Is weight training for women?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2003
Is weight training for women?
8
Fri, 09-12-2003 - 3:23pm
Hello everyone! How are you? :)

I usually exercise 4 times a week, and two times out of these are weight training. I have an instructor at my fitness centre to supervise my training. I don't do heavy weights, but, since a lot of women at the gym do lihgter weights, I assume i'm pretty well trained, at least in comparison to those around me. :)))

Last week when I went to the gym my instructor was not there. Another lady came to substitute her, and she was horrified at what me and my friend were doing. She said that if we go on this way we were going to become two Arnold Shwarzeneggers, that we were crazy to lift such heavy weights, blah-blah-blah. All this left me somewhat confused. I know that instructors are usually fairly intolerant towards each other, at least at our club, so you've gotta choose one and stick to her, or you'll go mad. :) But I still wanted to have your opinion on this: is weight training actually for women and, if yes, how heavy must the weights be?

Thanx,

xxx

Miss_Vanilla

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2002
Fri, 09-12-2003 - 3:30pm
>>is weight training actually for women

**I am not usually this direct but I would make sure that trainer was qualified because she is talking absolute CRAP!!

Hey Miss Vanilla there is a post down below "Bulking Up????". In there Hugs and Golly have put some very good links to iVillage sites which will answer all your questions. Keep lifting the weights, but know what you are doing because it is one way you can seriously hurt yourself if you are not doing things correctly.

Have a great weekend. Hilary

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Fri, 09-12-2003 - 5:03pm
>>Hello everyone! How are you? :)

**Hi ya miss vanilla :)

>> is weight training actually for women and, if yes, how heavy must the weights be?

**I use 1, 3, 5 lb free weights. Usually the 1 and 3 lb weights for upper arm, the 5 lb ones for other arm/back/shoulder muscles. :)

That's heavy enough for me. ;)

~Golly

Thought I'd better add I'm smallish, oldish, frailish but getting stronger as are my bones. ;)

Edited 9/12/2003 5:06:39 PM ET by cl-ibgollyg

Edited 9/12/2003 5:07:33 PM ET by cl-ibgollyg


Edited 9/12/2003 5:08:17 PM ET by cl-ibgollyg

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Fri, 09-12-2003 - 5:49pm
Hi Miss Vanilla,

So happy to see you again ..

Hope you're doing well on this Friday afternoon

>>I still wanted to have your opinion on this: is weight training actually for women and, if yes, how heavy must the weights be?

**Good for you on checking around ..

I would say yes keeping in mind it's not for everyone ..

Also there are some great links

I posted in the thread *bulking up* with regards to weights ..

I will try to put them in this thread later tonight in case you can't find them ..

Hope some of that helps :)

~Hugs~

          Click & Join the fun!
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2002
Fri, 09-12-2003 - 7:35pm
I am sooooo trying hard to not jump up and down... ;) This is a hot topic for me...

YES weight training is for women just as much as it is for men! Admittedly, as I think Hugs pointed out, not everyone is well-suited to it, but other than physical limitations, there is *no* reason why you shouldn't lift weights. Female athletes lift weights, don't they? Guaranteed, the Williams sisters lift weights, swimmers lift weights, cyclists, runners, basketball players, volleyball players, and NONE of them look musclebound, do they? I think I'd have told that trainer (if I was working with her) where she could stuff her suppositions about women and weights! ;)

There is no limit as to how much or how little you should lift, it depends upon your ability and what your goals are. Personally, I'm right in there with the guys in the free weight room. I squat, I do dead lifts, I use barbells and dumbbells, assisted pullups and dips, the only thing I don't do that the guys do is heavy weight unassisted. There are smart ways to do it, and that's why you have a trainer, you can also get books on weight training (Getting Stronger by Bill Pearl is one I have). Many women use 3-10 pound dumbbells and their own body weight, but if you're so inclined to use the bigger dumbbells and add more weight, so long as you're in shape to do it and have worked up to it, why not?

I say keep working with the trainer that you like, stick with your plan so long as it works for you, and don't let anybody tell you that you're required to be a wimp because you're female! You'll *never* get big and bulky without steroids. Women just don't have the right hormonal makeup. Arnold didn't do it without help, we certainly won't!

Judie


Judie Image hosted by Photobucket.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2003
Sat, 09-13-2003 - 2:06pm
My awful thanks to everyone: to the hosts for their useful links (I haven't checked them yest, but I'm sure they'll be useful as they always are), and to Judie for her vey emotional and motivating reply. :)))

With love,

Miss_Vanilla
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 09-13-2003 - 6:21pm
Well, I am confused.I do heavy weights-low-reps. I thought that was the way to tone.It has always worked in the past..but I am small framed,i would never be able to get big. I lift to tone,prevent osteoporosis..and keep my metabolism up.When you use weights your body contiues to burn calories after--or so I hear.Souds as if there is a conflict of opinion w/ your trainers.Let me know what they say! Mel

"Mel on Wheels"    

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2003
Tue, 09-16-2003 - 4:58pm
Hi Melsch57! Well, I think you shouldn't worry. I talked to my trainer (she's really experienced and she read lots of books on the subject), and she assured me that women, unless deciding to devote their whole life to it and toally reorganize their lifestyle, are not prone to developing such big muscles as men do. It is connected with the differences between male and female organism, she said. And you'll never develop such huge muscles at an ordinary gym, because they usually do not have this professional equipment that bodybuilders really use, and you can't do that with usual machines, they can only help you to keep your body toned and shaped. And from what I've read in the articles offered to me by the hosts of this board, it really seems that weight training is one of the most beneficial ways to exercise! And yes, I also heard that your body continues to burn off calories for several hours after weight training. So, I hope you enjoy your fitness as much as I do!

Love,

Miss_Vanilla :)
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-06-2003
Wed, 09-17-2003 - 12:02am
Hi:

I may be a little late for this post. I havent been around for a couple of weeks lately. But I thought Id share anyway.

OK, I am 5'8'',I weight 175lbs right now, just lost around 15lbs in the last couple of months. I been up and down on the scale. I do lift weights 5 days a week.

I consider myself to lift HEAVY weights for women, I use 10-15lbs dumbells. And do a lots of reps.

I think EVERYONE can do weights, well I do weights but not with my legs -i have bad knees (for those I do lots of cardio).

I think you just have to start slow and add more weight as strong as you feel you can get it.

I KNOW women NEVER would get BIG as ARNOLD LOL :D!

So, I dont think you should be worried if you get too big, I dont think thats possible, but you can get toned thats amazing. And sometimes some girls think theyre getting too big, well then just have to stay with low weight and lots of reps, just need some kind of variation.

I hope this helped a bit.