Why don't you bench?

elprincipito

Directed mostly towards girls but I can't seem to think of a time i saw a girl benching....without a trainer.

JustJennie1

I bench without a trainer. I have my husband to spot me but only when I look as though I'm going to drop the weight on my head.

Perhaps you need to look a little harder because I always see girls benching.

Chief_Rocka

Because of fitness marketing, women are less likely to lift properly

JustJennie1

Because of fitness marketing, women are less likely to lift properly

I call bullsh*t on this.

I lift properly without a trainer. Women are capable of lifting properly without trainers by themselves.

I suppose that they should use little pink weights and wear super cute outfits while they work out too?

iluvprettyshoes

I do but only if I have someone with me that I know to spot me. I can't bench very much yet.

amclaws25

I bench every week. Generally with dumbells because I rarely ever have a spotter. I do it on the Smith occasionally. I am currently benching 45# dumbells.

elprincipito

I was actually thinking more above the lines of "chest/shoulders and triceps muscle aren't a glamour muscle" . This is why women would rather work out their legs and *kitten*, which i see happening very often.

JustJennie1

I was actually thinking more above the lines of "chest/shoulders and triceps muscle aren't a glamour muscle" . This is why women would rather work out their legs and *kitten*, which i see happening very often.

Again a misconception. I work every body part. I do love working my legs however as for chest/shoulders bi's and tri's not being a "glamor" muscle is kind of ridiculous. I work my arms because I love the way they look in short sleeves and sleeveless tops. I also love working my back and absolutely adore how muscular it is.

I lift heavy and I have muscles that I absolutely love.

florymonde

I work out on my own, so I use a machine to bench since I have no spotter. But bench and lat pull-down are my must-dos. And military press as my shoulders allow.

mmapags

Because of fitness marketing, women are less likely to lift properly

I call bullsh*t on this.

I lift properly without a trainer. Women are capable of lifting properly without trainers by themselves.

I suppose that they should use little pink weights and wear super cute outfits while they work out too?

I think you are missing his point altogether. He's not saying women shouldn't. He's offering an explanation as to why many don't. I think more women are these days but there is still the whole "women should not do weight training" thing out there. Look at all the threads where women say they are intimidated by going into the free weight area. Or they'll get bulky. Additionally, look at all the marketing material for programs like Insantity or Body Pump. It's all aimed at women.

Good on you that you didn't let any of that stop you. There are still a lot of women who do let it stop them.

penrbrown

I don't have a gym membership.

lilRicki

i bench with dumbbells as well because my core sucks and i'm not stable enough. I also don't have a spotter or else I'd give it a go.

florymonde

Women tend to be weak through the arms/shoulders/chest (compared to men the same size). For me, that means those are the things I make sure to hit when I work out. Apparently not all women think the same as I do.

jayche

Because of fitness marketing, women are less likely to lift properly

I call bullsh*t on this.

I lift properly without a trainer. Women are capable of lifting properly without trainers by themselves.

I suppose that they should use little pink weights and wear super cute outfits while they work out too?

First off, you're awesome for being a woman who lifts properly! But despite the fact that YOU lift properly, most women I see in the gym never leave the cardio area or mess with light weights presumably out of the fear of getting "bulky". Of course you are not alone in doing what you do as a female, but you are in the minority.

I see far more females on the squat rack than I do males though!

sarahrbraun

No one has ever shown me how...and I don't have a spotter. Hoping to change this in the new year.

RGv2

Because of fitness marketing, women are less likely to lift properly

I call bullsh*t on this.

I lift properly without a trainer. Women are capable of lifting properly without trainers by themselves.

I suppose that they should use little pink weights and wear super cute outfits while they work out too?

You don't agree that more fitness marketing directed at women has more to do with cardio, yoga, and pilates rather than lifting?

OkieinMinny

I bench 75# without a trainer and 95# with - goal is to get me to higher weight without him -- my upper body is my weakest area BUT I do BP...and about 90% of the females on my list also lift heavy like that

_SusieQ_

I bench 75# without a trainer and 95# with - goal is to get me to higher weight without him -- my upper body is my weakest area BUT I do BP...and about 90% of the females on my list also lift heavy like that

Dangit, you're so killing me!

I'm up to 70# without a spot, can maybe push it to 80# with one. And I have no problem asking guys like YOU OP to spot me if needed.

crisanderson27

I was actually thinking more above the lines of "chest/shoulders and triceps muscle aren't a glamour muscle" . This is why women would rather work out their legs and *kitten*, which i see happening very often.

Again a misconception. I work every body part. I do love working my legs however as for chest/shoulders bi's and tri's not being a "glamor" muscle is kind of ridiculous. I work my arms because I love the way they look in short sleeves and sleeveless tops. I also love working my back and absolutely adore how muscular it is.

I lift heavy and I have muscles that I absolutely love.

Women with defined backs are freaking hot. The same goes for well shaped arms and shoulders.

I'm 100% certain you don't need my approval for your motivation, but...you've got it anyhow lol.

Rum_Runner

I'd love to bench....but don't have the means. I use dumbbells in place of a bar. But b/c I don't have means to a bar or plates....hard to guesss what'd i would actually bench.

WDEvy

Because I lift from home and I don't have anyone to spot for me!

dinosnopro

They don't want to get all bulky.

crisanderson27

I'd love to bench....but don't have the means. I use dumbbells in place of a bar. But b/c I don't have means to a bar or plates....hard to guesss what'd i would actually bench.

Usually slightly more than you dumbbell bench. Dumbbells take far more overall strength to lift and maintain than a barbell does, due to the independant nature and lack of built in stability.

elprincipito

I bench 75# without a trainer and 95# with - goal is to get me to higher weight without him -- my upper body is my weakest area BUT I do BP...and about 90% of the females on my list also lift heavy like that

Dangit, you're so killing me!

I'm up to 70# without a spot, can maybe push it to 80# with one. And I have no problem asking guys like YOU OP to spot me if needed.

I never see a girl asking for a spot anywhere in my near future...this is how badly i see it ;p

AlayshaJ

Your question doesn't make sense, I do bench press. Weekly, and as heavy as I can. No trainer, just a random spotter. I rep 105.

Crankstr

I do!

RedHeadDevotchka

I bench, I do regular and close grip bench.
I can do 8 reps of 115 without one, but after that I will ask for a spotter. Can't get stronger unless you push yourself.

Any other questions?

zyxst

1. I don't have the equipment
2. I can't even lift the empty bar

Sarauk2sf

Not sure of the gym you use, but I see women benching. I bench without a trainer and just ask someone to spot me on my heaviest set.

Although I will admit that I do see more women doing squats and deadlifts as well as clean and press - probably because crossfit has opened it up more to women but bench is not really a component or their routines.

belladonna786

I bench on my own

jcstanton

I was actually thinking more above the lines of "chest/shoulders and triceps muscle aren't a glamour muscle" . This is why women would rather work out their legs and *kitten*, which i see happening very often.

Again a misconception. I work every body part. I do love working my legs however as for chest/shoulders bi's and tri's not being a "glamor" muscle is kind of ridiculous. I work my arms because I love the way they look in short sleeves and sleeveless tops. I also love working my back and absolutely adore how muscular it is.

I lift heavy and I have muscles that I absolutely love.

Also, you may see women working the legs and butt because, for most women, that tends to be a problem area more so than the arms and chest. Historically, it's a more desirable for guys to have big pecs, biceps, and triceps than it is for women. Although, that does seem to be changing more and more in recent years. I see far more women these days lifting for ALL parts of the body than I did, say, eight or ten years ago.