To think some women could lift heavier in the gym?

100% agree if I do bodypump with fast reps I have to downsize my weights significantly compared with slow reps high weights I might do on gym floor.

I learnt that the hard way when I couldn’t bend my elbows properly for a week 🫢

You have no idea what people’s limits actually are though to be able to say ‘they are not working at their limit’

You also don’t know what other exercise they do, their history or anything.

Stay in your lane, don’t judge someone else’s journey you know nothing about.

Fear of judgement from people is often what keeps people out of gyms.

They are going to the class and keeping moving and exercising and that’s fantastic.

How do you get on with the alendronic acid? I've only managed to take 1 and spent the day with awful nausea.

If it’s body pump, then no you wouldn’t be lifting that heavy. The most I’ve seen people lifting in that class would be 20-25 kg on their barbell.

If you can pull 80kg for reps, you can probably get to 90 or 100. It’s fantastic being super strong and deadlifts are a great full body way to do it!

Of course they could go heavier @Ilostallthepens but they can’t be arsed. As you know it’s hard work.

But the benefits are considerable.

I actually go to a class aimed at getting women lifting which does a very good job of ensuring everyone is lifting within their ability and with good form. It’s small group so it works!

Thank you

Many women believe they will put on too much muscle- sadly this isn't true, gaining visible muscle is hard especially for women. 8kg is also quite light, increase the weight slowly, important because you will otherwise plateau and not improve.
lower body you can do similar weight to men as the musce groups in the lower body are less dissimilar in women and men. l used to belong to a weight lifting gym in East London because it was the cheapest in my area- ml have very well developed calves because l rode a lot when l was younger- l could do more weight on the calf lift machine than the best weightlifter in the gym-it really annoyed them-lol

I imagine it’s lack of knowledge and confidence, if it’s a class why isn’t the instructor encouraging them? I recently took up strength training and can now RDL with 12.5 kg weights. Never expected this and always shied away from heavy weights. Very empowering and no you won’t build massive muscles doing this, you’d have to eat a hell of a lot of protein.

You sound like my DH and it’s honestly really irritating. I’m happy lifting 10kg dumbbells and have zero desire to go any higher. He thinks I should try because I have the capacity. I just don’t want to and that’s my choice. I don’t know why you’re so interested in other people. They’re moving, that’s the most important thing.

Thanks, I thought I was weak. You’re right, I need to remind myself I have all my life to get strong, I often rush and want to see immediate results.

No, because again, it's all about YOU and not the actual person doing it!

THEY have no need or desire (or possible ability) to go beyond a certain level of fitness/strength/toned appearance, YOU think they should be more strong/fit/toned because it's important to YOU, it's a waste not pushing your body to its physical limits to make it stronger...

YOU have no need or desire to learn a second language - I could judge you for that because of course everyone who can speak one language can and should learn another, I know multiple languages and its really benefitted me, it's a waste to not make full use of what your mind is capable of to improve your knowledge...

If you asked the instructor whether they think everyone not using the heaviest weights is wasting their time and do they think they should leave the class, there is no way they'd agree with you - but if you disagree, give it a go and come back and tell us what they say.

Then how do you know expect to get an answer? Do you want someone to come on and say they do it because they can’t be bothered? Or because they don’t want to smear their makeup?

If you genuinely want to know, you need to ask the individuals but you won’t because it would offend them.

So instead you manage to offend a lot more people and put people off going to the gym - well played

Definitely. I was the fittest, most outdoorsy person. It was a big part of my identity. Then I got ill and spent 3 years mostly lying in bed. You can build as much muscle as you like but you can't control the future. Or your health really. You can try your best but working out hard doesn't make you a superior type person. Hope you don't have to wait too long for your op .

But how do you know who isn’t making an effort?

And even if they aren’t, what business is it of anyone else’s? They may do it as a social thing or in conjunction with other activity or just to get out of the house.

It IS off putting to know that all the hype about gym users being supportive is total bollocks.As long as you get the workout you want, then I can’t see why you would be so judgy?

In the meantime, posts like this do put off the very people who would benefit from attending the gym.

You could become so disabled tomorrow that you’re relying on someone else to wipe your arse.

I can’t hip thrust. I’m waiting for two new hips.

You read the post where I said I work with my HCPs though didn’t you. And doubled down.

It was 30 odd years ago and a programme drawn up by my coach for my actual sport. It did what I needed it to do at the time. I had no interest in lifting increasingly heavy weights and thus building increasing muscle because that would have been detrimental to the sport.

I'm godsmacked at the judgemental and arrogant attitude of some women weight lifting!

So when are you next running a marathon? What you mean you're not pushing yourself to increase your running distance and speed? How pathetic!

I totally agree, and I have to remind myself to be pushing myself to the limit every time otherwise what is the point? The reason why us women should be exercising and lifting weights is to build our muscle, to get stronger so that we live a longer healthier life without having to Lion on other people for help and to wipe our arses because we can’t bend or get up from the toilet lol.

I was hip thrusting 60kg for the longest time. This week I reminded myself that I can be doing a lot more and I was able to hip thrust 110 kg!!

I think there is a general lack of knowledge around the importance of lifting weights and building muscle and how you go about doing that.

Do you/ did you have a physical job? My mum was working in preschool before she retired and while it might not seem physical it really is. Lifting kids, up and down the stairs, moving stuff about when setting up. She is 65 now and retired, she cleans as a side gig and whenever she does my house I’m always surprised she moves furniture easily. I started going to the gym with her last year and thought we could start easy to ease her into it… not necessary at all. She had never been to the gym in her life but because she’d spent the last 20 years doing a physical job she is naturally pretty strong.

Codswallop.

There is no sneering in the op’s post.