I am the woman in the freeweights section of the gym

I have had a couple younger guys tell me I have great form on my squat, and let me say that is better than getting carded for alcohol!!

Amen to that!

I've worked with a trainer for a few months with basic/lighter weights, but just started out on NROWLFW and I love it. I work out very early so there are not many people in the gym - but I feel very confident walking in there and getting it done. I have to smile some days when it's just me (fat 40 yr old mom of 4) with the two 19 yr old college guys home for the summer.

I do need to conquer the actual squat rack though - I have been using a barbell but now at 40/50 lbs I need to rack! So Friday, I conquer the rack!

I've been lifting weights since I was in my.last to year at secondary school with the support from my Dad and brother.

I've not looked back since. I often hear women talking about how lifting weights makes you look butch. This isnt the case and I find it really frustrating.

If your lacking confidence maybe train with a friend? Give it a week and your have the bug.

I kid you not. She was spotted by 4 men.

I'm trying to do math on how many plates that is. SHEESH that thing must have been maxed out. Our leg press will only accommodate 12 plates on the sides, and 4 up top.

It's a leg press, you can have like a 1/10th range of motion, where the weight is set up at an incline with a leverage that means you're only technically lifting around 70% of the weight, and it's at an optimal angle to move the weight with no stabilization required from your body.
Quoting leg press numbers is freaking pointless.

EDIT: Everyone, post your Smith machine bench press and assisted pull up reps.

I started lifting in January and was terrified of looking stupid in the weights room as I go to a body builders gym. However I got the owner to show me a few things and felt better with him around. I then got myself some wireless headphone s and took my phone so I could look things up on YouTube if I was struggling with how to do something. I looked up workout plans online to give me a guide.

At first I wasn't taken seriously and it really bugged me with guys asking if I needed help re racking my weights... Arghhhhhh. Now the owner trains me once a week and I'm squatting at a personal best of 210lbs and on my way to achieving my goal of 10 pull ups! Woop. I FEEL GREAT! I've dropped nearly 10% body fat and am so much more confident.

It no longer bothers me walking into the weight room as I see the same faces regularly and feel more 'accepted' . I stick my headphones on and ignore everyone as they do me.

I'd encourage all women to give it a try as you will never regret it. Sure the first few weeks are super awkward as most men look at you like they have never seen a woman in the weights room before.. But that is their problem! Strong girls rock!

Such a great post! I used to feel comfortable in the freeweights section, but since I've gotten so out of shape lately, I'm self-conscious EVERYWHERE in the gym. Just have to suck it up, go on, and know each day I'm there, I'm getting better and stronger than the day before. I'm also the girl with her shirt soaked front & back, sweat running down every part of her body, and having to wipe up the puddles on every bench she sits on. The gym isn't the place to go looking "pretty," it's where you go to get healthy and confident so you feel attractive everywhere else.

I love the free weight section. They are really concerned with themselves. They are helpful too!! They have given me great lifting advice.

My gym has a very open area where machines are close to the free weight section. After working with a personal trainer for a length of time I feel quite comfortable walking over and taking up space with the free weights. I feel as if I push myself harder by using the free weights, which in turn has done a better job of defining muscle. I know it is not always comfortable to have to squeeze in when the men are taking up residence but I have found that no one man or woman minds making space for anyone who wants to work out!

Last week I was at the free weight section with my friend. And there were 3 guys making fun of the woman in the section. They made really rude comments and were laughing at everything we did. Not only to me and my friend, but also at other woman there.

THIS was exactly the reason I didn't want to go there before.

It's a good thing I train there at least 2 times a week and it never happend before. But if it would be the first time I probably never would go back.

I remember being really intimidated at first. So I went during a quiet time at the gym to get used to it. Once you keep at it you realize most people don't really care what anyone else is doing at the gym so long as they're not hurting themselves. Sure you'll get the occasional jerk... all the more motivation to work harder and lift more than them

Get it girls. I can squat more than my 220 lb boyfriend and he brags about that to people. Benching is another story, a sad story :sad: but I keep at it even though it feels impossible sometimes.

I can bench 40 lbs and that's it. I have am not good balancing the bar. I need to spend more time on the bench to get better. :grumble:

I just want to pop in to tell everyone here that because of these boards and all the amazing success stories I've seen on here, I decided to start lifting with free weights. So Friday night I went to the gym and walked right up to the squat rack and started doing squats with the bar. Yeah, I was a little intimidated and yeah I was a little concerned I looked stupid but as I looked around I realized that no one cared what I was doing. And it was great.

Special bonus - when I finished with my squats, every squat rack was busy and they were all filled with women. And most of those ladies were lifting serious weight.

Get it girls. I can squat more than my 220 lb boyfriend and he brags about that to people. Benching is another story, a sad story :sad: but I keep at it even though it feels impossible sometimes.

I can bench 40 lbs and that's it. I have am not good balancing the bar. I need to spend more time on the bench to get better. :grumble:

How's your form? I find arching my back so that just my lats and butt are touching the bench allows me to lift a lot more weight than I thought I was capable of. I figured this out by watching videos of 130 pound powerlifting women benching 300 lbs.

Please excuse me but I have not read everybody's post or reply's but I used to work in a gym so here's my take on things.......

.First of all a lot of guys will feel intimidated by the girls who have the brass to walk into the free weights area

. Secondly they will also feel intimidated if you walk in and start squatting like a mean machine or doing any kind of technical exercise not only with perfect technique and full range of movement but also with some weight on.

.Thirdly to reach your goal you should be prepared to do what ever it takes - Which is more than chest and biceps lol, more than half the guys in the free weights area will be wearing track suit or jogging bottoms - there is a reason for that lol!

.If you have a good body and feel a bit intimidated in that way with young men looking at you my advice would be to square up to them in front of everybody and ask them if they want a picture, tell them your only willing to do this as an exchange deal...... For example if you have a good rack or nice bum tell um you'll do a pic exchange for there quads lol, Then watch there face deflate like a led zepplin.

The guys who look good probably do so as they put a lot of time in and train correctly - unless there on juice of course but if they are training properly and have a full look about them there vanity will overpower watching you lol

You could also wear some loose clothing and ditch the make-up, Speaking from personal preference I always had and still have time for the girls with no make up, Its not a fashion show, You don't care about the blonde on the Cross trainer who is caked up in make-up updating updating to facebook and instagram every five minutes in between wiping every little drop of sweat away as god forbid it could make her make up run!

Train properly you will attract attention but the right kind from people in the know, People will approach you and start correcting your technique, you can then build up a rapport and maybe even get a quality training partner.

Just my take on things and yes I am looking for somebody as committed as me in the Leicestershire area lol. That's the UK! - But I have a passport and a sports holdall so can travel!

Keep it real, Train Hard and UP THERE'S lol!!!

I have never been intimidated to enter the gym room because "girls don't go there."

I've been intimidated from a general lack of knowledge, my personal goals, and body image issues (something that has kept me out of the gym, too).

My personal goals are not to be a body builder. Personally, I don't get why women want to be body builders, but each her own. But weight machines have seized to provide any benefit to my workouts to where I don't get stronger on the appropriate weight and still can't do the next weight. I've seen more improvements in my physique & strength and felt like I was accomplishing something learning to do free weights.

I have no desire to do heavy lifting, I have no desire to enter the swimsuit competition, I'm not cross-fit or whatever. I just want increased strength and a stronger metabolism. I want to be FIT.

I loved this post!

I just started with a trainer on Monday and he took me straight to the free weights. I was completely intimidated! It doesn't help that on his off time, he is a drill sergeant.... Anyway - Once my legs stop shaking I'll be back in the free weight section trying it again. I just hope it doesn't take me as long to recover!