Comments on: Interest in strength training is building among women http://www.musclebulletin.com/articles/archives/291 All of our articles in one easy to search place Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:09:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 By: Naomie http://www.musclebulletin.com/articles/archives/291#comment-1030 Naomie Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:20:30 +0000 http://www.musclebulletin.com/articles/archives/291#comment-1030 I don't know about other women but personally I find the tone of articles like this rather patronising. I mean: 'functional muscle'? So that we can 'carry shopping' and 'pick up our kids'?? This just strikes me as laughable reinforcement of gender stereotypes. Have you ever seen articles written like this aimed at men? Saying: 'Functional strength training will help you to carry that heavy golf bag.'? Or 'Easily boost that 19 litre bottle up onto the office water cooler.'? No. I didn't think so. I do agree that many women have reservations about weight training and worries about bulking up. And I also tend to think that most of these women probably developed their negative attitudes towards weight training by reading articles such as this, which (probably unintentionally) send the subtle message that women should only be lifting weights as a means to an end and not as an end in itself. I train with free weights because I love gaining strength and power and I like the way it shapes my body. I don't need any other reason or excuse and I really don't need some condescending nitwit telling me I'll be able to carry all my groceries home and still have enough energy left over for doing the housework. I don’t know about other women but personally I find the tone of articles like this rather patronising. I mean: ‘functional muscle’? So that we can ‘carry shopping’ and ‘pick up our kids’?? This just strikes me as laughable reinforcement of gender stereotypes.

Have you ever seen articles written like this aimed at men? Saying: ‘Functional strength training will help you to carry that heavy golf bag.’? Or ‘Easily boost that 19 litre bottle up onto the office water cooler.’? No. I didn’t think so.

I do agree that many women have reservations about weight training and worries about bulking up. And I also tend to think that most of these women probably developed their negative attitudes towards weight training by reading articles such as this, which (probably unintentionally) send the subtle message that women should only be lifting weights as a means to an end and not as an end in itself.

I train with free weights because I love gaining strength and power and I like the way it shapes my body. I don’t need any other reason or excuse and I really don’t need some condescending nitwit telling me I’ll be able to carry all my groceries home and still have enough energy left over for doing the housework.

]]> By: Leighe http://www.musclebulletin.com/articles/archives/291#comment-1216 Leighe Sat, 10 Nov 2007 20:11:48 +0000 http://www.musclebulletin.com/articles/archives/291#comment-1216 Brilliant,had a chuckle and totally agree with Naomie...informative articles about strength training for women are very few, so it would be invigorating if they concentrated on beneficial info and not on how many kids and chores a woman juggles! Brilliant,had a chuckle and totally agree with Naomie…informative articles about strength training for women are very few, so it would be invigorating if they concentrated on beneficial info and not on how many kids and chores a woman juggles!

]]> By: the kids http://www.musclebulletin.com/articles/archives/291#comment-1402 the kids Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:09:02 +0000 http://www.musclebulletin.com/articles/archives/291#comment-1402 Hey, Britt is our mom, and none of you can judge the kind of hectic and challenging schedules we have. We are proud of the way she has the energy to run all of us kids to every practice, game, and other activities we have. If you think you know her well enough to call her a "condescending nitwit" then fine. But let us just say that no one has the right to judge anybody, let alone someone promoting good health, and let alone someone else's mom. Hey,
Britt is our mom, and none of you can judge the kind of hectic and challenging schedules we have. We are proud of the way she has the energy to run all of us kids to every practice, game, and other activities we have. If you think you know her well enough to call her a “condescending nitwit” then fine. But let us just say that no one has the right to judge anybody, let alone someone promoting good health, and let alone someone else’s mom.

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