How do those little women do it?

[rtzptut]

General thought on here is gain weight get big and get stronger. Works for you guys and I must say I do like a beefy lifter. Women getting "big and strong" is OK for a while then when they start looking like those linebacker sized eastern bloc chicks, I think many men might steer clear. And yes I really like men so would rather they did not run for the hills when they see me.

I need to get stronger for my job and to be a more productive member of society - basically staving off nursing homes as well as death. I am not looking for any world records. I am already stronger and more productive than the two guys who work for me. WTF the little 50 year old woman has to open 150lb manhole lids for them? But that is mostly due to some sort of back injury on their parts.

I have tried and failed miserably before at this. I am having trouble getting started again and the idea of lifting alone with no help is daunting enough without adding trying to eat everything in sight to improve my lifts. Although I am perfectly capable of doing that, I love to eat and often eat like a guy. I can hang with the best of them, but am not shooting for the jaba the hut look.

My question is how do women like Kelly Moore and Jodi Bainbridge do it? Basically lift three times their bodyweight while deadlifting. How do I move towards that as the ideal without adding the monster weight gain which works so well for you guys? Without the companion weight gain am I looking at say months to a year to add substantially to my lifts compared to what you guys can do in mere weeks? Is it just a matter of time and I need to be really patient?

I know someone will say get off my ass and "just do it", I know I know but easier said than done currently. I also know 2 pound or less increments, I have fractional plates so you don't have to tell me that either. SS stuff is all good but the squatting, I suck completely at it (worse than the untrained person) and can't figure out how to do it alone with no one to help me fix it.

I'd like to know how you think Kelly and Jodi achieved those lifts at that tiny weight? I could of course just ask Kelly but then I seem to be a glutton for punishment, plus I do not want to bug her. Oh and don't forget Natalie Woolfolk, I had the extraordinary privilege of being coached by her as well. Just amazing to see that little girl move that kind of weight around. Watching her snatch was just truly amazing. She is my daughter's age so I can get away with calling her a "little girl" but small woman is what I mean.

Small women - big weights what gives?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Genetics is what gives. Kelly and Jodi excel as lifters, and this is why you know who they are. And they didn't just start recently. But lots of teenage girls pull 3x bodyweight+ every year in Texas high school powerlifting meets. They are atypical females in that they are gifted genetically and developmentally. You may not be. But the fact that your squat is "worse than the untrained person" indicates to me that your primary problem is probably a lack of coaching. Address this first and you'll be much farther along in your attempt to catch up with Jodi and Kelly.

[Gwyn Brookes]

Women getting "big and strong" is OK for a while then when they start looking like those linebacker sized eastern bloc chicks...

This does not happen unless you juice.

The idea of lifting alone with no help is daunting enough without adding trying to eat everything in sight to improve my lifts. Although I am perfectly capable of doing that, I love to eat and often eat like a guy. I can hang with the best of them, but am not shooting for the jaba the hut look.

If you train hard and eat just a little more than you think you should you'll probably do quite well. But if the eating thing stresses you out so much that you don't want to even start, just let it go. Your body will tell you when it's tired of not having enough fuel. You may even get to the point where your desire to get stronger overcomes your fear of getting fat.

I don't know anyone who ever got fat by barbell training plus lots of eating. There's a lot of fear of this on the boards. I just don't see it happening.

Feel free to contradict me guys - but I want pictures! :-)

[TomF]

Yup.

In Jodi's case, pair her genetics and determination with the great good luck to have started training seriously ... with Anthony Bainbridge. He'd already lifted extensively by the time they met, and as a result she didn't waste training years with garbage programming, sloppy form, or poor recovery.