I started lifting literally to get out of the snow. Normally I ran for exercise, but last winter it was just too nasty and I wanted a warm place to exercise. I thought, “Well, I’ll get sort of fat if I just lift weights, but it’s better than nothing.”
Surprise: I’m pretty sure I look better than in my cardio days. It was not a waste of time.
Also, as other folks have mentioned, weights have progression: you get better every time. That’s satisfying in itself. And there’s the feminist-ish angle --why not kick butt at something stereotypically male? Why on earth not be strong?
In my own experience, arm-wise: yes, they got bigger. Not “jacked,” by any means, but my bicep is bigger than my wrist now, and my upper arms aren’t squishy the way they were. You just have to change your mind a little and recognize that stick arms are not normal for an active person; I’ve gotten into the mindset that if I see a change in my body that’s the result of hard work, then I’ll think of it as a good thing. You’re going to grow muscles. If you ever think you’re “too big” you can stop, but you probably won’t.
[quote]ouroboro_s wrote:
OBoile wrote:
Salmissra wrote:
Yo Momma wrote:
Women lift and train the same way as men do. To think otherwise is chauvinistic.
Tell your friend that iron knows no gender.
Hi! I want all the benefits that I stated, can I do this without getting big muscular arms? I’d like to start now to help tone things up as I lose the weight. I think maybe he is thinking I will end up with huge weightlifter arms, when I really just want to help with the weight loss/metabolism/toning/all the other benefits Dr’s and trainers list from the strength training.
Thanks for all the advice ladies!
Its funny, in a typical gym just about every woman is thinking:
“I hope I don’t get too big too quickly”.
Just about every man is thinking:
“I wish I could get big more quickly”.
What is wrong with this picture?
As a woman, you won’t get “big weightlifter arms” unless you are taking drugs. It certainly won’t happen until after years and years of extremely hard training. You can always stop before that happens.
What are you talking about? I’m totally jacked. Didn’t you see my legs on Saturday?[/quote]
Well, I wasn’t going to say anything because I didn’t want to be rude…
but CLEARLY you used heavy weights at least once, because you now have huge “man” legs (and arms too you’re avatar must have been before you lifted a heavy weight). In fact, they were so large that it made walking past you difficult since you took up most of the space between equipment. A couple of times I got squished up against the glass so hard that I couldn’t even breath. I assume you just didn’t notice due to your new hugeness!