I submitted my Primal powerlifting success story to Mark’s Daily Apple because of Ryan’s encouragement. And yesterday the story was posted on Mark’s site.

I honestly wasn’t sure how people would respond and was a bit nervous to have my story somewhere other than Man Bicep. I thought people would think it was cool or a bit different from the usual success story, but I never thought people would assume I was a man.

Actually I am very amused by how many people first assumed it was a man’s story until they saw the pictures.

It made me think about how conditioned we are to believe that men lift heavy weights, but women don’t.

I mean people even just assumed I spelled “fiance” wrong instead of thinking that I was a woman…and honestly I can’t blame them.

We all view life through a lens – a lens which is developed based on our own experiences and the influence of mainstream media.

And let’s face it, most women don’t lift heavy. And most mainstream media tells us that women shouldn’t even want to lift heavy unless they want to bulk up.

Most media sources tell women to avoid super low reps so that they aren’t training for hypertrophy (to make their muscles bigger). Instead they are supposed to stick with higher reps and use “challenging” weights.

While yes, there are some outlets out there that are trying to change this female phobia of heavy weights, things are changing slowly…very slowly.

I still train women who don’t want to lift too heavy because they don’t want to get bulky. Of course I slowly trick them into lifting heavy, but at first they really refuse.

I even had one client tell me she was getting bulky from doing too many push ups…from her knees!!! WHAT!?!

I try telling them that there is no way that they will bulk up. I even tell them that I’ve tried and it just isn’t possible, but they don’t believe me. Too many mainstream media sources telling them something different.

I’m just hoping more women who lift heavy come forward and share their stories and pictures so that people stop assuming that any story about a heavy lifter is about a man!

Join the Man Bicep movement ladies! Flex those biceps. Invade the weight room floor. And look sexy while doing it!