Women and weights

As women, we often limit fitness to step aerobics, treadmills and those little pink weights that you could probably play catch with. It’s that kind of limited mind set, that allows us to do what we do best – multi task. But unlike in other aspects of life, working out whilst chatting, reading magazines and watching the TV in the gym won’t benefit us in any way. It’s a waste of membership.

If you go to a regular chain gym, men can often be rude, they don’t want women in ‘their’ section and they can be quite pervy. Here, they’ll help you out, have a bit of banter and that’s it.

Female bodybuilding on the other hand, is at the other end of the female fitness spectrum. These women train hard and it shows. Whilst protruding muscles on a woman isn’t everybody’s desired look, you have to hand it to them for having the dedication not to have that biscuit and not to bypass the gym for the pub. It’s shocking to think that any one of us is actually capable of having this type of body if we really set our minds to it. But the reality is that most of us don’t want to go that far. So what can the average Josephine who works 9-5 do to at least aim in the right direction? I visited Olympic Gym in Eccles – a very real, no-frills bodybuilding gym – to meet natural bodybuilding champion, fitness figure model and physio, Claire Harper….

You’re a female bodybuilder but you don’t look big or manly at all. How so?

It’s like boxing. There are different classes in bodybuilding. You’ve got physique which is what you probably think of as bodybuilding. In the physique section, yes they can be big, but there’s about 20 women that do that in the whole federation and in the grand scheme of things that’s not a lot. They’ve worked really hard to get like that. I do figure bodybuilding. It’s a very different federation. I would never even bother stepping on a stage with the physique girls. I could get like that if I dieted though. Dieted down and tanned up.

Most women don’t want to be like that though. Is that why we avoid weights and stick to the cardio?

Loads of women want to train but are worried about how they’re going to look. Women think it’s daunting coming to a gym like this, but the guys here are the nicest set of people. If you go to a regular chain gym, men can often be rude, they don’t want women in ‘their’ section and they can be quite pervy. Here, they’ll help you out, have a bit of banter and that’s it.

How did you first brave a gym like this?

A few male friends of mine competed and I used to go and watch them. They started the female figure category and I thought ‘I could do that’. I initially had the fear as I didn’t want to grow big muscles, yet I’m naturally skinny anyway and have always hated it. The training made me tone up and I also put on a bit of weight. They suggested I compete and I said ‘no, I’m not getting on stage in a bikini and heels’. It took me two years to get the confidence and now look at me. I did eight shows last year.

What does a show consist of?

It’s all day long but you’re on stage for about ten minutes. You’ll turn up and they’ll have all the different categories. There might be novices, under 21s, over 40s and then somewhere in the middle will be my category. You then do your posing, a routine to music to show off your figure and then more posing. They tot up the scores and you’re done.

What do they look for in a winning physique?

Symmetry – wide shoulders, narrow waist, a good set of hips. A classic hourglass. They do look at size, but they want to see signs of training – some muscle but not too much.

To get that physique you must be a slave to the gym and protein shakes?

I like my treats so throughout the year I eat really clean. It takes two minutes to dunk a load of veg into a pan, boil it and blend it into a soup. Or fresh chicken breast in the oven, season it, cook it for an hour and put it with your veg. It’s more changing how you think and getting out of the mind set and planning more. I have protein shakes because I don’t eat enough. For me to get enough protein and calories, I need the shakes. It’s easier for me to do it that way, but as long as you’re eating regularly and clean you can still tone and get a really nice figure. Training wise, everyone thinks I must live in the gym, but I don’t. I go three times a week, it’s just that I train smart. Most people go to the gym and do it all wrong.

What differences have you noticed physically and mentally since you changed your lifestyle?

Mentally, I’m more positive now. Exercise gets your endorphins going. You also have more energy. Hair, skin and general health is also so much better. Choosing to go to the gym, putting the time in and eating well is a lifestyle choice. Unfortunately a lot of people eat microwave meals and fast food that is not good for us. We’re not meant to have it. I’ve not got any of that and I don’t drink or smoke because I feel if I’m doing all that hard work in the gym, why would I want to then poison myself?

That said, bodybuilding has had plenty of negative press with regards to exercise addiction, extreme diets and steroids. What’s your take on all this?

I’m not addicted because I could stop but why would I want to stop? I’d become really unhealthy, I’d get saggy and I’d feel awful.

The diets for competitors may seem extreme but for most of them it’s over 20 weeks. Yes there are very low body fat levels but there’s nothing silly or dangerous for the ladies. We’re probably eating healthier than most of the UK.

I think that’s what scares a lot of people – they think of bodybuilding and think it’s steroids. In the natural federations you’re tested and people like that because they know they can train without going down that avenue. For a lot of sports unfortunately, steroids are there. Everyone wants to be the best and wants the edge that will help fulfill a dream. Steroids are in a lot of medication and a lot of other things these days though and I think that’s one of the things that’s a shame. It gets bad mouthed, but like anything it’s when it’s abused that it’s going to be bad for you.

What is your vision of a good, healthy female body?

Women should be toned. I don’t think every woman needs to be muscular, it’s just about being healthy. You have girls in our culture that are either really over weight or anorexic because they’re obsessed with the ideal. I don’t think there is an ideal. If we all ate healthily and trained well regularly, we’d have healthy figures – pert bottoms and boobs. I try and stay away from magazines and celebrities, because let’s face it, they’re all airbrushed. But, I think Kelly Brook is a good role model. She’s healthy, curvy and toned. You never see her stick thin, but you never see her overweight

What about if you’re cursed with the ‘fat gene’?

I don’t believe there is a fat gene. I think it’s down to lifestyle choices from family and inherited down. Genetically, you’ve got a set build but I don’t believe some people are genetically programmed to be fat. There’s an averaged sized person in all of us.

Where do you think a lot of women who aren’t seeing results are going wrong at the gym?

It’s not often that they’re doing things wrong at the gym, it’s more that when they’re sat at their desks they eat biscuits and chocolates and drink tea and coffee. They like wine with their evening meal and a bit more at the weekend. The food they eat isn’t good and the big thing is a lot of women actually forget to eat and most skip breakfast. They think if they don’t eat they’ll lose weight. It’s the opposite. You need breakfast to get your metabolism going. If you don’t start your breakfast, you don’t start your metabolism, so it slows down and when you do eat a meal, you hang on to the weight. It’s all bad habits. You can’t just go to the gym, you’ve got to look at your lifestyle as a whole.

Once in the gym, the biggest problem is that most women go to a treadmill and stick on that for an hour. They don’t really sweat and they stay in their comfort zone. That’s not going to burn calories. A woman who is toned and lifts weights will burn more calories just by having the muscle there. It makes sense to weight train. Women need to lift weights and do resistance training. Unfortunately you don’t see many women heading to that section.

Isn’t that something personal trainers should be encouraging?

I think the problem is a lot of personal trainers know women aren’t interested in weights, so yes, they could push them more and educate them.

Claire trains at Olympic Gym in Eccles. If you’d like to put Claire’s training tips into practice, owner Paul George and the team will be happy to help. Visit www.paulgeorge.org or call 0161 707 7161 for membership details.

For more information on Claire Harper please visit www.claireharper.co.uk

Clare’s tips for total female fitness

EXERCISE

Muffin Tops
Stop drinking alcohol. Watch your wheat and gluten intake. Keep active. Muffin top for a lot of us is dietary. Age doesn’t help because things become slacker and looser, but as we get older for a lot of people they think that’s a reason to not exercise as much, yet I had a 73-year-old in yesterday that did a three mile hike at a walking club. Some people think because they’re getting older they need to slow down and usually that is the reason why they put on the weight. Most of the women on stage are in their late 30s and 40s and have all had kids, so there’s no excuse.

Cellulite thighs
You’ve got to do walking lunges, squatting and all the leg work. The big one to watch for cellulite is caffeine. Keep your fluid intake high with hot or cold water and green tea. Cellulite is fat so you can limit cellulite if you’ve got low body fat.

Rounded tum
You can work your core and work your abdominals but it comes down to your diet. It’s fat and water retention that’s sitting there. The ab cradles at gyms are bad for your back. If you want to do crunches, do them on a gym ball. It’s safer and more effective. For women, it’s not the six pack area we want to tone, it’s the bit just below it. No amount of crunches is going to get rid of the ‘period belly’. You need to do reverse exercises for example, lying down and holding a gym ball between your feet and lifting it. But better still is things like squatting and walking lunges. I don’t train abs at all. I don’t need to and I still have a six pack when I’m on stage. I train my legs well so my core is really strong.

Bingo wings
Tricep dips. Even if you feel like you have no upper body strength, start doing these and you will get some. Another great one for upper body toning is pole dancing. I recommend pole dancing classes at the Armitage Centre in Fallowfield. People find exercise boring, so the key is finding something that you enjoy so that you will stick at it. Some people just don’t want to be doing step aerobics. It’s boring.

Flat bum
Squatting. Whether it’s on a gym ball against a wall or with weights. You can turn a flat bum into a pert bum. When I started I had no bum and now I’m getting a ledge. If you want to tone up with weights you should go for a heavier weight and less repetitions. It’s also important to have a good rest in between sets. You need a good 30 seconds in between and you want to be struggling on the last couple of reps.

DIET

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast or rye bread. That’s protein, carbs and some good fats. I’d say no to cereal generally as it’s just a carbohydrate with sugars. If you insist on cereal, have oats with sultanas and a protein shake, because you need protein. Cold hams in the morning is also good, or eggs benedicts.

Mid morning snack: Nuts or seeds. These are good fats. You’re not going to get fat from eating them. Have them at your desk.

Lunch: Chicken breast, vegetables, seasoning. You could add soy sauce. Or even fish with vegetables. Cottage cheese and avocados are great for salads.

Mid afternoon snack: Fruit or nuts and seeds again.

Dinner: Have what you want but make it fresh. Even if you have a lasagne, do it yourself and make it with wholemeal pasta.

Before bed: When you’re sleeping your body repairs and grows, so have another little snack as it’s a long time before breakfast again.

Portion sizes: The standard rule is protein should be the size of your hand. Carbs should be the size of your fist. And fats should be a teaspoon.