The lifting section of the gym is naturally male dominated. When most females decide to start working out, they lean more towards cardio and abs for a number of reasons.

“I just think girls think if they lift their upper body, they will get bulky and look like a guy so they just want to run or do abs,” Junior Jonah Harrison said. 

There is a stereotype that females gain “manly” muscles when they decide to start lifting which is far from true. Males have a different hormone profile because of their high testosterone which promotes muscle growth.

Another concern is being embarrassed by the amount one is able to lift. “It was hard to start lifting just because I knew I was weaker than everyone else over there but once I finally did I felt supported and comfortable,” Sophomore Emma Wambsgans said. 

Females tend to underestimate their own strength.

“Often females are stronger than what they think and just have to push through that boundary,” Fitness Influencer Saige Angleton said. 

Everyone starts in a different place and that is just a beautiful thing that allows individual progress.

One of the biggest worries from females in the lifting section is being judged or looked at. 

 “I just feel like I am being looked at by everyone because I am doing something wrong or look dumb doing it,” Wambsgans said. “I started to realize no one is judging me and everyone at my gym is always willing to help.”

Men and women at the gym are more likely to be supportive and helpful than one would think. Everyone goes there to better themselves and no one is above anyone despite how much they can lift.

There are so many positives of lifting as a female. “It gives me a place to just escape from everything and do whatever I want. It always makes me feel so much better,” Junior Amelia Hopkins said. 

Fitness influencer Angleton has been lifting for 2 years and hopes to continue this passion as a career because of the positive impact it has had on her life. “It has made me so much more confident in and outside of the gym. I feel on top of the world now and it has given me positive energy on a daily basis,” Angelton said.

It can be intimidating to go as a beginner or advanced lifter but there are so many benefits that come from it. Not only does it help one mentally but also physically.

“I used to think of strong as manly, now I think of it as beautiful,” Angelton said. “Lifting heavy weights as a female is powerful, feeling strong is powerful, and being able to say you are strong is powerful.”

Advice from Angelton is “It takes getting out of your comfort zone and just pushing yourself into an uncomfortable situation but that is a good thing. Start somewhere no one can see you and work on it with yourself. Oftentimes females are stronger than they think and just have to push through that boundary. Female fitness has become huge so there’s always a community that can help build you up. I always recommend making friends with the girls at the gym too because it’s nice to have them cheer you on.”

Wambsgans said, “Lifting as a female changes the stereotype. Girls can do it too.”