We’ve all heard the rumors: if women lift weights we’re going to turn into bulked, veiny masculine chicks. In reality, it’s a shame that women often feel intimidated by the thought of lifting weights since the benefits of weight training far outweigh the benefits of cardio. Don’t take this to mean that cardio isn’t a useful part of an exercise regimen, but rather that cardio on its own is not going to build that shapely, toned body that most girls desire.
You might believe these rumors about weights, you might just hate the idea of lifting weights, OR you might just see the gym and think this place is intimidating as f*ck. And you know what, I don’t blame you. Those huge dudes that are huddled around each other spotting can definitely send someone running in the other direction. You know who I’m talking about, the guys who yelp during every rep, grab weights that are probably too heavy for them, do chest 3x a week and have their nips out in their torn muscle tees. Luckily headphones can block out most of their distraction, but the last thing I want to see in the mirror is a man’s hairy nipple staring at me as I try to lift. If I can’t have my nips out, neither can you man.
Picture your best guy friend in a Zumba class with you, that’s how a ton of women feel in the weight area. The equipment complexity and dominant male presence can be intimidating. I know the feeling, as if you’re being judged at the gym and everyone in the weight area is already looking stronger than you. It doesn’t create the most inviting environment; it actually can seem like a fairly hostile one, but here’s the thing. Since I’ve gained confidence in the gym, I realized that the people in the gym, even the guys who are nipping, know that everyone has a starting point. For the most part, people want to see you succeed and be the best you can be. Also, I can pretty confidently say that people don’t really care about what you’re doing in the gym. They’re more concerned with making themselves the best they can be rather than looking at you, so you should do the same! One quick tip that I’ve found to being confident in the gym is wearing your best gym outfit. Women who feel good in what they’re wearing will feel more comfortable in the gym’s environment.
You hear women and weights and you picture oiled up, spray tanned 90s style bodybuilders in bikinis. Getting into that kind of shape is extremely tough. You need to alter your hormone balance, change your diet considerably, stop drinking and dedicate yourself to body building. So when women associate weights with becoming bulked, I can’t stress enough how inaccurate this is. Weights actually accelerate fat loss when combined with cardio. Having an exercise routine that relies solely on cardio for fat-loss will eventually lead to your metabolic rate dropping as your body adapts to the demand you continue putting on it. As such, the best thing to do is incorporate more weight training while keeping cardio as low of a frequency as possible. Lifting weights increases energy, improves mental health and shapes your curves. That’s right, building muscle is the best way to bring out those curves baby.
So ladies, the weight area is more than just a place for guys to throw dumbbells around and flash their nips; it’s the place that you’re going to gain mental and physical strength to achieve the body you’ve always wanted. Go put on that cute gym outfit, get dirty with some iron and show those guys who’s boss.
Cover Image courtesy of https://greatist.com/sites/default/files/weight-vs-rep.jpg