Lunges/squats with weights = bad for females?

EllaC · 2008-02-08 14:48:31

I remember hearing an interview with Pat Henry who said that doing lunges or squats with weights was not good for females because the weights would add bulk to hips. Thinking logically about this it seems to make sense. What do others think?

08-02-2008 03:48PM

#1

EllaC

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 52 ✭✭

Join Date: October 2007

Posts: 36

I remember hearing an interview with Pat Henry who said that doing lunges or squats with weights was not good for females because the weights would add bulk to hips. Thinking logically about this it seems to make sense. What do others think?

0

Comments

#2 08-02-2008 03:57PM

Pugsley

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,136 ✭✭✭

Join Date: July 2001

Posts: 7065

I'd call the guy a tool tbh, squats work the quads so may lead to a bit of bulking to the upper legs, but they give a great arse!

0
#3 08-02-2008 04:03PM

g'em

Closed Accounts Posts: 22,819 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: September 2005

Posts: 22005

EllaC wrote: »

I remember hearing an interview with Pat Henry who said that doing lunges or squats with weights was not good for females because the weights would add bulk to hips. Thinking logically about this it seems to make sense. What do others think?

No, getting fat will add bulk to hips.

Squats and lunges firm the thighs, lift your ass, give you killer calves and give you infinitely more 'tone' than a lifetime of abductor and adductor machines ever could.

Try telling Jamie Eason she should stop lunging lest her ass gets too big...

0
#4 08-02-2008 04:05PM

BossArky

Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 9,877 Mod ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: December 1999

Posts: 9295

Great choice there, G'em.

0
#5 08-02-2008 04:06PM

Dragan

Closed Accounts Posts: 13,497 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: October 2005

Posts: 13137

I've lost count of the number of times i have had my breakfast with Pat Henry sitting across the resturaunt from me.

Next time i see him i might just ask him about that one.

0
#6 08-02-2008 04:36PM

rubadub

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,387 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: July 2002

Posts: 31654

That is sort of like saying men shouldnt bench since it will add bulk to their chest, inferring they will look like man boobs, like inferring the women will look fat, while they will just look good.

0
Advertisement
#7 08-02-2008 04:38PM

r3nu4l

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,392 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: January 2006

Posts: 15535

While I have you all here, someone once told my wife that women should not do full press-ups, can anyone tell me if this is true and if so why so and what equivalent exercise should they do instead?

Thanks in advance.

Oh and g'em, thanks for that picture, very...informative

0
#8 08-02-2008 04:39PM

Vegeta

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,392 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: October 2005

Posts: 10967

BossArky wrote: »

Great choice there, G'em.

I second this

but yeah squatting plus women = two thumbs up

0
#9 08-02-2008 04:53PM

brianthebard

Closed Accounts Posts: 16,165 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: October 2004

Posts: 15335

r3nu4l wrote: »

While I have you all here, someone once told my wife that women should not do full press-ups, can anyone tell me if this is true and if so why so and what equivalent exercise should they do instead?

Thanks in advance.

Oh and g'em, thanks for that picture, very...informative

afaik it has something to do with the possiblity of a womans womb seperating from the rest of her or something equally daft...I know a girl in the rdf who was told something like that and thats why she does her press ups on her knees.

0
#10 08-02-2008 05:02PM

the drifter

Closed Accounts Posts: 7,338 ✭✭✭

Join Date: February 2005

Posts: 7034

thats the biggest load of.....ive ever heard....

0
#11 08-02-2008 05:06PM

g'em

Closed Accounts Posts: 22,819 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: September 2005

Posts: 22005

brianthebard wrote: »

afaik it has something to do with the possiblity of a womans womb seperating from the rest of her or something equally daft...

That's one of the rumours I heard too. r3nu4l there's absolutely no reason (injuries aside) why a woman shouldn't do push-ups. It strengthens shoulders and chest, which translates into perkier, more uplifted boobs. Win-win all round.

0
Advertisement
#12 08-02-2008 05:08PM

rubadub

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,387 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: July 2002

Posts: 31654

Pink dumbbells tone, black ones make you too big. FACT!

0
#13 08-02-2008 05:09PM

r3nu4l

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,392 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: January 2006

Posts: 15535

g'em wrote: »

That's one of the rumours I heard too. r3nu4l there's absolutely no reason (injuries aside) why a woman shouldn't do push-ups. It strengthens shoulders and chest, which translates into perkier, more uplifted boobs. Win-win all round.

Cheers g'em, now I need to find a reference to show my wife that this is the case. As scientists, we're always looking for credible citations, what a drag

EDIT: @ rubadub, LOL

0
#14 08-02-2008 05:11PM

g'em

Closed Accounts Posts: 22,819 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: September 2005

Posts: 22005

r3nu4l wrote: »

Cheers g'em, now I need to find a reference to show my wife that this is the case. As scientists, we're always looking for credible citations, what a drag

I'm a white-coated one too, I'll see can I find any 'evidence' for you. If it's a help, tell your wife I do full-push ups with 10-15kg extra on my back, and I (and my bf) can testify to increasing shape retention irrespective of weight loss.

0
#15 08-02-2008 05:15PM

dudara

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: September 2003

Posts: 32068

brianthebard wrote: »

afaik it has something to do with the possiblity of a womans womb seperating from the rest of her or something equally daft...I know a girl in the rdf who was told something like that and thats why she does her press ups on her knees.

That's what we've always been told as well. I think that when you're starting out, do them on your knees, but when you're stronger, it's safe (and better) to switch to the normal press-up position.

As for the OP - squats are phenomenal for shaping thighs and buttocks. What you heard there was complete toss. In fact, I suffered a serious knee injury about 3 years ago, and once the knee was better, I used squatting (up to about 60 kg) to build up my quad muscles and take the strain off my knee.

0
#16 08-02-2008 05:16PM

r3nu4l

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,392 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: January 2006

Posts: 15535

g'em wrote: »

I'm a white-coated one too, I'll see can I find any 'evidence' for you. If it's a help, tell your wife I do full-push ups with 10-15kg extra on my back, and I (and my bf) can testify to increasing shape retention irrespective of weight loss.

Excellent stuff, to Pubmed we go as for the 10-15kg extra...now I feel ashamed of my punyness...but it's early days yet. Thanks.

0
#17 08-02-2008 07:51PM

Roper

Closed Accounts Posts: 6,448 ✭✭✭

Join Date: December 2004

Posts: 6269

Every time I start to train a girl, I get the "won't my womb drop out if I do a push up?" line. Frankly, if I ever find out who started that ridiculous myth I'm going to brain them. I was teaching a class full of 15 year olds a few weeks back and every single girl thought that was the case.

0
#18 08-02-2008 08:31PM

xebec

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,311 ✭✭✭

Join Date: May 2006

Posts: 3250

OK, this is still OT but seeing as everyone else is...

Just from my experience with boxing, we do short fast sets of exercises mixing them up without any breaks and as part of this we do a large number of push-ups. As a rule, the girls (who make up about 60% of people there) are told to do their push-ups on their knees. As with everyone else I'm sceptical of the reason for this being to do with womb separation, but I've heard that too. My point of view however is that it is far less risky for women to do them on their knees compared to the extra gain they would get from doing them on their toes, so I'm all for it until I see some medical evidence that proves otherwise.

This is much more of an observation than anything else, I too am based around science and in particular statistics and as such would be interested in seeing any evidence that proves otherwise. But I find it unlikely that any study could disprove that there are negative effects for women doing push-ups on their toes.

0
#19 08-02-2008 09:28PM

Roper

Closed Accounts Posts: 6,448 ✭✭✭

Join Date: December 2004

Posts: 6269

xebec wrote: »

OK, this is still OT but seeing as everyone else is...

Just from my experience with boxing, we do short fast sets of exercises mixing them up without any breaks and as part of this we do a large number of push-ups. As a rule, the girls (who make up about 60% of people there) are told to do their push-ups on their knees. As with everyone else I'm sceptical of the reason for this being to do with womb separation, but I've heard that too. My point of view however is that it is far less risky for women to do them on their knees compared to the extra gain they would get from doing them on their toes, so I'm all for it until I see some medical evidence that proves otherwise.

This is much more of an observation than anything else, I too am based around science and in particular statistics and as such would be interested in seeing any evidence that proves otherwise. But I find it unlikely that any study could disprove that there are negative effects for women doing push-ups on their toes.

Um... listen I'm fairly sure I'm not stupid... actually no I'm not 100% sure but why don't I understand this post? I find it unlikely that disproving the provable will lead to negative positives.

Can you go again please? A bit clearer cos I'm not sure whether you're pro or against push ups for women.

0
#20 09-02-2008 02:39AM

HammerHeadGym

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,029 ✭✭✭

Join Date: November 2006

Posts: 980

r3nu4l wrote: »

...thanks for that picture, very ...informative...

Yep, Informative I thought.

Into a sock!!

0
#21 09-02-2008 02:03PM

rubadub

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,387 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: July 2002

Posts: 31654

xebec wrote: »

As a rule, the girls (who make up about 60% of people there) are told to do their push-ups on their knees.

I presume that is so they can do similar numbers. i.e. in a mixed class if the instructor says do 20 pushups, you cannot expect the same level of strength, so ones on the knees are easier.

I was teaching a class full of 15 year olds a few weeks back and every single girl thought that was the case.

Really? do you ever ask where they heard it. Never heard of this myth before, are girls really going around saying "You know that teacher Miss Ryan, well do you know why she really has no kids?....she did a pushup once"

on a par with worms in slimfast
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055233265

0
Advertisement
#22 09-02-2008 02:03PM

xebec

Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,311 ✭✭✭

Join Date: May 2006

Posts: 3250

Roper wrote: »

Um... listen I'm fairly sure I'm not stupid... actually no I'm not 100% sure but why don't I understand this post? I find it unlikely that disproving the provable will lead to negative positives.

Can you go again please? A bit clearer cos I'm not sure whether you're pro or against push ups for women.

OK, I completely lost the run of myself with that post, sorry

In short, I'm pro women doing push-ups, but sticking to doing them on their knees. While I'm not sure I believe all the stuff about womb separation, imo the added benefit of doing them on your toes is not worth the risk.

0
#23 09-02-2008 02:22PM

g'em

Closed Accounts Posts: 22,819 ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: September 2005

Posts: 22005

xebec wrote: »

In short, I'm pro women doing push-ups, but sticking to doing them on their knees. While I'm not sure I believe all the stuff about womb separation, imo the added benefit of doing them on your toes is not worth the risk.

Womb separation? From push-ups? Would this be the same womb that carries a baby for nine months multiple times during a woman's life? The same womb that stretches, sloughs, spasms and endures a crap load of abuse once a month, every month for 30-odd years of a woman's life?

But yet push-ups risk damaging it?

Ah lads

The only benefit of push-ups from the knees are simply if a woman hasn't the upper body strength to support herself, it's nothing to do with their reproductive system.

0
#24 09-02-2008 05:15PM

hardtrainer

Closed Accounts Posts: 217 ✭✭

Join Date: October 2005

Posts: 212

I'm equally dumbfounded at this idea that a push up can somehow damage the uterus. Women are usually instructed to do pushups with their knees on the ground for the reasons G'em and everyone else has pointed out here, general lack of upper body strength (in unconditioned females). Of course, many unconditioned men must also start off doing push ups this way.

For the OP, I cannot think of a single exercise that is beneficial for men and not for women. I know there is this myth perpetuated by other women, that wieghtlifting is for men only and that any resistance training at all will lead to massive bulging muscles. Sadly (for many guys) this isn't the case. Getting massive bulging muscles takes a lot of time and dedication and many many factors (testosterone being one of them).

0