Ladies, your gyms may soon be overrun...

[witkowsd]

In my gym, there are no women that lift heavy - most do cardio to loose weight - I'm the only one lifting heavy - with the guys - I find that they don't want to get muscular - and I'm the opposite - I use to want to be thin - now - the more muscle the better.

 

[Gladiola]

It's about freakin' time!!!
As an aerobics instructor, I'm exposed to all the latest trends in fitness. I swear if I hear "pilates" again, I'm gonna scream!!! If I spot the pilates instructor who put up her flier in the gym that says (and i quote), "Increase strength without building bulk." I just may go postal on her.

Anyway, excuse my crabby rantings... point being - strength training has gotten about ZERO exposure in "pop culture". ZERO! That's why I keep calling it "the secret" that lifting heavy & eating clean = a hard, lean body. (not eating "low fat" oh good grief, will that just DIE already?!)

So ANY exposure like that to back up my rantings to the masses about lifting is thrilling!

 

[wateengedoe2]

In my gym, there are no women that lift heavy - most do cardio to loose weight - I'm the only one lifting heavy - with the guys - I find that they don't want to get muscular - and I'm the opposite - I use to want to be thin - now - the more muscle the better.

Exactly the same here! I'm thinking of writing an article (in Dutch) about the benefits of strenght training for women .. Mostly for publication on the internet, but I could ask my gym owner if I may put up some copies there. Maybe I'll find a buddy to work out with this way Now it's only the men and I doing heavy lifting (well, they more heavy than me, whaha )

 

[wateengedoe2]

Amen, JJ. When I first started lifting weights, I did a lot of reading up on the subject (still do I guess) and checked out a book called "Body Building for Women" because it had pics of women actually using weights and not machines. The authors debunked all the standard myths about women and weight lifting, BUT--and this really ticked me off--their models only lifted fuzzy pink dumbbells. One of the models was out and out anorexic looking (we're talking Kate Moss). The other had some muscles and obviously could have done more, yet she was never photographed with significant weights.

Krista explains on her site why that is, one gets incredibly tired of posing with heavy weights, especially in positions in the middle of a rep. Anyway, they could have posed with regular dumbells, no pink ones (do pink dumbells ever weigh more than 2 lbs? ??? ). Or perhaps bigger aluminium ones that look the same as regular dumbells that they could use for the real excersize w/o posing?

 

[FitFossil]

As much as I enjoy having the gym virtually to myself at 5AM, I still wish more people would take responsibility for their health. I'm tired of subsidizing their medical expenses due to their unhealthy lifestyles via MY rising insurance premiums, prescription drugs, and health care costs.

Pretty soon we'll probably ALL have to start taking really good care of ourselves, because either there'll be no more health insurance or we'll have socialized medicine. In whichever case, we'll be wanting to avoid having to go docs as much as possible.

 

[JJFigure]

Amen, Fitfossil. The problem is we all know they won't stick with it. I think that's the main reason I get frustrated with them. Of the annual batch, only a couple will get hooked and become "regulars". I find myself wishing those who are only doing this temporarily would figure out sooner it's not the lifestyle for them, and quit within say a week or so.

 

[wateengedoe2]

As much as I enjoy having the gym virtually to myself at 5AM, I still wish more people would take responsibility for their health. I'm tired of subsidizing their medical expenses due to their unhealthy lifestyles via MY rising insurance premiums, prescription drugs, and health care costs.

Today, a Dutch organization of gym owners proposed to the insurance companies to aks lower fees for people who workout regularly .. Very good idea, just wondering how they're gonna be able to check this ?

 

[FitFossil]

...I find myself wishing those who are only doing this temporarily would figure out sooner it's not the lifestyle for them, and quit within say a week or so.

This year at my gym, the "Resolutionists" hit an all-time record for fastest quitting. The gym was closed on Wednesday, Jan 1. Attendance was very light until Monday, when it was packed to the gills. Tuesday it was sparse again. I figured "oh, they must be on the mon-wed-fri plan". I don't train on Wednesdays, but today (Friday) it was very quiet.... (actually I'm thinking: )

 

[FitFossil]

Today, a Dutch organization of gym owners proposed to the insurance companies to aks lower fees for people who workout regularly .. Very good idea, just wondering how they're gonna be able to check this ?

That sounds like a great idea. I'd go for it and would be happy to submit to regular fitness testing.

I've always wondered if it would be possible to get a large number of healthy exercisers together and approach various insurance companies to see if we could get our own "group" health plan? Since our health risks as a group would be lower than the general population, we should be able pay lower fees for our insurance. Does any such plan exist?

 

[Gladiola]

Amen, Fitfossil. The problem is we all know they won't stick with it. I think that's the main reason I get frustrated with them.

Personally I find the whole concept of New Year's Resolutions frustrating. You should be thinking ALL THE TIME about what you are trying to do to make yourself better. Who cares what the date is? Why is the time that you change your calendar & write something different on your checks so significant to start then?