Why are so many women SCARED of weights? LMAO.
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randrews0407
Posts: 216 Member
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.
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.
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Replies
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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.0
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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!).0
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
They frown on dumbells in my Zumba classes. It could be dangerous...."Hey! You're in my space!" *whack*0
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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...0
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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!0 -
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?0
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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?0
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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 ;P0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
I have given up on trying to understand the behaviour of most women lol0
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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 HRM0
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