Myths of Women's Weight Training!

[Newfiechick]

I posted this on another forum and the members loved it, so I figured I would share it here as well. I have read many, many myths over time…here’s a few……
Women Bodybuilding Myths
The myths about women's weight training and female bodybuilding do not ever seem to go away. I wish that the weight training and bodybuilding myths would stop circulating!

Women's Weight Training Myth #1 -Weight training makes you bulky.
Due to the fact that women do not and cannot naturally produce as much testosterone (one of the main hormones responsible for increasing muscle size) as males do, it is impossible for a woman to gain huge amounts of muscle mass. Unfortunately, the image that may come to your mind is that of professional female bodybuilders. Most of these women, use anabolic steroids (synthetic testosterone) along with other drugs in order to achieve that high degree of muscularity.

In addition, most also have good genetics coupled with an unbelievable work ethic that enable them to gain muscle quickly. Women who conduct weight training without the use of steroids get the firm and fit cellulite-free looking body that you see in most fitness/figure mags.

Women's Weight Training Myth #2 - Exercise increases your chest size.
Sorry girls. Women’s breasts are composed mostly of fatty tissue. Therefore, it is impossible to increase breast size through weight training. As a matter of fact, if you go below 12 percent body fat , your breast size will decrease. Weight training does increase the size of the back, so this misconception probably comes from confusing an increase in back size with an increase in cup size. The only way to increase your breast size is by gaining fat or getting breast implants.

Women's Weight Training Myth #3 - Weight training makes you stiff and musclebound.
If you perform all exercises through their full range of motion, flexibility will increase. Exercises like flyes, stiff-legged deadlifts, dumbbell presses, and chin-ups stretch the muscle in the bottom range of the movement. Therefore, by performing these exercises correctly, your stretching capabilities will increase.

Women's Weight Training Myth #4 - If you stop weight training your muscles turn into fat.
This is like saying that gold can turn into brass. Muscle and fat are two totally different types of tissue. What happens many times is that when people decide to go off their weight training programs they start losing muscle due to inactivity (use it or lose it) and they also usually drop the diet as well. Therefore bad eating habits combined with the fact that their metabolism is lower due to inactivity, and lower degrees of muscle mass, give the impression that the subject’s muscle is being turned into fat while in reality what is happening is that muscle is being lost and fat is being accumulated.

Women's Weight Training Myth #5 - Weight training turns fat into muscle.
More alchemy. This is the equivalent of saying that you can turn any metal into gold; don't we wish! The way a body transformation occurs is by gaining muscle through weight training and losing fat through aerobics and diet simultaneously. Again, muscle and fat are very different types of tissue. We cannot turn one into the other.

Women's Weight Training Myth #6 - As long as you exercise you can eat anything that you want.
How I wish this were true also! However, this could not be further from the truth. Our individual metabolism determines how many calories we burn at rest and while we exercise. If we eat more calories than we burn on a consistent basis, our bodies will accumulate these extra calories as fat regardless of the amount of exercise that we do. This myth may have been created by people with such high metabolic rates (hardgainers) that no matter how much they eat or what they eat, they rarely meet or exceed the amount of calories that they burn in one day unless they put their mind to doing so. Therefore, their weight either remains stable or goes down.

Women's Weight Training Myth #7 - Women only need to do cardio and if they decide to lift weights, they should be very light.
First of all, if you only did cardio then muscle and fat would be burned for fuel. One needs to do weights in order to get the muscle building machine going and thus prevent any loss of muscle tissue. Women that only concentrate on cardio will have a very hard time achieving the look that they want. As far as the lifting of very light weights, this is just more nonsense. Muscle responds to resistance and if the resistance is too light, then there will be no reason for the body to change.

Women Should Train Hard --- If you want to look great, don't be afraid to pick up the weights and lift hard!

Happy Training!

[Newfiechick]

Sad thing is.....that lots of women believe these myths that are circulating and that is what stops most of them from training properly

[crazy_cassie]

Originally Posted by Newfiechick

I posted this on another forum and the members loved it, so I figured I would share it here as well. I have read many, many myths over time…here’s a few……
Women Bodybuilding Myths
The myths about women's weight training and female bodybuilding do not ever seem to go away. I wish that the weight training and bodybuilding myths would stop circulating!

Women's Weight Training Myth #1 -Weight training makes you bulky.
Due to the fact that women do not and cannot naturally produce as much testosterone (one of the main hormones responsible for increasing muscle size) as males do, it is impossible for a woman to gain huge amounts of muscle mass. Unfortunately, the image that may come to your mind is that of professional female bodybuilders. Most of these women, use anabolic steroids (synthetic testosterone) along with other drugs in order to achieve that high degree of muscularity.

In addition, most also have good genetics coupled with an unbelievable work ethic that enable them to gain muscle quickly. Women who conduct weight training without the use of steroids get the firm and fit cellulite-free looking body that you see in most fitness/figure mags.

Women's Weight Training Myth #2 - Exercise increases your chest size.
Sorry girls. Women’s breasts are composed mostly of fatty tissue. Therefore, it is impossible to increase breast size through weight training. As a matter of fact, if you go below 12 percent body fat , your breast size will decrease. Weight training does increase the size of the back, so this misconception probably comes from confusing an increase in back size with an increase in cup size. The only way to increase your breast size is by gaining fat or getting breast implants.

Women's Weight Training Myth #3 - Weight training makes you stiff and musclebound.
If you perform all exercises through their full range of motion, flexibility will increase. Exercises like flyes, stiff-legged deadlifts, dumbbell presses, and chin-ups stretch the muscle in the bottom range of the movement. Therefore, by performing these exercises correctly, your stretching capabilities will increase.

Women's Weight Training Myth #4 - If you stop weight training your muscles turn into fat.
This is like saying that gold can turn into brass. Muscle and fat are two totally different types of tissue. What happens many times is that when people decide to go off their weight training programs they start losing muscle due to inactivity (use it or lose it) and they also usually drop the diet as well. Therefore bad eating habits combined with the fact that their metabolism is lower due to inactivity, and lower degrees of muscle mass, give the impression that the subject’s muscle is being turned into fat while in reality what is happening is that muscle is being lost and fat is being accumulated.

Women's Weight Training Myth #5 - Weight training turns fat into muscle.
More alchemy. This is the equivalent of saying that you can turn any metal into gold; don't we wish! The way a body transformation occurs is by gaining muscle through weight training and losing fat through aerobics and diet simultaneously. Again, muscle and fat are very different types of tissue. We cannot turn one into the other.

Women's Weight Training Myth #6 - As long as you exercise you can eat anything that you want.
How I wish this were true also! However, this could not be further from the truth. Our individual metabolism determines how many calories we burn at rest and while we exercise. If we eat more calories than we burn on a consistent basis, our bodies will accumulate these extra calories as fat regardless of the amount of exercise that we do. This myth may have been created by people with such high metabolic rates (hardgainers) that no matter how much they eat or what they eat, they rarely meet or exceed the amount of calories that they burn in one day unless they put their mind to doing so. Therefore, their weight either remains stable or goes down.

Women's Weight Training Myth #7 - Women only need to do cardio and if they decide to lift weights, they should be very light.
First of all, if you only did cardio then muscle and fat would be burned for fuel. One needs to do weights in order to get the muscle building machine going and thus prevent any loss of muscle tissue. Women that only concentrate on cardio will have a very hard time achieving the look that they want. As far as the lifting of very light weights, this is just more nonsense. Muscle responds to resistance and if the resistance is too light, then there will be no reason for the body to change.

Women Should Train Hard --- If you want to look great, don't be afraid to pick up the weights and lift hard!

Happy Training!

awesome thread! i agree with you 100 percent!!

[Kal-L]

Thanks for the share good post Val.

[wala]

enjoyed reading that... and half of those 'myths' are relevent to guys too! Nice one Newfiechick

[1quick1]

very good thread

[Newfiechick]

Originally Posted by BigHumpswife

I think I read those myths in either Woman's Health or Fitness Magazine. The funny thing is, all the demonstrations they show in the magazine are of woman lifting only 3-5# dumbells and 2.5# plates. I don't think the people in the magazine believe myth 1 and 7. :confusedrly:

Can’t remember where I read those myths at Bighumpswife…I think it was in an e-mail that I received some time ago.

Myths and misperceptions have kept many women from weight training or training with any degree of effectiveness. Most women are, unfortunately, not training “heavy” or properly.
I know that proper training with proper nutrition can truly shape our bodies in a very attractive way, greatly improving our health now and in the future.

Some women avoid weight training all together because they don't want to bulk up. However, strength training is a critical element to maintain a healthy weight and strengthen your body.

Many of these misconceptions have been around for years. It is sad that more women are not a bit more knowledgeable.

I have yet to see another woman weight train at my gym!! (I live in a small community here), where a lot of women like to do cardio and all, but weight train??? Hahaha!! You would not believe the rude remarks that I have gotten at the gym from some of these uneducated women……..exactly why I like to work out at home better.

The guys there are very supportive and helpful though. Although, that it used to feel a bit weird going in there knowing that I'd be the only lady there, to train with a bunch of men.

Happy training guys/gals!!--Let's go pump a little IRON!

btw....I speak here knowing that ALL ladies do not believe these myths......I know that there are also a lot of us that love to weight train......I hope not to offend anyone.

[wala]

Originally Posted by Newfiechick

Can’t remember where I read those myths at Bighumpswife…I think it was in an e-mail that I received some time ago.

Myths and misperceptions have kept many women from weight training or training with any degree of effectiveness. Most women are, unfortunately, not training “heavy” or properly.
I know that proper training with proper nutrition can truly shape our bodies in a very attractive way, greatly improving our health now and in the future.

Some women avoid weight training all together because they don't want to bulk up. However, strength training is a critical element to maintain a healthy weight and strengthen your body.

Many of these misconceptions have been around for years. It is sad that more women are not a bit more knowledgeable.

I have yet to see another woman weight train at my gym!! (I live in a small community here), where a lot of women like to do cardio and all, but weight train??? Hahaha!! You would not believe the rude remarks that I have gotten at the gym from some of these uneducated women……..exactly why I like to work out at home better.

The guys there are very supportive and helpful though. Although, that it used to feel a bit weird going in there knowing that I'd be the only lady there, to train with a bunch of men.

Happy training guys/gals!!--Let's go pump a little IRON!

btw....I speak here knowing that ALL ladies do not believe these myths......I know that there are also a lot of us that love to weight train......I hope not to offend anyone.

thats right. its like when men back in the 40s and 50s thought that training their whole body in one session and everyday would make them bigger, quicker!!! .. lets hope more women learn the true values of what you preach Nefiechick, sooner rather than later

[onecrazymofo]

Originally Posted by Newfiechick

I posted this on another forum and the members loved it, so I figured I would share it here as well. I have read many, many myths over time…here’s a few……
Women Bodybuilding Myths
The myths about women's weight training and female bodybuilding do not ever seem to go away. I wish that the weight training and bodybuilding myths would stop circulating!

Women's Weight Training Myth #1 -Weight training makes you bulky.
Due to the fact that women do not and cannot naturally produce as much testosterone (one of the main hormones responsible for increasing muscle size) as males do, it is impossible for a woman to gain huge amounts of muscle mass. Unfortunately, the image that may come to your mind is that of professional female bodybuilders. Most of these women, use anabolic steroids (synthetic testosterone) along with other drugs in order to achieve that high degree of muscularity.

In addition, most also have good genetics coupled with an unbelievable work ethic that enable them to gain muscle quickly. Women who conduct weight training without the use of steroids get the firm and fit cellulite-free looking body that you see in most fitness/figure mags.

Women's Weight Training Myth #2 - Exercise increases your chest size.
Sorry girls. Women’s breasts are composed mostly of fatty tissue. Therefore, it is impossible to increase breast size through weight training. As a matter of fact, if you go below 12 percent body fat , your breast size will decrease. Weight training does increase the size of the back, so this misconception probably comes from confusing an increase in back size with an increase in cup size. The only way to increase your breast size is by gaining fat or getting breast implants.

Women's Weight Training Myth #3 - Weight training makes you stiff and musclebound.
If you perform all exercises through their full range of motion, flexibility will increase. Exercises like flyes, stiff-legged deadlifts, dumbbell presses, and chin-ups stretch the muscle in the bottom range of the movement. Therefore, by performing these exercises correctly, your stretching capabilities will increase.

Women's Weight Training Myth #4 - If you stop weight training your muscles turn into fat.
This is like saying that gold can turn into brass. Muscle and fat are two totally different types of tissue. What happens many times is that when people decide to go off their weight training programs they start losing muscle due to inactivity (use it or lose it) and they also usually drop the diet as well. Therefore bad eating habits combined with the fact that their metabolism is lower due to inactivity, and lower degrees of muscle mass, give the impression that the subject’s muscle is being turned into fat while in reality what is happening is that muscle is being lost and fat is being accumulated.

Women's Weight Training Myth #5 - Weight training turns fat into muscle.
More alchemy. This is the equivalent of saying that you can turn any metal into gold; don't we wish! The way a body transformation occurs is by gaining muscle through weight training and losing fat through aerobics and diet simultaneously. Again, muscle and fat are very different types of tissue. We cannot turn one into the other.

Women's Weight Training Myth #6 - As long as you exercise you can eat anything that you want.
How I wish this were true also! However, this could not be further from the truth. Our individual metabolism determines how many calories we burn at rest and while we exercise. If we eat more calories than we burn on a consistent basis, our bodies will accumulate these extra calories as fat regardless of the amount of exercise that we do. This myth may have been created by people with such high metabolic rates (hardgainers) that no matter how much they eat or what they eat, they rarely meet or exceed the amount of calories that they burn in one day unless they put their mind to doing so. Therefore, their weight either remains stable or goes down.

Women's Weight Training Myth #7 - Women only need to do cardio and if they decide to lift weights, they should be very light.
First of all, if you only did cardio then muscle and fat would be burned for fuel. One needs to do weights in order to get the muscle building machine going and thus prevent any loss of muscle tissue. Women that only concentrate on cardio will have a very hard time achieving the look that they want. As far as the lifting of very light weights, this is just more nonsense. Muscle responds to resistance and if the resistance is too light, then there will be no reason for the body to change.

Women Should Train Hard --- If you want to look great, don't be afraid to pick up the weights and lift hard!

Happy Training!

Too bad they tend to not believe you if you are bulky, yourself. HAHA

[Newfiechick]

LMAO!!! I'm not bulky at all, if that's what you are asking.

[onecrazymofo]

Originally Posted by Newfiechick

LMAO!!! I'm not bulky at all, if that's what you are asking.

Sorry, I kind of worded that wrong.

They tend to not believe ME since I have muscles

Sort of the natural reaction is "if I do what he says I might get muscles like him"

instead of "he must really know what he's doing so I'll trust him"

Know what I mean?

[Newfiechick]

Originally Posted by onecrazymofo

Sorry, I kind of worded that wrong.

They tend to not believe ME since I have muscles

Sort of the natural reaction is "if I do what he says I might get muscles like him"

instead of "he must really know what he's doing so I'll trust him"

Know what I mean?

I know what you mean.

People who do not think that way, as to say, "he must know what he's doing" are most likely under-educated when it comes to weight training.

I'm confused as to why more people are not willing to learn more about training and it's health benefits.

[GREENEYES]

Thank U For The Article. It Was Very Informative. I Will Use This To Help Me With My Training. Thanks Again Greeneyes

[1quick1]

nice