How Do We Dispell the "Pink Dumbell Theory"?

I sometimes get so frustrated when I go work out and hear the woman still touting the "small weight multiple reps" philosophy of weight training.  How do we "average Joanne's" who don't have "PT" behind our names tell these women NO!!  DON'T GO THERE!!!  Use those heavy weights - Use those Free Weights  USe those muscles!!!  YOu aren't going to be big and bulky and look like a weight lifter. 

I so want to say something but the one time I did comment to someone that her lifting 2lb weights at super fast reps wasn't really effective since alot of the movement was momentum but she was so closed to any suggestions and basically said because her boyfriend did weights I didn't know what I was talking about and she didn't want to get all buffed -- I walked away and just said ok

edit: I made this comment to this woman after a cardio mix class ( similar to "Cardio Blast" on Fittv) and she wasn't doing what the instructor was telling us to do - first doing slow counts and concentrated work and she was just swinging those darn 2 lbs weights around like flailing there was no "work" on the muscles it was all a waste of her time - and since she was standing in my line of sight from the instructor I just had to say something.

I am not saying I go around preaching to these women I let them do their thing I just wish more women would not fear the heavier weights.

So how do you if you do try to suggest to someone to toss those pink db's in the trash and go for the real weights??

mental note: never pay edamame3 a single cent for personal training.

lmao.  I know I've never commented here but I might just start now.  Spirochete, you're great.

I started working out about a year ago and this summer I discovered free weights and (gasp) full range squats.  My body was so out of shape that I could only use the light weight bar while doing squats to keep my form correct, just the motion itself would leave me sore for days.  BUT I've been increasing my weight and have started the Body Pump class at my gym.

Point is, in my Body Pump class there are these tiny, tight (as in no jiggle on the arms), great looking ladies who are using three times as much weight as me.  I'm rather new and I know I have to work up to it, but it's SO encouraging to watch them lift.  It's true, heavy weights with low reps are the way to go for tightening and toning. 

I like this website

http://www.stumptuous.com/

Tell me what you guys think, and this girl, in her pictures looks good.

Stumptuous is a favorite among CC women lifters. EXCELLENT information

YES!!! I finally did something right!  Holy Cow.  Seriously, a year ago I didn't know what lunges were.  And Spirochete, you're right about Edamame3, I would pay her to not give me advice on lifting.

Good to know y'all think that way, because last time I posted those pictures a few years ago, people told me I looked like a man!

Well, it's thickened my skin; I've been a member here under two different profiles for years, and I'm always met with responses that are...I beleive term was 'snarky'?

Anyway, glad to know you all have nationally accredited certification and education to be able to make the claim that there's no use for 5lb dumbells in fat loss and lean muscle gain. And hopefully you don't extend your advice to the women you see in gyms doing it and they end up hurting themselves because they haven't built a strong enough base with enough neuro-muscular control to be able to handle the heavy stuff.

edamame, I usually don't do this but I can't stop myself. You are a "Reiki" master and a raw foodist. I did a lot of research on raw foodism and found that a huge percentage of them are practicing a stylized version of anorexia and are totally supported by the community. If I read one more forum post like "hi, I'm recovering from an ED and have turned to raw foods to get healthy. I didn't feel like eating the past couple of days, is that ok?" and then three pages of "congrats on getting healthy! It's so good you're listening to your body! Don't eat if you're not hungry" Some of my other favorites are raw foodism can change your hair color, fix genetic abnormalities and make your eyes blue.

Anyone with $600 can be a Reiki master. I'm not going to even pretend to know how energy and the universe works but I'm not taking weight lifting advice from a raw Reiki master, and neither should anyone else.

word.

Original Post by smartjock256:

In the defense of the members of this site, I assure you that no offense was intended, and I don't beleive any one was being judgemental.

They were merely pointing out that many people are not aware of the best way to get fit and lose fat, and have been taken in by the myth that doing high reps of low weight is the way to "tone"muscles (which is itself a myth, as "toned" as no real meaning, there is either muscle, or there are not) . It's one of those myths that is so pervalent, that it is not surprising that people beleive it. The people at this site are just trying to get that information out there because we don't want people to waste their effort and get discoraged because things aren't working out as they expected.

I agree and appreciate the advice about lifting.

mscarol1 - Your an inspiration!

dbackerfan - I am only a couple of years older than you and you've given me a lot of hope as well as information.

spirochete - It is obvious from your picture that you are an in your face kind of person. I guess sarcasm is an aquired taste, but I think your funny as hell and I am not a bit offended, even though I am new to weight lifting.

I hope to learn from this group, and maybe someday I can be an Ironette too. Meanwhile I’ll forge on hefting those huge 5 lb’ers over my bloated belly. I promise they are not pink, and I look forward to bigger things (except for that belly).

Well I personally think they should make heavier pink dumbells because heaven knows that even though I love pink I'm not a wimp ;)

I dunno, I think once you go into the 70-80 pounds range we could at least expect mauve or ecru. 

Now I wanna go to the free weights section at the gym and paint all the plates fuschia!

Original Post by susiecue:

Now I wanna go to the free weights section at the gym and paint all the plates fuschia!

 I'm gonna paint little kitten faces on all the 45lb plates

Original Post by spirochete:

Original Post by susiecue:

Now I wanna go to the free weights section at the gym and paint all the plates fuschia!

 I'm gonna paint little kitten faces on all the 45lb plates

 And then wack everyone that throws their dumbbells on the ground instead of placing them, everyone that leaves 300lbs on a bar 4' in the air and walks around, everyone that takes 10 minute 'rests' while hogging a bench and talking on their cell phones, every man that looks at me like I'm on 'his turf' in the head with my girly pink kitten plates....

My blood pressure went up just thinking about them, then down when I hit them.  How theraputic.

Original Post by edamame3:

Anyway, glad to know you all have nationally accredited certification and education to be able to make the claim that there's no use for 5lb dumbells in fat loss and lean muscle gain. And hopefully you don't extend your advice to the women you see in gyms doing it and they end up hurting themselves because they haven't built a strong enough base with enough neuro-muscular control to be able to handle the heavy stuff.

 My toaster weighs 5 lbs, a baby weight more than 5, a bag of rice weighs that much.  If there is something so wrong with your muscles that you can't lift 5 lbs, you shouldn't be lifting weights outside of a hospital physiotherapy clinic. 

Actually, I'm pretty sure my supersized bottle of mustard weighs more than that....

Original Post by thermal:

 And then wack everyone that throws their dumbbells on the ground instead of placing them, everyone that leaves 300lbs on a bar 4' in the air and walks around, everyone that takes 10 minute 'rests' while hogging a bench and talking on their cell phones, every man that looks at me like I'm on 'his turf' in the head with my girly pink kitten plates....

 

There's a special circle of hell for those guys. And yes, they are always guys. Women NEVER do this in the free weight section.

^^ Ok fine, hit anyone that does it.  Fortunately at my gym, the majority of women who aren't like me (use real weights and are semi-conscious that there are other people that use the gym), are too busy fighting over men, 3lb handweights and elliptical machines to be messy.....

Original Post by thermal:

^^ Ok fine, hit anyone that does it.  Fortunately at my gym, the majority of women who aren't like me (use real weights and are semi-conscious that there are other people that use the gym), are too busy fighting over men, 3lb handweights and elliptical machines to be messy.....

 Odd, I'm usually busy fighting with the men

thermal - you're right.  Why would anyone want to boast about the fact that they use 5lb weights... esp. the women.  I just don't understand, do they not want to get stronger?  God help them if they can't even pick up their children yet say they workout four times a week.  What a waste.

Yeah, the women in the free weights area at my gym stick together.  I'm constantly defending my space, bench, dumbbells, etc etc from the guys. 

Ha ha, kitty faces.  Might I suggest some unicorns on the reverse side of the plates for that special "magical" touch needed for toning and lengthening?

Original Post by meganr:

Ha ha, kitty faces.  Might I suggest some unicorns on the reverse side of the plates for that special "magical" touch needed for toning and lengthening?

ahaha yes. Or stick figures for the "anti-bulk" weights.