A recent discussion on stereotypes and various circumstances I have been placed in, have gotten me thinking.

Let’s backtrack a bit. Around two years ago, I began strength training, lifting weights. Backtracking further, if you had told the 10, 20, 30, or even 40 year old me that I would make it a point to lift weights a bunch of times a week, I would not have believed you. Yet, with the motivation of my husband (who both started both of us on this journey of fitness and wellbeing, as well as encouraged me, with all my busy schedules, to carve out this time for me) and under the guidance of my trainer, I began to lift. When I began, I huffed and puffed my way through the 2 kg weights, never believing that I’d stick on till date and beyond.

Ever since I got on this journey, I observed a number of changes in me. Physically, of course, my strength has increased (I am way beyond the puny little 2 kg weights now!). Beyond that, however, it was my confidence that increased multifold. I became convinced that I could do this, and anything and everything (well, most everything) else I put my mind to. After all, Vyshnavi the nerd could co-exist with Vyshnavi the weight-lifter, right? Strength and power were words I began associating with myself. Initially, I would look for excuses to avoid my workout for the day, but today I make it a point to head to it even if I’m really late.

I also observed a lot of stereotyping around me. For example, when I went by train, I observed that men around me would offer to put my bags to the rack above my head. Polite enough till then, sure. But these were always attached with a “nimge aagala” (you cannot lift it) and insistence and force that I handover my bags to the men in question and “allow them” to “help me out”. The cherry on the top of the stereotypical cake was that I ended up lifting my bags with more ease than many who were “offering to help!” I was even once told by a man (younger than me!) that “women these days are too independent!”

I know dozens of people who strength train. Women, men, teens and even pre-teens (under supervision of course). And yet, even today, it is assumed that women are not as strong.

This post is not to urge anyone to jump into training. This is merely a request to step out of old ideas. To not make assumptions, to not place anyone in a bucket. To not stereotype anyone, man or woman, child or adult.

Let’s just say “Strong Like A Human” 🙂