Lifting Heavy With Karen Smith
By: Dj Wittekind SFG II
One of the greatest misnomers in the strength world is if women lift heavy they will become big and bulky. And that is not a look most women are going for. However, most women NEED to strength train. Women have a fear of gaining the typically masculine physique and to be honest, rightfully so.
As coaches we are constantly at odds with the unending media bombardment thrust upon our female clients that “prove” lifting heavy makes women oversized bulky monsters. Walk down the grocery store magazine aisle and you can see the covers of fitness magazines such as “Muscles & Meatheads Monthly” that clearly show female bodybuilding competitors who are so obviously so jacked on steroids and other substances that they have built themselves a very massive growth of muscles. This is the same physique most women are afraid of.
These types of images are not confined to the bodybuilding covers anymore but also the “physique” ‘zines as well. Have you looked at these covers lately? These women clearly do not demonstrate the wants of the female population nor do anything to facilitate the strength training that so many of them need. Again, these covers do not adequately represent the wants of the Suzie homemakers or the busy female professionals of the world.
As coaches we are continuously at odds with this input of a vastly false perception of what the female body can become when getting under some heavy weight. This is often times exacerbated by the fact that I, as a coach, am a male speaking these truths to a woman. In order to better my clients I much reach into my coaching toolbox in order to show them that lifting heavy fixes everything.
Often times this pearl of wisdom cannot come from me.
Enter Karen. At a towering 5’4”, Karen’s physique clearly speaks for itself. Karen lacks the bulging muscles, a huge nose, defined squared chin, pulsing veins, or a hairy chest that is commonly associated with the massive female physiques on the above stated magazine covers showcasing women who are undoubtedly abusing questionable substances.
On more than one occasion Karen has entered my facility and demonstrated the truths about lifting heavy. Remember, ‘heavy’ being a relative term. Breaking the misnomer that in order to be strong you have to lift obscene amounts of intimidating weight, Karen reveals that lifting heavy, being strong, is mostly a state of mind. There is a technique; there is a skill. The coaching that accompanies Karen is taught in such a way that in my experience is never lost on any female client willing to listen.
Karen’s method to coaching is unique as she presents training to women who have avoided it for so long. She takes her time as she begins instructing women with basic movements that everyone is familiar with. She then digs deeper to demonstrate a slightly more difficult version of the movement, making clients ‘stronger’ at that particular pattern. Switching gears, but in keeping with the theme of using familiar movements, Karen instructs the same principals of these familiar moves from one into another under load; moving from basic biomechanics to lifting ‘heavy’ weight. It is not long before the participants in Karen’s workshop begin to PR. Something in Karen’s teaching resonates, clicks, with the client. All of a sudden strength training makes a little more sense in the minds of these ladies.
The funny things is, once they have gone heavy, it is like a drug; it is all they want to do. In fact, following Karen’s workshops, this is all my female clients are about.
As a coach it is important that there is validity in your teachings, especially when instructing your female population that heavy is better. Karen reiterates strength-training principals that all male coaches struggle to get across to the ladies. I am no exception. In my experience female clients often times excel when making that female-to-female connection.
As Karen has shown by completing the Iron Maiden Challenge, by her continuing instruction to what strength training really is, and by her unbending approach to getting stronger day after day, she sets an enormous example to ladies that you do not in fact develop a Hulk like physique when strength training. In reality- quite the opposite.
Bio:
Dj Wittekind is a level II SFG. He can be found spreading the gospel of unconventional training methods and beard cultivation out of Queen City Kettlebell in Cincinnati, Ohio. DJ’s goal is to empower and educate his clients through better decision making to improve their overall quality of life. Visit www.QueenCityKettlebell.com to read more of his ramblings.
