WTF? Why am I the only girl in my gym lifting weights?

[wildross]

The Baylor women's basketball team this year had a fairly 'bulky' 6'8" center.

6'8" and 208# is NOT bulky

[Hermione Gainser]

That article is ridiculous. First of all, 8-10 reps is not low rep training. Second, a bigger muscle does not mean it is stronger. As someone else already pointed out, the author doesn't understand the difference between bodybuilding and strength training. In fact what the author is recommending (15-20) reps is actually what bodybuilders do for hypertrophy (increasing muscle size.) And anyone who uses the phrase "firm and toned" should be immediately dismissed as a hack!

But going back to the original topic, I see the same thing at my local Globo gym too. There's one lady who must be a figure competitor or body builder of some sort, because she's pretty muscular, very tan, wears interesting and somewhat revealing outfits ... but the only thing I've seen her do is variations on the bicep curl. I've never see her squat or deadlift, or do a pullup, etc. Occasionally I've seen a woman in the power rack, which always piques my interest, but they always quarter squat tiny weights - not that tiny weights are bad, I'd be thrilled to see someone deep squat with the empty bar!

UGH, toned :eye-roll:

Honestly, I've only seen, other than myself and my friend, 4 people do real, full range of motion squats in the rack. And it breaks my heart. they load 150lbs, quarter squat and wonder 1. why it's not working and 2. why their knees feel like they are going to explode.

Depends on what you think "bulky" looks like. Me, I like how muscles look on women and want to have bigger ones than I've got. Other women think that being able to see any muscle at all is "too bulky." It is not possible for me to get "too bulky" without a lot more effort than I'm willing to put in and possibly I'd also need to be on steroids. But I bet there are women out there who would think I'm already too bulky.

Well.. that's a depressing article. Really? those women are bulky? I always thought Jessica Biel was a little manly anyway.. but not in a bulky, muscular way.. just in a tomboy way. Nothing wrong with that... but I think they could have picked some better female options (I say this like I know any celebrities). I wonder how these surveyed women would feel about this:

Talk about dream body. But I guess she's like a she-hulk in most women's eyes.

[This is Seth]

Just wanted to pop in and say that two new girls showed up in my gym tonight and hunkered down on a bench. One was teaching the other the difference in close grip benching. They got an approving smile and nod from me and a ton of gawking looks from the curl bros.

Bravo heavy lifting ladies, bravo.

[Atalan]

6'8" and 208# is NOT bulky

That's what I get for not fact checking. The way I was hearing terrible jokes about her being a man (most of them centered around her neck), I thought she was a lot bigger.

[This is Seth]

She's big, but not bulky.

[weirdquark]

UGH, toned :eye-roll:

Honestly, I've only seen, other than myself and my friend, 4 people do real, full range of motion squats in the rack. And it breaks my heart. they load 150lbs, quarter squat and wonder 1. why it's not working and 2. why their knees feel like they are going to explode.

Well.. that's a depressing article. Really? those women are bulky? I always thought Jessica Biel was a little manly anyway.. but not in a bulky, muscular way.. just in a tomboy way. Nothing wrong with that... but I think they could have picked some better female options (I say this like I know any celebrities). I wonder how these surveyed women would feel about this:

Talk about dream body. But I guess she's like a she-hulk in most women's eyes.

I'd like to have more muscle than the woman in that picture, actually. I don't get the not wanting to have muscle definition. I figure that as long as I like the way I look and feel, if my being "too bulky" puts people off, these are people who I don't mind putting off.

[morethanjustamom]

I'd like to have more muscle than the woman in that picture, actually. I don't get the not wanting to have muscle definition. I figure that as long as I like the way I look and feel, if my being "too bulky" puts people off, these are people who I don't mind putting off.

Same here! Personally, the only person's opinion I'm even aware of besides my own is my hubby's, and I'm looking forward to the day I'm able to stop him in his tracks just by walking into our weight room. 

[gymell]

If you're worried about becoming too bulky, there's always this workout... for those who aren't familiar, Tracy Anderson advocates never lifting a weight more than 3lb and eating under 1000 calories a day. It's great advice if you want to become skinny fat, and weak!

I love the guy in this video. He looks like he doesn't want to be there, and is totally uncoordinated.

[Hermione Gainser]

I'd like to have more muscle than the woman in that picture, actually. I don't get the not wanting to have muscle definition. I figure that as long as I like the way I look and feel, if my being "too bulky" puts people off, these are people who I don't mind putting off.

Yeah, not her best photo for muscle definition but most of them were unnecessarily sexy so I did not post. Regardless, i agree.. I'm not concerned with folks who don't get it.

@gymell, ZOMG! bestnewworkoutever! I'm ditching my weights and my food.. and going for it.

[bigm141414]

If you're worried about becoming too bulky, there's always this workout... for those who aren't familiar, Tracy Anderson advocates never lifting a weight more than 3lb and eating under 1000 calories a day. It's great advice if you want to become skinny fat, and weak!

I love the guy in this video. He looks like he doesn't want to be there, and is totally uncoordinated.

I don't know why but I hate this person now....

[gymell]

Tracy Anderson is Trainer to the Stars! If Gwyneth Paltrow is doing those workouts, then they must be good! And I hear that osteopenia is the new "in" thing now!

[bigm141414]

I wish they guy in the back would have just smacked her in the back of the head. And it looks like they sped up or cropped that video. Everyone looks to be moving too fast/jerky for actual speed.

[airen123]

I'm not the only girl lifting at the gym, but I'm the only one lifting heavy. Would love to have someone to work out with, if not to see how much progress I'm getting. Comparing my lifts to the musclehead benching 400-500 lbs next to me is not helping, if not a little deflating.

[unicornassassin]

I saw the coolest, most badass, nerdy (can you be badass and nerdy at the same time?) girl lifting today. She walked in like she owned the joint! Rebel Girl by Bikini Kill started running through my head. She knew all the dudes and they clearly respected her. It was AWESOME!

[Loren Wade]

Can you be badass and nerdy at the same time?

Yes.

Example: spezzy.

[unicornassassin]

Yes.

Example: spezzy.

True dat.

[bigm141414]

Yes.

Example: spezzy.

True dat.

Add to the list:

Laura

Mama T

weirdquark

Shortkaik

LRB

Roos

chammy

unicornassassin

airen123

gymell

morethanjustamom

spazcat

MirGSS

Oogiem

Crooked

nightlight

I could go on but I think you get hte point

[This is Seth]

^ This.

[unicornassassin]

Add to the list:

Laura

Mama T

weirdquark

Shortkaik

LRB

Roos

chammy

unicornassassin

airen123

gymell

morethanjustamom

spazcat

MirGSS

Oogiem

Crooked

nightlight

I could go on but I think you get hte point

Awwww, you!

[Hermione Gainser]

Add to the list:

Laura

Mama T

weirdquark

Shortkaik

LRB

Roos

chammy

unicornassassin

airen123

gymell

morethanjustamom

spazcat

MirGSS

Oogiem

Crooked

nightlight

I could go on but I think you get hte point

[Blueberries]

I'm often the only woman doing squats and deadlifts at my gym, although there's another woman I see pretty frequently doing heavy dumbbell flys and bench presses. It may be related to time of day for me, since I go late morning with all the older people and stay-at-home moms (I'm one, too... it just seems that most prefer long cardio or Zumba). I've tried to lift at other times of the day before, but I hate how crowded the very small free weights area gets. I think I've kind of come to view the power rack as MINE MINE MINE, and I don't like to share!

[Mama T]

Add to the list:

Laura

Mama T

weirdquark

Shortkaik

LRB

Roos

chammy

unicornassassin

airen123

gymell

morethanjustamom

spazcat

MirGSS

Oogiem

Crooked

nightlight

I could go on but I think you get hte point

d'awww!