Why are so many women SCARED of weights? LMAO.

I'm not afraid of heavy weights at all. I want to do squats and deadlifts over 100 lbs, hip thrusts and glute bridges... I actually want to add mass and not lose weight since I already am small and a size 0. I want to work my *kitten* and add at least 1 inch (preferably more to my *kitten*). I am so into getting a bigger butt that I plan to work out my *kitten* and legs 3x a week!

I like heavy weights. My problem is that I do not like being the only woman in the weight room! I am naturally a self conscious person so I ALWAYS feel like everything is about me and everyone is staring at me but it's 100x magnified in the gym. I hate being around a bunch of dudes; I don't feel intimidated at all since I am in great shape and strong for my size but I get ANNOYED being the only female and being surrounded by a bunch of guys. It irritates me.

I also feel like they feel like its their territory and that they own it (even though they don't, we all pay the same membership fee). I am paranoid and do have anxiety so it's probably all in my own head; however I THINK that THEY Think that it is their "territory" and when they see me it's like "wtf is this woman doing here?" or "Did you wander in the wrong section" or "get back to cardio downstairs where you belong." Perhaps that's not what they are thinking at all but my anxiety gives the impression that they may think that.

My plan is to just keep ear pods on, look super mean/angry, get into beast mode and never make eye contact or talk to anyone (I don't talk to people in general anyways since I'm not a social person). If someone dares to stare at me I won't back down and stare back until they look away first. I may be small in size but I won't let anyone think they can dominate me.

It would be so much better if there were MORE WOMEN in the weight room.

So the point is that I am not afraid of weights! I just don't want to be around SO MANY dudes. It's not that I'm intimidated; it just annoys me!

This. Completely.

I do weights, but I just started, so I'm the little weakling right now.
I'm not scared. I'm just a weak baby duck.

But I can kick some *kitten* at Zumba.

Don't forget to blame the men. Especially when they're more interested in the mirror than you for the most part. There's no rope keeping you out. Stop using it as an excuse, because that's all it is.

I love weights. I used to lift, and I wasn't bulky. I was strong and lean. Over the years, I've kind of half-assed it, and I work on a computer all day. I have so much occupational tension in my neck, shoulders, and upper back that when I lift, I get migraines and tension headaches that make me hate my life. It is really hard to get/find proper stretches for those areas. So, I've chosen to do strength training in more gentle ways that my body can handle. I don't get results as quickly as I would with weights though.

So, I do barre for strength training instead. Many women I know just do cardio, and they are skinny fat.

Over the years, I've kind of half-assed it, and I work on a computer all day. I have so much occupational tension in my neck, shoulders, and upper back that when I lift, I get migraines and tension headaches that make me hate my life.

Huh... I have/had the exact opposite thing happen. I, too, work at a desk most of the day. I used to have a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders - not to mention some bad headaches, as a result - but found that - since I've been lifting heavy and routinely - that most of my issues have subsided. Probably just an individual thing.

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.

Huh. That's funny, I could swear heavy lifting IS giving me a smaller physique.

Because women have been told, from birth that they are weak.

Aww :hugs: I don't know who told you that but it makes me sad.

Society tells women that. Look at any "women's" magazine cover. It says tone and lose. It doesn't say get strong. Then open said magazine and there will be pictures of 2lb pink weights and trainers like tracy anderson who tell women not to lift heavier than 2lbs.She also says one can spot reduce. *sigh*

Since when does losing weight and toning = weak??

I have no idea who Tracy Anderson is. I'm not a huge magazine reader, but I've read more than a few in the past half century. I don't recall ever reading one that said don't use more than 2 lbs of weight, unless perhaps it was talking about during a specific exercise. But weights are not required to be strong.

I'm not afraid of weights. I know that women don't bulk up easily and I know that lifting has benefits. That said, I'm just not interested. Lifting is painfully boring to me and just generally not worth it. I only exercise to cover my daily slice of cake with it, and weight training just doesn't do that. Besides, I couldn't care less about being strong or building muscle, I just want to be small.

I find lifting to be somewhat boring. But ... weight lifting has made me significantly smaller, at the same weight. Lifting has made my *kitten* look 20 years younger. Lifting has made me stronger, so I don't injure myself in the course of my everyday life. I don't want osteoarthritis. I don't want to throw out my back cleaning up cat puke (again) or break a hip getting out of bed.

And I like being able to carry in ALL the groceries in one trip. I like being able to effortlessly toss the jumbo box of cat litter from the shelf to the cart and from the cart to my car and from my car to my house. I like not having to depend on anyone to pick things up or move them for me.

Boring? So what? Flossing my teeth is boring. Paying bills is boring. Laundry and dishes are boring. Not everything in life is a thrill a minute excitement. I'm not a child and have to take responsibility for my life, health and body. And lifting is part of that.

You know what's REALLY boring? Being stuck on the couch or in the bed because you injured yourself doing a mundane task and can't stand up straight without excruciating pain. Been there. Done that. Don't ever want to do it again.

Same weight, before and after strength training...

I'm not afraid of weights. I know that women don't bulk up easily and I know that lifting has benefits. That said, I'm just not interested. Lifting is painfully boring to me and just generally not worth it. I only exercise to cover my daily slice of cake with it, and weight training just doesn't do that. Besides, I couldn't care less about being strong or building muscle, I just want to be small.

I find lifting to be somewhat boring. But ... weight lifting has made me significantly smaller, at the same weight. Lifting has made my *kitten* look 20 years younger. Lifting has made me stronger, so I don't injure myself in the course of my everyday life. I don't want osteoarthritis. I don't want to throw out my back cleaning up cat puke (again) or break a hip getting out of bed.

And I like being able to carry in ALL the groceries in one trip. I like being able to effortlessly toss the jumbo box of cat litter from the shelf to the cart and from the cart to my car and from my car to my house. I like not having to depend on anyone to pick things up or move them for me.

Boring? So what? Flossing my teeth is boring. Paying bills is boring. Laundry and dishes are boring. Not everything in life is a thrill a minute excitement. I'm not a child and have to take responsibility for my life, health and body. And lifting is part of that.

You know what's REALLY boring? Being stuck on the couch or in the bed because you injured yourself doing a mundane task and can't stand up straight without excruciating pain. Been there. Done that. Don't ever want to do it again.

Same weight, before and after strength training...

^^This!

I find cardio is boring to me. I only do it enough to help my calorie intake. I never lifted before but starting November 11, 2012, my first day I started and I fall in love. I have started a 12 weeks program and now having 2 more sessions to finish. I lift 3 days a week for this entire program. Love liftings and how I feel after each workout!

There have been a lot of reasons folks have posted in this thread for why they don't use the weights at the gym. I'm a 5'2" woman. I lift heavy every day I'm at the gym. I am usually one of the only women in the free weight area. Most women stick to the machines, even if they venture outside of the cardio areas.

My two cents (okay, more like 25 cents):

1) Free weights do a completely different thing than zumba (or other classes). Free weights build muscle, which helps boost your metabolic rate, promote fat loss, and make you look leaner. They're also badass.

2) Most men are not looking at you. Most men in the free weight area are just as insecure as the women are. They either are beginners who have no idea what they're doing, or they were beginners once and hung out in the free weight area long enough to have figured out a program they can do. I've seen men with great form, lifting a bunch of weight. And I've seen timid men on entirely biceps-focused programs and terrible lifting form wishing they could hide under a bench because they're so intimidated. In general, though, most people have their earbuds in and are ignoring everyone else around them. They don't really think of the free weights as "their territory", they think of the free weight area as the place that has the weights in it.

3) Men, when they DO notice a woman in the free weight area, are totally impressed by us. It's true that, unlike my boyfriend, I typically wander into the free weight area and no one feels like they can approach me. My boyfriend has made quite a few friends that are all guys who just struck up conversations with him; nobody has felt like doing that with me. It *did* make me feel a little unwelcome... until my boyfriend told me how one guy he met at the gym randomly said to him in the middle of their conversation, "By the way, dude, your girlfriend is amazing. She lifts more weight than some men. That's just awesome."

4) It's okay to not lift that much. Every guy started as a beginner with an empty bar. Every single one. So what if you can't lift 300 lbs or you're still learning or whatever? Every lifter was in that boat. People appreciate people who are trying, not people who are afraid to give it a shot.

5) The internet is amazing. Free weights seem terrifying or dangerous or like you need some form of skill to do them. It does help to have someone show you the ropes. But we live in an internet age where there are youtube self-help videos for everything. There are exactly 4 basic moves you need to learn to start a strength training program, and ALL can be done safely without a spotter -- bench press, squat, deadlift, and row. The internet abounds with videos to show you how to do these exercises heavy and with good form. The squat rack will safely spot you in a barbell squat, and dumbbell versions of all four exercises are basically spotter proof, especially at the light weights that most beginners start at. If you still feel insecure, most gyms offer a free training session that you can use to check your form and learn these exercises, and in my experience, almost every person in the free weight session of a gym is willing and eager to give form tips and spot people if you ask. ESPECIALLY if you are a girl.

6) Lifting weights may be boring. And, I definitely don't think you should do things in the gym that you think are dull. But, one could argue that 60 minutes on a treadmill staring at the paint chips on the wall is boring. I find that setting a lifting goal helps with the boredom, the constant stimulation of moving from free weight station to free weight station is mentally stimulating, and that it's hard to be bored when you're straining under a heavy weight close to failure. I find that free weights are boring when they aren't challenging enough; if you're bored, perhaps try adding more weight or building a structured program so that you have a defined goal?

There's nothing about the Y chromosome that gives men an exclusive pass to free weights and strength training.

If you're a woman who wants to 1) lose weight, 2) get healthier, and/or 3) want to look fabulous, you should be lifting heavy. We pay for the free weight section too, and we have just as much a right to be there as any guy. Also, we make that lifting stuff look good.