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That's the $64,000 question regarding everything in biology. If you

have high blood sugar, does it cause diabetes, or was your blood

sugar always higher because you were predisposed to diabetes. Does

alcoholism run in families because it is inherited or because it is

learned? It is very difficult to answer questions like these we can

only speculate.

nne Bowker

connections

> My client base is often " general population " rather than athletic.

> This includes a regular stream of women who want to be thinner

> and " more toned. " They fear weight because of the old bulk myth,

> though recently, the weight room has become a less intimidating

place

> for women as the research emphasis has shifted to the metabolism

> benefits of a little iron hoisting occassionaly. This is thanks is

> part to the media as they happily, if not entirely accurately,

> extrapolated on that. The old " bulk-up " stigma is finally waning

and

> non-athletic women are willing to step into the " big boy's room "

and

> curl and press with the guys, often with better form.

>

> Some women, albeit rare, will bulk up a bit, and despite the fact

> that it's not an aesthetic no-no to us muscle lovin' types, these

> women sometimes react as if they're contaminated. That's the

> antithesis of the look they want. As much work as we do to resolve

> body issues by focusing on performance and lifestyle enhancement, a

> bigger muscle still can mean aesthetic failure.

>

> I've notice a correlation among the women I've encountered that

> have " bulking-up " potential. They all, without exception, played

> sports during formative years, though it's been a while for most of

> them. Now, I haven't a respectable number of subjects to theorize

> too greatly, but I'm wondering if this correlation of adolescent

> sport involvement and current hypertrophy is worth anything. My

> questions are thus, does sport involvement during puberty mess with

> testosterone levels in ways that won't ever happen again, but might

> set a stage for an increase in type II fiber recruitment? Forgive

my

> wording, but in other words, can hormone levels (particularly

> testosterone) be increased during adolescence and therefore might

> have an effect on later muscle developement?

>

> Or...

> Would women with a natural genetic potential for faster twitch

fibers

> just gravitate towards sports in earlier years (due to " natural

> ability " ) and have to just suffer genetics and have larger muscle

> potential later in life?

>

> Chip Conrad

> Sacramento, CA

> USA

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Ok, I am responding to the original posting below. I DID NOT PLAY SPORTS IN

MY FORMATIVe YEARS. NOR is my test higher than average, and I pass the

USAPL drug tests. I look forward to my first IOC test for an IPF WMR, if I

can get the lights white in may.

I was an absolute nerd, I threw discus, in high school but without any

weight training to support it, then sat down until I took up free

weights..... I have done free weights beginning in 1995, and competed

powerlifting for just over 4 years now. I am drug free, woman, and 40, not

even in perimenopause according to the doc yet.

I am a freak of nature. Anyone who's seen my build will say it, lol. I am

5'9, 198, and 32 " waist, with build, and strength. I do not look 40. And

the thing is, it's genetics, that give me muscle and growth in size, plus

the powerlifting.

There are not that many women with this gift. The stat I always heard was 1

to 2% overall have the potential for this gift, the rest run

terrified.....laughing.

I might eventually take a bet that I can get a bb pro card, clean. But no,

not all are people who do as you suggest, some of us are lurking inside

nerdy physics sorts.....<laughing>

The Phantom <for a look at my build, page 23, POWERMAG, March issue, dead

center, the Deadlifter>

Re: Women and Weight training

>That's the $64,000 question regarding everything in biology. If you

>have high blood sugar, does it cause diabetes, or was your blood

>sugar always higher because you were predisposed to diabetes. Does

>alcoholism run in families because it is inherited or because it is

>learned? It is very difficult to answer questions like these we can

>only speculate.

>

>nne Bowker

>connections

>> My client base is often " general population " rather than athletic.

>> This includes a regular stream of women who want to be thinner

>> and " more toned. " They fear weight because of the old bulk myth,

>> though recently, the weight room has become a less intimidating

>place

>> for women as the research emphasis has shifted to the metabolism

>> benefits of a little iron hoisting occassionaly. This is thanks is

>> part to the media as they happily, if not entirely accurately,

>> extrapolated on that. The old " bulk-up " stigma is finally waning

>and

>> non-athletic women are willing to step into the " big boy's room "

>and

>> curl and press with the guys, often with better form.

>>

>> Some women, albeit rare, will bulk up a bit, and despite the fact

>> that it's not an aesthetic no-no to us muscle lovin' types, these

>> women sometimes react as if they're contaminated. That's the

>> antithesis of the look they want. As much work as we do to resolve

>> body issues by focusing on performance and lifestyle enhancement, a

>> bigger muscle still can mean aesthetic failure.

>>

>> I've notice a correlation among the women I've encountered that

>> have " bulking-up " potential. They all, without exception, played

>> sports during formative years, though it's been a while for most of

>> them. Now, I haven't a respectable number of subjects to theorize

>> too greatly, but I'm wondering if this correlation of adolescent

>> sport involvement and current hypertrophy is worth anything. My

>> questions are thus, does sport involvement during puberty mess with

>> testosterone levels in ways that won't ever happen again, but might

>> set a stage for an increase in type II fiber recruitment? Forgive

>my

>> wording, but in other words, can hormone levels (particularly

>> testosterone) be increased during adolescence and therefore might

>> have an effect on later muscle developement?

>>

>> Or...

>> Would women with a natural genetic potential for faster twitch

>fibers

>> just gravitate towards sports in earlier years (due to " natural

>> ability " ) and have to just suffer genetics and have larger muscle

>> potential later in life?

>>

>> Chip Conrad

>> Sacramento, CA

>> USA

>

>

>

>

>Modify or cancel your subscription here:

>

>mygroups

>

>

>

>

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Oh, and one more comment to Chip's original posting....

Sortwell, my good friend, and drug free competitor for 21 years in

Powerlifting....once had a blood test for testosterone. She tests out LOWER

than average. Yes LOWER.

The Phantom

-----Original Message-----

From: nne <mbowker@...>

>That's the $64,000 question regarding everything in biology. If you

>have high blood sugar, does it cause diabetes, or was your blood

>sugar always higher because you were predisposed to diabetes. Does

>alcoholism run in families because it is inherited or because it is

>learned? It is very difficult to answer questions like these we can

>only speculate.

>

>nne Bowker

>connections

>> My client base is often " general population " rather than athletic.

>> This includes a regular stream of women who want to be thinner

>> and " more toned. " They fear weight because of the old bulk myth,

>> though recently, the weight room has become a less intimidating

>place

>> for women as the research emphasis has shifted to the metabolism

>> benefits of a little iron hoisting occassionaly. This is thanks is

>> part to the media as they happily, if not entirely accurately,

>> extrapolated on that. The old " bulk-up " stigma is finally waning

>and

>> non-athletic women are willing to step into the " big boy's room "

>and

>> curl and press with the guys, often with better form.

>>

>> Some women, albeit rare, will bulk up a bit, and despite the fact

>> that it's not an aesthetic no-no to us muscle lovin' types, these

>> women sometimes react as if they're contaminated. That's the

>> antithesis of the look they want. As much work as we do to resolve

>> body issues by focusing on performance and lifestyle enhancement, a

>> bigger muscle still can mean aesthetic failure.

>>

>> I've notice a correlation among the women I've encountered that

>> have " bulking-up " potential. They all, without exception, played

>> sports during formative years, though it's been a while for most of

>> them. Now, I haven't a respectable number of subjects to theorize

>> too greatly, but I'm wondering if this correlation of adolescent

>> sport involvement and current hypertrophy is worth anything. My

>> questions are thus, does sport involvement during puberty mess with

>> testosterone levels in ways that won't ever happen again, but might

>> set a stage for an increase in type II fiber recruitment? Forgive

>>my wording, but in other words, can hormone levels (particularly

>> testosterone) be increased during adolescence and therefore might

>> have an effect on later muscle developement?

>>

>> Or...

>> Would women with a natural genetic potential for faster twitch

>fibers

>> just gravitate towards sports in earlier years (due to " natural

>> ability " ) and have to just suffer genetics and have larger muscle

>> potential later in life?

>>

>> Chip Conrad

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Wayne Hill wrote: At my gym, many of the women will willingly

sweat like stuck pigs on cardio equipment, and then proceed to do

some of the most ridiculous foo-foo nonsense you've ever seen in the

weight area.

*** Well at least they will allow themselves to sweat. But you'd be surprised

how many don't want to do that either. However, I agree that they don't work

hard enough with the weights and you're right about the reason -- why, they'll

resembles those grunting bruisers squatting in the rack in no time! (or so

they think)

In all honesty, unless the gym is warm for whatever reason, I find I don't

perspire nearly as much (and in the winter hardly at all) when training with

weights versus the kind of sweat I can work up on a treadmill. For the most

part, women don't tend to sweat as much as men from physical exertion anyway,

so it's rather ironic for those women who don't like to sweat that they would

choose cardio over weights.

Rosemary Wedderburn-Vernon

Venice, CA

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> Wayne Hill wrote: At my gym, many of the women will willingly

> sweat like stuck pigs on cardio equipment, and then proceed to do

> some of the most ridiculous foo-foo nonsense you've ever seen in the

weight area.

Rosemary wrote:

.. For the most

> part, women don't tend to sweat as much as men from physical exertion

anyway,

At my gym we always said " Women don't sweat, they glisten " .

Harvey Maron, M.D.

Steamboat Springs, CO

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Ok. Enough. I guess I am now reclassified as a GRUNTING BRUISER IN THE

RACK. <Or in our case at the rec center, WITHOUT a rack. Clearly we need

our heads examined, for not using mirrors and using the same apparatus we

get on the platform.>

Exertion is required to acquire trophies in Powerlifting. You don't get

muscles for nothing. And it's no less LADYLIKE TO SWEAT AND LIFT AND YELL

than it is unbecoming a MALE lifter. If given a chance to excel at lifting

weights, WOMEN WILL DO SO IF THEY HAVE THE DESIRE TO. I belong to a hard

core women's lifting list on line, that is proof of this. The opportunity

to SUCCEED should be given to those who reach for it. The iron sports are

not the exclusive domain of men. And the iron sports require your sweat,

your heart, and your fierceness to succeed. We all clean up nicely for the

awards ceremony, but there are no ribbons given for best eye shadow during

performance of a 1 rep max SQUAT <let alone concealer for red face during

the deadlift>.........

Women with the strength and determination should be encouraged. I shall

continue to bend what efforts I can to supporting those who wish to do so,

as well as the men in our group.

The Phantom

-----Original Message-----

Wayne Hill wrote:

>At my gym, many of the women will willingly

>sweat like stuck pigs on cardio equipment, and then proceed to do

>some of the most ridiculous foo-foo nonsense you've ever seen in the

>weight area.

From: Rosemary Wedderburn <CookieMagic@...>

>*** Well at least they will allow themselves to sweat. But you'd be

surprised

>how many don't want to do that either. However, I agree that they don't

work

>hard enough with the weights and you're right about the reason -- why,

they'll

>resembles those grunting bruisers squatting in the rack in no time! (or so

>they think)

>

>In all honesty, unless the gym is warm for whatever reason, I find I don't

>perspire nearly as much (and in the winter hardly at all) when training

with

>weights versus the kind of sweat I can work up on a treadmill. For the

most

>part, women don't tend to sweat as much as men from physical exertion

anyway,

>so it's rather ironic for those women who don't like to sweat that they

would

>choose cardio over weights.

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" Schaefer " <thephantom198@i...> wrote:

<Exertion is required to acquire trophies in Powerlifting. You

don't get muscles for nothing. And it's no less LADYLIKE TO SWEAT

AND LIFT AND YELL than it is unbecoming a MALE lifter. If given a

chance to excel at lifting weights, WOMEN WILL DO SO IF THEY HAVE THE

DESIRE TO. I belong to a hard core women's lifting list on line,

that is proof of this.>

To achieve high levels of performance in the Olympic lifts, I really

don't believe it's absolutely necessary to yell (or for that matter,

scream, make foul emissions or vomit). Such behavior has, in my opinion, more to

do

with the gym environment rather than the nature of the sport. When I

trained at the Sports Palace (22 Olympians, including three men who

clean and jerked 500 pounds), I cannot recall ever seeing the bizarre

behaviors often displayed by some bodybuilders and powerlifters. The

coach, Jim Schmitz, simply didn't tolerate such behavior.

[Regrettably, a good few bodybuilding publications, especially one well-known

Internet mag, actively seem to promote foulness of action, language and

attitude, ostensibly because it makes the readers feel like real " he-men " . They

seem to forget that many of the old-time bodybuilding legends, like Bill Pearl,

were real gentlemen and a credit to their sport. Mel Siff ]

On a similar note, in the last five years at the Air Force Academy

I cannot remember our football team ever receiving an unsportsmanlike

penalty--not once! Because sometimes even just one penalty can make

the difference between winning and losing a game in football, our

coaching staff make it clear that such behavior would not be

tolerated. Again, it's a matter of environment, not the nature of the

sport.

[Real men display sportsmanship and dignity, even in the face of defeat or

extreme stress.

Unfortunately, far too many sportmen today aren't real men! MCS]

Thank you,

Kim Goss

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> To achieve high levels of performance in the Olympic lifts, I really

> don't believe it's absolutely necessary to yell (or for that matter,

> scream, make foul emissions or vomit). Such behavior has, in my opinion,

more to do

> with the gym environment rather than the nature of the sport. When I

> trained at the Sports Palace (22 Olympians, including three men who

> clean and jerked 500 pounds), I cannot recall ever seeing the bizarre

> behaviors often displayed by some bodybuilders and powerlifters. The

> coach, Jim Schmitz, simply didn't tolerate such behavior.

Given the presence of authority absolutely intolerant of such behavior, that

suggests that SOME people do not have to... emote... to produce maximum

performance, and that anyone who DID need to would simply be barred from

either success or that particular weight room.

>

> On a similar note, in the last five years at the Air Force Academy

> I cannot remember our football team ever receiving an unsportsmanlike

> penalty--not once! Because sometimes even just one penalty can make

> the difference between winning and losing a game in football, our

> coaching staff make it clear that such behavior would not be

> tolerated. Again, it's a matter of environment, not the nature of the

> sport.

>

Did it work? What was your win/loss record? Was the correlation in your

league between unsportsmanlike penalties and victory strong?

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Coach Goss,

I am not talking about uttering vulgarities (a cause for disqualification),

undue eruptions of passing gas or vomiting, or defecating by EITHER gender,

but in FAVOR of yelling (the latest issue of PLUSA, April, the Mad Russian's

article states you get about 12.5% MORE out of a lift when you " yell "

expelling air out during the course of the lift) and getting psyched up,

SWEATING due to HARD WORK UNDER THE WEIGHTS as needed by BOTH genders.

I do NOT suggest women (or MEN) cease showering. But I don't wear perfume or

scented lotions when I lift.....NOR EYE SHADOW or MAKEUP, or PRIMP on the

PLATFORM! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! There is TIME ENOUGH FOR THAT AFTER THE MEET,

AND AFTER THE WORKOUT! I have actually been told by viewers of my

competition photos that " you really should wear lots of makeup, that red

face just isn't becoming....and that hair, consider getting it curled or

something? " IGNORANCE is bliss apparently...and NO One looks PRETTY with a

MAX DEADLIFT! And confusing the studied, primped look of a bodybuilding

stage with a demonstration of STRENGTH is part of the PROBLEM!

Some lifters do not require the outward psych. It happens I am one that

needs it. I am NOT suggesting that vomiting or other really aberrent

behaviors need occur. Where did I suggest that? I MOST CERTAINLY DID NOT

SUGGEST THIS.

What I am SAYING HERE is in regards to this whole FALLACY that WOMEN DON " T

SWEAT HARD AND LIFT HARD. Yelling and oofing, breathing hard, and even

grunting a bit under a big weight? PART OF THE SPORT.

I am VERY Tired of reading how lifting is NOT LADYLIKE. This is NONSENSE.

I DID NOT RECOMMEND VOMITING OR ABUSIVE LANGUAGE.

IF you read the posting to which I was responding, this whole thread

lamented how women don't do weight training but prefer to GLISTEN rather

than work hard in the gym and SWEAT! This thread has become a PROMOTION OF

MYTHS rather than a realistic attempt to help women join the IRON SPORTS.

I know the Air Force PL team people, including Captain Andy Bates. I have

competed with them, and without exception, they have been well behaved, BUT

LIKE ME, THEIR LIFTERS, MALE AND FEMALE, YELL, AND THEY SWEAT! OK? And the

ladies are asked to perform to their best strength JUST LIKE THEIR MALE

COUNTERPARTS. No special ACCOMMODATIONS are MADE!

Yes, Air Force's football team is well disciplined. And despite the

limitations on size of their players placed by the Air Force's entry

requirements (resulting generally in a smaller LINE than most colleges now

SPORT), THEY DO WELL ON THE FIELD. As a Coloradan, I am proud of their

play when I watch them, as an American I know such disciplined play leads to

more proficiency at their jobs, protecting ME as an AMERICAN later on!

The Phantom

-----Original Message-----

From: COACHKIMGOSS@... <COACHKIMGOSS@...>

" Schaefer " <thephantom198@i...> wrote:

><Exertion is required to acquire trophies in Powerlifting. You

>don't get muscles for nothing. And it's no less LADYLIKE TO SWEAT

>AND LIFT AND YELL than it is unbecoming a MALE lifter. If given a

>chance to excel at lifting weights, WOMEN WILL DO SO IF THEY HAVE THE

>DESIRE TO. I belong to a hard core women's lifting list on line,

>that is proof of this.>

>

>To achieve high levels of performance in the Olympic lifts, I really

>don't believe it's absolutely necessary to yell (or for that matter,

>scream, make foul emissions or vomit). Such behavior has, in my opinion,

more to do

>with the gym environment rather than the nature of the sport. When I

>trained at the Sports Palace (22 Olympians, including three men who

>clean and jerked 500 pounds), I cannot recall ever seeing the bizarre

>behaviors often displayed by some bodybuilders and powerlifters. The

>coach, Jim Schmitz, simply didn't tolerate such behavior.

>

>[Regrettably, a good few bodybuilding publications, especially one

>well-known Internet mag, actively seem to promote foulness of action, language

and

>attitude, ostensibly because it makes the readers feel like real " he-men " .

>They seem to forget that many of the old-time bodybuilding legends, like Bill

Pearl, were real gentlemen and a credit to their sport. Mel Siff ]

>

>On a similar note, in the last five years at the Air Force Academy

>I cannot remember our football team ever receiving an unsportsmanlike

>penalty--not once! Because sometimes even just one penalty can make

>the difference between winning and losing a game in football, our

>coaching staff make it clear that such behavior would not be

>tolerated. Again, it's a matter of environment, not the nature of the

>sport.

>

>[Real men display sportsmanship and dignity, even in the face of defeat or

extreme stress.

>Unfortunately, far too many sportmen today aren't real men! MCS]

>

>Kim Goss

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Mel Siff commented:

<Regrettably, a good few bodybuilding publications, especially one

well-known Internet mag, actively seem to promote foulness of action, language

and attitude, ostensibly because it makes the readers feel like

real " he-men " . They seem to forget that many of the old-time bodybuilding

legends, like

Bill Pearl, were real gentlemen and a credit to their sport. >

Just taught a workshop at a " he-man " gym, where no-necked,

juiced-to-the-gills big boys grunted and shouted like they were being

tortured alive. The women played this game a bit too, so I believe

the environment does play a big role in gym behavior, like Dr. Siff said.

On a cuter note, while attending the IHRSA convention two weeks

ago, I witnessed a true gentleman, a LARGE gentleman. At a flower

stand right outside our hotel, I witnessed famous strongman Bill

Kazmaier delicately pin a tulip to the blouse of an attractive, and

tiny, young woman, dwarfed even more so by Bill's 280lb frame. He

was all smiles, and when talking to him later, I found him to be

quite friendly, though I don't know if he grunts during workouts or not.

Chip Conrad

Sacramento, CA

--- >

> On a similar note, in the last five years at the Air Force Academy

> I cannot remember our football team ever receiving an

unsportsmanlike

> penalty--not once! Because sometimes even just one penalty can make

> the difference between winning and losing a game in football, our

> coaching staff make it clear that such behavior would not be

> tolerated. Again, it's a matter of environment, not the nature of

>the sport.

>

> [Real men display sportsmanship and dignity, even in the face of

defeat or extreme stress.

> Unfortunately, far too many sportmen today aren't real men! MCS]

>

> Thank you,

>

> Kim Goss

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Schaefer wrote: I guess I am now reclassified as a GRUNTING BRUISER IN

THE

RACK.

*** Actually, , I was referring to the big GUYS who grunt and holler,

throw chalk around, slap each other on the butts, and glare menacingly at any

woman who ventures within 10 feet of " their " rack. Personally, I love the

bruisers. Most are teddybears under the bravado if women would only use the

right words to calm them down. I've found either " Gosh, you've got terrific

thigh sweep! " or " Gee, your bicep must measure at *least* 21 inches! " work

wonders. Even if you're a seasoned female trainer, this sort of comment will

let them know that you're a fellow ironhead. I know, I know, women shouldn't

have to do this sort of thing in this day and age, but like many males of

various species, the bruisers are territorial. They have no caves to guard so

they have transferred this behavior to the squat rack or other piece of

equipment they happen to be using at the moment.

Many women are very put off by this because they feel threatened. After all,

most women are well aware that they are no physical match for most men, and

especially some guy who has muscles popping in every direction and looks mean.

Ladies who are unfamiliar with lifting misinterpret the signals as threatening

when they are more than likely gasps for air after a 20 rep set of squats or a

torn callus, etc.

In additon, these same women have no real knowledge whatsoever about how male

and female hormones work. I've talked to several who were clueless about

anabolic steroids other than they knew one shot would kill you. Add to that

the photos they see of the ripped down women bodybuilders in some of the mags

(not realizing that these ladies are not your average woman in any way), and

you have this extrapolation that if they work too hard in the gym they will

end up looking just like the grunting bruisers in the rack.

What's interesting is that when they see a fairly muscular woman in the gym,

most think she looks nice and will often comment about what nice shaped thighs

she has. Like you, , I have, in the past, tried hard to convince these

ladies that the Fountain of Youth is in the gym while keeping my hardcore

ironhead ideas to myself until I get around my own kind.

Rosemary Wedderburn-Vernon

Venice, CA

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