Ladies Gym Thread - Don't skip arm days.

[Septictic]

Any recommendations for weight training for women who struggle to lift their own arms?

MonikaFit does "feel good" exercises for beginners.

 

[AgendaPoster]

Fuck you I'm going to be beautiful.

It's still much better (way, way better) than being a deathfat or sedentary, it's just that the combo of (deceiving) fragility and slimness is really fitting for women.

 

[gorororo]

I've been wanting a thread like this, thanks OP!
I've been to the occasional exercise class before, but only started going regularly this year. My main goals are to lower my RHR through cardio, build core strength, and tone muscle. Group exercise classes were useful for the external accountability and as a way to be exposed to different types of exercises and how to do them.

As a "beginner" to the gym, my typical routine is:

1. Stretches (toe reaches, v-stretch, etc)
2. Some bodyweight exercises (normal & side leg raises, normal & side planks)
3. Cardio (a mix of running & walking until I hit a mile. My current goal is to work up to being able to run a whole mile)
4. Small free weights (various tricep, bicep, & shoulder exercises, curtsy lunges)

I don't always do step 4, sometimes I try out a new machine to get some familiarity with them or skip it depending on how I'm feeling that day.
I also got a Garmin watch and it's been useful for timing things like planks and monitoring my HR so I can pace myself properly while I run. It's a nice way to keep track of my run times and HR over time.

 

[Toothpaste Chocolates]

My current workout routine is based on Eugene Teo's Ganbaru Method, his personal training app. Right now I'm working on my overall strength, so my exercises always start with heavier compound movements like squats and bench presses with the emphasis on taking 5 seconds to lower the weights on each rep.

My goal is to squat 60 kg (132 lbs). That's roughly my body weight and I've been working on it since late 2020. I haven't tried to find out what my current one rep max is for squats, as I'm constantly haunted by my own self-doubt and avoidance of total failure when I'm squatting. I also want to do one full push-up properly. Right now I'm just unable to push my body off the floor after lowering myself down. Feels kinda pathetic tbh. But I can do knee push-ups fine.

I've been using the Ganbaru Method app since last August, and I can definitely see that I have gotten stronger, especially in my upper body strength. Hopefully, this year will be the year I hit my goals.

 

[Frogget-me-not]

Nice thread. I hate how 90% of female fitness is targeted towards slimness and big booties and flat stomachs. My dream is to be as jacked as a 5’1 manlet overcompensating for his height complex, though that’s pretty unrealistic without shooting up liberal amounts of troonsine.

Muscles would be nice but being strong is more important to me. I’d like to be able to go climbing, move shit easily, and squat carrying other people’s boyfriends as a party trick. I’d like to do even just 10 pull-ups (can’t even do one yet) and to be honest it’s incredibly frustrating seeing men make quicker progress in bodyweight training compared to women. I’ve gotten discouraged at how little progress I was making and I haven’t worked on my fitness goals in like a year.

When I worked out during covid, Caroline Gilvan’s videos absolutely destroyed me in the best way, though I feel my kneecaps threatening to pop out during curtsy lunges and a straining pain that sometimes lasts after the workout. Am I misunderstanding them or are my knees just garbage?

 

[Toothpaste Chocolates]

to be honest it’s incredibly frustrating seeing men make quicker progress in bodyweight training compared to women

Yeah, I totally get this feeling. I was bummed out by this from time to time, even when I'm working out with my boyfriend, who has been really supportive of me in the gym. It's just something I have come to accept as a fact and I try to stop comparing myself to other guys.

As for the knee pain, there might be a few explanations. Maybe you have an existing knee problem that you might be unaware of. Or maybe you might not be performing the exercise correctly and it's causing too much strain on your knees. You can try to correct your form or switch to another exercise that doesn't cause any knee pain.

Jeff Cavaliere puts out some pretty good information as he has a background in physical therapy.

 

[MormonMILF]

I enjoy lifting and love the barbell, especially front squats. Once my numbers return to former (higher) form, I'll try running an actual program. Alexander bromleys bullmastiff program looks killer and I'll probably pick up some good information on the way. Looking into trying some practices with the local womens rugby club for fun or maybe even some travel games after a certain point. Currently improving my flexibility and cardio to be more well rounded. Does anyone else have popcorn/poppy knees but no pain? Wondering if that's normal or if I should check it out.

 

[Matt Damon]

No man wants to look at thick arms and strong glutes on a woman outside pervy lunatics with a fetish.

Women who aren't running gear or the 1% of 1% of genetic freaks (i.e. NOT YOU) are not going to get "thick arms" in the masculine sense.

I think it's really depressing that so many women take this kind of shit advice to heart and worry about getting "too big" when doing even the heaviest strength training is going to be nothing but flattering to their appearance.

 

[TheBigZee]

I’d like to do even just 10 pull-ups. (can’t even do one yet)

Invest in a pullup bar for home. Every time you walk past, try to do a pullup or do some dead hanging. Ditch the scale and start using a tape measure.

If you just want to be strong, pick up some shifts stocking produce at the grocery. It's the woman equivalent of running bricks/drywall in your freetime. You get paid to get stronger and you get a 10% discount on groceries.

 

[NoReturn]

Does anyone else have popcorn/poppy knees but no pain? Wondering if that's normal or if I should check it out.

No harm in getting it checked out, but it could just be fine if there's no pain.

Ditch the scale and start using a tape measure.

This 100%

If you just want to be strong, pick up some shifts stocking produce at the grocery. It's the woman equivalent of running bricks/drywall in your freetime. You get paid to get stronger and you get a 10% discount on groceries.

Most have heard of the "3 hobbies" thing by now, but I prefer "5 hobbies, pick at least three"

1. Makes money
2. Keeps you in shape
3. Creative outlet
4. Knowledge building
5. Spirituality/mindset

 

[Trig.Point]

This thread is gonna be a dumpster fire despite OP's best intentions

lol OP's best intentions.....

 

[Matt Damon]

it’s incredibly frustrating seeing men make quicker progress in bodyweight training compared to women. I’ve gotten discouraged at how little progress I was making and I haven’t worked on my fitness goals in like a year.

And no matter how hard I work, I'll never run as fast as even a sickly horse. You can only do the best with the body and biochemistry you have.

When I worked out during covid, Caroline Gilvan’s videos absolutely destroyed me in the best way, though I feel my kneecaps threatening to pop out during curtsy lunges and a straining pain that sometimes lasts after the workout. Am I misunderstanding them or are my knees just garbage?

I do reverse lunges for this very reason. Lunges tend to be hell on your knees if your form is even slightly off and gritting your teeth through true joint pain is a quick path to serious injury.

 

[Eifie]

I work out at home, but I invested in an exercise bike and a simple leg extension machine a few months ago. I combined that with things like split squats and my legs have exploded in size. I'm trying to "even out" my body shape, since I was cursed with linebacker shoulders (no offense to anyone else, I've seen other women pull off big shoulders very well, I'm just not one of them).

I have a permanently injured left hand, so I can't do things like deadlifts or bicep curls with heavy weights. It's easy for me to feel defeated sometimes, but I've come to learn that adapting to my struggles is part of the fun of fitness!

 

[NoReturn]

I have a permanently injured left hand, so I can't do things like deadlifts or bicep curls with heavy weight

Cuffs or lifting hooks for you!

(Special thanks to a guy with a three-digit hand who posted about a similar problem on the bodybuilding forums ten years ago.)

 

[MormonMILF]

I'm trying to "even out" my body shape, since I was cursed with linebacker shoulders (no offense to anyone else, I've seen other women pull off big shoulders very well, I'm just not one of them).

Focusing on legs and becoming a touch bottom heavy works along with slight waist accentuation for clothing has worked for me. A little off-topic but the kibbe concept of width might help with working around your body structure.

 

[NoReturn]

Focusing on legs and becoming a touch bottom heavy works along with slight waist accentuation for clothing has worked for me. A little off-topic but the kibbe concept of width might help with working around your body structure.

I struggle to "see" body typer (not just Kibbe) but if anyone wants to give advice in the fashion threads someone @ me so I can read, plz.

 

[Soggy paper straw]

tone muscle.

You have probably been told this hundreds of times, but you cannot "tone muscle". You can build it, keep it, or lose it. A "toned body" is a body with low bodyfat % and more muscle

I’d like to be able to go climbing, move shit easily, and squat carrying other people’s boyfriends as a party trick. I’d like to do even just 10 pull-ups (can’t even do one yet)

Caroline Girvan, while great, does not focus on strength. Pure strength is low reps, and heavy weight. She gives a good base (for me what she does is enough), but it is not an efficient method to get to 10 pullups.
A lot of the goals you said rely on the back - start with rows and farmer's carry (grip strength and whole body exercise - you can do this at the end of the workout). Sooner or later you will need a pullup bar, but you cn start building the base

I do reverse lunges for this very reason. Lunges tend to be hell on your knees if your form is even slightly off and gritting your teeth through true joint pain is a quick path to serious injury.

Same here. Either reverse or just static. I also very rarely squat and never really heavy (although wrong, in my head I call it mobility lol), if I squat it will be sumo 9 out of 10.

 

[CharcoalChkn]

I haven't tried to find out what my current one rep max is for squats, as I'm constantly haunted by my own self-doubt and avoidance of total failure when I'm squatting.

Don't try to worry about it! I thought I was smashing squats when I first started and was doing 100kgs - my friend came with me for 1RM, took one look at a single rep and was like, what the fuck are you doing freak, you're starting again from zero before you hurt yourself, your form is horrendous. I think my ROM was like.....10-15cms.

You will get there! But I think it's solid to just go at your own pace and not worried about your 1RM and freak yourself out, it's not a race. 60kgs is super respectable and I still cannot do that.

it’s incredibly frustrating seeing men make quicker progress in bodyweight training compared to women.

I hate this so much. Most of my friends are male, overweight and unfit, it fucks me up so bad that despite all of that they could still ice me on bench/upper body exercises. Probably most leg exercises too outside of a hip thrust. The only thing I have going for me against them is that I can outrun them and not want to kill myself walking up stairs, lol.

I think it's really depressing that so many women take this kind of shit advice to heart and worry about getting "too big" when doing even the heaviest strength training is going to be nothing but flattering to their appearance.

I'm so happy to see how active this thread has been. Some great advice and discussion. :') Thank you ladies.

As a side, I'm one week into my first cut for this year and have steadily lost a kilo, super happy!

 

[fake farts]

Reading this thread got me out to the gym today. I've had a membership, that I've been sadly sitting on for a while. Many such cases, I'm sure. I was out for a couple of hours, walking on the treadmill a lot and also doing strength training. It felt really good to get out.

I was horribly, horribly out of shape two and a half years ago, and getting a wagie job has actually helped me quite a bit. I'm constantly running around on the floor or helping customers, so I get a lot of work in that way. I've definitely noticed a difference.

 

[Equal Rights for Androids]

I've been wanting a thread like this, thanks OP!
I've been to the occasional exercise class before, but only started going regularly this year. My main goals are to lower my RHR through cardio, build core strength, and tone muscle. Group exercise classes were useful for the external accountability and as a way to be exposed to different types of exercises and how to do them.

As a "beginner" to the gym, my typical routine is:

1. Stretches (toe reaches, v-stretch, etc)
2. Some bodyweight exercises (normal & side leg raises, normal & side planks)
3. Cardio (a mix of running & walking until I hit a mile. My current goal is to work up to being able to run a whole mile)
4. Small free weights (various tricep, bicep, & shoulder exercises, curtsy lunges)

I don't always do step 4, sometimes I try out a new machine to get some familiarity with them or skip it depending on how I'm feeling that day.
I also got a Garmin watch and it's been useful for timing things like planks and monitoring my HR so I can pace myself properly while I run. It's a nice way to keep track of my run times and HR over time.

Is it okay to mix cardio and strength training? My trainer said if I'm doing HIIT I should save the strength stuff for the day after and alternate to give my body rest on some days and then another?