Does anyone else get this reaction from people, particularly men, that say: "be careful and don't lift too much weight b/c you'll end up looking like a guy"? Is it just me or are there others on this site that are endlessly annoyed by this stupid myth?

I bought a heavier kettlebell and dumbbells the other day and my DH's best friend was over and when I went downstairs to my basement to lift weights, he cautioned me that I might end up bulking up too much due to the heavier weights. I was so frustrated, I just stayed silent.

I doubt I'd ever end up looking like a guy - among the obvious, I'm not that muscular to begin with, lol. But what's wrong with doing kettlebell swings and deadlifts with a 25 lb. weight even at my size? Geesh.

"Careful! You keep opening your mouth like that and everyone's going to know you're an idiot "

Stupid myth too-I lift pretty heavy for a lady with my kettlebells. I use a 26 for snatches, a 35 for presses and swings, but I am currently transitioning to the 44lb for swings and presses. Pavil dictates that a regular lady should start with an 18-25 while a strong lady should use a 35 pounds and I am venturing beyond that even. I LOVE what kettlebells do for me, and I look quite feminine. To boot I have lost 47 pounds doing that and running while losing 12 inches round' my waist. Yeah, I'm not bulking up and neither will you.

I.HATE.THAT.MYTH.

I can't even tell you how many times women have asked what I've done to lose weight and I mention weight lifting. Then I almost here "oh, I can't do that, I'll bulk up too much!" Sigh... Sometimes I want to respond with, "what are you, she-hulk?" but I know it would be counterproductive because they're just repeating this myth that has been pounded in our heads for years.

What drives me nuts, though, is that if anybody I should be susceptible to bulking up. We have a lot of athletes in my family (one who even qualified for the Olympics!) and I'm a former athlete myself with a large bone structure. Yet, I'm quite a bit smaller with weight lifting.

I'd really like to throw a dumbbell at the guy who started this myth!

I think also that some men (not all, mind you) might feel, dare I say, threatened that a woman would be able to lift a heavier weight compared to them or even be visibly more muscular than them. God forbid, you should bruise the fragile male ego! At least my DH isn't like that, he's always saying he likes the way that I've toned up. But it's still frustrating when people say that...even my mother-in-law cautioned me against it. It's amazing how ignorant most people are about women and weight-lifting IMO.

Don't y'all know that lifting anything heavier than 10 pounds (unless it is a child, groceries or a vacuum) *automatically* makes your ovaries shrivel? It's really terrifying!

This one made me literally LOL!

I guess according to Pavil, I'm only a regular lady. Oh well. Working my way towards strong...although if you saw my upper body, well, let's just say that my arms make Tori Spelling's arms look ripped.

Kettlebells are my new favorite way to strength train too. I credit them for making my 'v-cut' muscle appear on my lower torso along with running 12 miles a week. My favorite move is the deadlift.

Yeah, like I said before I doubt I'd ever be mistaken for a man - I'm not exactly built like a bodybuilder.

I'm so inspired by how much you lift with the kettlebells. You've given me something new to strive for. Very cool.

Oh I started with an 18 lb, and worked up to what I'm doing now, so you're doing great!! Deadlifts are great-and I admit I should probably be doing them. I can deadlift a 53 with one hand and a 35 with the other for deadlifts, but I don't do them often enough to count. My goal is to be able to regularly handle the 53 pound one. I couldn't be mistaken for one either. I am still pretty untoned looking because of all this extra weight-but it's helping me get down to something healthier.

That's probably one of the funniest things I've read on here!!!

Hah! <3 this.

Re: Deadlifting
A great goal for a female is to be able to deadlift approx 1.5X your Body Weight (for 1 rep max), so a 100 pound person should work up to a 150 pound deadlift, etc etc.
That is the only real limitation i see with the kettlebells, vs Oly Bars and Bumper plates.... I personally prefer the bars and plates for ANY heavy, and/or full body exercise- DL, Snatches, cleans, jerks, front squats, lunge, pushh press, etc

Yeah, I agree with that to a certain degree, mkroyer but kettlebells cost a fraction of what other dumbbells do and are more space-efficient. I have a tiny basement that I lift in so I have to make the most of it and my shoestring budget. Although you seem to have a lot more upper body strength than me, like I said Tori Spelling and I could be arm twins, lol. I'm really small up top - it's almost embarrassing. It's my mission to eventually have tennis player arms. Oh well.

This myth drives me nuts, the other one is "toning" and achieving abs through "ab exercises" when in fact both of those are just fat loss.

At my absolute skinniest I could lift twice what I lift now. And I did not look bulky. I was leg pressing over 500#, I could bench 110#, and I was SKINNY. Most women simply cannot bulk up, they don't have the hormones for it. Women powerlifters that get bulky use a very specific workout routine, eat a very specific diet, and many use steroids as well.

I like the book, "New Rules of Lifting for Women- Lift like a man, Look like a Goddess." That says it all.

ROFLMAO!

Actually, weight lifting is good for women. Helps stave off osteoperosis. (sp?)

I like being strong! Makes my job easier. Makes farming and gardening easier.

My DIL complemented me on my arm muscles the other day. Love that girl!