatboypup

believe you me .... the guys would love to help you

vthetigercat

http://www.bodybuilding.com/guides/female-20to39-muscle-building/intro

skierxjes

I go to the gym on campus and I very, very rarely see another female in there. Don't be afraid to ask a boy fir help, MOST of them are very nice and will help! Also, find the person watching the room, like a gym employee and ask him to give you a walk around with the different benches and such.

This is also a great site for starting to use dumbbells! http://www.dumbbell-exercises.com/exercises/index.html

daffodilsoup

They are going to look at you - don't take offense, seeing a woman in a university weight room is sort of like seeing a moose in the wild or something. Just strut yourself and lift big!

Plus, don't be afraid to chat up the guys that lift there! They're generally really nice, and it's always nice to exchange advice!

erickirb

Its not about comparing yourself to other people. Once you find out your strength, compete with yourself. As long as you are improving who cares how it stacks up against others.

hkovich

I am so glad you posted this because I have similar problms! I want to start lifting, but I don't have someone to go with me to "spot" and I am not familiar with any of the equipment. My plan is to pay for a personal trainer session 1x a week for a month till I get used to doing it on my own. At my local YMCA, it is only ever guys in the weights section and that can be really intimidating for a beginner who doesn't want to look like an idiot.

TheMrsFitnessGeek

I too workout in a male dominated gym, and I pay the same amount as they do! lol I felt intimidated in the beginning but now I own it!
1. Always have a plan. Jami Eason's Live Fit trainer on Bodybuilding.com is a great plan to start with.
2. Google is my best friend! You can always look up an exercise if you don't know how to do one.
3. Always wear headphones
4. Always have your head held high. Be confident (or just look like it) in all you do!

Those are my must for a male dominated gym!

You will do GREAT!!!

grapenutSF

To avoid attracting attention, don't wear your pole dancing outfit to the weight room.

Just teasing, I'm signed up for a pole dancing class and can't wait! And you look awesome in your pic.

I'd also feared all the beefy men looking at me when I walked into "their" side of the gym. But they were mostly focused on themselves. And the few who looked over did not appear to disapprove. So I smiled and kept going.

Read New Rules of Lifting. They'll give you specifics.

And, just curious, why do you want to compare your weight amounts to others to know how you're doing? Seriously, the range is huge. Just lift as much as you can.

bms34b

This is something I'm intimidated by, too! I don't know if I have the guts to get over it, but POWER to you! Also...I love the idea of taking pole dancing classes or something. That's awesome!

GaiaGirl1992

ask the guys! I'm sure they'd be impressed that A) a woman is there with them, you asked for help! even better, find a cute guy and flirt

melrose09

I was afraid of this, too, but honestly they are so engrossed in what they are doing that they don't care. They only give me a glance when I work acro up stairs if the group fitness room is occupied. But when I'm just working out up there, they don't care.

By up there I mean the weight room. My gym has cardio and group fitness downstairs and they weights are upstairs.

EDesq

I've been pole dancing for 5 months now and I have significantly more strength than I used to. Nevertheless I could not tell you at all what the weights I can lift are. I would like some way to compare my strength to an average female, male etc. and to do this I need to try lifting free weights at the gym.

Only problem is my gym is the university gym in which none of the ladies lift weights! I have never seen a woman in the power lifting room, only on the cardio machines. As much as I'd be ok with being the only female lifter in sight, I haven't lifted free weights before. I don't want to be the clueless girl asking one of the university rowers for help *grumble grumble*. I'm also not sure what I'd need help with other than proper form. Plus, there's testosterone is pretty much dripping from the ceiling in this room. Quite intimidating.

Any clues as to how I can avoid attracting attention? Will I be able to work out which weights are for what exercise? Any bloopers I should avoid?

Also, to get a comparable figure for lifting, should I aim to measure my maximum weight for 1 rep, or for 5-8 reps?

What is considered a non-pathetic weight liftable by someone with a female physique on different exercises? I'm very interested to know my arm strength especially. For example, should I be able to bicep curl 10 lbs? 15 lbs?

I am already gaining strength through pole dancing, I just want to quantify it.

No matter what you do, you WILL attract attention! ANY time a Woman enters what is perceived as "Male Dominated" they will "pay attention." In this case it will be positive attention. Do what "feels" right. I STRONGLY suggest PREPARING! Like Anything else, there is no need these days to be Totally Ignorant about ANYTHING. Go to YouTube and get some Instruction, have a "Clue" before you go in...don't play "DUMB" for the Guys! Be yourself, don't act like a "dummy" or some little "Tart", use Common Sense even though you do not know about wt lifting.

Been there, got a T-Shirt (in the Gym, Wt Lifting Room, Classroom, Work Place, Board Room!)

anabell31

believe you me .... the guys would love to help you

Agreed, I ask big buff guys at my gym for help all the time. Boys love being needed . And they enjoy the attention

Edit: There are a good number of girls who use the free weights here though. And if anything, we pay more attention to the dude showing off and doing pull-ups with the big weight belt on than we do to the chick struggling with 3lb weights (usually me)

BlueSkies_12

Make a plan of the exercises you are going to do before you go in. You can adjust your weights while you are there.

check out:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/
and
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-introduction.html

Good Luck!!!

G30Grrl

I just ventured over to the dark side myself last night. I was the only female doing free weights in a fairly crowded gym, and it was intimidating to say the least. But I'm reading The New Rules of Lifting For Women, which has detailed instructions on the workouts and proper form. I also asked the trainer who was working last night to help me with my form on the first set of squats. Once I get a bit more comfortable I don't think I'll have a problem asking the muscle-guys for help or advice. I do hear them speak very respectfully of the women who work out hard, so I know they will be happy to help. I just have to get over the shyness thing with them.

staceyseeger

After 3 months, the guys in my "male-dominated" gym have finally started "conversing" with me...I think the intimidation is equal. I think they originally thought of me as some "woman" invading their space, but now, after seeing me get my *kitten* knocked down by my trainer & coming back for more, they might have gained a little respect for me. I still see them as big gorilla's...:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Me_aly

I am one of the few ladies that hits the free weights at my gym. Now the gym I am at is a small one but it is very male dominated. However, I was a gymnast for 9 years and worked out in the weight room quit often. Ask at the front desk if there is someone (trainer, employee) that can walk you through the first couple of times you are in there. They should be able to give you a workout sheet to follow as well. Don't worry about what others think of you while you are in there, you are in there for you not them. I do know I get looks when I am in the weight room because I can do things that some woman can't or won't try. But I just smile and nod when I caught them looking !

withervein

If you get there and have questions, rather than asking the dude at the next squat rack over, ask a staff member. Guys in open gyms at universities rarely have good form and even more rarely have any idea of how to explain proper form.

If the staff know nothing, resort to one of the dudebros, but if they start saying anything that sounds odd, nod, and look it up on EXRX.

helenium

Thank you so much for your advice! I will prepare tonight and then go in and try not to have any questions. I have never seen a gym staff member and I don't know what they look like if they exist, so my only option is to ask other people.

I'm not so much looking to compare myself to other specific people, I'd just like to know whether I can lift more than the average woman yet. Which is probably a yes anyway.

Thanks for the website links, these are particularly useful!

EngiAli

Pick up "New Rules of Lifting for Women". Great book on heavy lifting for women. Check the bulletin boards and see if you can find a cheap trainer to give you a few intro sessions to the weight room. Trying to do your first set of weighted squats in a room full of boys will be intimidating. And secretly watch the guys who look like they know what they are doing (typically the ones with good form - you;ll know it when you see it) to get some ideas . Start light-ish or even with no weigh (squat and lunch) to get a feel for the movement and form and then move heavier.
Assuming you have some decent strength:
Squat - start with no weight then try 30 lbs (a smith machine can be a good place to start), then work your way to the 45 lb olympic bar and go from there (without the smith machine). With some practice you should be able to do 60-100lb
Bench - start 15 lb dumbells and work your way to the 45 lb bar and add 5lb plates from there.
Curls - 12.5 to 15lb dumbells. At my absolute strongest I have never curled more then 25lbs.
Lunges - start with no weight to get the form and balance, then add a medicine ball or some dumbells (15-30lbs)
Dead lift - start with a 30lb barbell and work your way to the 45 lbs bar with added plates.
Rows, lat pull downs, tricep pull downs - use a pully machine, pretty easy to move the pin around to find the right weight, they are all set up differently so the weight will vary from machine to machine (often depending on how many pulleys it has).