this whole 'mens side' vs. 'womens side' of the gym

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Replies

  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    Really? Why do women feel the need to act stupid to be accepted. Sad :cry:

    I wouldn't know. I have never acted "stupid" to be accepted anywhere. I'm just not afraid to let a man be helpful, even if I don't really need it. It makes him feel good, it gives me something I want (in this case, the opportunity to work out in a more friendly, cooperative environment). Everyone wins.
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
    My gym has a normal weights room thats usually full of men and a special 'women only' room.
    My trainer always asks if I want to go in the women's room, but I just go in with all the men I don't really give a *kitten* what they think of me for being in 'their' bit of the gym lol
  • kealambert
    kealambert Posts: 961 Member
    I wonder what would happen if a guy went into the 'women only' room...or if a gym decided to have a 'men only' room
  • kealambert
    kealambert Posts: 961 Member
    not counting the locker rooms!
  • TiffanyDawn79
    TiffanyDawn79 Posts: 201 Member
    The womens area here at a local gym had to actually change their "women only" sign because people were complaining. I know I need to make my way over to the machines and weight room I just can't seem to do it, and I don't really know why I am so intimidated. It is something I really want/need to work on.
  • kealambert
    kealambert Posts: 961 Member
    The womens area here at a local gym had to actually change their "women only" sign because people were complaining. I know I need to make my way over to the machines and weight room I just can't seem to do it, and I don't really know why I am so intimidated. It is something I really want/need to work on.

    as Nike says: just do it :)
  • christine24t
    christine24t Posts: 6,063 Member
    I will go on the weight machine side of the gym, but not free weights. The people there (both men and women) honestly scare the crap of out of me. I go to a really welcoming gym, but I just get nervous about dumb stuff like that. Everybody grunts and lifts high loads and it scares me. I won't even go into the free weight part of my school gym because of the same thing. You walk in and everybody stops and stares.
  • turbophoenix
    turbophoenix Posts: 152
    I had a guy come take dumbbells out of my hands once while I was doing chest flys (flies?). He then proceeded to give me a lecture on "proper lifting." I was more angry than embarrassed but it was very uncool.

    P.S. I should probably note that I'd worked out with a trainer before and was using proper form as I was taught... On the other hand, I always use the men's "side" of the gym for cardio. But that's a WHOLE different story...
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    can we stop it please? as a guy, I have never seen a woman lifting and not been excited for them or thought anything but good thoughts (especially if they're easy on the eyes).

    and dudes, if you ARE doing this, or see other dudes doing it, STOP IT. and ladies, please just trust that you're allowed to use whatever part of the gym you want; don't feel relegated to 18 hours on the elipitical because you 'feel intimidated'

    Tell all the men over there to stop hitting on us and picking on us. I do not need you to tell me what I should or shouldn't do. If I wanted your opinion, I would ask. I do not go to lift weights just to hand out my phone number either.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    The whole of my gym is the "men's side". Seriously, I saw a woman at the gym today. I've been there since May 2010 and seen a woman there probably 5-10 times max! 50% of those women were either, going with a bf and mainly just standing around watching him, doing endless reps with tiny dumbells, or staying on the cardio.

    I wish more women would venture into free weights if they want to (without intimidation holding them back) All the guys I've met there are really nice! :)
  • SWilland
    SWilland Posts: 232 Member

    I sometimes wonder if we (men and women, alike) don't freak ourselves out more than what other people really think.

    ^^ This!

    I dont go to the gym for lifting or cardio but I think your spot on with the mentality :)
  • ladyfox1979
    ladyfox1979 Posts: 405 Member
    I have to say that I am one of those people who don't give a damn what people think if I want something I go for it and God help anyone who gets in my way of something I want.

    The men's side of the gym does not intimdiate me. I have my weight lifting days and if I need a paticular weight of need to do my squats I go right to the person using and say " when are you done?" . They don't seem to mind and I have made a few friends in the process. I do get teased that I can't do as much as they can but then I reply and say I am a "dainty lady" and I have a man who is strong enough for the both of us
  • kealambert
    kealambert Posts: 961 Member
    I will go on the weight machine side of the gym, but not free weights. The people there (both men and women) honestly scare the crap of out of me. I go to a really welcoming gym, but I just get nervous about dumb stuff like that. Everybody grunts and lifts high loads and it scares me. I won't even go into the free weight part of my school gym because of the same thing. You walk in and everybody stops and stares.

    A) not to diminish your legitimate concern, but people generally do not stare, especially in a bad way...that's socially very looked down upon on it's own, so if they are 'staring,' it's probably a good thing
    B) we are all SO caught up in our own lives, ESPECIALLY at the gym, it is such a rare occasion I think of anything else except my own workout
    C) who cares! it's your workout, OWN IT! confidence wins out in all cases, so do whatever you feel you need to do to succeed
  • kealambert
    kealambert Posts: 961 Member
    can we stop it please? as a guy, I have never seen a woman lifting and not been excited for them or thought anything but good thoughts (especially if they're easy on the eyes).

    and dudes, if you ARE doing this, or see other dudes doing it, STOP IT. and ladies, please just trust that you're allowed to use whatever part of the gym you want; don't feel relegated to 18 hours on the elipitical because you 'feel intimidated'

    Tell all the men over there to stop hitting on us and picking on us. I do not need you to tell me what I should or shouldn't do. If I wanted your opinion, I would ask. I do not go to lift weights just to hand out my phone number either.

    my thread. if you don't want my opinion, don't read it. otherwise, I'm offering it.

    and this is about empowering those who feel they aren't allowed to fulfill their potential.

    and I have never A) seen, nor B) been a witness to anyone being 'picked on' or 'hit on' in any way in my 7 years of regular gym goig.
  • WickedGarden
    WickedGarden Posts: 944 Member
    When I went to the gym, the men would be super territorial about the weight room. I hardly ever saw other women there.

    I didn't care, I went there, did my workouts. I just hated when the guys would leave their towel on the bench of the machine I wanted to use, hog all the handles (keep them all in a pile next to them while they did dead lifts), or just leave all the weights on the bar so I'd have to take them all off and put them away before I could do the bench press. oh and the towels...they never wiped down the machines OR used a towel on the bench.

    The guys also need to stop telling the women in the weight room "don't hurt yourself..that's a lot of weight for a small gal like you" What?!? are you intimidated by the amount of weight i put on the leg press because *you* can't press that much?

    oh, and ladies, don't ask the guys in the weight room for pointers, ask the front desk if a trainer is available to show you how to use the machines, it's free.
  • kealambert
    kealambert Posts: 961 Member
    I have to say that I am one of those people who don't give a damn what people think if I want something I go for it and God help anyone who gets in my way of something I want.

    The men's side of the gym does not intimdiate me. I have my weight lifting days and if I need a paticular weight of need to do my squats I go right to the person using and say " when are you done?" . They don't seem to mind and I have made a few friends in the process. I do get teased that I can't do as much as they can but then I reply and say I am a "dainty lady" and I have a man who is strong enough for the both of us

    you rule
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    can we stop it please? as a guy, I have never seen a woman lifting and not been excited for them or thought anything but good thoughts (especially if they're easy on the eyes).

    and dudes, if you ARE doing this, or see other dudes doing it, STOP IT. and ladies, please just trust that you're allowed to use whatever part of the gym you want; don't feel relegated to 18 hours on the elipitical because you 'feel intimidated'

    Tell all the men over there to stop hitting on us and picking on us. I do not need you to tell me what I should or shouldn't do. If I wanted your opinion, I would ask. I do not go to lift weights just to hand out my phone number either.

    my thread. if you don't want my opinion, don't read it. otherwise, I'm offering it.

    and this is about empowering those who feel they aren't allowed to fulfill their potential.

    and I have never A) seen, nor B) been a witness to anyone being 'picked on' or 'hit on' in any way in my 7 years of regular gym goig.

    I wasn't trying to be mean to you! :smile: I meant "you" as in "men." Maybe not all gyms are like this, and I doubt you are. But there are very few younger women at my gym and the younger men feel the need to say something to any girl that walks into the area. I've had 4 guys ask for my number. There is nothing more annoying than being interrupted during your work out to have a guy tell you that you're doing something wrong or to ask you out.
  • kealambert
    kealambert Posts: 961 Member
    can we stop it please? as a guy, I have never seen a woman lifting and not been excited for them or thought anything but good thoughts (especially if they're easy on the eyes).

    and dudes, if you ARE doing this, or see other dudes doing it, STOP IT. and ladies, please just trust that you're allowed to use whatever part of the gym you want; don't feel relegated to 18 hours on the elipitical because you 'feel intimidated'

    Tell all the men over there to stop hitting on us and picking on us. I do not need you to tell me what I should or shouldn't do. If I wanted your opinion, I would ask. I do not go to lift weights just to hand out my phone number either.

    my thread. if you don't want my opinion, don't read it. otherwise, I'm offering it.

    and this is about empowering those who feel they aren't allowed to fulfill their potential.

    and I have never A) seen, nor B) been a witness to anyone being 'picked on' or 'hit on' in any way in my 7 years of regular gym goig.

    I wasn't trying to be mean to you! :smile: I meant "you" as in "men." Maybe not all gyms are like this, and I doubt you are. But there are very few younger women at my gym and the younger men feel the need to say something to any girl that walks into the area. I've had 4 guys ask for my number. There is nothing more annoying than being interrupted during your work out to have a guy tell you that you're doing something wrong or to ask you out.

    OHHHHHHhh I thought you meant this thread was my opinion you didn't ask for, which of course was confusing, but got my trigger finger. my bad!
  • jodyl70
    jodyl70 Posts: 94
    Was very intimidated in the beginning, down right scared actually!
    Now I feel alot of pride that I am one of the very few women who work out with the "big boy weights" and that I actually know what the heck I am doing!
    :happy:
  • Lemon912
    Lemon912 Posts: 6
    Haha was this for me? I know its silly but its hard to just walk over like you belong especially if you have no clue about how anything works and do not find it easy to talk to random guys (really hot and in great shape guys). But you know what, you are right. Why should I be sentenced to a life time of cardio if I want to use the weights. Im gonna strut over there today and use the weights. Maybe another day Ill find the courage to ask random guy to spot me so I can try benching :)

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