I’ve been lifting weights with a PT 3/4x a week for a year at a specialist weight lifting gym. I do CrossFit style sessions but mostly heavy weights and some HIT thrown in. I love it so much, I could hardly lift an empty barbell a year ago now can deadlift 100kg, bench press 55kg, back squat 70-90kg etc. At first I wanted to loose weight, now don’t think about it at all, just want to get stronger and it’s such a buzz to meet my goals and go beyond them. So my dh doesn’t do any exercise other than walk. Occasionally he will go to a different local gym but only to use the treadmill. I went with him for the first time ever recently and he was game enough to do weights with me. I was shocked to see him struggle with weights that were 20% less than what I lift, and to be out of breathe easily or quiver when squatting etc with the effort. I just felt decidedly odd to be stronger than him. I don’t know what I expected tbh, because he doesn’t train. I guess I just assumed he’d still be stronger!
Partly I feel less feminine or something. Partly annoyed by this line of thinking because he could be way stronger if he wanted and I’m not going to change, I love being strong. Also he wasn’t bothered exactly, mostly just laughed which is good, though seemed a little embarrassed. I also feel a little bit like perhaps he thinks I’m less feminine (we’ve been together 20+ yrs so Im not insecure just kind of sheepish). I’m mostly just proud too because I’ve never ever been good at anything physical and never thought I’d enjoy going to a gym.
Would it bother you to be stronger than your partner? It does me a little because I guess I’m fairly traditional in some ways and want to have this ‘strong’ protective man around 😅🙄🙄