teen girl intimidated by mostly-male strength training class

[theloner82]

@jrsinct Good on you!

The only thing I’d watch out for are bonehead instructors, I had one guy explain a posture by telling everyone to crouch down in “football stance.” Yeah all my years of pee wee football...

 

[bevinluvwithjesus]

@jrsinct Don’t compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday.

 

[dawn16]

@jrsinct Nothing to add to what has already been said but from a 30 year old woman, I admire you! I didn’t have the guts to start weights until mid-20s because I felt intimated by the thought of being in the weights room.

 

[miranda33]

@jrsinct Future you is going to be STOKED that you started strength training young despite feeling intimidated!

 

[benf]

@jrsinct If they noticed you, it’s only because you’re new. Just keep at it. Like anything else, you will get used to them and the class and it will all be good!

 

[dawn16]

@jrsinct Hey there! This was me about 20 years ago- at the time I was 5’2 and 92 lbs. I was required to take a weight training class by some accident of registration and I was totally intimidated. Kudos to you for signing up on your own volition.

It was one of the best things that I’ve ever done, fitnesswise. I could barely bench press the bar when I started, the other few girls were way stronger than me, and so on. I went on to be one of the few women I know who are pretty comfortable around weights and machines.

If anything, I think the jocks who would normally never speak to me were kind of impressed that I chose to show up there at all.

 

[jayannedgar5]

@jrsinct Everyone who has done strength training has been the weakling at some point. You have to start somewhere. No matter where you start you will be making improvements pretty rapidly if you stick with it.

 

[p4ulrice]

@jrsinct You are not there for them but yourself. Just do your best and beep on going. That’s what all the more advanced people in the class did

 

[dawn16]

@jrsinct I’m gonna recommend checking out @katiesonier on Instagram. Love her posts and I think you’ll find them helpful in feeling more confident in the weight room.

 

[onewaysister]

@dawn16 Thanks! I checked her out and she is amazing!!!

 

[lilyrosa]

@jrsinct Size does not impress proper meatheads. Hard work does.

 

[ligerheart25]

@lilyrosa I agree with this. The real athletes are impressed by a hard work out, not by the first-time
numbers.

 

[exitworldwide]

@jrsinct You have every right to be in that class. Guys don't have more of a right to be there. This is advice for the rest of your life. You have a right to take up space. You belong there just much as they do.

 

[dawn16]

@exitworldwide amazingly said

 

[exitworldwide]

@dawn16

 

[driven_for_thee]

@branna :O I’ve always described this in my career but it never occurred to me that there’s a term for it. Will now be using it for very relevant discussions coming up. Thank you!!!

 

[exitworldwide]

@branna I haven't heard the term preparatory privilege before! Wow makes so much sense. Thank you for sharing this!

 

[branna]

@exitworldwide It’s a thing that educators talk about when looking at equitable participation and successes for girls and students of color in STEM, but I think it applies here!

 

[exitworldwide]

@branna 100%

I've heard of stereotype threat and how that impacts girls and students of color in STEM, but this really adds to that. So true around the spaces we feel comfortable occupying and the spaces we don't.

 

[sashi]

@exitworldwide I really really hope op sees this. I am a small girl too and it's easy to feel intimidated in male-dominated spaces, but you have as much right as any man to be there. Take up space. Be there.