Women and "Weightlifting"

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Why are a lot of women scared of weightlifting? I am a 21 year old woman and I do weightlifting every day and I have an okay figure. I can bench press 50kg and I can lift (using my biceps - free weights) 7.5kg in each hand. Why is it when I visit a gym, I see all the men "pumping iron" and, more often than not, the women are "weightlifting" on the smallest possible weights? It's stupid. I weightlift and I'm not massive, if that's what women are scared of

When I was able to afford a gym membership, I used to find the heaviest hand weights that I could manage and lift those. They weren't the tinest ones that I could find and I was seceretly wishing to bulk up a little.

I think it's because of stereotypes.~ guys are more attracted to women who are psychically weak, & women who looks muscular are lesbians

Thanks all for the replies

I agree with the stereotype hypothesis - when I lived with my parents when I was younger, my Mum confiscated any weights that weighed more than 2kg, stating that I would become "massive" lol. Now I have weights that can go up to 10kg each in my bedroom

Gender stereotypes are stupid.

Most women look for lean muscles by lifting lighter weights with a high number of reps until the muscle exhausts itself. It is probably better for you to get longer muscles than bulky, bulging muscles anyhow. I rarely lift anywhere near my max these days. Lots of guys and girls go to the gym without really any purpose. Guys will throw up too much weight and cheat to finish, and girls will fling around really light weight like it is having some positive effect if their muscles aren't tiring.

The gym is also a way for people to try & get dates & stuff. Some guys lift heavy weights because they want to impress the women there & some women act like they are weak or don't know what they are doing so they can get guys to spot em. it's a flirting thing

I love lifting weights. I used to bench my own weight but I messed up my shoulder and it's taking an aeon to heal

I think it's pretty sick how it's seen as wrong for women to be physically strong. Strength is useful for everyday tasks and the resistance training is good for your health. It says something about society that the ideal for a woman is to be small, slight, and asthenic (and what it says is not a compliment).

I can't answer this in an unbiased way, as of course the first thing I would think of when you ask this, is whether or not men find it sexually attractive for women to be weighlifters. My wife is a brown belt in karate, and is in excellent shape. However, she has no masculine traits about her physique. She maintains a toned, firm feminine body type, and I don't think I'd find it as attractive if she were to start having carved arms with veins popping out, or to become very bulked up.

With that said, and with my personal view aside, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a woman wanting to lift, or even become an amateur or pro bodybuilder. It's good for you, and if it's what you want to do, that's the important part. My viewpoint is skewed since it's natural for me to perceive a woman as the opposite sex, and to evaluate her physical attributes to that thought. After all; if you go for your goals, and you accumulate friends and maybe a relationship while you're on track toward your goals, you will know that those people are genuine, as opposed to holding back or hiding your goals, and getting into friendships and maybe a relationship with someone on an inaccurate portrayal of your true interests and goals.

Charles

It's stupid. I had gym classes at school and other girls laughed at me that I could lift much more kgs than them. I'm proud I'm strong, because I'm independent and I can do many things myself, without any people.

Looks good to me ! !! !

I don't think it's fear. I think women generally don't want the kind of body that weightlifting produces.

I guess a lot of women are afraid of looking 'manly.' I myself would love to lift weights, as I like the idea of having muscularity. Along with the muscuality, I'd be strong too, and that is a major plus in my book.

I think a lot of this 'fear of looking manly' is mostly prevalent in NT women, who are typically afraid of being 'differant.' They are afraid that if they do X or Y, they might not get/ or lose a man, without which, they are helpless and have no worth. (That last sentence is meant as sarcasm. )