6 Things I Wish I Knew as a Woman Before I Started Lifting
By: Mary Andino
Tags: Womens Health, Gender, Wellness, Health, Fitness

1. “No, you won’t get bulky.” Understanding the health benefits of weightlifting as a woman.

Like many women, when I first started lifting, I was afraid I was getting to get “bulky.” I wanted to be strong and fit, but not super jacked or buff. This myth is entirely untrue. To become super “bulky” while lifting, you would have to follow a very specific training program, massively overhaul your nutrition, and majorly increase your food consumption. Women also have less of the hormones than men that lead to this type of physique. Basically, it comes down to if you do not want to get all “buff”, you won’t. After three years of lifting, I do not resemble the Hulk; while I did not start lifting weights to loose weight, I ended up seeing a significant change in my body. I weighed about the same amount as before, but over time, I lost fat and gained muscle- to the extent that I dropped two pants sizes. Lifting weights is especially important for women as we age; it can help strengthen our bones and prevent osteoporosis. As I go about my day to day life, my increased strength helps me in a variety of ways: going up the stairs, carrying in the groceries, cleaning up my apartment, and walking my dogs all take less effort. I find the mental health benefits to also be significant; on days I lift, I feel calmer, less stressed, and sleep more deeply.

2. You belong in this space

It can feel daunting to walk into a space as a woman, whatever your age, that is dominated by men. Picture it: a small space filled with large men grunting and throwing down weights. I was hesitant to enter the weight area initially, especially when I was the only woman there. Sometimes I felt uncomfortable, as if I stuck out like a sore thumb and everyone was watching and judging me. I kept telling myself, “you have every right to be in that space and to use it to better yourself.” Over time, I realized that no one really cared that I was there; everyone was just focusing on their own workouts. Occasionally, a “mansplainer” will approach me, uninvited, and attempt to tell me how I should change my workouts or do different exercises. These experiences can be incredibly frustrating; I am minding my own business and a guy is arrogant enough to interrupt me and tell me what is best for my own body? My tactic for dealing with these types of gym-goers is to point to my headphones, say, “sorry I can’t hear you and I’m busy,” and then get back to my workout. Remember why you are doing this- for your health- and refuse to let these mansplainers discourage you. You belong in this space.

3. Start Easy and Light

Like many people, I have the tendency to go very fast out of the gate when I start a new activity. For example, when I started rock climbing, I climbed four days in a row (a mistake that my hands very much felt). With lifting, I started too hard, too fast, lifting too much weight initially. This can easily lead to injury and fatigue. Form and safety are the most important part of any physical activity, particularly with lifting. Instead of trying to lift as much weight as you physically can, at the beginning, focus on the form and understanding how to do the exercises. YouTube videos are a great, accessible resource for ensuring correct form. Also, it is not vain to look at yourself in the mirror at the gym while doing squats or push ups. Check in with your body in the mirror to correct any errors in posture or body positioning. There is nothing wrong with lifting lighter weight; you do not need to be screaming or grunting to get stronger. Gradually working my way up in weight has been a much more sustainable approach than my initial method. Building in rest days has also proved crucial; having at least a day off every week from rock climbing and lifting has helped me recover. Your body can’t be going 100 mph all the time. Listen to it and its need for rest.

4. Keep it simple and short

I’m sure we’ve all seen people doing bizarrely weird exercises at the gym. It might be handstands or heavily weighted jump lunges. Basically, ignore all this. Focusing on the basic exercises, like back-squat, bench-press, dead-lift, and clean, are a good entry point. These exercises build strength, work big core muscle groups, and are relatively simple to master. Overtime, add more exercises in that compliment these main four, like lat pull-downs, rows, lunges, and push-ups. You do not have to use every weight machine in the gym for your workout to be effective. As someone who also works in a gym, I’ve seen people who spend two hours plus lifting. I, and I imagine others, certainly do not have the time for that. I prefer to be efficient in my workouts and movements; instead of taking long rests between reps or sets, I usually only take a minute or so. Not only does less rest between sets make my body work harder, it also keeps me focused and in the zone. Your body will tell you when it is done for the day; making it go past its limits will produce injury and discomfort. Do your work and when you have accomplished it, put the weights down, stretch, and go home.

5. Adjust your diet

I am not a dietician or nutritionist, so I can only speak from my own experience, which boils down to: when I started lifting regularly, I definitely was hungrier more often. If I lifted at 5 pm, my usual 2pm banana was not enough to power me through my workout. I had to eat more often to feel full and nourished. Initially, I was worried that because I was eating more, I would gain weight. By focusing on eating whole, balanced meals, this, of course, did not happen. Taking the judgment and guilt out of eating has always been hard for me, but framing eating as honoring and fueling my body has helped. Everyone’s bodies and dietary needs are different, so do what is best for you. As your body and workouts change, your food needs might change too, and that is perfectly ok.

6. Ask for help if you need it

If you are entirely unfamiliar with weightlifting, it can be overwhelming and confusing to know where to start. If it is in your budget, it might be worth having a personal trainer to at least show you the basics. If you have friends or family that are knowledgeable, ask them. YouTube is also a great resource for breaking down form and technique. No one is inherently born with the knowledge of how to lift; everyone learns it from someone else. Ask for help if it would make you feel more comfortable and confident in the gym.