"Lift like a woman" Fitness Assessment
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ooohh . . . .
/curious now.
edit: i'm gonna guess. 'now now, he was just trying to help'. 'actually, studies show that women DO get [unpleasant result] if they lift too heavy.' 'my boyfriend/husband/imaginary fuckbuddy would never let me do that, he says blah blah blah blah'. 'lifting heavy is obviously making you too aggressive, you should just chill.' 'vote if the person above you is too aggressive or not.'
gonna be ticked if at least my first guess is wrong.0 -
i must be spoiling for a fight (too much testosterone, prolly . . . oh noes!). but i left my own nickel's worth on the 'general' thread, and just wanted to say to leo that i thought you handled yourself with a lot more grace than i probably would have managed if it had been me who had been that op.0
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How typical that you are "allowed" to be either a weak little thing or a burly strong woman. Why would a normal woman want to seriously strength train and improve her health, figure, and wellbeing?
Loved @canadianlbs' and @logg1e's points on the public boards. Such a refreshing change from, "ZOMG calm down! You should never let anything or anyone affect you negatively everrrr!!!" Being treated poorly because you are a woman has been brushed off for ages to little avail.
I linked to the Victorian era Bicycle Face warning because it was the embodiment of fear of women becoming strong and independent. It sounds ridiculous to us today but it's not that different from the fitness advice women hear all the time now. Just eat a bunch of carb cereal, do cardio and some small weights just so you feel toned, and whittle yourself away until you disappear. Don't lift heavy weights or you'll get big and ugly and no man will want you is just fear that women will become stronger, more independent, and better able to stand up for themselves.0 -
Not sure if this is terribly relevant to this discussion, but I just had to get it out.
I was doing my usual Saturday morning workout with the usual crowd that goes to the gym at opening time on Saturday. There's this one guy who's probably in his mid-50s or so who's a real loudmouth. Generally he keeps it to borderline misogynist comments, trite stuff that sounds like he must be recently divorced: women spend all your money and want too much time, and stuff like that. Well, today he was talking with another guy who I didn't recognize and it turns out that this second guy is in the middle of a fight with his gf about something relatively trivial and came to the gym to get out of the house. On learning this Loudmouth says, "better to be in Syria or Iraq than live with a woman, huh?" They were standing about 5 feet from me. I really wanted to say something but I figured that the best thing to do was keep lifting and not respond. It did feel like an awfully hostile environment for a bit, though. I mean, really, better to be in a *war zone* than share space with a woman, come on! If you're going to say s**t like that, save it for the locker room. Don't say it when one of the people you're comparing unfavorably to terrorists is standing 5 feet from you.
TL;DR: there was an @ssh0le in the gym this morning!0 -
A few months ago I promised myself that I'd challenge sexism when I saw it. It was the fact that other people had been doing this that educated me about feminism. But you know what, you have to trust your instincts and stay safe.0
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I agree about challenging sexism, honestly, and I tend to be pretty aggressive about it, actually. It would have been hard to say much in this cae since I was in the middle of a set and going over to the guy when I was done to bring it up just seemed too awkward to deal with. Had I been part of the conversation, or even just in-between sets, I probably would have said something.0
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I think you made the right call.0
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So I just read that other thread.
And *that's* why I don't do the regular forums. You ladies and one other awesome group are it for me, and I'm more than OK with it.0 -
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canadianlbs wrote: »i must be spoiling for a fight (too much testosterone, prolly . . . oh noes!). but i left my own nickel's worth on the 'general' thread, and just wanted to say to leo that i thought you handled yourself with a lot more grace than i probably would have managed if it had been me who had been that op.
Thank you, unfortuanly it went exactly as i expected it to go (well not so much his strong woman competition suggestion after i proved that i wasn't some stupid girl off the streets) i had one a few years back at a different gym and the woman made me feel like complete crap...needless to say i didn;t sign up for her services0 -
MissHolidayGolightly wrote: »How typical that you are "allowed" to be either a weak little thing or a burly strong woman. Why would a normal woman want to seriously strength train and improve her health, figure, and wellbeing?
Loved @canadianlbs' and @logg1e's points on the public boards. Such a refreshing change from, "ZOMG calm down! You should never let anything or anyone affect you negatively everrrr!!!" Being treated poorly because you are a woman has been brushed off for ages to little avail.
I linked to the Victorian era Bicycle Face warning because it was the embodiment of fear of women becoming strong and independent. It sounds ridiculous to us today but it's not that different from the fitness advice women hear all the time now. Just eat a bunch of carb cereal, do cardio and some small weights just so you feel toned, and whittle yourself away until you disappear. Don't lift heavy weights or you'll get big and ugly and no man will want you is just fear that women will become stronger, more independent, and better able to stand up for themselves.
it's funny because i brought up what happened at the gym to my mom and her first reaction is "i like it when a woman is toned but she should not be bulky" UMMMMMMM i've been lifting heavy for almost 6 months now (granted not as regulary as i would like) and IM NOT GETTING BULKY?!?!? i dont understand this concept of either you a a puny little girl who can only lift a 5lb dumbbell or you're going to enter a strongwoman competition.....
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SkepticalOwl wrote: »I agree about challenging sexism, honestly, and I tend to be pretty aggressive about it, actually. It would have been hard to say much in this cae since I was in the middle of a set and going over to the guy when I was done to bring it up just seemed too awkward to deal with. Had I been part of the conversation, or even just in-between sets, I probably would have said something.
i probably would have just stared them down for the rest of the session LOL stupid *kitten*0 -
So I just read that other thread.
And *that's* why I don't do the regular forums. You ladies and one other awesome group are it for me, and I'm more than OK with it.
there was some guy who, apparently i insulted, by making a generalization about grunting meat heads and he grunts when he works out and i'm judging him for being a meat head or something rediclous like that
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leooftheyear wrote: »MissHolidayGolightly wrote: »How typical that you are "allowed" to be either a weak little thing or a burly strong woman. Why would a normal woman want to seriously strength train and improve her health, figure, and wellbeing?
Loved @canadianlbs' and @logg1e's points on the public boards. Such a refreshing change from, "ZOMG calm down! You should never let anything or anyone affect you negatively everrrr!!!" Being treated poorly because you are a woman has been brushed off for ages to little avail.
I linked to the Victorian era Bicycle Face warning because it was the embodiment of fear of women becoming strong and independent. It sounds ridiculous to us today but it's not that different from the fitness advice women hear all the time now. Just eat a bunch of carb cereal, do cardio and some small weights just so you feel toned, and whittle yourself away until you disappear. Don't lift heavy weights or you'll get big and ugly and no man will want you is just fear that women will become stronger, more independent, and better able to stand up for themselves.
it's funny because i brought up what happened at the gym to my mom and her first reaction is "i like it when a woman is toned but she should not be bulky" UMMMMMMM i've been lifting heavy for almost 6 months now (granted not as regulary as i would like) and IM NOT GETTING BULKY?!?!? i dont understand this concept of either you a a puny little girl who can only lift a 5lb dumbbell or you're going to enter a strongwoman competition.....
She's just repeating what everyone else says. Not only is it difficult to grow muscle to the point of being bulky but there is also nothing wrong with being bulky if that is your goal. It's your body and you can do with it as you like. It's not owned by others to deem it unfit for public consumption.0 -
leooftheyear wrote: »there was some guy who, apparently i insulted, by making a generalization about grunting meat heads and he grunts when he works out and i'm judging him for being a meat head or something rediclous like that
i saw that. he was just reaching for any straw that he thought might show you up as 'inconsistent', by then. quel . . . well, meathead in fact.
also: your mother can't follow a sequential discussion, it seems. what did that have to do with anything in what you'd said?
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So women who do want to be competitive powerlifters are "meatheads"?! Glad this is such a supportive community.leooftheyear wrote: »coltsgirl311 wrote: »I've been very lucky at my gym, all the guys I have talked to in there are really nice and some have said they're impressed to see a girl in there lifting with the barbell. They've also given me some helpful form advice. Hopefully you will run into more people like that than the guy you are describing.
I would be so mad if someone told me I "didn't belong in the weights area"! Who says that??
TO the bolded, the people who still believe that "lifting makes women bulky." LOL
or that just becuase you are lifting heavy that means you should do a strong woman competition and want to become a meathead like them?!?
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So women who do want to be competitive powerlifters are "meatheads"?! Glad this is such a supportive community.leooftheyear wrote: »coltsgirl311 wrote: »I've been very lucky at my gym, all the guys I have talked to in there are really nice and some have said they're impressed to see a girl in there lifting with the barbell. They've also given me some helpful form advice. Hopefully you will run into more people like that than the guy you are describing.
I would be so mad if someone told me I "didn't belong in the weights area"! Who says that??
TO the bolded, the people who still believe that "lifting makes women bulky." LOL
or that just becuase you are lifting heavy that means you should do a strong woman competition and want to become a meathead like them?!?
Word.
I feel like I'm watching one of those annoying planet fitness commercials.
Eta: grunting is a physiological response to a strenuous effort. Not sure what the problem is there.0 -
Fittreelol wrote: »
So women who do want to be competitive powerlifters are "meatheads"?! Glad this is such a supportive community.leooftheyear wrote: »coltsgirl311 wrote: »I've been very lucky at my gym, all the guys I have talked to in there are really nice and some have said they're impressed to see a girl in there lifting with the barbell. They've also given me some helpful form advice. Hopefully you will run into more people like that than the guy you are describing.
I would be so mad if someone told me I "didn't belong in the weights area"! Who says that??
TO the bolded, the people who still believe that "lifting makes women bulky." LOL
or that just becuase you are lifting heavy that means you should do a strong woman competition and want to become a meathead like them?!?
Word.
I feel like I'm watching one of those annoying planet fitness commercials.
Eta: grunting is a physiological response to a strenuous effort. Not sure what the problem is there.
We've created the most judgmental place on the planet, but don't worry, we only judge people we don't like...0 -
MissHolidayGolightly wrote: »leooftheyear wrote: »MissHolidayGolightly wrote: »How typical that you are "allowed" to be either a weak little thing or a burly strong woman. Why would a normal woman want to seriously strength train and improve her health, figure, and wellbeing?
Loved @canadianlbs' and @logg1e's points on the public boards. Such a refreshing change from, "ZOMG calm down! You should never let anything or anyone affect you negatively everrrr!!!" Being treated poorly because you are a woman has been brushed off for ages to little avail.
I linked to the Victorian era Bicycle Face warning because it was the embodiment of fear of women becoming strong and independent. It sounds ridiculous to us today but it's not that different from the fitness advice women hear all the time now. Just eat a bunch of carb cereal, do cardio and some small weights just so you feel toned, and whittle yourself away until you disappear. Don't lift heavy weights or you'll get big and ugly and no man will want you is just fear that women will become stronger, more independent, and better able to stand up for themselves.
it's funny because i brought up what happened at the gym to my mom and her first reaction is "i like it when a woman is toned but she should not be bulky" UMMMMMMM i've been lifting heavy for almost 6 months now (granted not as regulary as i would like) and IM NOT GETTING BULKY?!?!? i dont understand this concept of either you a a puny little girl who can only lift a 5lb dumbbell or you're going to enter a strongwoman competition.....
She's just repeating what everyone else says. Not only is it difficult to grow muscle to the point of being bulky but there is also nothing wrong with being bulky if that is your goal. It's your body and you can do with it as you like. It's not owned by others to deem it unfit for public consumption.
i just responded with "yeah.... i dont want to be bulky....just toned" and moved on lol0 -
canadianlbs wrote: »leooftheyear wrote: »there was some guy who, apparently i insulted, by making a generalization about grunting meat heads and he grunts when he works out and i'm judging him for being a meat head or something rediclous like that
i saw that. he was just reaching for any straw that he thought might show you up as 'inconsistent', by then. quel . . . well, meathead in fact.
also: your mother can't follow a sequential discussion, it seems. what did that have to do with anything in what you'd said?
her misconceptions of women lifting heavy.... she's been kinda against me lifting heavy (she doesnt want me to hurt myself) for some time now thats part of why i brought up the story at the gym and when the trainer who was out on the floor with me said "her squats and deadlifts were perfect" 0
