To think some women could lift heavier in the gym?

I have a personal trainer and his recommendation is variety so some days I do very low weight but high repetitions. Constant high weights can strain muscles without proper training.

Do you have a trainer or someone monitoring you at the gym?

Perhaps they think your ‘huffing and puffing’ is a little performative. But what you need to do is to ask these people. It’s the only way you will find out

I’ve been strength training for many years and lift heavier than OP and I still think she is BU, and I’d suspect the same applies to many women on this thread. It’s very infantilising to assume that women who don’t lift at the standard OP considers acceptable “won’t understand” when she has no idea why they choose to lift the weights that they do. It’s also none of her business or that of anyone else!

I do agree with what you say about women not ‘bulking up’ easily.

Yes some *people likely could lift heavier in the gym. But they don’t want to for whatever reason. Not sure why this required a thread. FYI lots of other women/people consider the weights you lift to be very light weights. Everyone is entitled to exercise as they wish and lift the weights they want to.

I started doing heavy weights and I got so muscly I stopped. I did not like the way I looked at all.

The OP sounds ghastly, casting their eye around during the class and feeling really smug about how great they are.
what an insufferable person

Some women (plenty in this thread) think if you lift too heavy, you'll suddenly get bulky. Which is really not easy as a woman, especially without careful diet management too and, honestly, without steroids. Once you get the physique you want, adjust to maintain. Or to lose slightly if you want less muscle.

Lifting properly (can't say if these women are or not) is so important for women.

Wow, OP.

If anyone was in any doubt whether you’re a judgemental prick or not, you’ve just given them the answer.

Those other people are going to be healthier and less likely to cause long term issues than you. If you want to go to the limit for zero reason, like sport or competition, go for it.

Unless you're their instructor/ trainer, why should you care?

Are you able to elaborate on how it affects you? Presumably you can still do what you do without them putting in full effort? Just think how much more you will get done if you concentrate on your own performance rather than judging others 😬

Judging others in a gym is you being competitive. Have you ever wondered why the vast bulk of trainers in gyms are on the younger side? Most of the ones 50 plus have injured themselves out of the industry.

Super judgy. There's a lot of this going around at the moment in women's fitness, lift heavy or don't bother. Don't run or you'll be skinny fat on and on.
I'm glad I don't go to the gym if I'd have to have other women judging me.I do weights at home, I just came back to exercise after 3 years of illness, 2kg was all I could do for exercises like lateral raises and shoulder presses. More for bicep curls, RDLs etc But I wanted to work very steadily up in weight. I wouldn't like being sneered at for being a weakling.
I used to be a super fit cyclist riding 70 hilly miles easily on a Friday afternoon after work. I never saw a person who was riding slower than me, un lycra-ed up and thought why even bother? Or what's the point in only doing a few miles. I was just happy seeing other people out getting some fresh air in. Especially if it was another woman. There are lots of barriers to women doing sport so it's rubbish to see posts like this.
Ultimately you don't know other people's bodies or motivations. Not every person is going for gains and all movement in my opinion is good movement.

The result of having some time to themselves away from the demands of family. Because “going to the gym” is deemed as a more worthwhile use of time than “sitting in my car for an hour listening to an audiobook and eating chocolate”

I don't think bulk is that likely from lifting heavy weights? Unless someone is actively trying for that & does other measures.

I only compared it in a different post, which you didn't quote, where I compared to people criticising people in marathons for not running the whole time.

It's people thinking they are the universal example. You're not. Leave them alone.

Exactly, aside from the weird use of slurs, the info us incorrect. The weightlifter Bev Francis shows how hard women who DO want to bodybuild have to work.

Which would be...?

"I look over".

Stop looking at people. People like you are why some women feel so uncomfortable at the gym and eventually stop attending. Don't be that person.

This! Aside from the homophobic language, it's unhelpful to talk as if lifting heavy weights will give most women results they don't want. Women shouldn't be put off strengthening.

Bull dyke structure? Are you in the 2000s? Reported.

Anyway, as well as being offensive your comment doesn't make sense. Women can push themselves without getting big muscles. And if they want to - why not?

They are probably happy with how they look and feel and just want to stay like that.
Maybe they like the instructor, or their friends go to this class, or it's a convenient time or location.

46 year old mum, active, fit but I suffered a stroke a year and a half ago. Luckily I recovered. If you met me you’d have no idea of what I went through. I’m active but I don’t use anything over 2kg,

You don’t have a clue what people have been through, keep your judgement to your self.

Well my goal this year is to do all the reps in my classes. This means I'm choosing the lower weight/easier option so I can do more. I noticed toward the end of last year I was chosing heavy weights/options but only doing 1 or 2 and resting more. I'm spending this 12 months focusing on more reps. Next year I'll increase.

It wouldn’t be any of my business though. Their money, their choice. Keep your beak out, you nosy trout.