you are beautiful

[CF-OC_gal]

I think it's good to let people find their own satisfaction with whatever turns their crank and gets them moving. Not everyone has goals of losing weight or lifting certain numbers.

Yes, if someone is not progressing toward their tough goals they should be encouraged to increase the intensity and overall development that supports it, but hey, if you like to pop off 25 reps with 5lb pink dumbells then drink gassy water in the sauna afterwards all the power to you! Who cares if that is all they need to meet their fitness requirements for good health?

I think people who can maintain balance in their life are to be respected for their choice of workout modality too even if it involves a thigh adductor machine.

[LiftGirl]

CFOC gal (I still want to call you Brat ), I see what you are saying, but I think there is also a perception of what women are "supposed" to do in the gym. But I believe the perception comes from women and not men, because I've had several men approach me and say it's cool that I'm doing the lifts I do.

I believe that (the vast majority of) women don't choose to lift pink dumbbells because they think that is all the fitness they "need," but rather because of a fear of becoming "too large" or "too muscular."

We women need to spread the word and continue to be role models for our fellow women!

[gymgirl]

Originally Posted by LiftGirl

CFOC gal (I still want to call you Brat ), I see what you are saying, but I think there is also a perception of what women are "supposed" to do in the gym. But I believe the perception comes from women and not men, because I've had several men approach me and say it's cool that I'm doing the lifts I do.

I believe that (the vast majority of) women don't choose to lift pink dumbbells because they think that is all the fitness they "need," but rather because of a fear of becoming "too large" or "too muscular."

We women need to spread the word and continue to be role models for our fellow women!

I agree with you 100% liftgirl. I have one client inparticular who is very thin, never touched a weight in her life. i had her doing shoulder press with 20# barbell but it was too heavy so we switched to 7.5lbs for 30 reps and she was scared this was going ot make her big and bulky. same thing with 20# deadlifts. I finally just broke it down, i spent a good 10 min explaining that you have to eat thousands of calories and lift extreamly heavy weights day in and day out to put on mass. i asked her ot look at me and honestly tell me if i looked 'big' she said no way you are tiny. i said well guess what i lift HEAVY weights. she couldn't believe it.

on the other hand i have a client who is wanting to lose 10lbs and isn't scared of weights what so ever. i had her do a complex called the bear with 30# barbell

power clean, front squat, push press, back squat, push press, repate 5 times then rest. we did 4 sets of this and she loved it.

I see where Merrida is coming from as it gets soooooo frusterating trying to get these girls to see that lifting will not make them huge! sadly the owner at my gym tells new members i am the most serious lifter there, and even worse he is pretty much correct.

[.V.]

Originally Posted by gymgirl

and even worse he is pretty much correct.

And it pretty much shows.

[LiftGirl]

Originally Posted by gymgirl

I finally just broke it down, i spent a good 10 min explaining that you have to eat thousands of calories and lift extreamly heavy weights day in and day out to put on mass. i asked her ot look at me and honestly tell me if i looked 'big' she said no way you are tiny. i said well guess what i lift HEAVY weights. she couldn't believe it.

You should demonstrate your DL and your squat for her so she can see for herself.

[sweetdream]

The gym I go to has two lifting areas one is downstairs and is mostly where the men go and the women tend to stick to the upstairs area more. I'm not sure why this is but I tend to stick to where the testosterone is. Sometimes I feel out of place because I am normally the only, or one out of 2 females down there but then again I feel great knowing I can squat 65lbs and not just the bar or lift heavier weights. I feel so much stronger and better for breaking the mold of the female fitness norms.

I think it will always be an issue with women thinking that they will get bigger if they lift big, I mean if they are new to working out I think it's something that they assume and don't bother to ask anyone about.

edit: I will be honest in saying.. sorry merrida cover your eyes atthis part, that I was one of those girls who always said I don't want to get big. I'm not sure how the myts start either, but like most they start from far far back and through generations continue on

[Merrida]

One thing I often say to women is: If it were that easy to get big and muscular, wouldn't you see more women who are working out looking big and muscular? I then ask them to look around at the gym, think of people they know who work out,...are they big and huge? I ask them to look at the women who are lifting free weights (another reason I think they somehow think machines won't make them big bulky but free weights will,....? I can't see logic here, but I hear it way too often).

I have to repeatedly, and on a routine basis, remind them to look around and ask: Do you see any big, muscular women in this gym that look like guys? Any of them? Even our heavy lifters, our very athletic clientelle,....poke your head around, take your time, and I bring them to the balcony to view the whole gym,....."Do you see any?"

(sigh)

If they only knew how challenging it was. I realize I may well be the odd-ball out and I have to keep my personal opinions private, but I love seeing a woman who is jacked. We do have a few at one of the clubs I'm at, (and even if she is there, women have to realize they're looking at one woman out of hundreds).

I'm curious how these even started,...

I remember seeing pictures of Marilyn Monroe working out, and I've seen pics of her benchpressing 85lbs (which if you think of the times during then, that would have not necessarily been the "in thing,") And I defy anyone to say MM looked jacked. Why, ladies, do you have these fears? Where do they originate and how do they perpetuate?

[ajarvis]

It's sometimes easier to tell women they won't get big if they see you working out, or are at the actual gym and can take a look around. Otherwise they just don't seem to believe it. If I'm wearing shorts, tank top etc. then I can use me as an example to an extent. Half the time the person I'm talking to will listen, and the other half won't quite believe how "heavy" of weights I lift.

[Doc2029]

Originally Posted by Merrida

Why, ladies, do you have these fears? Where do they originate and how do they perpetuate?

I think part of it is the crappy info put in to so called "women's mags" I think part of it is urban legend. I am sure they will all tell you about this friend of a friend that lifted and woke up one day looking like Arnold!

I think part of it is simply a lack of knowlege of basic biology. Somehow I think it started in the 80's women were told high reps low weight will "tone" you and not make you look muscular. Somehow this urban legend got started and it just keeps going.

I agree with you as well a jacked woman can be hot! Not freakishly so, but a hard body is something that looks great on anyone!

[Merrida]

I hate "womens mags" for that reason. I see women coming in with their "womens' fitness" articles they ripped out from who knows where, the generic "good for everyone all the time" type of thing,...and they follow it day in and out,...usually with dreadful form, and using weights excessively too light (if that makes sense),...

Even the mags that tout "health and fitness" are no better than Cosmo or other superficial mags, or even tabloids that on the same page you'll read about how to lose 30 pounds in 2 weeks, drop 2 dress sizes in 2 weeks without sweaty exercise (hold me down, someone),...and at the bottom, various adverts selling potions and other concocted pills to block fat, block carbs, speed your metabolism... Nothing to educate people about "health and fitness" what so ever.

It's frustrating and it bleeds over into my industry.

[CF-OC_gal]

Originally Posted by orkydoc

I agree with you as well a jacked woman can be hot! Not freakishly so, but a hard body is something that looks great on anyone!

I think that is one of the problems right there. When a guy says that a woman doesn't understand what he means exactly. That kind of "hottness" can be had by just being young and following a sport like track or gymnastics or you can come by it naturally.

The same guy will let his tongue fall out over a softly rounded lingerie clad model. It's very confusing. To what degree of "jacked" is right?


There is a serious communication problem that is distorting the goals and opinions of people and it is based on "looks" even though that as a goal is never "good enough."

[Doc2029]

Originally Posted by CF-OC_gal

I think that is one of the problems right there. When a guy says that a woman doesn't understand what he means exactly. That kind of "hottness" can be had by just being young and following a sport like track or gymnastics or you can come by it naturally.

The same guy will let his tongue fall out over a softly rounded lingerie clad model. It's very confusing. To what degree of "jacked" is right?


There is a serious communication problem that is distorting the goals and opinions of people and it is based on "looks" even though that as a goal is never "good enough."

CF-OC_Gal you have a great point. I think the bottom line is this if a person is happy with they way the look and feel is perfect. Yes I understand that this is a very wide statement but deep down that is what matters the most how does someone feel about the way they look? I am sure most people in the gym have two concerns on their minds, being healthier and looking better. I maybe wrong but I am sure these two rank in the top 5 for most people.

As for what is too "jacked" well like the old saying goes "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" what I may think is "hot" and what someone else may think is "hot" could be two different things.

I believe that, in general, women are much tougher on themselves than us guys.

Ladies, you need to buy your mirrors from the place that us guys do. Mine works great. I look in my mirror and see a 16 year old kid.

[Doc2029]

Originally Posted by Merrida

I hate "womens mags" for that reason. I see women coming in with their "womens' fitness" articles they ripped out from who knows where, the generic "good for everyone all the time" type of thing,...and they follow it day in and out,...usually with dreadful form, and using weights excessively too light (if that makes sense),...

Even the mags that tout "health and fitness" are no better than Cosmo or other superficial mags, or even tabloids that on the same page you'll read about how to lose 30 pounds in 2 weeks, drop 2 dress sizes in 2 weeks without sweaty exercise (hold me down, someone),...and at the bottom, various adverts selling potions and other concocted pills to block fat, block carbs, speed your metabolism... Nothing to educate people about "health and fitness" what so ever.

It's frustrating and it bleeds over into my industry.

Merrida, most "men's mags" are not much better. As for using dreadful form most of the men I see at my gym I expect will need joint replacement surgery soon from there form. Most do not let the weight down slowly or controlled they just let it fall. They rock and twist and contort so much doing lifts that are isolation movements. It is funny to watch yet scary at the same time.

Most women I see lift use weights at my gym use weights that are so light I wonder really what is the point? And don't have good form either.

I wonder if the gyms that are so willing to take customer's money should invest time in some sort of mandatory class on how to lift? Or something like that.

I also know your pain about the tabloid diets and pills etc. Hell, watch an hour of TV on cable and you'll see all kinds of pills advertised. But if you read the fine, fine print it always says "...along with a healthy diet and excersize program." So really what is helping you here the healthy diet and working out or that pill? Most likely the pill is not doing you much good.

But once again as a general statement people will take the easy way out. The pills and fad diet and whatever is much easier than going to a gym and taking responciblity for their eating habits. After all there is a McDonald's on every corner, it is much eaiser to get a grease burger there than to go home and cook a healthy meal.

As far as people getting educated about health and fitness, this is an uphill battle. First, people have to want that information. I see it all the time people ask me what I am doing. I tell them they tune out, I actually had a person tell me I'll just stay fat that is too much work and too much to learn. Really? Hell, I can tell you most of what you need to know in about 45 min. Really healthly eating and having a healthy lifestyle is not that hard nor is it that complicated. It does however mean you have to change your lifestyle and work at taking charge of your lifestyle.

We all get lazy at times but it seems the epidemic of obesity that we are seeing here in the United States is also directly related to the epidemic of excuses, not willing to take responciblity, and laziness that plagues this country as well.

[Merrida]

Too true orky, too true. On everything you said,....it's painful but true.

I see the deluge of advertisements, on TV and in all sorts of magazines (not just those geared towards "fitness" --cough-cough--). What pains me is when I have intimate knowledge of some people's activities. They will grouse and gripe that they cannot afford PT to help them lose weight, but because I also know them, I know they're spending money on "passive" approaches to reach their expressed goals of weight loss. Most notably the diuretics to get rid of bloating,....the metabolic boosters to increase their energy and help them burn more calories,....they have weekly massage to (supposedly) rid their bodies of the ripples and dimples of cellulite,....they have weekly colonic irrigation to get rid of "pounds of toxins" built up in their colon,....they spend money eating organic food under the false pretense that because it's organic they can eat anything that is organic and lose weight (I had a client doing all these, convinced the pesticides used in growing non-organic foods were responsible for her weight,...so she ate cake made with organic ingredients,...organic potato chips,...organic bread,...and so forth,...and those of you who know my posts of late, know which client I'm referring to),....then they have weekly acupuncture sessions to help control their appetite,...they see hypnotherapists to lose weight,....they'll hot tub or sauna to lose weight,.... Let's not forget the starch & carb blockers, the fat blockers,...

Add this up and the costs are phenomenal. Yet the person doesn't have to actually "do" anything.

So there's one approach that makes me shiver from fear,....and shake my head in frustration.

Combine that with, as you pointed out, the dreadful form I see both men and women use, the use of weights far too heavy, or weights too light to be effective. We cannot run around trying to save the world (or the local gym). And most, when approached, revert to their comfortable ways because:

1) The women revert to light weights, afraid of bulking.

2) The men revert to heavier weights with bad form because they don't want to be lifting weights lighter than they were (who cares if they'll get hurt some day, they care about how it looks now).

It pains me, irritates me, frustrates me, scares me,....watching some people knowing they're going to blow a disk in their back, afraid they'll get an aneurism, destroy their knees,....But hey, why bother....as long as they're "fine" now.

Aaarghh!