Why do so many ladies not lift?
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_nicolemarie_ wrote: »Just a question for ladies who are lifting: Do you generally go to the gym alone? What about a spotter? Or is the weight generally not so high as to need a spotter?
I lift at home alone, no spotter. I have squat stands, not a rack, and use a pair of sawhorses as my safeties. I've failed lifts two times and both times I pretty much knew it was going to happen but tried them anyway. If I didn't have the safeties I wouldn't have even attempted them. In my experience, it is pretty easy to know when I'm not going to make it before I even start a rep.
While this is generally true for me too (knowing when I won't make it), it doesn't mean you always know. I did 175lbx5 bench 3 workouts ago, went to do 177.5lbx5 last workout and got the first set in. The 2nd set I didn't even make it past 2 reps. While I wasn't feeling 100% and I knew I was pushing it, the nail in the coffin was my shoulder moved on the bench. You can't always predict a failure or you may push yourself that day, so it is better safe than sorry.
Either use safeties, or practice the proper technique to bail with a low weight, so you can do it with a higher weight if the situation ever arises. I bought a half rack specifically so I could set the weight down instead of chuck it on the floor or have to roll from under it.0 -
Reason #4378: some of the failure modes associated with lifting heavy seem pretty damn catastrophic0
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In real life in my area, I would be willing to bet that the number of women who actually do some kind of consistent (relatively) heavy lifting may be 2/10 at best. I know plenty of women who generally stick to the treadmill or outdoor walking/running.
There have been plenty of reasons given why the numbers are low (at least in some circles/areas.)0 -
Reason #4378: some of the failure modes associated with lifting heavy seem pretty damn catastrophic
If you use the safety bars or a spotter it is pretty safe. I lifted for a little more than a year before I had to stop because I became deathly ill (not due to lifting) and had to quit for 9 months before restarting 2 months ago from the beginning and I have only failed a squat in my entire time lifting and nothing happened other than some embarrassment because of the safety bars.0 -
singingflutelady wrote: »Reason #4378: some of the failure modes associated with lifting heavy seem pretty damn catastrophic
If you use the safety bars or a spotter it is pretty safe. I lifted for a little more than a year before I had to stop because I became deathly ill (not due to lifting) and had to quit for 9 months before restarting 2 months ago from the beginning and I have only failed a squat in my entire time lifting and nothing happened other than some embarrassment because of the safety bars.
I used the safety bars while I was squatting for the first time last week and I'm so happy I finally did. It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. In fact, it was like nothing even happen. The weight was on my back, then there was a little click as I put it down. The guy next to me didn't even notice.
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Probably nobody noticed but it was a dramatic fail because I was exhausted and bent too far forward.0
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CarlydogsMom wrote: »I think it's a result of a lot of factors, with one general tendency: it's easier to not lift. Lifting is new, different, a more technical thing than walking/running on a treadmill or elliptical, and basically an "unknown" to many women.
This site reflects a cross-section of the world, right? Many people on here, as in real life, want to know the easiest way to do something quickly. We all--on some level--are geared towards finding the easiest way to do something (be it losing weight or some other thing) quickly. I think people approach weight loss in two main camps: 1) I want to lose weight, lose it fast, get it done; and 2) I want to make a life change into a healthy lifestyle that will be permanent. Sometimes you start in #1 and end up in #2.
Those in the second camp tend to explore various ways to accomplish that goal--and often, weight lifting is something that you find as you move through this experience. Then, you get into that "confirmation bias." You start to see weight-lifting all around you--you notice more magazines, or commercials, or the gym area you never pay attention to; and you ask questions on this forum on how to start. I can't even count how many discussion threads on here repeat the exact same questions: how do I get into weight lifting? How do I get flat abs? etc etc--when all you have to do is a search in this thread to find a zillion responses. But it's not noticed beforehand because your mind didn't have "lift weights" on its radar.
I'm rattling on, I'm not done with my morning coffee yet. But I think it's more mental than anything else, and all of the other factors (myth of looking bulky, fear of weight room, etc) all play into one's general tendency to not want to break open mental blinders and look for something new and different.
But this does not apply to lifting only. One could also ask: why aren't more people swimming, playing soccer, learning tae kwon do, doing yoga, skiing? The possibilities when it comes to exercise are endless.
This forum is actually proof that lifting is one of the most popular beginner's routines. What is the usual beginner to beginner advice here? Lift.
I don't disagree, rather agree that "this" does not apply just to lifting. It's the phenomenon of taking off mental blinders and exploring. The beginner asking for advice is taking off their mental blinders and exploring new things--just so happens lifting is mentioned here a lot because there are lots of lifters. But the question was about weightlifting, so instead of covering every single example of exercise known to man, I used lifting.
Example, my weight loss progression. Started tracking calories here, being in deficit. In the forums, I would thoroughly read the Success Stories and Recipes almost daily. Then, as my food choices changed, I avidly read the Food & Nutrition ones as well. I would skim the Fitness & Exercise ones, but what I mostly saw when scanning the thread titles were the various "XXX 30-day Challenge" and would ignore the entire category.
Then, after I lost my desired weight, I started into more of a fitness focus. I always knew weight/resistance training was good for you but only then did I enter into that world. Took a chance on joining a gym and getting a trainer, who, fortunately, was totally keen on getting this 50+ year old woman into compound barbell lifting. All of a sudden, it's like a whole new world opened up. I saw weight-lifting information everywhere, noticed the "HALP! Lifting made me SUPAH bulky" and other threads for the first time, and became a daily reader of the Fitness & Exercise discussion pages. Weight-lifting threads were everywhere! It's not like everything changed, there were probably the same number of weight-lifting "things" out there, it's just that my brain started picking up on them because I started focusing on that particular thing.
I bet it'd be similar if I picked up swimming, or yoga. The idea enters your mind, and confirmation bias solidifies it. But you have to let it enter your mind first--whatever exercise it may be. Letting something enter your mind is a process of taking off those mental blinders and exploring new things. That's our "beginner" who asks questions on this forum. Good for them!_nicolemarie_ wrote: »Just a question for ladies who are lifting: Do you generally go to the gym alone? What about a spotter? Or is the weight generally not so high as to need a spotter?
Started with a trainer 3x per week, so a trainer was with me most of the time I lifted in the beginning. Then for six months I was on my own, and go with a gym partner, my neighbor, one day a week and 2-3 times on my own. The day she went with me, we'd use that day for the lifts that needed spotting (mostly trying for new numbers on benchpress). Now, I have a trainer once per week, my neighbor once per week, and my own thing once per week. It's a nice balance. I really only need a spotter sometimes for benchpress new weights, and I like my trainer watching over my form for deadlifts. I have a few weak spots due to herniated discs and nerve damage on my right side that weakens that side. If I didn't have ANYONE, I'd ask for a spot on bench, and then do rack pulls instead of deadlifts. Pretty much everything else I'm ok on my own.0 -
to a large extent, i think it's about exposure. males tend to be exposed to lifting at a fairly young age whereas women aren't. most of the women i know who lift do so because they were involved in athletics that required them to get stronger and that was their exposure...i think relative to men that is a much smaller group. this lack of exposure also breeds misconceptions...and really, the industry at large doesn't help matter much.
i do know quite a few female lifters, but i know far more who do their resistance training in classes and "boot camp" type of things and circuit training vs traditional "heavy" strength training. i'm totally cool with that...i do believe resistance training is pretty essential to general fitness and overall health...but i don't believe that it has to be "heavy" to be viable...hell, i don't lift "heavy" all of the time as I tend to work in a variety of rep ranges in 6-8 week cycles.
i do think "heavy" gets overplayed on MFP as the only way to do it...but it really depends on where you're coming from and what your goals are overall...if i lifted "heavy" all of the time i wouldn't have much left for cycling or running.0 -
codsterlaing95 wrote: »I think I see about equal numbers of men and women on weights/cardio at my gym - I think that "women just do cardio" thing is pretty outdated and I don't think I know anyone who thinks that way.
I do a bit of strength stuff twice a week because I know it's good for me but I don't enjoy it at all, but I mostly run, and I've found that running has done just fine giving me the body I want, no need for lifting heavy. But I'm not sitting around judging the people who prefer to lift just because my goals are about lowering my half-marathon time instead of setting a new bench PR. Neither activity is "better" than the other IMO.
This is not true. Guys at my gym barely do any cardio and if they do, it's always sprints and high intensity stuff. It's predominately guys in the weight room. I honestly find treadmilling to be boring, but to each their own.
It's not true for YOUR gym.
Your OP is not true for MY gym. I see as many women lifting weights as I do men at both of the local gyms I've been to.
ETA - Oops. Did not see this post before I responded. LOLcodsterlaing95 wrote: »I think I see about equal numbers of men and women on weights/cardio at my gym - I think that "women just do cardio" thing is pretty outdated and I don't think I know anyone who thinks that way.
I do a bit of strength stuff twice a week because I know it's good for me but I don't enjoy it at all, but I mostly run, and I've found that running has done just fine giving me the body I want, no need for lifting heavy. But I'm not sitting around judging the people who prefer to lift just because my goals are about lowering my half-marathon time instead of setting a new bench PR. Neither activity is "better" than the other IMO.
This is not true. Guys at my gym barely do any cardio and if they do, it's always sprints and high intensity stuff. It's predominately guys in the weight room. I honestly find treadmilling to be boring, but to each their own.
It's not true at your gym. That doesn't mean it's not true in other gyms. I see an equal number of women and men lifting and an equal number of men and women on the cardio equipment.
Why do you care what women do in the gym?
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codsterlaing95 wrote: »I think I see about equal numbers of men and women on weights/cardio at my gym - I think that "women just do cardio" thing is pretty outdated and I don't think I know anyone who thinks that way.
I do a bit of strength stuff twice a week because I know it's good for me but I don't enjoy it at all, but I mostly run, and I've found that running has done just fine giving me the body I want, no need for lifting heavy. But I'm not sitting around judging the people who prefer to lift just because my goals are about lowering my half-marathon time instead of setting a new bench PR. Neither activity is "better" than the other IMO.
This is not true. Guys at my gym barely do any cardio and if they do, it's always sprints and high intensity stuff. It's predominately guys in the weight room. I honestly find treadmilling to be boring, but to each their own.
they could be doing cardio elsewhere...it is exceedingly rare that i do cardio in the gym...the only reason i go to the gym is to lift...but i also ride about 80+ miles per week or so. if your only contact with me was at the gym, it would be easy to assume that i do no cardio...but i do quite a bit actually.0 -
Reason #4378: some of the failure modes associated with lifting heavy seem pretty damn catastrophic
Haha, the first injury I had (recently) was from an elliptical! Whacked my hand warming up. Screwed up my wrist!
I think everyone should do what they love. What they can stick to. Lifting has less impact on my joints...helps them and therefore motivation is steady.0 -
_nicolemarie_ wrote: »Just a question for ladies who are lifting: Do you generally go to the gym alone? What about a spotter? Or is the weight generally not so high as to need a spotter?
Missed this one before.
I've never had a spotter. No need for one. My gym has barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, squat racks and full safety cages. Their weight benches are close enough to the racks to move them over fairly conveniently if you're doing bench press or some such at weights too heavy to trust the roll of shame. They also have resistance sleds and some of the bar variations that allow you to do things like heavy dead-squats. Plus, pull-up bars, dip stations, weight harnesses, yada.
So, at my gym you could do heavy full body workouts and never need a safety cage or even a rack if you pick your lifts intelligently.
Or, you could do standard 5x5 stuff and use the safety cages (which is what I did).0 -
What is a ladies idea of lifting heavy? as a matter of interest0
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What is a ladies idea of lifting heavy? as a matter of interest
Man or woman, doesn't matter.
Lifting heavy is lifting >= 75% of your one rep max (I may not have the exact percentage right). You should be progressively adding more weight as your capabilities increase.
ETA: If you want an idea of real numbers, I started:
bench: 45 lbs
squat: 75 lbs
deadlift: 95 lbs
overhead press: 40 lbs
Before taking a hiatus, I got to:
bench: 90 lbs
squat: 135 lbs
deadlift: 180 lbs
overhead press: 65 lbs
That'd be considered experienced noob, approaching borderline intermediate for someone of my weight.0 -
Many women lift here
I don't lift, I don't want to. I lift myself and have no interest in weights
I am so jealous ! I have wanted to try this for so long, but I suffer from vertigo which I have been told is one of the very few reasons not to try aerial yoga
I have a friend who teaches, and even she would not let me. 0 -
CarlydogsMom wrote: »I think it's a result of a lot of factors, with one general tendency: it's easier to not lift. Lifting is new, different, a more technical thing than walking/running on a treadmill or elliptical, and basically an "unknown" to many women.
This site reflects a cross-section of the world, right? Many people on here, as in real life, want to know the easiest way to do something quickly. We all--on some level--are geared towards finding the easiest way to do something (be it losing weight or some other thing) quickly. I think people approach weight loss in two main camps: 1) I want to lose weight, lose it fast, get it done; and 2) I want to make a life change into a healthy lifestyle that will be permanent. Sometimes you start in #1 and end up in #2.
Those in the second camp tend to explore various ways to accomplish that goal--and often, weight lifting is something that you find as you move through this experience. Then, you get into that "confirmation bias." You start to see weight-lifting all around you--you notice more magazines, or commercials, or the gym area you never pay attention to; and you ask questions on this forum on how to start. I can't even count how many discussion threads on here repeat the exact same questions: how do I get into weight lifting? How do I get flat abs? etc etc--when all you have to do is a search in this thread to find a zillion responses. But it's not noticed beforehand because your mind didn't have "lift weights" on its radar.
I'm rattling on, I'm not done with my morning coffee yet. But I think it's more mental than anything else, and all of the other factors (myth of looking bulky, fear of weight room, etc) all play into one's general tendency to not want to break open mental blinders and look for something new and different.
But this does not apply to lifting only. One could also ask: why aren't more people swimming, playing soccer, learning tae kwon do, doing yoga, skiing? The possibilities when it comes to exercise are endless.
This forum is actually proof that lifting is one of the most popular beginner's routines. What is the usual beginner to beginner advice here? Lift.
I think there's a common issue on this site with confusing the "everyone should do some form of resistance exercise" part of the general recommendation to incorporate both cardio and resistance exercise with "everyone should lift".
Plus, there's always an unconscious bias that whatever you (general you) are doing and are happy with is the best and every one else ought to give it a try.
Which is particulalry funny, or ironic, when half the people giving the advise have been doing it themselves for just a few months
But they just know that it is what changed their lives, and that they will enjoy it the same in 30 years from now.
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What is a ladies idea of lifting heavy? as a matter of interest
"heavy" really describes the rep range you are working...traditional "heavy" strength training will generally have you working in reps of 5 or less at 75% or more of your max weight for your primary, compound lifting movements. the actual weight is going to be relative to the individual performing the movements. this is optimal for building strength.
most assistance and isolation work is generally done with less weight and higher reps.0 -
Obviously I can't speak for all women, but I can speak for me. I'm not under the delusion that it would make me bulky or anything, it's more the fact that I have no idea how to go about it, I feel like I'd end up injuring myself, I feel like I'd feel quite intimidated by other guys using the weights, and it really just doesn't appeal to me.0
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