Yay! Lift heavy, live longer! I’m also on the lifting train. I started at CF and about 2 years in I pulled something in my back. I thought I’d move to Olympic lifting while I healed (less intense, more control, slower pace) and never went back to CF. I compete in local meets and train 3-4x week. I love how it sets me up for dealing with random BS in life. I’m like “I did a 150lb overhead squat this morning, I won’t murder Karen from account ting for being such a PITA” and that’s how I save lives.
It is fantastic to see your post and all the comments by other women that are into lifting. My generation was too put off by the thought of "bulking up" or facing all the dudes on that side of the gym. Take up space! Get strong bones!
Bulking up takes, like, A LOT of effort. I really loved that book - it was my gateway. It's probably slightly outdated now but I think the core information is still very relevant.
Not to be hyperbolic, but lifting has truly changed my life. Exercising for fitness and strength v. thinness is an absolute game changer. Also just doing and surviving a really difficult and uncomfortable thing over and over has massive mental health benefits. I try not to be too evangelical with my friends about it, but it really does seem magical!
I just had my one year anniversary of working with a trainer. She has helped me work on things I didn't even realize were a problem (quad strength, ankle mobility - I am horrible at squats) and now I'm in less of a remediation phase and more into adding weight progressively.
My current goal is to be stronger when I get to 50 than I was at 40 (or honestly even 30). I just got back from a trip where we were on the move a lot and I was carrying my suitcase up and down stairs on transit a ton. I don't think a 30+ lb suitcase has ever felt lighter to me and that alone makes the hard work so worth it. I feel like I'm putting the work in to allow my body to do the things I like for longer.
I’ve never been athletic in any way, but recently started a beginner powerlifting program after watching my mom’s physical frailty. I’m 53 and the feeling of getting stronger is beyond awesome. I’m starting to max out my adjustable DB, so my 2025 goal is to join a gym for the first time in my life (scary, exciting, the squat rack shall be mine).
Right there with you - I just hit a new PR on the hip thrust the other day (nearly 2x my own body weight) and I think I told every person I know irl, lol. I love the feeling of accomplishment, I love not turning into a frail old lady (I’ll be 51 in a few weeks), I love the real-world applications (I was an equal partner with my 6’3” husband in moving a massive 9-ft-long sideboard into storage, etc.), I just feel better about taking up space in the world. My mother had a heart attack at 61, and it was all downhill from there - I aim to be better prepared than that when shit comes my way. High five, gym buddies of LGFTB!
I've done it all, too, but I think being in the gym is my favorite so far. I think you were one of the first women I encountered either in person or online who was talking about lifting heavy and I was intrigued and eventually gave it a shot, so thank you for being a role model. I just celebrated my one year mark, three times a week and I'm pretty darn proud of that. I had set myself a goal of doing an unassisted pull-up by the end of one year which absolutely did not happen, but I'm using smaller bands to do assisted pull-ups. I AM getting stronger. Yesterday as I was setting the bar to do back squats, I could see that my trapezius muscle is more developed and I liked it. And then I did those back squats with the heaviest weight I've ever lifted and it felt amazing and I love the badass feeling it gives me when I'm done. I want to proselytize the gospel of weight lifting to every woman I see.
It's super hard! You basically need to be strong enough to lift your entire body. I've got bad shoulders so I use the band to do assisted pull-ups and have, for now, decided that doing an unassisted pull-up is not a goal for me right now.
I am here to further evangelize weight training for women. Perimenopause whacked me good a couple of years ago- exhaustion, brain fog, weight gain, sudden flare up of osteoarthritis, just felt like I could not get my fitness back. I kept reading about how lifting heavy was the THING for women to do. I was also super intimidated by it. So I found a course, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to other women. If you haven't heard of Feisty Media, go check them out. They are all about promoting women's fitness, health, sport, etc. at all ages & stages of our lives. I took the Feisty Strong course and it was fantastic. Absolutely worth the money. The course takes you from bodyweight exercises up to barbells, and teaches you proper lifting technique with excellent videos. There is also a social media component for connection/motivation and support from the coaches who designed the program. I use the exercises all the time - I lift with barbells now, but if I'm traveling, at home, etc. I used the bodyweight and dumbbell exercises. This course was so helpful to me. I feel so much stronger, I have corrected muscle imbalances, and haven't had an arthritis flare up in many months. https://www.womensperformance.com/strong
Yay! Lift heavy, live longer! I’m also on the lifting train. I started at CF and about 2 years in I pulled something in my back. I thought I’d move to Olympic lifting while I healed (less intense, more control, slower pace) and never went back to CF. I compete in local meets and train 3-4x week. I love how it sets me up for dealing with random BS in life. I’m like “I did a 150lb overhead squat this morning, I won’t murder Karen from account ting for being such a PITA” and that’s how I save lives.
150lb overhead squat! You are my HERO.
It is fantastic to see your post and all the comments by other women that are into lifting. My generation was too put off by the thought of "bulking up" or facing all the dudes on that side of the gym. Take up space! Get strong bones!
And THANK YOU for the book recommendation!
Bulking up takes, like, A LOT of effort. I really loved that book - it was my gateway. It's probably slightly outdated now but I think the core information is still very relevant.
Not to be hyperbolic, but lifting has truly changed my life. Exercising for fitness and strength v. thinness is an absolute game changer. Also just doing and surviving a really difficult and uncomfortable thing over and over has massive mental health benefits. I try not to be too evangelical with my friends about it, but it really does seem magical!
Yes! Learning to be okay with being uncomfortable really does make you mentally stronger.
I just had my one year anniversary of working with a trainer. She has helped me work on things I didn't even realize were a problem (quad strength, ankle mobility - I am horrible at squats) and now I'm in less of a remediation phase and more into adding weight progressively.
My current goal is to be stronger when I get to 50 than I was at 40 (or honestly even 30). I just got back from a trip where we were on the move a lot and I was carrying my suitcase up and down stairs on transit a ton. I don't think a 30+ lb suitcase has ever felt lighter to me and that alone makes the hard work so worth it. I feel like I'm putting the work in to allow my body to do the things I like for longer.
I love this!
I’ve never been athletic in any way, but recently started a beginner powerlifting program after watching my mom’s physical frailty. I’m 53 and the feeling of getting stronger is beyond awesome. I’m starting to max out my adjustable DB, so my 2025 goal is to join a gym for the first time in my life (scary, exciting, the squat rack shall be mine).
I love this! I think a lot of us are looking at our aging parents and realizing we need to take better care of ourselves.
Right there with you - I just hit a new PR on the hip thrust the other day (nearly 2x my own body weight) and I think I told every person I know irl, lol. I love the feeling of accomplishment, I love not turning into a frail old lady (I’ll be 51 in a few weeks), I love the real-world applications (I was an equal partner with my 6’3” husband in moving a massive 9-ft-long sideboard into storage, etc.), I just feel better about taking up space in the world. My mother had a heart attack at 61, and it was all downhill from there - I aim to be better prepared than that when shit comes my way. High five, gym buddies of LGFTB!
Oooh, I love doing weighted hip thrusts. I'm not quite at 2x my bodyweight but it's such a good powerful move.
I've done it all, too, but I think being in the gym is my favorite so far. I think you were one of the first women I encountered either in person or online who was talking about lifting heavy and I was intrigued and eventually gave it a shot, so thank you for being a role model. I just celebrated my one year mark, three times a week and I'm pretty darn proud of that. I had set myself a goal of doing an unassisted pull-up by the end of one year which absolutely did not happen, but I'm using smaller bands to do assisted pull-ups. I AM getting stronger. Yesterday as I was setting the bar to do back squats, I could see that my trapezius muscle is more developed and I liked it. And then I did those back squats with the heaviest weight I've ever lifted and it felt amazing and I love the badass feeling it gives me when I'm done. I want to proselytize the gospel of weight lifting to every woman I see.
I still can’t do an unassisted pull-up either - WHY IS THAT SO HARD?!?!?!
It's super hard! You basically need to be strong enough to lift your entire body. I've got bad shoulders so I use the band to do assisted pull-ups and have, for now, decided that doing an unassisted pull-up is not a goal for me right now.
Once I realized that I was nowhere near being able to do one unassisted, I've pretty much decided it's not a goal for me either anymore.
Right?! The day I tried it I thought "Surely I'll be able to do it, I've come so far!" NEWP. Didn't even budge. LOL.
Love this and I’m so glad you found a CF replacement. I remember how much you loved it.
"Eyes on your own paper" is my favorite, I'm going to remember that when I feel like a dork in the pool. 😀
I am here to further evangelize weight training for women. Perimenopause whacked me good a couple of years ago- exhaustion, brain fog, weight gain, sudden flare up of osteoarthritis, just felt like I could not get my fitness back. I kept reading about how lifting heavy was the THING for women to do. I was also super intimidated by it. So I found a course, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to other women. If you haven't heard of Feisty Media, go check them out. They are all about promoting women's fitness, health, sport, etc. at all ages & stages of our lives. I took the Feisty Strong course and it was fantastic. Absolutely worth the money. The course takes you from bodyweight exercises up to barbells, and teaches you proper lifting technique with excellent videos. There is also a social media component for connection/motivation and support from the coaches who designed the program. I use the exercises all the time - I lift with barbells now, but if I'm traveling, at home, etc. I used the bodyweight and dumbbell exercises. This course was so helpful to me. I feel so much stronger, I have corrected muscle imbalances, and haven't had an arthritis flare up in many months. https://www.womensperformance.com/strong