Weight lifting for women
JoRolleNola
Posts: 152 Member
This is a stupid question but can anyone recommend any weight lifting videos or dvds for women only? Weights intimidate me but in order to avoid flabby skin I know lifting and drinking water are a must. I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
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Replies
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New rules of lifting for women6
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Honestly, check out Instagram. There are a TON of inspirational fitness chicks on there who lift heavy and look incredible. They are usually very kind and share their programs. Brittany Dawn and Ana Cheri are some of my favorites. Besides that, I suggest getting a trainer (preferably not at a chain gym like Planet or LA) who can help show you the ropes for 4-6 sessions. Then go from there! Also, remember that everyone started somewhere and even the super yoked guys and girls in the weight lifting section were beginners at some point. If you have a question, ask, they'll most likely be willing to assist you with form checks or new training ideas.4
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TavistockToad wrote: »New rules of lifting for women
Ditto - although I think there's a new one out now. It's a book though, not a DVD. I found it helpful to watch moves on YouTube that I was unfamiliar with.
I've been lifting off and on for a few years now and I absolutely love it. I'd much rather do that than run on the treadmill (or run at all)!!4 -
I second New Rules or Strong Curves, which is very popular and the dude who wrote it is referred to as the 'Glute Guy', if that is one of your goals.
Strong Curves also has a bodyweight program that will help you get started and then you can move on to the programs using weights.
It may be intimidating, but I think weight lifting is one of the best things someone (regardless of gender) can do for their body composition. I definitely regret not starting earlier. I really enjoy it and it has done great things for me (along with a calorie deficit). At first, it can be scary but like @peaceout_aly said...everyone is a beginner at one point. You have to start somewhere, right?7 -
TavistockToad wrote: »New rules of lifting for women
Ditto - although I think there's a new one out now. It's a book though, not a DVD. I found it helpful to watch moves on YouTube that I was unfamiliar with.
I've been lifting off and on for a few years now and I absolutely love it. I'd much rather do that than run on the treadmill (or run at all)!!
I think the new book by the same author is called Strong. I have heard good things about it.3 -
TavistockToad wrote: »New rules of lifting for women
Ditto - although I think there's a new one out now. It's a book though, not a DVD. I found it helpful to watch moves on YouTube that I was unfamiliar with.
I've been lifting off and on for a few years now and I absolutely love it. I'd much rather do that than run on the treadmill (or run at all)!!
I think the new book by the same author is called Strong. I have heard good things about it.
Yep. Here it is, on his website1 -
Try Beachbody On Demand, there's a wide assortment of all types of workouts.
There are also tons of free workouts on YouTube. You can get great workouts with just body weight only. Or you can add dumbbells, resistance bands, suspension trainer like TRX etc.3 -
JoRolleNola wrote: »This is a stupid question but can anyone recommend any weight lifting videos or dvds for women only? Weights intimidate me but in order to avoid flabby skin I know lifting and drinking water are a must. I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
it's not a stupid question at all, and the intimidation is real. but i'm going to counter-flow slightly (although you can discard my input) and say the best cure for that intimidation for me was to NOT look for anything 'women only', because that only reinforced that sense of not being the same as anyone else who would like to get strong. and not having the same motivations. i'm gonna quote something mark rippetoe says in starting strength.
"note that women are not listed as a special population; they are half the population. anyone who claims that women are so different in their physiological response to exercise that the principles of basic barbell training do not apply to them is thinking either irrationally or commercially."
i probably relate more than a lot of people to your intimidation feeling, but i took a few 'women only' courses back when i was new . . . and i like rippetoe. i guess maybe it depends on whether your goal really is just aesthetics and having the body-of-fashion-right-now, but i wanted to get strong and feel just as entitled to space in the rack as any other sentient human out there. so i just felt belittled by most of the girls-only stuff because it focused too much on the assumption that i was in it for how i would look in six months.
ymmv, but two cents.18 -
JoRolleNola wrote: »This is a stupid question but can anyone recommend any weight lifting videos or dvds for women only? Weights intimidate me but in order to avoid flabby skin I know lifting and drinking water are a must. I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
Heidi Somers on youtube! You should definetly watch her! She is so down to earth, posts her workouts, sometimes her meals and other stuff. She is a real inspiration and I think you and a lot of other women could find motivation and advice from her like me1 -
TavistockToad wrote: »New rules of lifting for women
Ditto - although I think there's a new one out now. It's a book though, not a DVD. I found it helpful to watch moves on YouTube that I was unfamiliar with.
I've been lifting off and on for a few years now and I absolutely love it. I'd much rather do that than run on the treadmill (or run at all)!!
I think the new book by the same author is called Strong. I have heard good things about it.
Yup, 'Strong' is Lou Schuler's new book. I got 'New rules of lifting for women' from my library and then bought 'Strong.' The workouts don't work for me for a number of reasons, but I still highly recommend the book despite my personal limitations.
I just bought Brett Contreras's 'Strong Curves.'3 -
I like stronglifts because I don't have equipment to do some of the other exercises in other programs. Lifting programs are not made for men or women exclusively, they should work for both.8
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canadianlbs wrote: »JoRolleNola wrote: »This is a stupid question but can anyone recommend any weight lifting videos or dvds for women only? Weights intimidate me but in order to avoid flabby skin I know lifting and drinking water are a must. I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
it's not a stupid question at all, and the intimidation is real. but i'm going to counter-flow slightly (although you can discard my input) and say the best cure for that intimidation for me was to NOT look for anything 'women only', because that only reinforced that sense of not being the same as anyone else who would like to get strong. and not having the same motivations. i'm gonna quote something mark rippetoe says in starting strength.
"note that women are not listed as a special population; they are half the population. anyone who claims that women are so different in their physiological response to exercise that the principles of basic barbell training do not apply to them is thinking either irrationally or commercially."
i probably relate more than a lot of people to your intimidation feeling, but i took a few 'women only' courses back when i was new . . . and i like rippetoe. i guess maybe it depends on whether your goal really is just aesthetics and having the body-of-fashion-right-now, but i wanted to get strong and feel just as entitled to space in the rack as any other sentient human out there. so i just felt belittled by most of the girls-only stuff because it focused too much on the assumption that i was in it for how i would look in six months.
ymmv, but two cents.
I don't mind your two cents at all. Thank u for the insight. Maybe I have been looking at thia all wrong from thw beginning
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Try fitness food diva. She has a few good workouts1
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I have been using the workout trainer app for 2 years and I love it!!! It has everything under the sun, breaks down each move and explains how to do it. It's been a a huge motivator for me to keep working out!!1
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I liked the information in New Rules of Lifting for Women - especially just because it said to do it. But the workouts were too complicated. If I have to keep glancing at a sheet of paper to know what I'm supposed to be doing, it's too much for me. Barbell math is hard enough in the wee hours. ETA: I also disliked the recommended meal plan.
For actual working out I liked Strong Lifts to start - simple, easy to memorize, effective.4 -
Hey Guys!
Please can you guys help me partner is a PT and has given me a work out plan and I feel like its really manly. It includes squats, benchpress, bent over row, overhead press, dips and pull ups.
The workout for me feels to advanced as a newbie but most of all I feel stupid walking into the gym doing this sort of thing. Any tips?
I am also eating 1800 calories a day and want to lose weight but its a yo yo I go up and down.....I am so young and want to look good for this summer for the first time feel good.
Any suggestions for staying focused? Staying motivated and feeling like a women while lifitng?0 -
Hey Guys!
Please can you guys help me partner is a PT and has given me a work out plan and I feel like its really manly. It includes squats, benchpress, bent over row, overhead press, dips and pull ups.
The workout for me feels to advanced as a newbie but most of all I feel stupid walking into the gym doing this sort of thing. Any tips?
I am also eating 1800 calories a day and want to lose weight but its a yo yo I go up and down.....I am so young and want to look good for this summer for the first time feel good.
Any suggestions for staying focused? Staying motivated and feeling like a women while lifitng?
Well first of all, ditch the lifting makes you manly attitude. I do those exact movements and they make me feel strong and confident in my body's abilities.
Get your BF to teach you how to do the movements properly and safely.
Is 1800 calories a deficit? If so, then yes you can lift and lose fat while in a deficit.
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JoRolleNola wrote: »This is a stupid question but can anyone recommend any weight lifting videos or dvds for women only? Weights intimidate me but in order to avoid flabby skin I know lifting and drinking water are a must. I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
It took me years to get over being so intimidated by the free weight section of the gym that I wouldn't go into that area if anyone else was there. A couple of things that helped were having a definite plan, so I know what I am doing, and having headphones so I can listen to music and pretend I'm alone.
I do love the advice to try to view lifting as not for men or women, but more universal.
It's so worth it to get in there and lift! Avoiding flabby skin, like you said, plus creating nice curves, and feeling confident and strong!1 -
Hey Guys!
Please can you guys help me partner is a PT and has given me a work out plan and I feel like its really manly. It includes squats, benchpress, bent over row, overhead press, dips and pull ups.
The workout for me feels to advanced as a newbie but most of all I feel stupid walking into the gym doing this sort of thing. Any tips?
I am also eating 1800 calories a day and want to lose weight but its a yo yo I go up and down.....I am so young and want to look good for this summer for the first time feel good.
Any suggestions for staying focused? Staying motivated and feeling like a women while lifitng?
Here's a few examples of what doing all that "manly" stuff does to your body:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/977538/halp-heavy-lifting-made-me-supah-bulky/p1
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Hey Guys!
Please can you guys help me partner is a PT and has given me a work out plan and I feel like its really manly. It includes squats, benchpress, bent over row, overhead press, dips and pull ups.
The workout for me feels to advanced as a newbie but most of all I feel stupid walking into the gym doing this sort of thing. Any tips?
I am also eating 1800 calories a day and want to lose weight but its a yo yo I go up and down.....I am so young and want to look good for this summer for the first time feel good.
Any suggestions for staying focused? Staying motivated and feeling like a women while lifitng?
No manly at all. I do most of those (no full pullups right now) and am pretty sure I haven't become a man
Women have the same muscles as men and can absolutely use the same exercises. I really don't understand what you mean by suggestions on how to feel like a woman while lifting. It's not something I think about while lifting other than when I get weak for a few days around my period and get mad about it.4 -
Hey Guys!
Please can you guys help me partner is a PT and has given me a work out plan and I feel like its really manly. It includes squats, benchpress, bent over row, overhead press, dips and pull ups.
The workout for me feels to advanced as a newbie but most of all I feel stupid walking into the gym doing this sort of thing. Any tips?
I am also eating 1800 calories a day and want to lose weight but its a yo yo I go up and down.....I am so young and want to look good for this summer for the first time feel good.
Any suggestions for staying focused? Staying motivated and feeling like a women while lifitng?
No manly at all. I do most of those (no full pullups right now) and am pretty sure I haven't become a man
Women have the same muscles as men and can absolutely use the same exercises. I really don't understand what you mean by suggestions on how to feel like a woman while lifting. It's not something I think about while lifting other than when I get weak for a few days around my period and get mad about it.
oooohhhhh. THAT'S what this is. this week was a deload week for me and my squats still felt wonky, i didn't even think about TOM. thank you for that insight!
also, i think strong lifts is a great program for beginners and i second, or third, the gender neutrality of lifting. strength is for everyone.
also gonna drop this link, cause it's super helpful.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you
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Hey Guys!
Please can you guys help me partner is a PT and has given me a work out plan and I feel like its really manly. It includes squats, benchpress, bent over row, overhead press, dips and pull ups.
The workout for me feels to advanced as a newbie but most of all I feel stupid walking into the gym doing this sort of thing. Any tips?
I am also eating 1800 calories a day and want to lose weight but its a yo yo I go up and down.....I am so young and want to look good for this summer for the first time feel good.
Any suggestions for staying focused? Staying motivated and feeling like a women while lifitng?
Not manly at all. I do all of those lifts. I started out light, using the smaller barbells with the attached weights, and worked my way up to the big barbell. I eat 1800 calories a day and am in a deficit so it can be done based on your stats. Not every person is the same.
Just one note of warning. You will see changes in your body but to get the really sculpted body it will take zeroing in on your food and lifting for a long time. It usually takes people years to get that tight, lean, sculpted look.
Not saying you won't see improvements by summer, but I also don't want you to have unrealistic expectations then get frustrated when you don't see the results you want and quit.
Creating the kind of body you want takes a lot of time.
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There really isn't a difference between lifting as a woman and lifting as a man. If I'm starting a new program, I have to figure out my starting weights, but men do too. Mine might be lower than some people's, but they're higher than other people's (and any of the programs people have mentioned upthread will tell you how to figure them out). Once I'm in the gym, I usually have to adjust the equipment so that it works for my height, but men do too. None of the changes I have to make are necessarily because I'm a woman -- they're because my body is individual, and it's not exactly the same height/size/strength as any other body out there.3
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Hey Guys!
Please can you guys help me partner is a PT and has given me a work out plan and I feel like its really manly. It includes squats, benchpress, bent over row, overhead press, dips and pull ups.
The workout for me feels to advanced as a newbie but most of all I feel stupid walking into the gym doing this sort of thing. Any tips?
I am also eating 1800 calories a day and want to lose weight but its a yo yo I go up and down.....I am so young and want to look good for this summer for the first time feel good.
Any suggestions for staying focused? Staying motivated and feeling like a women while lifitng?
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10532671/youll-get-bulky0 -
Hey Guys!
Please can you guys help me partner is a PT and has given me a work out plan and I feel like its really manly. It includes squats, benchpress, bent over row, overhead press, dips and pull ups.
The workout for me feels to advanced as a newbie but most of all I feel stupid walking into the gym doing this sort of thing. Any tips?
I am also eating 1800 calories a day and want to lose weight but its a yo yo I go up and down.....I am so young and want to look good for this summer for the first time feel good.
Any suggestions for staying focused? Staying motivated and feeling like a women while lifitng?
Those aren't "manly"...those are traditional compound movements which should be the foundation of any good lifting program regardless of your sex. Those movements are also found on any beginner lifting program worth it's salt...they aren't advanced movements.
My wife does all of those things and then some...she looks lean, healthy, vibrant, and fit.
ETA: if you're not ready for a barbell, you can do variations of these movements.1 -
I totally understand feeling intimidated in the weights room. Most others in there when I lift are male, young, and strong. I take the attitude that since I'm weaker and older (and need more to protect my strength), and female (and need more to protect my bones), that the weights area is really MY domain, and I just let these guys in. It's just a mental trick, but it lets me walk around feeling like I absolutely belong there (and I do!).4
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Any advice for programs for my 14 year old daughter? She is currently has been doing Stronglifts with me (just to make sure she sticks with it) for about 3 weeks, but she is already beginning to stall. I would like to get her started on something of her own. In the basement we have a squat cage, barbell, dumbells, bench, curl bar and a power tower. Thanks0
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Any suggestions for staying focused? Staying motivated and feeling like a women while lifitng?
I don't need to feel like a woman because I am a woman. I mean, that's just a basic fact of my existence. Nothing I can do short of gender reassignment surgery is going to turn me into a man. This is true no matter how I'm dressed, whether or not I'm wearing makeup, or how much I'm squatting.
Femininity isn't a clubbing outfit. If you're worried about putting it on or being seen without it in public, you probably borrowed it from women's magazines. It's not yours. Give it back and get your own.
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Any advice for programs for my 14 year old daughter? She is currently has been doing Stronglifts with me (just to make sure she sticks with it) for about 3 weeks, but she is already beginning to stall. I would like to get her started on something of her own. In the basement we have a squat cage, barbell, dumbells, bench, curl bar and a power tower. Thanks
@Vanguard1 Getting some smaller plates for smaller increases may help. Switching over to 5x3 instead of 5x5 may help as well, I know that Mark Rippetoe has written about women doing well with 5x3 (that matches my experience too.)
However, if she's looking for something different from the 5s, 5s, sets of 5s thing, Strong Curves by Bret Contreras is great. It's a book that has 4 programs. One is full body all bodyweight exercises. Two are full body (beginner and advanced) lifting programs. The fourth is a lifting program for lower body only. Plus, he includes a template for building your own program. Plus plus, a big chunk of the book is an exercise glossary that shows several different exercises for each type of movement so if you don't have the equipment to do X, you can do Z, etc.1 -
Any advice for programs for my 14 year old daughter? She is currently has been doing Stronglifts with me (just to make sure she sticks with it) for about 3 weeks, but she is already beginning to stall. I would like to get her started on something of her own. In the basement we have a squat cage, barbell, dumbells, bench, curl bar and a power tower. Thanks
Consult her pediatrician. Lifting weights over body weight can damage growth plates in children.3
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