Why are so many women SCARED of weights? LMAO.

randrews0407

Just curious…

At my gym I’m usually the only woman on the floor w/ weights, I’m the only one uses the Smith machine etc. All of the women are in classes (Zumba, Pilates…more Zumba). Guys are NEVER in classes (with the exception of the 2 or 3 that may go to the spin class). I don’t understand why classes (and the cardio machines) are always overflowing with women but it’s so rare to see one with a dumbbell.

Please explain.

caterpillardreams

Well I like both, dancing and Pilates. But I also love to lift. I know some ladies are afraid of bulking up, they may not understand the concept of weight lifting. I had a friend who would not lift weights even though I tried to explain to her she would not look like she is on steroids. she was adamant on never lifting.

Lozze

Because women have been told, from birth that they are weak. Add to that the fitness industry gives women terrible advice about low weight/high rep. Plus you have women who fear bulking up. No matter what they are told, they'll believe they'll turn into She Hulk.

Classes are great and men should do more of them though. A lot of men focus too much on strength training and little on their cardio.

serapi

Just curious…

At my gym I’m usually the only woman on the floor w/ weights, I’m the only one uses the Smith machine etc. All of the women are in classes (Zumba, Pilates…more Zumba). Guys are NEVER in classes (with the exception of the 2 or 3 that may go to the spin class). I don’t understand why classes (and the cardio machines) are always overflowing with women but it’s so rare to see one with a dumbbell.

Please explain.

Not all women wish to be muscular. They want to have smaller muscles and don't want them to grow. There is nothing wrong with that.

I have a lot of respect for women at the gym who lift heavy b/c it's very difficult to do. I often praise them for it b/c it's amazing to watch.

I hope those same women who I praise don't secretly make fun of me when I lift my 10 lbs dumb bells b/c I prefer a smaller physique for myself. I'm 18 % body fat and I have good muscle tone...I just don't want it to grow.

victoriannsays

I think a lot of women are more obsessed over the scale than they are of their BF %.. which I was too before I became more aware and educated.

missym357

I do both, so I can only speak for myself, I actually enjoy zumba. I don't get enjoyment out of weights. I kick my own *kitten* in the weight room and there is nothing fun about it- looking at the results is fun though. Zumba is for the fun of it.

People do things that they get something out of- whatever that may be. For many, a group setting keeps them working out better than they would if they were on their own in the weight room.

serapi

Because women have been told, from birth that they are weak. Add to that the fitness industry gives women terrible advice about low weight/high rep. Plus you have women who fear bulking up. No matter what they are told, they'll believe they'll turn into She Hulk.

Classes are great and men should do more of them though. A lot of men focus too much on strength training and little on their cardio.

Maybe some women still believe this myth, but I know women (including myself) that wish a smaller physique for themselves. There is nothing wrong with that preference.

Kudos to women who lift heavy. It's not for all though.

416runner

I think a lot of women (myself included at one point) are unsure of where to start or how to use the equipment and worried that they'll look silly if they have to ask for help (I have to admit, this was a big stumbling block for me!).

serapi

I think a lot of women are more obsessed over the scale than they are of their BF %.. which I was too before I became more aware and educated.

I'm not sure about that. Most women are aware of their body fat percentage b/c it is given to them when they join.

Mine is 18% and I don't lift heavy. I love my muscle tone the way it is.

Just saying that some women have different fitness goals is all.

serapi

I think a lot of women (myself included at one point) are unsure of where to start or how to use the equipment and worried that they'll look silly if they have to ask for help (I have to admit, this was a big stumbling block for me!).

yeah it is awkward at first.

I make sure to be friendly to new women and show them how to use the machines if they seem like they are struggling.

randrews0407

Well I like both, dancing and Pilates. But I also love to lift. I know some ladies are afraid of bulking up, they may not understand the concept of weight lifting. I had a friend who would not lift weights even though I tried to explain to her she would not look like she is on steroids. she was adamant on never lifting.

I enjoy the cardio...do the treadmill and my Wii games. I strength train but I'm not bulky in the least bit, for the women who get bulky I suspect they are using supplements etc. My arms are toned and I'm always complimented on them...I don't have diesel guns, lol. I seem to understand the phobia though.

cmriverside

They frown on dumbells in my Zumba classes. It could be dangerous...."Hey! You're in my space!" *whack*

auddii

I have a friend i go to they gym with, mostly on weekends. She always points out the people lifting weights (at our particular gym, it happens to be a lot of machine use) who never do cardio and says how much they are doing it wrong. I tend to agree, mostly because they usually are sitting on machines and talking, but it's the mentality shoved down our throats that men lift, women do cardio. It's "odd" to see women lifting heavy. I'm even more odd since I'm doing the barbell. But with one squat rack, I'm working out at 5am, so at least there aren't many people to look at me strangely when I start making racket...

serapi

I have a friend i go to they gym with, mostly on weekends. She always points out the people lifting weights (at our particular gym, it happens to be a lot of machine use) who never do cardio and says how much they are doing it wrong. I tend to agree, mostly because they usually are sitting on machines and talking, but it's the mentality shoved down our throats that men lift, women do cardio. It's "odd" to see women lifting heavy. I'm even more odd since I'm doing the barbell. But with one squat rack, I'm working out at 5am, so at least there aren't many people to look at me strangely when I start making racket...

I would look at you with admiration! Good for you! Go for it!

Bolinjk

Can you help me figure something out? I did strength training this morning and logged type, sets, reps and how much in my exercise diary but it's still showing -0 under exercies on my home page. How do I get this to show up?

ahviendha

prepare for my sexism here, but it seems women really like to be in groups. weight lifting isn't a group activity. also men are more competitive, and it's harder to be competitive with cardio than weight lifting. weights are "I can bench X more than you, sucka!" but being able to zumba harder...well, less satisfaction?

Alyssa__Lauren

I do both. I like cardio a whole lot more though because I love running, dancing, etc.
I usually only see guys in the free weights section of my gym but yesterday I saw a lot of girls my age (early-mid 20's) and I was loving it! The weight machines are like 60-40 guy to girl ratio...girls mostly do the ab machines and the awkward thigh machines ;P

ahviendha

Can you help me figure something out? I did strength training this morning and logged type, sets, reps and how much in my exercise diary but it's still showing -0 under exercies on my home page. How do I get this to show up?

it won't. strength training doesn't log as calories, if you want to log it as "weight lifting - x amount of minutes" under cardio then it'll count as calories burned.

randrews0407

Because women have been told, from birth that they are weak. Add to that the fitness industry gives women terrible advice about low weight/high rep. Plus you have women who fear bulking up. No matter what they are told, they'll believe they'll turn into She Hulk.

Classes are great and men should do more of them though. A lot of men focus too much on strength training and little on their cardio.

I wholeheartedly agree, men ought to do the classes and many of them don't have the endurance to survive those hour-long cardio classes (so who's weak and strong now...huh? *smiles*) Women are routinely given poor advice and I don't use "for women" products because they are inferior. Seriously...compare labels - pick up the Special K protein packs or the cutesy package Luna bars etc - the products for WOMEN have similar calories to the men's ones but less protein, more sugar.

drusilla126

I have given up on trying to understand the behaviour of most women lol

Alyssa__Lauren

Can you help me figure something out? I did strength training this morning and logged type, sets, reps and how much in my exercise diary but it's still showing -0 under exercies on my home page. How do I get this to show up?

MFP doesn't calculate how many calories you burn if you log it like that...under cardiovascular search for "strength training" and put in how many minutes you did it for. I'm not sure if the calories burned they give you is accurate though, unless you have a HRM

victoriannsays

I think a lot of women are more obsessed over the scale than they are of their BF %.. which I was too before I became more aware and educated.

I'm not sure about that. Most women are aware of their body fat percentage b/c it is given to them when they join.

Mine is 18% and I don't lift heavy. I love my muscle tone the way it is.

Just saying that some women have different fitness goals is all.

I agree with you.. I was just thinking of some of my friends/family.. They are constantly running and doing zumba and theyre "skinny fat" when they could be lifting and building lean muscle and being happy with their body

DebraYvonne

I am not scared of them and do lift lighter but I have had a neck injury that is aggravated sometimes by the least twisting and it will bother me for a month if I do too much so I know to watch it because I have overdone it and hurt myself in the past. We have a good number at my gym that use weights.

Jory2pointOh

Why is it funny? I think like anything else it's just a matter of preference. I find it best to focus on myself and not worry about what others in a gym (who are there to better themselves) are doing.

RunHardBeStrong

Can you help me figure something out? I did strength training this morning and logged type, sets, reps and how much in my exercise diary but it's still showing -0 under exercies on my home page. How do I get this to show up?

Enter it under strength training in the cardio section. You'll have to still enter under strength too if you want to keep a log of what you did.

Erin_goBrahScience

Just curious…

At my gym I’m usually the only woman on the floor w/ weights, I’m the only one uses the Smith machine etc. All of the women are in classes (Zumba, Pilates…more Zumba). Guys are NEVER in classes (with the exception of the 2 or 3 that may go to the spin class). I don’t understand why classes (and the cardio machines) are always overflowing with women but it’s so rare to see one with a dumbbell.

Please explain.

As someone who is currently tackling that very fear, I would say because with the exception of about three things...I don't know how it works. I know the leg press, and the pulley machine and everything else scares the crap out of me. I JUST as in last night approached someone who worked there about getting help if I wanted to know how to use something.

For me, it’s a matter of intruding on someone else's space and/or time.


Since I don't know how to propperly use it, I stay away rather than ask. It the fear of the unknown.

yo_andi

Because women have been told, from birth that they are weak. Add to that the fitness industry gives women terrible advice about low weight/high rep. Plus you have women who fear bulking up. No matter what they are told, they'll believe they'll turn into She Hulk.

Maybe some women still believe this myth, but I know women (including myself) that wish a smaller physique for themselves. There is nothing wrong with that preference.

Kudos to women who lift heavy. It's not for all though.
[/quote]

You are *not* going to get "big" from lifting heavy weights. Check out Staci!

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

Staci went from 117 on the left to about 130, lifting weights but stayed the same size in clothing.



Then she got even more focused, gained 11 lbs and went from this to this:



Even though she's heavier, she's much smaller, and looks far better in and out of clothes!

randrews0407

Not all women wish to be muscular. They want to have smaller muscles and don't want them to grow. There is nothing wrong with that.

I don't think those 5 or 10lb weights will make anyone muscular per se but building muscle allows you to burn more (hence eat more) - stronger women with muscular definition still look sexy as they age IMHO.

lasmit4477

This deals with individuals being misinformed about weight loss, body composition, ect..... but it also depends on what someone's goals are. I however, love lifting WAY more than cardio but I do enjoy HIIT.

bcattoes

Why do you assume they are SCARED of them just because they don't use them at your gym? Even if they are SCARED, why is that funny? (or is it just a good way to reduce the size of your A?)

randrews0407

I think a lot of women are more obsessed over the scale than they are of their BF %.. which I was too before I became more aware and educated.

BRAVO!!! *applauds*