Women Only Sections

Biff11

I'm just curious what people here think of women only sections in a gym. There is one in my gym but it's not labelled as such because of previous complaints.

So should they be allowed?

Should men get a seperated section?

What is the point of them? Surely properly motivated women wouldn't need them?


Opinions please........

hunnymonster

Personally I'm not a fan. It's like my favourite rant the women's-mini-marathon. Women jump up and down screaming foul play because they don't have full golf club status but expect to have separate gyms and races.

That said when it comes down to a particular women who just doesn't have to confidence to go to a gym with big bulky guys then what do we do? I would prefer to work on the confidence issues rather than pander to the inequality of separate gyms.

Black Swan

Not practical, cause lads will post to it, defeating the purpose?

seamus

It feeds the insecurity culture that the media and women's magazines champion, in order to spur on women to continually buy the latest and greatest and compare themselves to unattainable airbrushed images.

Of course, the gym is just out to make money because they understand that many women won't go to a gym that they have to share with men. If the male members don't want to complain, that's up to them.

hunnymonster

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

Not practical, cause lads will post to it, defeating the purpose?

sorry, I must be having a blonde moment. I don't understand this?

fatmammycat

I think it is ridiculous. I'd be irked if there was a male only section in my gym, I'd be equally irked if there was a female one.

Hanley

hunnymonster wrote: »

Personally I'm not a fan. It's like my favourite rant the women's-mini-marathon. Women jump up and down screaming foul play because they don't have full golf club status but expect to have separate gyms and races.

That said when it comes down to a particular women who just doesn't have to confidence to go to a gym with big bulky guys then what do we do? I would prefer to work on the confidence issues rather than pander to the inequality of separate gyms.

seamus wrote: »

It feeds the insecurity culture that the media and women's magazines champion, in order to spur on women to continually buy the latest and greatest and compare themselves to unattainable airbrushed images.

Of course, the gym is just out to make money because they understand that many women won't go to a gym that they have to share with men. If the male members don't want to complain, that's up to them.

Fully agree with both points.

It's a total BS move in my opinion.

Macha

seamus wrote: »

It feeds the insecurity culture that the media and women's magazines champion, in order to spur on women to continually buy the latest and greatest and compare themselves to unattainable airbrushed images.

Of course, the gym is just out to make money because they understand that many women won't go to a gym that they have to share with men. If the male members don't want to complain, that's up to them.

+1

Roper

As I've said before, to see if it's fair or not, try opening a men only section, see what happens.

That being said, some men can be idiots, especially in the weight room.

amazingemmet

Roper wrote: »

That being said, some men can be idiots, especially in the weight room.

Here here, Anyway I thought the free weights room was the mens section :pac:

Reyman

amazingemmet wrote: »

Here here, Anyway I thought the free weights room was the mens section :pac:

I'd be inclined to agree. Quite a few guys give gyms a bad name.

I'm not at all surprised if women want to train well away from egos

t-ha

Reyman wrote: »

Quite a few guys give gyms a bad name.

yeah... that's probably me then... but seriously, if you're hot and you're doing stiff-legged deadlifts in stretchy lycra pants - I'm gonna look (and maybe grunt a little).

prodigal_son

I can understand why women would want their own spot, but it would be better for them if they were around men who wanted to achieve the same goal as them.

So instead gyms should just be split into different sections, for different types of goals. Building muscle, burning fat, cardio, etc etc. and tailor each room to this goal and seperate them.

a weight room with all the right gear but only light weights for one group, and the same room with heavy weights for another, etc.

Id like to think that a woman who is just trying to shed some pounds would be comfortable around guys who are just doing the same, and a woman who is trying to take it a step further would be comfortable around guys with the same goal in mind.

Gurlzie1

I wouldn't go near the 'women's' section in my gym the free weights are so light it's an absolute joke! Prefer being in the weights area with the lads, gives me extra motivation to lift heavier.

Question for the lads: Do you really want females in the weights area with little 1kg dumbells doing pointless exercises and taking up the space you might need for your session?
If the answer is no, get over the fact that there is a womens only section in your gym because it might be a bonus for you.

Brian?

I think they're a good idea up to a point if it means more women get into weight training.

I never really understood why women would be intimidated by the free weights section until I went with a friend of mine to her gym to show her around the free weights. She had been in the gym from 9 months but had only looked in and decided againest for a few different reasons. When I went there with her there were plenty of men looking at her like she shouldn't really have been there, as they did there 10 different types of bicep curls. Once I brought her around she loves the place now, it was just that initial bit of intimidation factor that needed to be put aside.

I know there are plenty of women who wouldn't be intimidated in the slightest to work away in any gym, but I reckon that most would be far too nervous.

I agree that it shouldn't be necessary and that if there were male only gyms there would be plenty of outcry(rightly so), but if it takes women only sections in gyms to get more women training harder, so be it I say. Once they don't reduce the space available to me obviously.

kevpants

The gyms are just giving women what they want and I understand both sides. So many men in gyms are complete idiots there to massage their own egos and see women who dare enter their arena as fair game. The women will stay away if they aren't catered for.

You won't get any males posting here to say they do it but it goes on, I see it in Total Fitness all the time. Malteaser (who trains in same gym) has a few incidents recorded in her fitness log.

I mean the amount of guys in TF who drop dumbells from the highest possible point so they absolute clatter off the ground is unbeliveable. It's like the amount of noise they make is a direct correlation to their manliness. Really, really annoys me. I can see an inexperienced woman would think these guys are what lifting weights are about and not see through it.

Women need to be educated that they are as entitled to use the weights room as men. In my experience women who do use the weights room lift with near perfect form because they want to do the exercises right not demonstrate the size of their testicles.

This is a serious sore point with me.

rainglow

While its unfair to have a women's only area, I have to admit that I'm completely terrified of the free weights section in my gym (Westwood Sandymount). It's completely seperated from the rest of the gym and I've only once seen another girl in there. It's utterly intimidating, and if our women's area wasn't just a Curves-style setup, I'd definitely go there for my free weights. What can I say - I'm insecure about my looks, my form, and the small weights I'm using, and prowling men making guttural noises aren't what I signed up for when I signed my gym contract.

daveywavey08

Well, Irish women are fairly hideous creatures to begin with. But all that aside...
I believe that some women who don't have the confidence shouldn't be made feel intimidated by men in the gym lifting big weights. There are times when I efel it is necessary. But on the other hand...they expect to be treated equally as us, therefore should play ball with us. As a previous poster said about the furore that they can cause in golf clubs really gets on my goat.
Looool

Black Swan

daveywavey08 wrote: »

Well, Irish women are fairly hideous creatures to begin with. But all that aside...

Off topic troll.

OP: Since coming to the States 3 years ago, I've found women and men working out together with little or no problems in the nationwide 24 Hour Fitness gyms. Can't speak for other gyms, but to me it would seem a step backward in practice to create a separate section for women.

Procasinator

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

Not practical, cause lads will post to it, defeating the purpose?

OP was talking about women only section in gyms, and not a womens only sub-forum within Fitness (though that's what I expected before reading the post).

I'm not totally against having a women's only section, but I don't think it is necessary. I can understand how it can be daunting with some guys around, but in fairness it can be for anyone new to gyms - I only started recently and I'm not always that courageous either.

However, it just comes down to doing it. And there no reason why girls need to be protected any more than anyone else, they are perfectly capable.

So I think it is simply a waste of room and resources to have a different area, whens it not needed. The gym would be better using resources to educate females about the benefits of weight training.

gabgab

daveywavey08 wrote: »

Well, Irish women are fairly hideous creatures to begin with. But all that aside...
I believe that some women who don't have the confidence shouldn't be made feel intimidated by men in the gym lifting big weights. There are times when I efel it is necessary. But on the other hand...they expect to be treated equally as us, therefore should play ball with us. As a previous poster said about the furore that they can cause in golf clubs really gets on my goat.
Looool

Ah come on now the hideous bit..........?? Male model are we? I'm a lad by the way,

ANYWAY,

All I would say is that its a comfort zone, take the people that suggest the women dont have the confidence etc and take them out of their comfort zone, put them doing something where everyone will look at them and scrutinise them. Then imagine they are in good shape and people are sexually attracted to them, its hilarious at best, downright creepy at worst.

In my gym Westwood there are plenty of clowns, and there are a few good looking girls in the gym, they walk through, the place sorta stops or slows. Its pretty funny and she handles it in her stride, fair play to her

Dragan

daveywavey08 wrote: »

Well, Irish women are fairly hideous creatures to begin with. But all that aside...

I imagine blanket insulting the majority of the female posters her seemed like a good idea at the time.

It wasn't. Keep such opinions to yourself or find a board where the sense of humour/IQ is more inline with your own.

Kthnxbai! ( in honour of g'em )

Dragan
- Fitness Forum Modulat0r

kevpants

daveywavey08 wrote: »

Well, Irish women are fairly hideous creatures to begin with. But all that aside...
I believe that some women who don't have the confidence shouldn't be made feel intimidated by men in the gym lifting big weights. There are times when I efel it is necessary. But on the other hand...they expect to be treated equally as us, therefore should play ball with us. As a previous poster said about the furore that they can cause in golf clubs really gets on my goat.
Looool

You can't confuse being treated equally and being treated the same. Men and women are equal, but men and women are DIFFERENT. Women don't do weights to display their manliness they do it to keep in shape. Some men are the opposite. Your argument seems to be if they are intimidated they should stop being silly, that's just ignoring the issue.

I lift big weights but I dont intimidate anyone. Sure I strain and grunt but it's obvious it's just me making an effort. Not some kind of aggressive "show of strength".

For example, I was lying on my side in TF last week lifting a 2kg dumbell doing a rotator cuff exercise. As he walked past some d1ckhead in a lifting belt for his bicep curls sniggered to his mate "Pfft feel the burn!". Clearly I was the object of ridicule as far as he's concerned because I wasn't MOVING ENOUGH IRON!!

daveywavey08

Kev, if a lad said that to me in the gym I'd knock him spark out. No questions

kevpants

daveywavey08 wrote: »

Kev, if a lad said that to me in the gym I'd knock him spark out. No questions

That's where you and I differ. I guess I'm just a pussy. Better lift bigger weights...

Dragan

daveywavey08 wrote: »

Kev, if a lad said that to me in the gym I'd knock him spark out. No questions

In all reality you wouldn't. You would either lie there and take it or say something back. I imagine assault would be the last option you would go with.

I'm getting tired of the general trollery here.

Procasinator

kevpants wrote: »

For example, I was lying on my side in TF last week lifting a 2kg dumbell doing a rotator cuff exercise. As he walked past some d1ckhead in a lifting belt for his bicep curls sniggered to his mate "Pfft feel the burn!". Clearly I was the object of ridicule as far as he's concerned because I wasn't MOVING ENOUGH IRON!!

But that's the thing. Everyone has to go through these kind of stages, girl or guy.

I'm pretty new to weight lifting, but I wouldn't expect an area on my own (for me and other guys lifting our small weights and getting used to the whole thing) so I can feel less embarrassed.

Girls don't need to be protected. In fact, I think it is more guys and their egos that often need more protecting when girls are able to lift more than them. :P

Now I realise there is the whole pervy guy issue, but it's just part of life - take it as positive feedback that your training is going well :P and ignore it.

daveywavey08

In all reality you don't know me

daveywavey08

It would be 50/50. It would depend on the mood I'm in. I've done worse I suppose. I'm in awful bad form today sorry for the arrogance

thirtyfoot

My wife who trained to an international standard in athletics and would have spent many hours in the gym with guys and posing, prima donna sprinter types at that so would be well able for what that might entail. These days she trains with a lot less intensity and prefers to use the women only section of her gym because for what she needs its easier and you don't have to deal with the crap that the meat-heads might give you. It used to motivate her but these days she just avoids it. She wouldn't have an inferiority complex as she could lift with the best of the guys in her day and is a qualified personal trainer but now as a women just wanting to stay in shape she prefers it.

DM-BM

I am TOTALLY AGAINST women only sections.

Keeping women in a seperate weights room with pink fluffy dumbells only promotes the myth that they shouldn't use real weights or they will end up "bulky".

Guys posing, showing off or whatever are something that other men who want to train have to deal with too, i don't see any gym opening a room for the serious/non-dickhead guys to train in.

Why would any woman be intimidated by what other men are lifting, i mean i doubt guys are measuring their progress by comparing their strenght to a women learning to lift. Any guy who would, or who would pass remarks/luagh would probably do the same to a guy learning to lift, and is just an idiot anyway.

With regard to women being looked at i think that if women in the wieghts section was more common, it would be less of a problem, but good looking people of both sexes are always going to get attention.

Tiriel

DM-BM wrote: »

With regard to women being looked at i think that if women in the wieghts section was more common, it would be less of a problem, but good looking people of both sexes are always going to get attention.

Think this is it - there usually are no females in the weights section of my gym. It does add to the intimidation being the only one - and yes, I know it's all in my head. But when something is uncomfortable, you are watched and stared at - you are certainly less likely to remain focused and enjoy the workout. When I do go in there - I honestly try to ignore the other users, but at times you feel like saying "what the hell are you looking at?"!!!

gabgab

daveywavey08 wrote: »

Kev, if a lad said that to me in the gym I'd knock him spark out. No questions

Why is that the trained lads that in reality could not someone "spark" out never use phrases like "spark out" or suggest kicking lumps out of someone in an everyday situation??

In an ideal world we would all behave, it would be nice and comfortable and nobody would feel intimidated and I would be able to run 5k in 17 minutes and be 90 kg with a squat of 150kg, but its not so back to reality......

Oh a funny one, I knew a girl that worked in a vey upmarket lingerie shop in New York, and she described lads walking into the store to buy stuff as something like this, they are out of their comfort zone, in an area they might know nothing about and are getting nervous as hell and freaked out because the girls in the shop are looking at them,

Tiriel

gabgab wrote: »

Oh a funny one, I knew a girl that worked in a vey upmarket lingerie shop in New York, and she described lads walking into the store to buy stuff as something like this, they are out of their comfort zone, in an area they might know nothing about and are getting nervous as hell as the seconds tick by,

But in both cases, persevere and the end result is worth it

kevpants

daveywavey08 wrote: »

In all reality you don't know me

I know you'd post how hard you are in response to my post which was just supposed to give an example of weights rooms possibly being intimidating for girls. (Sorry just yanking your chain)

I couldn't care less what he said, I KNOW I'm stronger than him. I KNOW I train harder than him, these guys give me energy. Pulled a 190kg PR Deadlift cos one of them was using my bar as foot rest as I prepared to pull it! :pac:

Rage can be channeled more constructively Davey!

daveywavey08

I'm just a little big unhinged. When somebody looks down on a lad cos he's lifting light weights it really pisses me off.

Fair play to ya, Kev! Show them w*nkers

kevpants

daveywavey08 wrote: »

I'm just a little big unhinged. When somebody looks down on a lad cos he's lifting light weights it really pisses me off.

Careful now. I'm very proud of that Deadlift!

daveywavey08

No, I meant about people in general, not in your case.

I'm so angry and full of rage today because I've had a tummy bug for last few days and I can't do ****. Really wanted to train last few days but have no energy. Sucks

Irishcrx

It's hard for everybody to start in a gym at first, I remember when I first walked into the free weights section and it ws like the whole world stopped, not welcome etc and i'm a bloke, was a skinny bloke it can be intimadating but like anything you have to stick with it and get your head down, do the work and f*** what everyone else thinks, after a few months when people get used to you there you'll get support from other members and encouragement. But I can see how it can be for women aswell as not everyone is there to keep to themselfs and they will make stupid comment and inflate their own ego every gym has them. I just ignore them cause they make no differance to what i'm doing.

daveywavey08

That's it exactly, Irishcrx. Do your own thing and don't mind what those other lads are at.
Most people in the gym are quite friendly and I always try to be as friendly as possible but if somebody is grunting and snarling and acting the bollix it's hard to warm to them.
I never look down on anybody else and always help a newbie because I remember how intimidating it was for me when I started out. Women should be given the same crack of the whip as everybody else, and not made feel intimidated. In most mature gyms the "meatheads" wouldn't batt an eyelid if a girl came in doing her db curls with 5kg. Might take a quick glance at her ass though

fatmammycat

I am regularly the only woman in the free weight sections of my gym and I find the bigger guys are actually quite HELPFUL-spotting and so on. Obviously there are idiots too, but you get idiots everywhere and I really couldn't give two hoots what any of them think. I lift relatively heavy weights for a woman NOW, but everyone starts somewhere and that includes meatheads and gentle men alike. I pay my membership same as everyone else there, I'll pretty much go where I like-except the men's changing room.

Biff11

Lust to ad to the original post. In the women section there is an awful lot of cardio equiptment. Not just free weights. To an extent i can get the weights argument but Cardio???

ali.c

rainglow wrote: »

While its unfair to have a women's only area, I have to admit that I'm completely terrified of the free weights section in my gym (Westwood Sandymount). It's completely seperated from the rest of the gym and I've only once seen another girl in there. It's utterly intimidating, and if our women's area wasn't just a Curves-style setup, I'd definitely go there for my free weights. What can I say - I'm insecure about my looks, my form, and the small weights I'm using, and prowling men making guttural noises aren't what I signed up for when I signed my gym contract.

I train there, actually i am normally there in the morning and there is usually only a few people in the free weights area. Anyhow if you want some female support drop me a pm!

Roper

First of all I just want to go on record and say that I think Irish women are hot (with notable exceptions of course). I have a mate from Italy who also thinks Irish women are hot, and just married one. In the interests of international relations, I have examined in some detail the women from his country and decided that a touch of the exotic mediterranean thing aside, Irish women are in general just as hot as Italian women.

That is all. I bid you all good day.

No that's out of context, however people saying things like "dem Oirish women are mingers" and things like that are exactly the reason why women need seperate weight rooms. For some people, the weight room is a place to flex their ego and feel tough after a long day in a mediocre job sitting behind a desk having a female manager give out to them for their mediocrity. Then they get into the weights room and take their frustrations out on the rest of us by taking up 4 benches with their gear and grunting as they gring out that last concentration curl. It's either annoy me or go home and kick their dog. On balance I think I'll put up with it because I love animals.

Brian?

Roper wrote: »

For some people, the weight room is a place to flex their ego and feel tough after a long day in a mediocre job sitting behind a desk having a female manager give out to them for their mediocrity. Then they get into the weights room and take their frustrations out on the rest of us by taking up 4 benches with their gear and grunting as they gring out that last concentration curl. It's either annoy me or go home and kick their dog. On balance I think I'll put up with it because I love animals.

I think you're right there actually. I work shifts so I try to get to the gym in the morning early afternoon when its far more enjoyable. At those times I tend to meet more polite, friendly and properly huge guys. Whenever I get their later and caught up in the afterwork crowd there seems to be a lot more hovering around and tutting while you use a bench and other such carry.

smellslikeshoes

If it gets more women into the gym and fitness in general it can only be a good thing in my opinion.

Odysseus

Biff11 wrote: »

Lust to ad to the original post.

Nice typo Freud will never be dead.

rainglow

ali.c wrote: »

I train there, actually i am normally there in the morning and there is usually only a few people in the free weights area. Anyhow if you want some female support drop me a pm!

I'm actually able to go in the mornings these days and it's SO much better! The guys there in the morning tend to be older and keep to themselves....it's the hot young guys in the evening that scare me! This gym has far too many attractive members for my liking

rubadub

rainglow wrote: »

I'm insecure about my looks, my form, and the small weights I'm using, and prowling men making guttural noises aren't what I signed up for when I signed my gym contract.

That sums it up, just be careful of what you did you sign up for. If I joined a gym and then 1 week later I was only allowed use half the space or machines etc I would be complaining.

A womens only section is exclusive, it is essentially a "no men" section, what if a gym introduced a "no Polish" section -uproar, though I expect it would be perfectly legal if they can discriminate on the grounds of sex like that.

If I joined any establishment with the intent of using equipment or similar stuff but was told I was not allowed to use as much as somebody else who was female, gay, black - whatever, I would expect to get a discount over them TBH. And conversely if there was more equipment available to me than others I would expect to have to pay more.

RacoonQueen

I'm going to use free weights anyway either way, but they can be quite intimidating. I probably would be happier in a women only area purely because you'd be almost guaranteed there'd always be space for you.