Michelle

I get tired of hearing women fear “bulking up” if they lift more than a soup can.  Many of these same women, without even thinking about it, lift/carry their children (who definitely weigh more than the pink dumbbells collecting dust in the corner), pack groceries into the house, and do other strength-based chores every day. A friend one day had a wake-up call when she saw her three-year old running around the house playing with her dumbbells; if a toddler can lift your dumbbells, you’re underestimating your abilities. So let’s get that excuse out of the way now.  Stop being afraid you’re going to wake up looking like a man; you would have to be trying to do just that to build that kind of bulk, including most likely using testosterone supplements. It’s an excuse, and a lame one at that.

So what do they do? If they lift weights at all, they opt for smaller weight and more reps in the belief it’s somehow better (note: it may build some endurance, but not strength or power).  When I started lifting weights, I remember being astonished at how much I could lift. My trainer at the time (Warren) would get me to lift weight that I never would have tried on my own; “I can lift that?”  “Yes, you can.” “You’re kidding me…” Turns out, “damn right I can!”

So, stop playing the fear card, put on your big girl panties and LIFT!

Resources:

This brief Stumptuous.com article may get you thinking.

The New Rules of Lifting for Women is an excellent book, and it’s probably in your local library. Bluntly, they say women need to “…put down the “Barbie” weights, step away from the treadmill, and begin a strength and conditioning regime…”  I think they’re a little too anti-cardio, but the crux of their book is that women can lift a lot more than they think they can. I agree 100% with that!