A new study has highlighted the persistent challenges women face in gym environments amidst a growing interest in strength training, dampening what should be an empowering gym experience.
At JCFit we use a program called CrossFit which is, at its core, a strength and conditioning program. We have additional programs with a specific focus; our Power Hour for example has a pure strength bias.
The study, published in PLOS One and conducted by Emma Cowley from the SHE Research Centre at TUS, Ireland and Jekaterina Schneider from the University of the West of England, U.K., explores the often complex relationship between women’s body image (typically fueled by societal pressures) and their experiences in the gym.
Along with the expansion of high-value, low-priced gym chains, the authors note that #Fitspiration content on social media has “increased tenfold” in the last decade, also fueling the adoption of fitness regimens among women.
At JCFit, 43% of our membership base identifies as female and 3 of our 9 coaches are female, including our Head Coach/General Manager, Janine Nicole (@j9sworld)
Follow us on Instagram @jcfitco for great examples of our female members posting their progress and achievements
The survey identified four key themes with choice of apparel being a constant ‘challenge’ with some links to appearance that we won’t go into here.
Never Enough
Many women expressed distress over conflicting appearance ideals, desiring to be lean and muscular, but also “small and thin” —leading to a “never good enough” mentality.
Others worried about being judged for their form, technique, or skill level, and shared feeling insecure about looking “stupid” or “like a newbie.”
Everybody who starts with us goes through an introductory program we call ‘Fundamentals’ which includes 6 1:1 sessions. These allow us to introduce you to the program at a pace that’s tailored to your own needs and abilities so when (if) you do join group classes (some will continue with 1:1 coaching), you will not feel like a ‘newbie’.
In our small group classes, there will always be a wide range of experience and ability. One day you may be the newest member in class, in a week or so, someone else will claim that title!
Everyone has been in your position so they understand where you are in your own fitness journey
Often Too Much
As the saying goes, we are our own worst critics. Women often use words such as “excessive”, “extra” and “too” when criticizing their body. Beyond size or shape, 1 in 5 of those surveyed said skin concerns impact how they feel about exercising in a gym.
Always On Display
Perhaps the most pressing issue found from the study is that almost half the respondents reported receiving unsolicited compliments on their appearance at the gym, mostly from men. A large group reported being more intimidated by men when exercising and almost ⅓ felt judged by them.
Women also reported having to “fight” for space and/or equipment in the gym
We cap our classes at 15 members so nobody is ever fighting over equipment or space.
Sometimes Empowered
Notably, the study found that women reported feeling safer and more empowered in fitness spaces where performance was prioritized over appearance – which were described as private or CrossFit gyms as opposed to commercial or public gyms.
That being said, women still prefer commercial chain gyms followed by personal training or small group training gyms.
On the positive side, several women shared that they gained confidence over time and said it felt empowering to break gender stereotypes and norms, with most women feeling most confident in the strength-based arena using free weights versus resistance machines.
For more information and to book an introductory chat with one of our coaches and a look around the gym, visit our website, choose 1 of our 2 locations and hit the FREE INTRO box.
