Why is that so many women think they get huge/bulky/muscular when they lift weights? I’ve read it many times on this forum about people’s experience with women saying this. There’s this chick at work who says the same thing. “I need to stop lifting because I’m getting too big.” She doesn’t look that way to me and even if she gained a little muscle at first it’s highly unrealistic to think her msucles are just going to continue to balloon up constantly. Why do they always perceive that they are actually getting big? Is it because the first sign they see of any size whatsoever makes them think they are too big? Is it because they haven’t shed enough fat yet so their arms are bigger? Any of the t-men or t-vixens; please help me understand this phenomenon.
it is because they are scared of becoming the worlds strongest woman competitors. and as far as a little bit of muscle coming out and them fearing it is because unlike men, women fear weight. it is natural that when you add muscle you add weight and women cringe at adding weight. they would rather eat brocoly once a day for the rest of their lives then go to the gym and actually do something helpful and give up reading a book on the bike. but yeah, it is a comon opinion. pisses me off as well.
Probably just lazy and don’t want to put forth the effort. Would rather watch Dr. Phil on the treadmill.
if women knew that an increase in lean muscle mass meant their ‘time’ on the treadmill would be more ‘productive’, they would be hittin’ the weights in droves !
jaystyles
A lot of it comes from about a hundred years or so ago with the Victorian Era Strongmen. Like a lot of things, everyone “in the know” thought that lifting weights would make you muscle bound and stupid in men and would masculinize women. Add that to the ever present B.S. about how women should look (it’s been around a lot longer than just the modern day) and it’s a wonder that they human race has reached this far.
I really can’t understand it either. I train people (uncertified). Basically it means I give lots of free advice and time. It also means if my free advice is not to their liking, they ignore it. I try all of the time to convince women that weight training will not make them look like steroidal apes. They don’t like it and so ignore it.
I do have a secret weapon now. A woman has started coming to the gym I work out at, and she is very well developed. She looks like Patricia with smaller lats and blonde. I point to her and say “that is what weight training does to women.” Then if they do not listen to me, I cut them off from free advice.
From a girl’s perspective here…
In a woman’s mind the line between feminine and muscular is a fine one… most women don’t understand the genetic side of things either.
Currently I’m training very hard and my diet is really strict and I’m really enjoying my gains. My lifts increase weekly and my body fat is continuing to drop… but… I don’t want to get huge.
Men need to qualify what they find attractive in a fit woman… us girls are so worried about being too muscular because we think you guys aren’t attracted to that…
I hate that women are uneducated, thinking that if they lift the pink dumbells they will get huge. I train in a gym full of pretty big guys and I wish that I was not the only female there!
Then I think, well down the other end of the gym, where the cardio machines are… these women read their magazines and watch the TV’s and they DO see me… and maybe they’re thinking… See if I lift weights I’ll get big, like her… which then makes me think… hmmm maybe I should cut back because I’m getting to big and… everyone now… I don’t want to get huge!!! ha! So the vicious circle that is a woman’s mind continues to turn… just like sands through an hour glass… sorry… side tracked… oh look a shiny thing!!! (PRIVATE JOKE)
Did I answer the question?? Or did I waffle… do you sort of know what I’m getting at??
Basically… when a woman says that to you… I don’t want to do resistance training because I don’t want to get huge… smile and say, ok… or smile and say… you know what… why don’t you give it a try for say, 3 months and then give me your opinion after that.
And then follow my mantra…
GO HARD OR GO HOME!!!
…
'blu
Generally women seemed to be petrified of muscularity comprimising their femininity. Any muscle is seen to be manly. They would rather be fat than toned and muscular it would seem. But once they get beyond this hysteria their confidence seems to grow in leaps and bounds. All the women I have met who are serious about their weight training are extremely confident in their sexuality.
I don’t think it helps either when you get these aerobic instructors who obviously hit the weights alot pretending that they got that body from aerobics alone.