How many women actually workout with weights

Ngolden - if you're just getting started I can tell you how I'm approaching it, although I'm not a trainer either.
Choose a basic rx for every body part and don't ignore any of them.
I personally do a body conditioning regime for a while so I don't snap anything or get so sore I can't sit down or something - my biggest goal is to live to fight another day, and me "lubing up" really doesn't take long - just a week or three, maybe.
Start light, get used to the motion, and make a point out of knowing what good form is for that rx. If you're working your chest in a bench press, focus on pushing that weight with those muscles (versus your arms, for instance), stay focused on that and a full range of motion every rep, and do exactly the same thing on every exercise. It may feel awkward and bumpy the first few times, but after you and your body get used to it, the whole thing will start flowing more smoothly (and you won't feel so uncomfortable and weak).
Then start adding weight - the rule is higher weights, lower reps (5-8) if you're trying to build, higher reps/lower weight if trying to tone (10-15 or more). *Most of the time when trying to tone up, we are at least initially trying to *build a muscle. I treat toning regimes as maintenance regimes, personally, but that's just me.

I also tend to favor bigger composite movements in lower body work (hinging at two joints) versus isolation (one joint), because a) they're hobo cardio, b) I prefer training my whole leg. I lift heavier on butt stuff because, you know - gotta plump and lift that stuff up. I w/o at home, so all my suggestions will be doable there. I have a bench too, but a swiss ball can replace that in a pinch. I use mine all the time that way, and doing hamstring curls on a ball > than on my bench. I have to pile pillows on my bench to get my butt up in the air high enough that I'm not aggravating my back - with the ball, I basically just fall down a start curling. Be sure to buy a ball sized for your height, but slightly smaller has it's pro's too if you're using it in place of a bench for range of motion.

Basic moves:
Chest - bench press, flyes (flat, incline, decline)
Back - rows, superman, good mornings
Shoulders - more rows (upright, bent over) standing lateral flyes
Abs - bicycle crunches, roman twists
Legs - lunges, squats, step ups, deadlifts, kettlebell/dumbbell swings- there are a bazillion different varieties of these. I'd start with rear lunges, basic squats, and step ups at a height you're comfortable with, with or without weight. Add weight once your body has stopped being horrified at this new abuse.
Butt - bridges, donkey raises (most of your leg rx work your booty too - it's a bit difficult to separate this out) I nestle a dumbbell behind my knee for donkey raises.
Calves - calf raises, donkey raises, seated raises, one-leg raises, raises with weights - just pick one and do it. Unless you pick seated raises, in which case you have to pick another one, because seated raises focus on the soleus instead of the gastrocnemius.

^^ pfft. I do these sheerly for the principle of the thing. I have killed myself heaving my big *kitten* up and down with these things my entire life and they still look exactly the same. #punt.
But do them.

Hth's.

I lift, not heavy as I would like but I am working on getting my weights up. I do feel very intimidated in the weight room though. I prefer to lift on the track but the equipment is not as good. Once my home gym is built I can do it in private. I don't worry about getting bulky that's just silly, but I hear it all the time. Once I get back into the groove I am hoping it will tighten up my flubber & nasty jiggle
I am just shy of 51, short at only 4'11' and 20 lbs overweight currently at 127. I dropped my deadlift and squat weights to improve form.

Currently lifting:

Deadlift 105 lbs
Squats 105 lbs
BB bench press 55
DB chest press 25's

So I have a very long way to go, my goals at this time are to squat & deadlift 1.5x my body weight and bench my body weight.

I've been lifting 4-5 days a week for the past year. No bulk here (and actually I want to get a bit more bulk so I'm planning for a long bulking period soon). I think the unfortunate problem with the whole "you'll get bulky myth" stems from the 80's cardio bunny days where bouncing around for hours got you lean lol. I admit I'm a reformed cardio bunny and it took me a while to pick up the weights, but now I hate to put them down I had my MIL tell me when I first started to lift "be careful" because she used to lift weights and she couldn't put on her blouses and blazers. I think she was drinking the Koolaid too.

I use weights and resistance bands. Both give me an awesome workout!

I have a Total Gym Fit, in which I am the weight (156.2 Pounds); it has 12 levels & I have 2 medicine balls (2 kg & 5 kg). I bought a barbel that connects to the Total Gym & plan to buy 2 25 pound weights, 1 for each side. I also plan to buy some dumbbells and a tower, in which I lift myself vertically; since Total Gym lifts're horizontal but that's it. I am not very strong & I don't desire to be fit, just thin but definitely not skinny fat either, just a healthy thin. So heavy lifting, to build muscle, compete, etc., just doesn't interest me. I enjoy excise but prefer to build a better body, in the kitchen. Plus my disability: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), greatly reduces my physical ability & strength. As for my Total Gym, I'll only do level 1 for my arms, up to level 2 for my abdominal & up to level 3 for my legs, since my arms are the weakest, my legs are the strongest & my abdominal is in between.

I lift 4 days a week, currently doing PHUL. I had been doing my own thing but wanted more direction, so that's why I chose PHUL. That and the fact some of my friends who are smokin hot have had great results. My body type does tend to get "bulky" quickly, but to each their own. I want to be strong and be powerful.

We have a gym at work and my friend who is a personal trainer come in here twice a week with me and does weights with me. I'm very much a beginner and don't lift anything heavy by any stretch but we usually do 2-3 sets of 12-15 sometimes 17 reps. I wasn't a fan of weights but when I see my biceps become more defined, I think, wow, it's working !!!!

Loco_Beast wrote: »

RoxieDawn wrote: »

I work out with weights 5 days a week. Never in my wildest dreams have I ever thought I would get bulky. Actually the opposite.

That's great, maybe you could advise some of the women with questions. I think some women see the Pro female bodybuilders (meaning the ones who do look manly or bulky), and think that is possible, not knowing what those women do to get where they are.

Nah man. I think even the uneducated about this cannot possibly think they could get that way without serious training, serious diet structure, and or juicing..

I lift heavy 5 days a week and far from bulky!

I do. I lift with a trainer and love it. Not getting bulky just the opposite.