Why do so many ladies not lift?

_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).

grace173 wrote: »

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.

stealthq wrote: »

aggelikik wrote: »

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.

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.

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I hate it, and I don't want my arms to get more muscular (yeah yeah, women don't bulk, whatever, I've seen enough bulky women not to believe it - although granted, my notion of 'bulky' is probably not the same as everyone's).

I mean, I still do it, just not the progressive regimen that I see people do (mostly because I just haven't been able to increase my weights consistently), and 2x a week on a good week (plus I like cardio and my legs are tired all the time from it, which makes it hard to do leg exercises). But for what it's worth, I never see anyone lift heavy at my gym, as the trainers pretty much won't let you do it if they are not with you. But I see plenty of women use the machines.

rainbowbow wrote: »

Why the stereotype here?

I'll be honest, i'm kind of getting tired of this generalization coupled with the fact that women *must* lift weights if they want to be "cool, fit, attractive" and so on. It's perpetuated on MyFitnessPal so much that it's borderline ridiculous.

I personally lift weights because it's something i ENJOY doing. Lifting weights isn't a requirement for all women, hell not even men. If someone can find an activity that they enjoy and can maintain for life, why s##t all over it because it's not the same as yours?

If some woman prefers to dance, to run, to swim, to play tennis, to do WHATEVER, why is she barred from the *cool kids club*? I'm just saying.

Let's not even get into the fact not not everyone wants to look like a bodybuilder or a fitness model.

I totally agree with you. The 'you'll never be fit enough if you don't lift' mentality on MFP is getting really old!

aggelikik wrote: »

moyer566 wrote: »

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.

I don't think inversions would go very well. but not inversion, maybe. but your friend knows better than I as she knows you better

Francl27 wrote: »

I hate it, and I don't want my arms to get more muscular (yeah yeah, women don't bulk, whatever, I've seen enough bulky women not to believe it - although granted, my notion of 'bulky' is probably not the same as everyone's).

I mean, I still do it, just not the progressive regimen that I see people do (mostly because I just haven't been able to increase my weights consistently), and 2x a week on a good week (plus I like cardio and my legs are tired all the time from it, which makes it hard to do leg exercises). But for what it's worth, I never see anyone lift heavy at my gym, as the trainers pretty much won't let you do it if they are not with you. But I see plenty of women use the machines.

rainbowbow wrote: »

Why the stereotype here?

I'll be honest, i'm kind of getting tired of this generalization coupled with the fact that women *must* lift weights if they want to be "cool, fit, attractive" and so on. It's perpetuated on MyFitnessPal so much that it's borderline ridiculous.

I personally lift weights because it's something i ENJOY doing. Lifting weights isn't a requirement for all women, hell not even men. If someone can find an activity that they enjoy and can maintain for life, why s##t all over it because it's not the same as yours?

If some woman prefers to dance, to run, to swim, to play tennis, to do WHATEVER, why is she barred from the *cool kids club*? I'm just saying.

Let's not even get into the fact not not everyone wants to look like a bodybuilder or a fitness model.

I totally agree with you. The 'you'll never be fit enough if you don't lift' mentality on MFP is getting really old!

The more you know...

It may be a good idea to start lifting heavy things now so you can open your own doors later.

codsterlaing95 wrote: »

noobletmcnugget wrote: »

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.

You learned how to ride a bike and tie your shoes. Why can't you learn how to lift with proper form? You think lifting is the only form of exercise that you can injure yourself in?

Well that was unnecessary.

I have zero fear of getting bulky and admire women who do lift and was quite inspired by many of the women here on MFP; wanted to love it but find it quite boring. Have tried at home , group class, individual trainer but just didn't like it.

They are for the most part, intimidated by the iron. It's sad, because they waste so much time doing Cardio, which will never give them the fat loss and muscle tone of pumping iron. A real shame.....but heck, it leaves all the best equipment for the guys!!!!

ald783 wrote: »

forwardmoving wrote: »

I have zero fear of getting bulky and admire women who do lift and was quite inspired by many of the women here on MFP; wanted to love it but find it quite boring. Have tried at home , group class, individual trainer but just didn't like it.

I feel the same. And I still do some lifting, it's just not a major focus. But I've noticed a decent amount of condescension lately (not just on here, also in real life) from females who are into lifting and seem to suggest that what they're doing is better or that cardio is inferior. I'm not going to tear someone else up because they can't or don't want to run 5 miles so who cares if I think lifting is tediously boring?

Good thing this hasn't caught up here where I live. Some women lift, many don't, but I don't see this condescending attitude in real life. I guess it hasn't caught up yet as "the cool thing to do".

In my opinion this latest trend in attitude is a form of rebellion against the traditional concepts of exercise for genders, so a woman who lifts may be perceived as cool, empowered, nontraditional, strong...etc while a woman who doesn't may be seen as a slave for gender roles, weak, uncool...etc. Give it a few years and once the novelty wears off it will be all about about personal preference without value judgements based on personal choices.

I too find lifting to be extremely boring, so I don't do it (not to mention it's potentially dangerous for me because I'm not allowed to perform certain moves)

Most women and men around here at the gyms I've been to use the machines. They do usually use a progressive program, so I think it's great. It's about 50-50 in that nice, big room, and then there are other women who use the little women's room that ironically has more free weights (not enough)

For the actual co-ed barbell area to be more pleasing would take a lot. It is claustrophobic, stuck down a long, deserted hallway, and no trainers or anything are ever there, so you can never ask for direction. Very few men even use it, and the ones who did it at my time never worked out and were undeniably creepy (2 guy friends). They just watched me and sat around. That really is not pleasant when there's this whole rockin' unisex atmosphere over in the machine weights section, with good music and people watching TVs and not creepily deserted and dead quiet.

I have my own barbell at home now, so it's all cool (except for working around my chronic pain injuries ). I've weight lifted hypertrophy-style since 1986 in high school, lol! (Not with the proper bulk diet, as that's my hard part.) But that was back when Nautilus was still the rage and free weights weren't common at bigger gyms around here. I still love the machines, to tell the truth. Or heavy dumbbells. But you can't do some lifts I like with dumbbells, so a barbell is necessary for that.

I do think you can have great muscles with other athletic or dance endeavors and certainly with other programmes than the most commonly mentioned here. I think machines are fine for that, too. If you want to keep adding muscle with a sport or dance regime, I don't know how you do that, though. If something is hard to add resistance to, there is a wall you hit, imho. OTOH, not everyone is looking for more and more muscle and keeping what they have works perfectly for their needs. Nothing wrong with that!

JaneiR36 wrote: »

_SKIM_ wrote: »

JaneiR36 wrote: »

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.

... having to interact with people to share space and equipment - who is this person and why do I have to acknowledge their existence just to workout?? Aww damnit, I'm the problem here, aren't I? :bigsmile:

No, lol! I hate waiting for equipment. Maybe that's a woman thing I like some gym environments and not others, so waiting for certain folks can feel like being in line at the DMV. I do hate that, immensely.

I can see my TV from my weights set-up now. That works, and with only my dogs to bug me.

I'm one of those women who you would only see doing cardio at the gym. Because I do all my lifting at home. So just because you only see me doing cardio doesn't mean I'm not lifting.