Free weights are for girls too: Strong is the new Skinny
It’s no secret that free weights are a great arsenal to have in your weekly gym routine. Typically working more muscle fibres than their resistance machine counterpart, core engagement, functional training for sport, fat burning, I could go on but this is not why we are here. Neither are we here to debate the differences between free weights and machines because they can both play a key part in your resistance workouts. What I am here to talk about are the misconceptions held by females in the gym over free weights and also the free weights area itself.
When I first qualified as personal trainer I thought one of my big hurdles would be to get my female clients to include free weights into their training routine. Unfortunately, I was correct. The most common things I would hear were: “Don’t weights make you bulk out like a bodybuilder?” or “Isn’t that just for men?” or “Won’t I look silly if I don’t know what I’m doing?” Another one I’d really like to tackle is “Won’t the guys hate that I’m in their way?” Let’s look at these one at a time.
Free weights won’t bulk you out unless you want them to
Building significant muscle mass takes an awful lot of effort, namely the extra food required and the consistent pursuit of pushing heavier and heavier weights. Getting big, is a conscious effort and doesn’t happen by accident. If you are eating your maintenance calories, or especially, are in a calorie deficit for weight loss you most definitely won’t bulk out. You just won’t be eating the calories required. Testosterone is one of the biggest drivers behind muscles growth, and with about 1 tenth of the amount of it compared to men, you are in no danger here either.
Free weights are for everyone
If your goal is to look toned, burn fat, or both free weights can get you there fast. Building lean muscle mass gives you the shape you are in the gym working out so hard for in the first place. Use them right and a free weight workout will burn nearly as many calories as your cardio workout, and lean muscle will burn calories even when you aren’t working out, giving you excellent long term benefits too. That’s a win-win for fat loss.
A little advice is all you need to get started
I will admit free weights are far less intuitive to use than resistance or cardio machines. Just a room full of dumbbells and barbells doesn’t exactly make for a seamless workout for the beginner. When I sell the benefits of free weights to my female clients, they would go with me in the weights room with no hesitation because they knew with me alongside them they would perform everything correctly. Your gym should have staff on the gym floor that will happily show you how to use the equipment and give you some basic exercises to get started. YouTube is full of workout videos showing you how to perform exercises so a little bit of preparation beforehand will go a long way. If you are afraid of looking silly, just ask those around you for help. I was always very flattered when people came to me for help and so will the next person.
Free weights are not men only zones
Following on from my last point, do you know who else knows how to use the kit and would most likely be happy to help you? The men in there already who you feel are stopping you from entering in the first place. One of the reasons that people feel unwelcome in the free weights area is the gazes you get upon entering. It is perceived as a ‘get out’ type of look, let me tell you, it isn’t. Due to the perform a set, take a rest and repeat nature of most free weight workouts a person can spend more time resting than workout out. This means half of the people at any one time might not be doing anything so when another person walks in, glancing over is just something to do if nothing else. Also it is instinctual if you see something move in your peripheral vision to take a look to see what it is. In this instance it’s just you entering the room, they will look away and carry on with whatever they were doing before. They most definitely aren’t thinking, “what is she doing in here?” If anything another face is probably most welcome.
With a little bit of confidence, if you found someone not in the middle of a set and asked them if they could show you something, they most probably will. If they can’t for whatever reason, you will get a polite answer as to why not. If they are rude then chances are you’ve caught them on a bad day, and this has nothing to do with you so just move onto the next person. Do this a few times over successive days and weeks and you will be recognised as you go in. Typically the community feeling you get with the weights room is excellent and before you know it you will be part of this community, and not only get all the advice you need, but be invited to join in with others as well.
So what are you waiting for? Get a bunch of new exercises under your belt and you are on your way to that dream body, and will probably make some new friends and learn some useful training tips along the way. Plus, who doesn’t just love to lift.