Why do so many women lift such light weights?

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  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
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    Agree with a lot of comments already made, but I've always been a little baffled by this ...

    I played high school sports ( basketball and softball ) now I'm 26 so I've only been removed from high school for 8 years, but when we were in athletics at my high school we were required to be a part of a weight lifting program.

    I had to learn to bench press, use free weights, incline. Sure we didn't do dead lifts and some of the more "men" oriented moves, but I still knew how to use dumbells and barbells.

    I would assume that a lot of high schools had this type of structure. So it baffles me that there are so many women that don't know even how to do some dumbell exercises.

    Now, I get not everyone plays sports, but I would think in High School more than 50% participated in some kind of sports. Maybe my high school was just really intense ..... lol

    Same here. I learned my way around weights playing sports. I can remember in 8th grade benching more than a boy the same age as me. I thought I was AWESOME. haha!

    So, now...I'm the coach. The other day I had 11 girls in the weight room, while the boys were in there too. We only did three lifts that day; squats, deads, and bench (we also did some ball slams before going back to the gym) but I told them we were doing something that they could use later on in life.
  • turtledove773
    turtledove773 Posts: 122 Member
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    So ladies.. why are so many afraid to lift heavy weights?

    What is exactly considered "Heavy"?
  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
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    Agree with a lot of comments already made, but I've always been a little baffled by this ...

    I played high school sports ( basketball and softball ) now I'm 26 so I've only been removed from high school for 8 years, but when we were in athletics at my high school we were required to be a part of a weight lifting program.

    I had to learn to bench press, use free weights, incline. Sure we didn't do dead lifts and some of the more "men" oriented moves, but I still knew how to use dumbells and barbells.

    I would assume that a lot of high schools had this type of structure. So it baffles me that there are so many women that don't know even how to do some dumbell exercises.

    Now, I get not everyone plays sports, but I would think in High School more than 50% participated in some kind of sports. Maybe my high school was just really intense ..... lol

    I was never in sports in school and I highly doubt that more than 50% of the people that I went to school with participated in any sort of sport.

    We had only one day during gym class where we were shown the weight room and how to use the equipment.

    I graduated with 450 kids. And I would assume that majority played some kind of athletic at some point in 4 years. Even if they didn't ... poms/cheerleaders also used the weight room.

    Like I said, maybe I was lucky...

    We had to run the mile every semester. Based on your performance...you had to do so many Cardiovascular days. The highest being like 30 a semester. With that said, some fun activities were CV days, but also the weight circuit, bikes, aerobics were a way to get your CV days done. So maybe all those times complaining about CV days ... my school was really doing a good job to keep people who DIDNT want to be active, somewhat active.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    So ladies.. why are so many afraid to lift heavy weights?

    What is exactly considered "Heavy"?

    that is very subjective...heavy is what is heavy for you...meaning you are fatigued on the last reps of the sets (based on my understanding)

    Heavy for me is 180lb squat, Heavy for you might be a 60lb squat...but six months ago 60lbs was heavy for me.

    it's all about progression and building your strength which as you can tell by my pics does not make you bulky...or have "big huge heman muscles"....:laugh:
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
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    Ever considered that maybe because they're women, they don't have great testosterone levels like men?
  • thatismesammyg
    thatismesammyg Posts: 71 Member
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    I guess my reason is "I don't want to." There's no gym rule that says you need to lift heavy weights. I can do whatever the heck I feel like doing and shouldn't be judged by some man that spends too much time observing women and not enough time minding his own business.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    So ladies.. why are so many afraid to lift heavy weights?

    (btw, this applies to many of the men I see in the gym also)

    This may not apply, since I'm not afraid to lift heavy, I just prefer not to and I can't speak for anyone else.

    When I lift weights I do lift more than 5 lbs, since the lowest weight I have is 10 lbs. (highest is 25 lb - I have only dumbbells and one kettlebell). I can get to my goals with what I have and I don't find going progressively heavier at all enjoyable so I have no incentive to do so.

    I prefer bodyweight exercises so I sometimes go weeks without picking up a weight at all.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    So ladies.. why are so many afraid to lift heavy weights?

    What is exactly considered "Heavy"?

    heavy is a rep range- not a weight.
    Ever considered that maybe because they're women, they don't have great testosterone levels like men?
    that has nothing to do with anything to be completely honest.
    I prefer bodyweight exercises so I sometimes go weeks without picking up a weight at all.
    progressive loading has nothing to do with lifting- it's progressive loading.
    You can progressively load with body weights just fine- you do not NEED to lift WEIGHTS- to be lifting "heavy".
  • Followingsea
    Followingsea Posts: 407 Member
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    For me, call it 75% insecurity and 25% fear of (re)injury.

    I am not very good at admitting I don't know something. Asking for help requires monumental mental effort. It's taken a while to work up to it.

    I'm also prone to neck/shoulder injury. On my last round of physical therapy, they had me doing bicep curls with a 1 lb weight on my left side. ...and it was hard. So - just jumping in wasn't an option. I needed someone to help me with form and show me the right way to do [X exercise] without hurting myself all over again.

    it took a while to clear the hurdles.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    Seems like a lot of women don't want to look like they're making an effort. Almost never see a woman struggling for a rep, or even breathing hard outside of a class.

    But thumbs up to the few who get in there and push themselves. And this goes for guys too - if you're working hard, the amount on the bar doesn't matter. Do what it takes to get the job done.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I prefer bodyweight exercises so I sometimes go weeks without picking up a weight at all.
    progressive loading has nothing to do with lifting- it's progressive loading.
    You can progressively load with body weights just fine- you do not NEED to lift WEIGHTS- to be lifting "heavy".

    I first heard the term "lifting heavy' on MFP. I asked exactly what that meant and was told 'lifting as heavy a weight as you could for 8 reps while maintaining good form'. So, perhaps this is just a difference in what is meant by "lifting heavy".

    While I am progressively doing more pushups per set, my goal is that the weight used (my bodyweight) will not increase.

    ETA: I also do not plan to progressively do more per set forever.
  • Lisa1971
    Lisa1971 Posts: 3,069 Member
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    <
    Flips perfectly styled hair and redos makeup before skipping off to do 500 bicep curls with a pink 2lb weight. :laugh:
  • crystalfisher89
    crystalfisher89 Posts: 196 Member
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    I'm not. I do a body pump class (bar bells with weights) and I love that I can lift as heavy as I do for as many reps as I do. It's endurance lifting, but it pushes you to your max. I do 60 lbs hang clings (3 rounds) and 50 lb squats (3 sets). When I do go up into the weight lifting room, I am right along with the guys grabbing big weights and lift until failure. Maybe it's because I grew up a tom boy, but I love lifting heavy and feel proud when I can out lift a guy. :)

    I think why so many women lift light is because they are worried they'll "bulk" which is a misconception because you can't bulk if you eat at a deficit. Also women doesn't want to look "manly" with big muscles. I say to hell with that because I have a muscular build and i can still look great in a dress even with muscles. Because I'm not eating at a surplus, I'm not too worried about bulking and I love the toning benefits. My fiancee likes to say that strong is much sexier than skinny.

    I apologize if this post came off as egotistical, but I hate that women think the they can't lift heavy because they'll get man arms or something.
  • SilverRose89
    SilverRose89 Posts: 447 Member
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    I think women get told a lot of crap at the gym as well, or at least I did.

    I walked into the gym knowing nothing two months ago and was given a program to do. I wanted to lose weight and 'tone up' like we all say at first. I was told it's important to do weights alongside cardio, but not why this is and also they gave me weights which I could do 20 reps of. In the end friends who know better and also this forum told me I should be finding a weight I can do 8-10 reps of instead of doing loads of light ones.

    Why the instructor didn't tell me this I have no idea. Presumably not a lack of knowledge?
  • Harrisonsauntie2005
    Harrisonsauntie2005 Posts: 215 Member
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    Women shouldn't lift heavy... it bulks you up :)
  • SilverRose89
    SilverRose89 Posts: 447 Member
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    Women shouldn't lift heavy... it bulks you up :)

    Sarcasm? I never know on here! :bigsmile:
  • Harrisonsauntie2005
    Harrisonsauntie2005 Posts: 215 Member
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    Women shouldn't lift heavy... it bulks you up :)

    Sarcasm? I never know on here! :bigsmile:

    Yeah! :)
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    I first heard the term "lifting heavy' on MFP. I asked exactly what that meant and was told 'lifting as heavy a weight as you could for 8 reps while maintaining good form'. So, perhaps this is just a difference in what is meant by "lifting heavy".

    While I am progressively doing more pushups per set, my goal is that the weight used (my bodyweight) will not increase.

    ETA: I also do not plan to progressively do more per set forever.

    lifting heavy in terms of actual weights is often used because it's the most common- most research and easily available method- and for all intents and purposes- it's the most accessible.
    They were right to an extent- but heavy is defined as 1-5 typically- 5-10 is more size and strength- 10-15 is for muscle endurance.

    That's the thing- doing MORE isn't progressively loading (because you are right- BW doesn't change) You are just doing more.

    progressively loading means you are making it a harder move. So instead of just doing more push ups- try doing a harder variation.
    Because once you get to 10/12 reps- you are no longer training strength- you are training endurance.
    I'm not. I do a body pump class (bar bells with weights) and I love that I can lift as heavy as I do for as many reps as I do. It's endurance lifting, but it pushes you to your max.
    kind of- body pump is about cardio- so I wouldn't say so much to your max because it's more about conditioning training than strength-

    long distance vs physical strength- it's just a totally different thing. And it's neither good nor bad.
    I apologize if this post came off as egotistical, but I hate that women think the they can't lift heavy because they'll get man arms or something.
    nah- you aren't- i had similar post in the "I'm a woman in the free weights section" it gets old hearing this crap about women not lifting.
    Again- it boils down mostly to not being educated and all the bad crap from fitness magazines. I really just laugh at the women who say they dont' want to lift because they will get to big- I'm like you cant' be bothered to come in for 2 sessions a week and put down twinkies much less do the work it takes to look half as big as I look.

    Sigh.
    just sigh.

    one at a time we will convert them to our plan!!!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I first heard the term "lifting heavy' on MFP. I asked exactly what that meant and was told 'lifting as heavy a weight as you could for 8 reps while maintaining good form'. So, perhaps this is just a difference in what is meant by "lifting heavy".

    While I am progressively doing more pushups per set, my goal is that the weight used (my bodyweight) will not increase.

    ETA: I also do not plan to progressively do more per set forever.

    lifting heavy in terms of actual weights is often used because it's the most common- most research and easily available method- and for all intents and purposes- it's the most accessible.
    They were right to an extent- but heavy is defined as 1-5 typically- 5-10 is more size and strength- 10-15 is for muscle endurance.

    That's the thing- doing MORE isn't progressively loading (because you are right- BW doesn't change) You are just doing more.

    progressively loading means you are making it a harder move. So instead of just doing more push ups- try doing a harder variation.
    Because once you get to 10/12 reps- you are no longer training strength- you are training endurance.

    I probably do not know correct terminology when it comes to strength training, be it building strength or building endurance, but I think we saying similar things.

    My goal is not to continually increase strength. I am happy to build to a certain point and maintain, in both strength and endurance.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
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    Definitely has something to do with the current portrayal of women in the media and lack of education regarding fitness and weight loss.

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