Stronger than the guys in the gym!

2Bgoddess

congrats....but your only competition should be yourself. You should feel good about yourself without dissing the others. (i know you didn't do it out loud) everyone has to start somewhere. maybe they will get stronger. maybe their form will improve. maybe not. but it really doesn't reflect on you.

PJ64

Stop working out at the preschool gym!!!!

J/k Good Job, maybe it will give the people around you some inspiration

thistimeismytime

I see you have your BEAST MODE set in the "ON" position!! :drinker: Rock on baby!!

planetshark

You GO, girl! Isn't that the BEST feeling? :laugh:

grkpetalouda

after reading your post, one thing came to mind, and that was Joe Pesci in "my cousin vinny" saying "i'm done with THIS guy"

bwahaha.

melbot24

Here's what Mom told me as a kid - there will always be someone stronger or weaker that you.

Maybe it's just me, but If I see a person unable to do a pull-up, I don't think "ha ha, I can do an entire set, you wimp", I think "keep trying!"

Maybe I just need to be meaner.

I feel the same way.
People should stop treating the gym like it's grounds for a competition.
My attitude is "You're working out, you're trying hard? Hey, me too!"

I really hate when I get thrown into some sort of competition that I didn't even realize I was a part of or when people go on machines or do weights after me and try to show-off.

It's just stupid.

Stop comparing yourself to guys. You're strong in general. Not strong for a girl, not stronger than a guy, just strong.
Be proud of your personal progress.

Oneday150

Lol you must go to a planet fitness.

^^^^ This I almost spilled my water.. too funny :laugh:

LizL217

Here's my question, the guy doing the ab ripper routine, was he over weight? Another question is, how many reps and sets did you do compared to the guys lifting? For example, if someone did 50lbs for 10 reps, and someone else did 60lbs for 5 reps, who's stronger?

The guy doing the ab workout was not overweight, but was clearly new to the workout. And I can totally understand that his form was lousy, as mine was the first few times I did it too!

Don't get me wrong, guys, I'm not trying to hate on everyone else or think anyone else is weak if they use smaller weights than me, and I absolutely respect that everyone's there trying to get healthy. I shouldn't compare myself to others, but it was just one of those little moments when out-lifting the guys gave me a little personal victory and actually kept me there at the gym for about an hour longer than I originally planned to stay.

I'm not calling them weak, just saying I felt particularly strong and it was nice.

raystark

I had one victory after another at the gym last night.

First I got on the leg press machine after a guy and had to adjust the weight heavier. I'm pressing more than my body weight now, which feels pretty great, and as I completed my reps I looked at my strong legs and thought "yeah, I'm stronger than that guy".

Then I saw a guy doing the P90x ab ripper workout (my favorite ab workout), and his form was pathetic. Knees bent all over the place, couldn't touch his toes... So I did the ab ripper workout and nailed it. And I thought "yeah, I'm stronger than THAT guy".

Then I moved on to my chest and back workout and there was a group of young dudes all socializing and trying to show off in front of each other. They'd pick up their little 15 pound weights and do a few shoulder presses while I was using 25 pounders. They'd do one push up and I'd do 10 sets of 15 push ups. And I thought "yeah, I'm stronger than THOSE guys".

I know I shouldn't worry about what other people are doing and I should just worry about my own progress, but man, sometimes it feels really good to know you're stronger than the guys in the gym.

You're my new hero.

thistimeismytime

I'm not calling them weak, just saying I felt particularly strong and it was nice.

I totally get where you're coming from hon! Don't let people get you down. :flowerforyou:

I'm sure NONE of these other people has EVER compared themselves to another person in ANY context or situation. They are all completely content within themselves...all the time. They are like Internet Buddhas.

crawpapa

Hey, whatever keeps you motivated, rock it! If it's music, if it's 5lbs more weight than you did last time, or lifting heavier than a bunch of other people around you, keep at it! Maybe you motivated those guys, thinking "holy crap that chick just smoked me!".

gshoemaker06

I'm sorry, but this makes me not like you at all. You're putting other people down to build yourself up.

LizL217

I'm sorry, but this makes me not like you at all. You're putting other people down to build yourself up.

Don't apologize, you have your own opinion.

I don't particularly expect a man to understand the sense of victory as a 128 lb woman to feel more powerful than her male gym-peers, but if you think that makes me a terrible person, that's fine. It's your opinion, don't be sorry.

cupcakes_

Loooove that. It hasn't happened to me yet, but I'm sure it will

blonde71

I'm sorry, but this makes me not like you at all. You're putting other people down to build yourself up.

Don't apologize, you have your own opinion.

I don't particularly expect a man to understand the sense of victory as a 128 lb woman to feel more powerful than her male gym-peers, but if you think that makes me a terrible person, that's fine. It's your opinion, don't be sorry.

I just don't get that you would think that a person like me who's 124 lbs. and shoulder pressing 40 total lbs. would be considered weak. You have no idea where someone started at. To put it into perspective, 12 months ago, I could BARELY shoulder press 5 lbs. b/c I was so unconditioned. I've made great progress and am damn proud of it. I just don't see the joy in being kind of superior to those around you when lifting. Maybe I'm different but I don't really care what people are lifting except me. I'm happy for you but you kind of came off as sounding like you were putting those of us down that don't lift like you. I'm sorry but that's the truth and it's my opinion. But good going....

meerkat70

I can't quite believe that, instead of appreciating the OP's point - that she's thoroughly glorying in her own strength and how far she's come as a woman - people want to criticise and pick holes.

OP, I hope you continue to take joy in your strength. I think it's quite obvious you were not being critical of the people you were observing. You were simply enjoying the reality that you don't 'lift like a man'. You lift more than many men.

SilverOnTheTree

I agree with Meerkat70: OP is AWESOME and inspiring. All kudos to lizlane today!

I watch the guys in my gym flexing and standing around acting generally superior, and the day I can equal or better their efforts (without making a performance of it like they do) will be sooooooo satisfying.

Congratulations - and thank you for sharing those secret inner thoughts

MountainDont351LBS

I lift things up and put them down.

mayerrocks

Good for you; and keep it up. However, I would advise you (I know its unsolicited), to rather compare yourself to other women than to men. If these boys will keep on it, there is a great chance, due to obvious physiological differences between men and women, that the boys will catch up to you rather quickly, and may well overtake you. You won't be too proud then! and may actually become frustrated and angry with yourself.

Meanwhile, enjoy it while you can!!!