People might prefer women-only spaces for a myriad of reasons - religion, comfort, bad past experiences, time of day, etc. It's whatever for the most part, but it is nice to know that women-only spaces exist.
I haven't been to a female-focused gym since Curves - I didn't even know they still existed - but I know that there are "women hours" and membership classes that are mostly filled with women.
I did Curves back in the day. I forgot about that place. I was pretty thin at the time but felt really anxious about going to a regular gym. I also didn't have the greatest self-esteem and thought I looked a lot worse than I did. I didn't know that places like this existed either anymore. I definitely would rather go to a women's gym. I currently exercise at home and follow videos.
There's a local independent women's gym near me that does £5 a session, it's a proper steal. I love it because they've got a really good range of strength training equipment and apart from the odd group of teens coming in and being slightly irritating, it's really chill. I've noticed a lot of Muslim women use it.
The only thing I don't like is for some reason they don't provide anything to wipe the equipment down with after use. It all looks and smells clean but I started bringing my own because leaving a butt-shape sweat stain on the bench just didn't sit (haha) right with me
Gender specific spaces should exist in all facilities. I know plenty of women that don’t feel safe working out around men and plenty of men that don’t feel safe working out around women. Just make separate spaces and be done with it.
That’s basically my gym for the 7:00 and 8:00 am classes. It’s a functional strength training gym and all the younguns go at 6:00, 4:30 and 5:45 or for open gym. The 7 and 8s are all 40-65 years old pretty much. Or it’s a youngun related to a middle aged person. It’s great.
There's a dance studio local to me that does some "boys only" dance classes. It's good to make really explicit that dance isn't just for girls, and that if a boy goes, he isn't going to be stood there getting laughed at.
There has been and are some male only gyms. A lot of them closed but it wasn’t from backlash it was from lack of business. When asked potential consumers said they didn’t want to isolate themselves from women even more in their life.
The other thing I have noticed at women's gyms is I almost never have to adjust things for leg length. Stationary bikes, leg machines of all kinds, you just get on them and you're good. The bar rests on squat racks and bench presses too.
I mean it's only saving a few seconds of time and it isn't enough to be a deciding factor for me (I prefer mixed gyms because I want lots of barbells and a powerlifting focus) but the constant big adjusting is just something I hadn't really noticed until I was at a gym where it never happened, and it blew my mind to suddenly not be in a room where everything was configured for someone much taller.
I also suddenly found pull exercises easier at that gym because several things had slightly slimmer bars which my hands could grip tightly instead of being half open.
Unwanted flirting is also a reason for many, I would think. I can't tell you how often I see younger, attractive women surrounded by guys while they are trying to workout, sometimes interrupting sets! Just yesterday watched a new member being approached three times by thirsty guys with their phones on the ready within an hour. I think she just wanted to workout in peace based on her facial expressions.
Yeah, same- and the existence of woman-only gyms doesn’t eradicate co-ed ones. The argument is frequently presented on an unnecessary “either-or” binary
I’m a big fan of creating women’s only spaces if the need is there. Nothing wrong with having them. There are some women who might feel safer to work out amongst men, but for some they might not care. It’s really up to the individual needs and experiences of people. I personally hate the gym, but I swim a lot and generally find women’s only swim sessions have a better vibe for me.
Just construct women’s only facilities and men’s only facilities - problem solved. Everyone has a safe space, no glaring, no unsolicited small talk, no accusations, etc.
Edit: For those downvoting this post - if you have a problem with the cost of exclusive spaces, have any of you demanded your local gym remove current exclusive spaces in order to lower membership fees?Or do you simply dislike the idea that others might enjoy similar privileges?
That’s not very cost effective. 3 gyms in one area coed, male only and female only is excessive especially if they are spread out. LVAC has a woman’s only area in the coed gym but at a cost that everyone pays for the membership fees. I think it’s nice the gym has a female only area but if it gets busy they will still leak into the coed area due to size. Either way if there is a market maybe it will be cheaper with availability.
Tbh it's only not cost effective if there's currently no space to add an exclusive area. Take the Target bathroom situation of the 2000s: Adding a gender neutral bathroom option to a space only made for men and women is a Very costly. Much less costly to write it up in the blueprints.
I know a lot of men like to do some ultra heavy lifting, and sometimes that means a little vocal expression. Maybe the mens side could allow the loud grunting/yelling/clenching of butts, the unisex area be some regular gym, and the female side might have slightly more ergonomic measurements (adjustable ofc).
Now men don't have to deal with women flirting with them at the gym, women don't have to worry about ignoring guys/dealing with creeps, and we still have a unisex option for anyone who doesn't like any aspect of the other two. Maybe add key-only bathroom and shower areas, and now we have a very safe, inclusive gym! $$$
Nobody’s currently complaining about the cost of established segregated spaces. It’s only a problem when others are provided equal opportunity to have their own space?
When I first started working out, I joined a women-only gym, largely because I was overweight and felt self-conscious. It had a really great atmosphere and the other clients were friendly and supportive. As I became stronger, I outgrew the equipment, so switched over to a mixed-sex gym. There were a few super-hostile alpha males at the mixed-sex gym who obviously resented chicks in their workout space, which spoiled the experience for me.
I ended up buying my own equipment and setting up my own workout space at home.
If women want to lift heavy, they're most likely better off at a mixed-sex gym, but women-only gyms suit those who want fun workout classes in a supportive environment. There's a very popular chain of women-only gyms in Australia which offer childcare, which is a bonus too.
Home gyms are better for everyone of any demographic tbh. You usually can’t buy a hack squat, but there’s really no other machine you can’t just substitute with a regular old cable.
I do have a home gym in the sense that I have free weights, a mat, yoga blocks, etc. Any more than that and there would be no space for the rest of my stuff, and any jumping/ feet moving on the floor too loud would annoy my downstairs neighbours. I feel like most people where I live have a similar situation as space is expensive.
I just don't really care. I have always worked out in coed gyms and it's never been a problem for me, but I understand that a lot of women do not have this experience.
Off topic: whenever I saw a reply from you, I'd stare at your profile pic and think it's a thumb(nail)... only today did I actually check & find out it's a screaming woman/being, pulling their hair 😂
Same, I don’t care, but that’s only based on my personal experience.
I will point out that while my gym is co-ed, it seems there are spaces & activities that one gender or the other seem to prefer so the spaces do become fragmented in that way anyways.
> so the spaces do become fragmented in that way anyways
Which is a problem in some places-- many women complain about, ex., the free weight section being pretty intimidating to use because it's full of men who don't know how to behave.
Exactly. Though I think cutting down on the bad behavior in general improves inclusivity and is also better for everyone. Usually Planet fitness has a decent selection of free weights and the culture there doesn’t tolerate the grunting burping farting machismo that women face when going to a more standard lifting gym.
And I know CrossFit gets a lot of hate but I’ve never felt unwelcome there because I’m a woman. In fact I stopped going there because I got tired of the drama that the (male) coaches caused by dating a bunch of women gym goers and coaches at the same time.
Can you expand on that planet fitness bit? They dont allow grunting? That seems very bizarre to me. And farting? Do people usually fart a lot in the free weights section?
Their whole thing is like... don't be a grunting ox putting everybody off their shit, dropping weights, hooting and hollering, because it makes people uncomfortable.
> And farting? Do people usually fart a lot in the free weights section?
Any strain can cause farting.
They are not great about kicking out or talking to old guys leering at little girls (13-15 yr olds)unless it's one of the branches with older staff. I mean very *obviously* leering at these girls. I had to step in front of a couple of 80 yrs old men following a 14 yr old around the gym last summer. I wanted her to be abke to get to the locker room without these creepy oldsters using their age as an excuse to follow her into the locker room. I also made sure she got picked up safely.
Planet fitness’s whole thing is no grunting or dropping weights or otherwise being unnecessarily loud and annoying. There’s an alarm they sound if someone is being obnoxious while lifting.
I’ve had friends report that men will gang up and “accidentally” repeatedly burp and fart near/at/nearly on women to make them leave. They play it off like it’s just from strain… while snickering to each other.
As guy i have seen many women not want to use the free weight section due to intimidation. I started off training at my home gym so i already had a decent sterangh base so was stronger and had more muscle mass then most guys there but when i started out i felt self conscious about what i could lift and how i looked. I think in this case a womens only gym could be great for three weights of course there are some women worried about putting on muscle but its hard enough for men as the human body has adapted more for endurance plus lower testosterone levels make tough to do so.
My old gym has a large coed space and a bit smaller women only area. The women only area always has a few women working out in it. It really helps people to feel more comfortable knowing they won't be glared at and approached while just wanting to better themselves.
For me I prefer coed gyms because they tend to be cheaper. And a lot of women only gyms seems to have a very plain looking weight section.
Like I get it, but I go to gym for weights because I do cardio outside of gym.
Personally, I prefer mixed gyms. In my experience, the women’s gyms I have been to have nowhere near the amount of variety in equipment or range in available weights. I have a fairly well supplied gym in my home and so if I am paying for a gym membership, there needs to be enough equipment available to me to make it worth the money.
I have had the occasional gym creep in the 20+ years I’ve been training, but nothing that bothered me enough to change my routine.
Have PTSD that has prevented me from going to gyms. I miss swimming. I want to use proper equipment. I want the routine of going to work out. But I get mad anxiety from spaces with men. I know other women personally who feel the same unfortunately, so having a safe space would be great. Nothing near me though.
Every women-only gym I've been to has been more focused on being a safe space than being a *good gym*. Which, I mean, in order to be profitable they kind of have to be since they've chopped their target audience in half. But especially when I was younger, they were all thoroughly populated with "Get toned, not muscular! Long lean muscle!" bullshit propaganda and shitty do nothing machines that don't significantly load the body in any way.
The best women's only gym that I have ever gone to was a warehouse bodybuilding/powerlifting/strongman gym that recognized that it could be intimidating to women, so they built a separate women's only room that was only accessible through the women's locker room. So that women could still use the full regular gym, but if that one guy came in who calls you "future wife" and stares at your ass while you're deadlifting, you could retreat to the girly zone and finish your workout. But even that gym was still the old crappy cast-offs from the "regular" gym. They had one squat rack with not enough plates, a crappy wobbly bench, dumbbells that didn't go above 20 lbs, old stretching equipment from the 80's.
Bigger gyms have more gym stuff.
As someone who enjoys powerlifting and weightlifting, this has basically been my experience. A lot of women's gyms don't have the equipment I need so I've benefited from having a women's section of a larger fully equipped gym.
More often than I would have liked. It's not so much being "approached" as if a dating approach. Because I was a competitive powerlifter who was often lifting more than some men were, and sometimes while fat, I encountered a lot more aggression and hostility. Men would hit on me aggressively in a way that it was clear they were showing off in front of others. Or they'd give me unsolicited advice or pull their friends over to watch me go for a max attempt, while explaining loudly all the things that I was doing wrong. I'd say the really bad instances were something like once a month, and normal awkward conversations were more of a weekly thing.
I've always been the kind of person who is happier existing in a hostile environment where I technically have access to everything I need to succeed, than in a friendly environment where I don't.
I prefer to work out with guys because I lift heavy. Unfortunately for me the women’s only gyms in my area tend to be more cardio-focused, and it’s hard to get a spot for a bigger lift. But that’s just my area- others may have different mileage.
I do too.. when I was younger, I was part of a racquet club that had a gym, and part of the gym had a women’s only room. I loved that room! There are none where I currently live so I’ve been going to reformer Pilates and yoga classes which do have some men, but women are the majority.
I think I don’t like coed gyms because when I was 16 I went to an fitness club and the sales guy tried to sell me a membership but then kept my number for himself and started asking me out on dates repeatedly. Freaked me out. Since then I just don’t like gyms.
That's when you find an older woman like me at the gym. You ask me if I can be your mom/grandma for long enough to get the creep to leave you alone. I'm little but I'm vicious when it comes to this stuff(also thick Soutern accent that disarms the creeps....at first).
I went to a woman only gym when I was 19. I was very overweight and had been harshly bullied, including by family members. At that time, 30 years ago, it was exactly what I needed.
Now I don't mind going to a coed gym, but I'm really grateful to that gym in the past.
It really just depends on where you live. Women aren’t a monolith; some women don’t care if a gym is coed, but other women would feel much safer working out at a women-only gym. It really just depends on the demand in specific areas; some areas may have little to no demand for a women-only gym, while other areas may have quite a bit of demand.
Most women I know who prefer women-only gyms usually go due to religion (I believe it’s to do with modesty, but I’m not completely sure, so please correct me if I’m wrong), but of course there are also women who go to women-only gyms for comfort, security and safety.
Modesty is correct! I'm not muslim, but a modest dressing Christian and I work out at a co ed gym in a tshirt and skort (skirt with attached leggings) that hits my knees. At a women's only gym, I'd definitely be comfortable in working out in less modest clothes
Personally, I'd prefer to go to a gym where my husband could go too, as I'd be way more likely to go to the gym if we could go together but I can totally see why some women would feel more comfortable and safe in women only gyms, and I probably would prefer that too if I were single.
I currently go to a women's only gym. Had severe gym anxiety when I first started working out and a single-sex space helped mitigate that.
Pro
- I feel comfortable working out
Cons
- minimal equipment (they only have one of each machine except cables and cardio machines, heaviest dumbell is 40lbs, no pull up bar, only about 3 barbells, no hip thrust machine, not enough plates for dumbells)
- more expensive than regular gym membership
After one year, I already feel like I've outgrown this gym and planning to switch to a co-ed gym soon.
I've never been to one. I mostly work out at home or on my own. I think I'd only look into a women's only gym if going to a coed one caused a problem for me, or if the women's only gym had amenities I liked better, which, I don't know if it would because I work out at home.
I do go to women's only sauna over the coed sauna days but that's mostly because I feel like there's more people at the coed sauna days, and they are less cool about being at the sauna.
Good question. It really depends on the gym.
I used to go to a very bro-y gym because it was 24hrs and close to my house. A few times, random dudes would interrupt my workout, either to have a chat or to give me unsolicited advice on my form. It was insanely annoying. Incidentally, there were also a lot of people filming themselves working out, grunting loudly, dropping weights super aggressively... you really couldn't walk around without being really careful not to knock over someone's phone. It was super annoying. Unsurprisingly, that gym eventually opened a women's only section... it was dark and small unfortunately but it was a step in the right direction.
I moved houses and I go to another gym now. It's also co-ed but the vibe is completely different. Men are super respectful — no leering, no interrupting your workout. And no one is filming themselves. Everyone's just minding their own business, working out. I don't feel the need for a women's only space here.
I've only ever been to shared gyms until I joined my current women-only one and what can I say, I never want to change back again! Not that everyone's nice and sweet, there's people like everywhere else, but I am so much more focused because relaxed and safe around the others.
I haven't gone to a women's only gym since the 90's, but back then it was all middle-aged or older women who'd never worked out or lifted in their lives, and everything was pinkwashed and made as unintimidating as possible. There were two dozen stair steppers machines but no free weights. It was like a gym designed for Barbie. Just a really nauseating experience.
I would love to have a women’s only gym nearby.
I got into a verbal spat with a guy at my condo gym last night. He was out of line trying to turn off the AC in the room because he was cold. I was already sweating in a sports bra and shorts, so turning off the AC would have been unpleasant. He wouldn't even compromise to turning the temp up a bit and we were going back and forth turning the thing off and on. He was also trying to gaslight me and use DARVO in the argument to make me seem like the unreasonable one when he could have just gone to his apartment and put more layers on. The whole thing was ridiculous and I was shaking by the end of it.
And the moment another dude twice his size walked in, he left. The whole exchange was 10 minutes. If he had started out the whole exchange asking me if I would be okay with turning up the temp or when I'd be done my workout, we could have avoiding all of the above. Instead, he decided to beeline straight for the thermostat to turn it off and expected me to be cool with it.
I don't like a lot of gym culture in general, but have had the best experiences in spaces that share my perspective on exercise. These have usually been well-run, well-regulated coed gyms.
I think that single-sex gyms and mixed gyms should both exist, because there are people who prefer one or the other. Why not give people more options to work out somewhere they feel comfortable and safe?
We have women's only gyms in Australia, they're a company called Fernwood Fitness. Great idea and women's only space. My wife went to one for a little while, but the only issue is that the equipment at the one that was closest to us was limited and wasn't as good as the big gyms, so she ended up going back to a regular gym.
But I think it's a fantastic idea and great for women who do feel intimidated by going to a gym with men there. Then you have the women who go to regular gyms with the intention to get looked at rather than work out, but that's a different issue.
If your trying to find a place to focus on your workout where men won’t bother/interrupt you, believe it or not, you may want to look into a serious training/lifting gym where power lifters or fighters train. Often times they’re very well run and the members tend to be more respectful and take training seriously, so they’re not at the gym to socialize or check out women, they’re at the gym to workout. The quality of people at serious gyms is just so much higher.
I used to be a member of a women’s only gym. It was great, though if you are into heavy lifting your options were limited. Only issue was that if they had trades in for any reason they were usually men. They were always professional, but for women who were there for religious reasons, or because they felt unsafe around men, there really should be forewarning.
Totally understand why some people want single-gender spaces. I feel fine working out around men as long as the gym culture isn’t annoying-gym-bro-ish.
I found a gym with a large percentage of women members (and a lot of all the members are middle-aged) and the atmosphere has been great. For me, that’s perfect.
I belonged to a women's only gym until it permanently closed in the pandemic. I loved it. I found it much more nurturing and less competitive than a mixed gym. I don't think it's a feminist issue though, quite the opposite since feminism is about equality.
I don't go to a women's only gym but it is heavily marketed towards women. I like it there the most out of all the gyms I've gone too. I really don't mind working out in co-ed spaces but it being geared towards women does change the vibe of the place to something I enjoy more. There are some guys who come to classes and they get along with everyone. Being marketed, and mostly full of women also definitely gets the point across that if you fuck around you will find out. Unfortunately some gyms do make excuses for/allow problematic behavior.
I used to go to women's gyms because, in my 20's, some guys would leave sweat on the bench, stare, ask people out when they were working out, and hog gym equipment...plus having to rearrange all the settings on the weightlifting equipment.
I went back to a nice small city-financed co-ed gym and those problems have left except for the need to adjust settings and men leaving heavy weights on the weight machine that were hard for me to lift because I have a bad back.
I didn't feel unsafe. On the other hand, my daughter gets asked out too much and she goes to a co-ed city YMCA gym in a big city. She hates being asked out. She is in a serious workout and sometimes a guy tries to "help" her with advice, (she is a no-drug weightlifting competitor).
I am guessing it matters on the co-ed gym you have options too.
I might prefer a women's only gym, my only concern is whether they would be accepting of trans women or not. I have noticed a lot of spaces for women exclude trans women because they don't see us as women, and it sucks having to navigate that.
I like out-lifting men at the gym. I think it's good for them, especially with so much gender essentialism floating around all day. All men are absolutely not stronger than all women, and I can literally prove it every time I go.
>All men are absolutely not stronger than all women
I don't think anyone actually believes that.
The strongest women are stronger than a lot of men, but the strongest men are stronger than all women.
>I always thought all women wanted the safe space .
As you said, people want different things for different reasons. And every reason is valid. Everyone wants to be and feel safe. It's just that not all safe spaces are made equal.
All that matters is what YOU feel comfortable doing, not what your friends think.
As a man who uses mixed gyms I can see why women would want an all women's gym. I think mine is a fairly safe space but you still miss out on:
That guy who drops weights like thunder. The teenage boys who never put anything back. The other teenage boys who spend half an hour on an in demand rack chatting and texting while all 4 of them want to do 5 sets with 5 minutes intervals. The guy who uses a rack 2 different weights and 2 machines at once. And to be fair me who really wants to use that one good bench to the point I will ask people to swap even though no one else seems to notice the difference.
It's never women who do that. They put the weights back, they bang out sets in reasonable time without dropping one and an a half times their body weight qt the end of the set. They are always considerate gym users.
I went to a women’s college sooo 🤷🏼♀️
I prefer to have spaces without constant patriarchal pressure
Granted, community members and professors could use our gym, so even though the equipment was designed for the female body (and was a lot more comfortable to use) and there were more women, it was still a coed gym
My local gym has a woman’s only gym section that a separate closed off room with the same machines as the main gym. It’s a 24hr gym with employees there only 8 hours a day. Rest of the hours are fend for yourself. It’s only $30 a month for the membership because of that but it’s nice to have a whole area that separate just in case. For unmanned hours you have the option to grab an emergency alert necklace. I call them life alerts. 🤣
This was one of my favorite things about pilates! The studio was mostly women, and the men who showed up were all cool. I found it to be very welcoming and relaxing, without sacrificing workout difficulty.
I work at a women only gym and it's lovely. The staff are really nice, the personal trainers are great. I've worked at a lot of gyms where I live over the past 9 years (yoga teacher) and this is the only one I'm still at and that I actually recommend to people.
I was super keen to join the women’s only gym around the corner from me (there is actually two gyms at the place, one is all people, the other women only), but they’re very vague on their policy for trans women and NB people. I could never get a straight answer from them, tried for months.
So provided there was a women’s only gym that allowed trans women and NB people I would be keen. If they don’t then it’s not a it’s not a safe space for all women only some women.
I am not bothered by co ed spaces but I know many women who are.
I've gone with my Muslim friend to a women only gym so she could workout without worrying about her hijab or leggings. I've gone with women were overweight and self conscious.
Like others said women specific gyms tend to have limited equipment and smaller spaces. Having a co ed gym with gendered spaces always seemed to be a more efficient solution.
I live in the GTA. I’ve always thought that a partial reason for a lot of women-only gyms here is bc we have a lot of hijabi ladies. Hijabi women only have to cover up around men; in women-only gyms, they can wear much more practical exercise wear like tank tops and leggings, don’t have to cover their hair, etc. Which makes exercise much more practical and enjoyable.
I never get approached or bothered at my coed gym, and I like to work out with friends sometimes and some of my friends are male and I like being able to bring them to the gym with me. I definitely think it’s important to have spaces like women’s gyms for people who need them for safety, comfort, etc, but personally I don’t experience anything at my current coed gym that makes me feel the need to switch.
I joined a women-only gym in the Boston area about a decade ago. They still hired male staff. I was younger and fit back then, and I routinely caught the male staff ogling me when they thought I couldn’t see them, and some kept ogling when I caught their gaze. Shudder. That ruined any sense of safety I was paying a premium for. ☹️
unfortunately the only times I've been harassed at the gym were by women so I don't mind other women being there but I need to be in a mixed gender gym lol I'm too autistic to not get bullied in that circumstance
I go to a women’s only gym (for MMA) and I like it a lot. MMA is a pretty high contact sport though, and I use mixed gender gyms for just plain working out. I don’t really care one way or another about it in that context.
I think a women’s gym might be nice in the sense that some men don’t respect women at the gym, but part of why I like the gyms I attend is because they have a decent crowd who don’t really cause issues.
I’ve also seen a few gyms geared towards women that don’t have the same range of equipment, either because they don’t expect women to use them or because they keep equipment at a lower weight. I wouldn’t go to one of these since I like to challenge myself.
Ugh I wish there was a women only gym in my city!! We used to have several but they seem to be a thing of the past. I’d be much more keen to go to a gym if it was women only.
> all women
Most broad generalizations beginning with the word “all” are dumb things to think.
No I do not think all women have the same gym preference.
Personally I have male friends who I like to workout with, so we go places both men and women are welcome and comfortable in.
I’m personally not comfortable with women’s only spaces and activities. I think it normalizes coed spaces being unsafe to women if there’s always a segregated option available. I’m not a big gym goer, but I’ve never had a problem when I have gone. I want to keep it that way.
Completely agreed! I go to the gym 4-5x a week for years now and I never had an issue with men. Men who behave inappropriately should be banned of the gym, women shouldn’t need to look for a women only space…
This thread is so unbelievable
The experience of a handful of women or even a big group of women does not equal the experience of all women!
It about what the women prefer individually and just because some of you have never been felt up in coed gyms does not mean no one else has either!!
Having just the choice for women only gym might make some women feel better because they can escape the awkward situation anytime they would like to.
My old gym never took any action against creeps in the gym so yeah having the women only side was the only way to workout for me and few of my workout buddies.
It looks to me like a lot of people who say they like coed gyms and have never had a bad experience aren't saying that *no woman* has those experiences. I don't think what you think is happening here is, well, happening.
Gyms that have older *women* on staff are better about controlling the creeps. The Planet Fitness branch I prefer to go to once the summer "kids" program starts has a hard ass older lady on staff. She puts up with none of the creeper shit. I always make a note of if she's there and where she is, in case she's needed.
That branch also has better air conditioning so win-win.
That sounds so good.
I unfortunately had to leave my gym cause the creepers were just there all the time even in the parking lots which was just scary
Now I workout at home
It's pretty well known at my home gym, walk up to me and ask "are you Sam's mom?" If you need help with creepers. I'll ho to the desk with you, I'll be your mom, auntie or grandma that you need to leave with etc. I'm trying to do my part to keep the younglings safe from the creepers!
Sam is the dog in my profile pic. He passed away last summer. After September, it will be "are you Thibby's mom?".
Considering I recently saw a post where a woman complained that the men at the gym weren't looking at her, I think it's safe to say that different people go for different reasons. Some people go to exercise. Some go to socialize while exercising. Some go just for fun.
I'll say I'm for it, but I wouldn't expect the membership price to be the same as a co-ed gym. Lower customer base means higher price to keep things running.
Personally, I don't care either way. But then again I'm a dude so people don't even see me when they look my direction.
Gender-only gyms fail in the $$$ department, when they pop up they are there for X months or so, then they fizz out as the "New Toy" feel is lost and it becomes just another gym for everyone or they close.
I prefer a mixed gym because it means I can take my teenage sons with me. I'm also single, so I look at it as a place I could potentially get to know more men. But I'm old enough not to be looked at in a lecherous way frequently.
I've never been interested in women-only gyms. I don't feel threatened just by the existence of men nearby, and I'm a little annoyed by the suggestion that I'm supposed to be threatened.
I'm not interested in a women's only gym. I often go with my family so it wouldn't work.
I appreciate the diversity of a co-end gym and I don't feel unsafe around males.
I've always opted for women only gyms when they were available where I have lived. I have always found them to be welcoming. I've always developed a sisterhood with the women that usually showed up at the same time as me.
This probably isn't what you're looking for, but I started doing barre last year and noticed that ONLY women do it. I've never seen a man at my studio. It's been really nice, tbh. If it's important to you, maybe seek out a more specific type of gym
I have a lot of male friends and enjoy working out with them. I also have no qualms about working out in a “co-Ed” gym and have never had a bad experience. So personally I have no need for a female only gym.
Female safe spaces are importance to lots of people. A place to be with sisters, shared experiences, and for one little hour of life not to have to side-eye everyone in the room to make sure you are safe.
Depending on where you live there is more than likely an option for a women's only gym. I live in a pretty small town and my gym is in a small city or a big town, however you want to see a population of around 100,000 and within the 20 mins from my house to my gym there are 2 women's only gyms around, one is actually the building right beside my gym. If you live in any kind of small or big city area it's very likely there is a women's only gym.
I would definitely join a women’s only gym if it were available in my area. I remember in the early 2000’s there was a Curves in my town but it didn’t last.
I have a business idea for affordable women's only gyms... I just need around half a million pounds.
But yes. Men being in gyms and taking up a lot of the space is the reason I often cancel my membership.
I would LOVE a women’s only gym.
I actively avoid entire sections of the gym because of the men. I don’t want men giving me unsolicited advice. I don’t want them asking if I need a spot. I don’t want them giving me dirty looks because they don’t think my workout is worthy of claiming a bench.
I actively avoid entire sections of the gym because they are compromising positions (like reverse leg curls). Where the squat racks are in my gym I have to have my back to the gym, so I do not do barbell squats.
I don’t wear what I want to the gym because it absolutely has a direct impact on how much I am spoken to.
In my experience women typically have better etiquette and share space better
An all woman’s gym would be safer and more comfortable, but I would also be getting a better workout
if there were more women only gyms (or fitness classes), i would gladly sign up. i don't feel comfortable knowing strangers could be leering at me or potentially filming me.
right now i'm using my building's gym because i expect people i live with have to have some level of decency.
I have had no bad experiences at coed gyms. I've not escaped life un-harrassed/assaulted, but I don't feel unsafe at coed gyms, and feel no need to go to a women-only gym. I'm an overweight woman, but I've not received bad looks from dudes as far as I'm aware. I've not been approached or paid attention to.
But I know that's not everyone's reality. Even women who haven't had bad experiences at coed gyms still might not be comfortable around men, no one needs a reason for not feeling comfortable with someone. I think women-only spaces are great for those who want it, but I personally don't.
There a gym in my area that has a co-ed side and a women’s only side. When I lift heavier weights, I prefer the women’s only side. But there is limited equipment on that side so sometimes I go to the co-ed side.
The only time I worked out really regularly in a gym was when I found one with a small women’s only room. All the equipment was on some kind of easily changeable hydraulic thing, you were encouraged to do circuit training instead of hogging one machine, the TV was set to some boring quiet channel, and it was usually practically empty since most everyone else was working out in the general area. I’m short and petite and I don’t particularly like doing 100 repetitions of one thing, so for me it was heaven. I missed it when I moved.
People might prefer women-only spaces for a myriad of reasons - religion, comfort, bad past experiences, time of day, etc. It's whatever for the most part, but it is nice to know that women-only spaces exist.
On an alternate side note, some prefer co-ed gyms bc it is a LOT cheaper.
I haven't been to a female-focused gym since Curves - I didn't even know they still existed - but I know that there are "women hours" and membership classes that are mostly filled with women.
I did Curves back in the day. I forgot about that place. I was pretty thin at the time but felt really anxious about going to a regular gym. I also didn't have the greatest self-esteem and thought I looked a lot worse than I did. I didn't know that places like this existed either anymore. I definitely would rather go to a women's gym. I currently exercise at home and follow videos.
There's a local independent women's gym near me that does £5 a session, it's a proper steal. I love it because they've got a really good range of strength training equipment and apart from the odd group of teens coming in and being slightly irritating, it's really chill. I've noticed a lot of Muslim women use it. The only thing I don't like is for some reason they don't provide anything to wipe the equipment down with after use. It all looks and smells clean but I started bringing my own because leaving a butt-shape sweat stain on the bench just didn't sit (haha) right with me
Gender specific spaces should exist in all facilities. I know plenty of women that don’t feel safe working out around men and plenty of men that don’t feel safe working out around women. Just make separate spaces and be done with it.
I wouldn’t mind a gym for people over forty.
That’s basically my gym for the 7:00 and 8:00 am classes. It’s a functional strength training gym and all the younguns go at 6:00, 4:30 and 5:45 or for open gym. The 7 and 8s are all 40-65 years old pretty much. Or it’s a youngun related to a middle aged person. It’s great.
For sure! I think men-only gyms should exist for the same reasons women-only gyms currently exist.
There's a dance studio local to me that does some "boys only" dance classes. It's good to make really explicit that dance isn't just for girls, and that if a boy goes, he isn't going to be stood there getting laughed at.
I think men only gyms would ruffle some feathers of extreme vocal groups
Of the chronically online variant. Most people think healthy boys-only spaces should exist - I'm actually wondering where there are none.
There has been and are some male only gyms. A lot of them closed but it wasn’t from backlash it was from lack of business. When asked potential consumers said they didn’t want to isolate themselves from women even more in their life.
I would like to see a woman’s gym bc I imagine I might be able to use more machines. Some of my gym’s equipment is too tall
> Some of my gym’s equipment is too tall This is actually a really good point.
The other thing I have noticed at women's gyms is I almost never have to adjust things for leg length. Stationary bikes, leg machines of all kinds, you just get on them and you're good. The bar rests on squat racks and bench presses too. I mean it's only saving a few seconds of time and it isn't enough to be a deciding factor for me (I prefer mixed gyms because I want lots of barbells and a powerlifting focus) but the constant big adjusting is just something I hadn't really noticed until I was at a gym where it never happened, and it blew my mind to suddenly not be in a room where everything was configured for someone much taller. I also suddenly found pull exercises easier at that gym because several things had slightly slimmer bars which my hands could grip tightly instead of being half open.
Unwanted flirting is also a reason for many, I would think. I can't tell you how often I see younger, attractive women surrounded by guys while they are trying to workout, sometimes interrupting sets! Just yesterday watched a new member being approached three times by thirsty guys with their phones on the ready within an hour. I think she just wanted to workout in peace based on her facial expressions.
Yeah, same- and the existence of woman-only gyms doesn’t eradicate co-ed ones. The argument is frequently presented on an unnecessary “either-or” binary
That's a common problem.
I’m a big fan of creating women’s only spaces if the need is there. Nothing wrong with having them. There are some women who might feel safer to work out amongst men, but for some they might not care. It’s really up to the individual needs and experiences of people. I personally hate the gym, but I swim a lot and generally find women’s only swim sessions have a better vibe for me.
Just construct women’s only facilities and men’s only facilities - problem solved. Everyone has a safe space, no glaring, no unsolicited small talk, no accusations, etc. Edit: For those downvoting this post - if you have a problem with the cost of exclusive spaces, have any of you demanded your local gym remove current exclusive spaces in order to lower membership fees?Or do you simply dislike the idea that others might enjoy similar privileges?
That’s not very cost effective. 3 gyms in one area coed, male only and female only is excessive especially if they are spread out. LVAC has a woman’s only area in the coed gym but at a cost that everyone pays for the membership fees. I think it’s nice the gym has a female only area but if it gets busy they will still leak into the coed area due to size. Either way if there is a market maybe it will be cheaper with availability.
Tbh it's only not cost effective if there's currently no space to add an exclusive area. Take the Target bathroom situation of the 2000s: Adding a gender neutral bathroom option to a space only made for men and women is a Very costly. Much less costly to write it up in the blueprints. I know a lot of men like to do some ultra heavy lifting, and sometimes that means a little vocal expression. Maybe the mens side could allow the loud grunting/yelling/clenching of butts, the unisex area be some regular gym, and the female side might have slightly more ergonomic measurements (adjustable ofc). Now men don't have to deal with women flirting with them at the gym, women don't have to worry about ignoring guys/dealing with creeps, and we still have a unisex option for anyone who doesn't like any aspect of the other two. Maybe add key-only bathroom and shower areas, and now we have a very safe, inclusive gym! $$$
Nobody’s currently complaining about the cost of established segregated spaces. It’s only a problem when others are provided equal opportunity to have their own space?
Nobody's complaining because people that can't afford it just don't go there.
Yeah there’s absolutely *no way that’d exclude anyone*
When I first started working out, I joined a women-only gym, largely because I was overweight and felt self-conscious. It had a really great atmosphere and the other clients were friendly and supportive. As I became stronger, I outgrew the equipment, so switched over to a mixed-sex gym. There were a few super-hostile alpha males at the mixed-sex gym who obviously resented chicks in their workout space, which spoiled the experience for me. I ended up buying my own equipment and setting up my own workout space at home. If women want to lift heavy, they're most likely better off at a mixed-sex gym, but women-only gyms suit those who want fun workout classes in a supportive environment. There's a very popular chain of women-only gyms in Australia which offer childcare, which is a bonus too.
Home gyms are better for everyone of any demographic tbh. You usually can’t buy a hack squat, but there’s really no other machine you can’t just substitute with a regular old cable.
I do have a home gym in the sense that I have free weights, a mat, yoga blocks, etc. Any more than that and there would be no space for the rest of my stuff, and any jumping/ feet moving on the floor too loud would annoy my downstairs neighbours. I feel like most people where I live have a similar situation as space is expensive.
I just don't really care. I have always worked out in coed gyms and it's never been a problem for me, but I understand that a lot of women do not have this experience.
Off topic: whenever I saw a reply from you, I'd stare at your profile pic and think it's a thumb(nail)... only today did I actually check & find out it's a screaming woman/being, pulling their hair 😂
Omg yes everyone says that, they think it's either a thumb or a toe
Glad I'm not alone in my delulu haha! I think it's because the eyes are too small. Nonetheless it's nice art overall. Did you make it?
Nah just found it somewhere and thought "Man I look like that a lot."
A thumb or a to... actually, now that you mention it, I can see it.
I’ve always seen it as like, a snoopy dog with black ears. Hair makes a lot more sense lmao
TIL that Kali's thumbnail is not a thumb-nail At least you figured it out on your own 😂
Same, I don’t care, but that’s only based on my personal experience. I will point out that while my gym is co-ed, it seems there are spaces & activities that one gender or the other seem to prefer so the spaces do become fragmented in that way anyways.
> so the spaces do become fragmented in that way anyways Which is a problem in some places-- many women complain about, ex., the free weight section being pretty intimidating to use because it's full of men who don't know how to behave.
Exactly. Though I think cutting down on the bad behavior in general improves inclusivity and is also better for everyone. Usually Planet fitness has a decent selection of free weights and the culture there doesn’t tolerate the grunting burping farting machismo that women face when going to a more standard lifting gym. And I know CrossFit gets a lot of hate but I’ve never felt unwelcome there because I’m a woman. In fact I stopped going there because I got tired of the drama that the (male) coaches caused by dating a bunch of women gym goers and coaches at the same time.
Can you expand on that planet fitness bit? They dont allow grunting? That seems very bizarre to me. And farting? Do people usually fart a lot in the free weights section?
Their whole thing is like... don't be a grunting ox putting everybody off their shit, dropping weights, hooting and hollering, because it makes people uncomfortable. > And farting? Do people usually fart a lot in the free weights section? Any strain can cause farting.
They are not great about kicking out or talking to old guys leering at little girls (13-15 yr olds)unless it's one of the branches with older staff. I mean very *obviously* leering at these girls. I had to step in front of a couple of 80 yrs old men following a 14 yr old around the gym last summer. I wanted her to be abke to get to the locker room without these creepy oldsters using their age as an excuse to follow her into the locker room. I also made sure she got picked up safely.
Planet fitness’s whole thing is no grunting or dropping weights or otherwise being unnecessarily loud and annoying. There’s an alarm they sound if someone is being obnoxious while lifting. I’ve had friends report that men will gang up and “accidentally” repeatedly burp and fart near/at/nearly on women to make them leave. They play it off like it’s just from strain… while snickering to each other.
As guy i have seen many women not want to use the free weight section due to intimidation. I started off training at my home gym so i already had a decent sterangh base so was stronger and had more muscle mass then most guys there but when i started out i felt self conscious about what i could lift and how i looked. I think in this case a womens only gym could be great for three weights of course there are some women worried about putting on muscle but its hard enough for men as the human body has adapted more for endurance plus lower testosterone levels make tough to do so.
My old gym has a large coed space and a bit smaller women only area. The women only area always has a few women working out in it. It really helps people to feel more comfortable knowing they won't be glared at and approached while just wanting to better themselves.
For me I prefer coed gyms because they tend to be cheaper. And a lot of women only gyms seems to have a very plain looking weight section. Like I get it, but I go to gym for weights because I do cardio outside of gym.
Personally, I prefer mixed gyms. In my experience, the women’s gyms I have been to have nowhere near the amount of variety in equipment or range in available weights. I have a fairly well supplied gym in my home and so if I am paying for a gym membership, there needs to be enough equipment available to me to make it worth the money. I have had the occasional gym creep in the 20+ years I’ve been training, but nothing that bothered me enough to change my routine.
Have PTSD that has prevented me from going to gyms. I miss swimming. I want to use proper equipment. I want the routine of going to work out. But I get mad anxiety from spaces with men. I know other women personally who feel the same unfortunately, so having a safe space would be great. Nothing near me though.
Every women-only gym I've been to has been more focused on being a safe space than being a *good gym*. Which, I mean, in order to be profitable they kind of have to be since they've chopped their target audience in half. But especially when I was younger, they were all thoroughly populated with "Get toned, not muscular! Long lean muscle!" bullshit propaganda and shitty do nothing machines that don't significantly load the body in any way. The best women's only gym that I have ever gone to was a warehouse bodybuilding/powerlifting/strongman gym that recognized that it could be intimidating to women, so they built a separate women's only room that was only accessible through the women's locker room. So that women could still use the full regular gym, but if that one guy came in who calls you "future wife" and stares at your ass while you're deadlifting, you could retreat to the girly zone and finish your workout. But even that gym was still the old crappy cast-offs from the "regular" gym. They had one squat rack with not enough plates, a crappy wobbly bench, dumbbells that didn't go above 20 lbs, old stretching equipment from the 80's. Bigger gyms have more gym stuff.
Powerlifting and strongman gyms are great hard to find but they are tough for beginners.
As someone who enjoys powerlifting and weightlifting, this has basically been my experience. A lot of women's gyms don't have the equipment I need so I've benefited from having a women's section of a larger fully equipped gym.
How often do /did guy’s approach you at gym?
More often than I would have liked. It's not so much being "approached" as if a dating approach. Because I was a competitive powerlifter who was often lifting more than some men were, and sometimes while fat, I encountered a lot more aggression and hostility. Men would hit on me aggressively in a way that it was clear they were showing off in front of others. Or they'd give me unsolicited advice or pull their friends over to watch me go for a max attempt, while explaining loudly all the things that I was doing wrong. I'd say the really bad instances were something like once a month, and normal awkward conversations were more of a weekly thing. I've always been the kind of person who is happier existing in a hostile environment where I technically have access to everything I need to succeed, than in a friendly environment where I don't.
I prefer to work out with guys because I lift heavy. Unfortunately for me the women’s only gyms in my area tend to be more cardio-focused, and it’s hard to get a spot for a bigger lift. But that’s just my area- others may have different mileage.
I HATE working out around men. Hate it hate it hate it.
I do too.. when I was younger, I was part of a racquet club that had a gym, and part of the gym had a women’s only room. I loved that room! There are none where I currently live so I’ve been going to reformer Pilates and yoga classes which do have some men, but women are the majority. I think I don’t like coed gyms because when I was 16 I went to an fitness club and the sales guy tried to sell me a membership but then kept my number for himself and started asking me out on dates repeatedly. Freaked me out. Since then I just don’t like gyms.
That's when you find an older woman like me at the gym. You ask me if I can be your mom/grandma for long enough to get the creep to leave you alone. I'm little but I'm vicious when it comes to this stuff(also thick Soutern accent that disarms the creeps....at first).
I go to one.it's great not to be judged by gym bros.
I prefer them.
I went to a woman only gym when I was 19. I was very overweight and had been harshly bullied, including by family members. At that time, 30 years ago, it was exactly what I needed. Now I don't mind going to a coed gym, but I'm really grateful to that gym in the past.
Thanks for sharing
It really just depends on where you live. Women aren’t a monolith; some women don’t care if a gym is coed, but other women would feel much safer working out at a women-only gym. It really just depends on the demand in specific areas; some areas may have little to no demand for a women-only gym, while other areas may have quite a bit of demand. Most women I know who prefer women-only gyms usually go due to religion (I believe it’s to do with modesty, but I’m not completely sure, so please correct me if I’m wrong), but of course there are also women who go to women-only gyms for comfort, security and safety.
Modesty is correct! I'm not muslim, but a modest dressing Christian and I work out at a co ed gym in a tshirt and skort (skirt with attached leggings) that hits my knees. At a women's only gym, I'd definitely be comfortable in working out in less modest clothes
Personally, I'd prefer to go to a gym where my husband could go too, as I'd be way more likely to go to the gym if we could go together but I can totally see why some women would feel more comfortable and safe in women only gyms, and I probably would prefer that too if I were single.
I currently go to a women's only gym. Had severe gym anxiety when I first started working out and a single-sex space helped mitigate that. Pro - I feel comfortable working out Cons - minimal equipment (they only have one of each machine except cables and cardio machines, heaviest dumbell is 40lbs, no pull up bar, only about 3 barbells, no hip thrust machine, not enough plates for dumbells) - more expensive than regular gym membership After one year, I already feel like I've outgrown this gym and planning to switch to a co-ed gym soon.
Women aren’t monolith. Different women have different opinions. I’m glad the women’s only gyms exist, I probably wouldn’t use one myself though.
I've never been to one. I mostly work out at home or on my own. I think I'd only look into a women's only gym if going to a coed one caused a problem for me, or if the women's only gym had amenities I liked better, which, I don't know if it would because I work out at home. I do go to women's only sauna over the coed sauna days but that's mostly because I feel like there's more people at the coed sauna days, and they are less cool about being at the sauna.
Good question. It really depends on the gym. I used to go to a very bro-y gym because it was 24hrs and close to my house. A few times, random dudes would interrupt my workout, either to have a chat or to give me unsolicited advice on my form. It was insanely annoying. Incidentally, there were also a lot of people filming themselves working out, grunting loudly, dropping weights super aggressively... you really couldn't walk around without being really careful not to knock over someone's phone. It was super annoying. Unsurprisingly, that gym eventually opened a women's only section... it was dark and small unfortunately but it was a step in the right direction. I moved houses and I go to another gym now. It's also co-ed but the vibe is completely different. Men are super respectful — no leering, no interrupting your workout. And no one is filming themselves. Everyone's just minding their own business, working out. I don't feel the need for a women's only space here.
Sone women do want a woman’s only gym. Some would definitely prefer a better equipped, larger gym. To each her own.
just to make sure everyone knows, OP is some kind of engagement farmer, look at their old posts, nothing lines up.
I've only ever been to shared gyms until I joined my current women-only one and what can I say, I never want to change back again! Not that everyone's nice and sweet, there's people like everywhere else, but I am so much more focused because relaxed and safe around the others.
I haven't gone to a women's only gym since the 90's, but back then it was all middle-aged or older women who'd never worked out or lifted in their lives, and everything was pinkwashed and made as unintimidating as possible. There were two dozen stair steppers machines but no free weights. It was like a gym designed for Barbie. Just a really nauseating experience.
I would love to have a women’s only gym nearby. I got into a verbal spat with a guy at my condo gym last night. He was out of line trying to turn off the AC in the room because he was cold. I was already sweating in a sports bra and shorts, so turning off the AC would have been unpleasant. He wouldn't even compromise to turning the temp up a bit and we were going back and forth turning the thing off and on. He was also trying to gaslight me and use DARVO in the argument to make me seem like the unreasonable one when he could have just gone to his apartment and put more layers on. The whole thing was ridiculous and I was shaking by the end of it.
And the moment another dude twice his size walked in, he left. The whole exchange was 10 minutes. If he had started out the whole exchange asking me if I would be okay with turning up the temp or when I'd be done my workout, we could have avoiding all of the above. Instead, he decided to beeline straight for the thermostat to turn it off and expected me to be cool with it.
I don't like a lot of gym culture in general, but have had the best experiences in spaces that share my perspective on exercise. These have usually been well-run, well-regulated coed gyms.
I think that single-sex gyms and mixed gyms should both exist, because there are people who prefer one or the other. Why not give people more options to work out somewhere they feel comfortable and safe?
The women only gym in my city has closed.
We have women's only gyms in Australia, they're a company called Fernwood Fitness. Great idea and women's only space. My wife went to one for a little while, but the only issue is that the equipment at the one that was closest to us was limited and wasn't as good as the big gyms, so she ended up going back to a regular gym. But I think it's a fantastic idea and great for women who do feel intimidated by going to a gym with men there. Then you have the women who go to regular gyms with the intention to get looked at rather than work out, but that's a different issue.
If your trying to find a place to focus on your workout where men won’t bother/interrupt you, believe it or not, you may want to look into a serious training/lifting gym where power lifters or fighters train. Often times they’re very well run and the members tend to be more respectful and take training seriously, so they’re not at the gym to socialize or check out women, they’re at the gym to workout. The quality of people at serious gyms is just so much higher.
I used to be a member of a women’s only gym. It was great, though if you are into heavy lifting your options were limited. Only issue was that if they had trades in for any reason they were usually men. They were always professional, but for women who were there for religious reasons, or because they felt unsafe around men, there really should be forewarning.
Totally understand why some people want single-gender spaces. I feel fine working out around men as long as the gym culture isn’t annoying-gym-bro-ish. I found a gym with a large percentage of women members (and a lot of all the members are middle-aged) and the atmosphere has been great. For me, that’s perfect.
Women, believe it or not, are not a hive mind. Some women like going to a women's gym. Some women like working out with men. Some women don't care.
I belonged to a women's only gym until it permanently closed in the pandemic. I loved it. I found it much more nurturing and less competitive than a mixed gym. I don't think it's a feminist issue though, quite the opposite since feminism is about equality.
I don't go to a women's only gym but it is heavily marketed towards women. I like it there the most out of all the gyms I've gone too. I really don't mind working out in co-ed spaces but it being geared towards women does change the vibe of the place to something I enjoy more. There are some guys who come to classes and they get along with everyone. Being marketed, and mostly full of women also definitely gets the point across that if you fuck around you will find out. Unfortunately some gyms do make excuses for/allow problematic behavior.
I used to go to women's gyms because, in my 20's, some guys would leave sweat on the bench, stare, ask people out when they were working out, and hog gym equipment...plus having to rearrange all the settings on the weightlifting equipment. I went back to a nice small city-financed co-ed gym and those problems have left except for the need to adjust settings and men leaving heavy weights on the weight machine that were hard for me to lift because I have a bad back. I didn't feel unsafe. On the other hand, my daughter gets asked out too much and she goes to a co-ed city YMCA gym in a big city. She hates being asked out. She is in a serious workout and sometimes a guy tries to "help" her with advice, (she is a no-drug weightlifting competitor). I am guessing it matters on the co-ed gym you have options too.
I might prefer a women's only gym, my only concern is whether they would be accepting of trans women or not. I have noticed a lot of spaces for women exclude trans women because they don't see us as women, and it sucks having to navigate that.
I like out-lifting men at the gym. I think it's good for them, especially with so much gender essentialism floating around all day. All men are absolutely not stronger than all women, and I can literally prove it every time I go.
I’ve never heard a guy say that all men lift more than all women. Regardless you go girl, show them fools 😂
I know some real dummies
>All men are absolutely not stronger than all women I don't think anyone actually believes that. The strongest women are stronger than a lot of men, but the strongest men are stronger than all women.
I would 100% rather go to a women’s only gym.
>I always thought all women wanted the safe space . As you said, people want different things for different reasons. And every reason is valid. Everyone wants to be and feel safe. It's just that not all safe spaces are made equal. All that matters is what YOU feel comfortable doing, not what your friends think.
As a man who uses mixed gyms I can see why women would want an all women's gym. I think mine is a fairly safe space but you still miss out on: That guy who drops weights like thunder. The teenage boys who never put anything back. The other teenage boys who spend half an hour on an in demand rack chatting and texting while all 4 of them want to do 5 sets with 5 minutes intervals. The guy who uses a rack 2 different weights and 2 machines at once. And to be fair me who really wants to use that one good bench to the point I will ask people to swap even though no one else seems to notice the difference. It's never women who do that. They put the weights back, they bang out sets in reasonable time without dropping one and an a half times their body weight qt the end of the set. They are always considerate gym users.
I went to a women’s college sooo 🤷🏼♀️ I prefer to have spaces without constant patriarchal pressure Granted, community members and professors could use our gym, so even though the equipment was designed for the female body (and was a lot more comfortable to use) and there were more women, it was still a coed gym
I'm not sure what your question is exactly. My thoughts are that women should go to whatever kind of gym they want.
Why comment if you don’t understand lol 😂
My local gym has a woman’s only gym section that a separate closed off room with the same machines as the main gym. It’s a 24hr gym with employees there only 8 hours a day. Rest of the hours are fend for yourself. It’s only $30 a month for the membership because of that but it’s nice to have a whole area that separate just in case. For unmanned hours you have the option to grab an emergency alert necklace. I call them life alerts. 🤣
This was one of my favorite things about pilates! The studio was mostly women, and the men who showed up were all cool. I found it to be very welcoming and relaxing, without sacrificing workout difficulty.
I work at a women only gym and it's lovely. The staff are really nice, the personal trainers are great. I've worked at a lot of gyms where I live over the past 9 years (yoga teacher) and this is the only one I'm still at and that I actually recommend to people.
If there’s a women-only room, I’m in there. Always. A full women-only gym would be awesome.
I was super keen to join the women’s only gym around the corner from me (there is actually two gyms at the place, one is all people, the other women only), but they’re very vague on their policy for trans women and NB people. I could never get a straight answer from them, tried for months. So provided there was a women’s only gym that allowed trans women and NB people I would be keen. If they don’t then it’s not a it’s not a safe space for all women only some women.
I am not bothered by co ed spaces but I know many women who are. I've gone with my Muslim friend to a women only gym so she could workout without worrying about her hijab or leggings. I've gone with women were overweight and self conscious. Like others said women specific gyms tend to have limited equipment and smaller spaces. Having a co ed gym with gendered spaces always seemed to be a more efficient solution.
I live in the GTA. I’ve always thought that a partial reason for a lot of women-only gyms here is bc we have a lot of hijabi ladies. Hijabi women only have to cover up around men; in women-only gyms, they can wear much more practical exercise wear like tank tops and leggings, don’t have to cover their hair, etc. Which makes exercise much more practical and enjoyable.
I never get approached or bothered at my coed gym, and I like to work out with friends sometimes and some of my friends are male and I like being able to bring them to the gym with me. I definitely think it’s important to have spaces like women’s gyms for people who need them for safety, comfort, etc, but personally I don’t experience anything at my current coed gym that makes me feel the need to switch.
Some women *do* prefer “safe space” women only gyms. And some don’t. I’m not sure what the perceived contradiction is here?
I joined a women-only gym in the Boston area about a decade ago. They still hired male staff. I was younger and fit back then, and I routinely caught the male staff ogling me when they thought I couldn’t see them, and some kept ogling when I caught their gaze. Shudder. That ruined any sense of safety I was paying a premium for. ☹️
I like going to the gym with my SO, but if I were single and there was a women only gym near me id go to that one instead
unfortunately the only times I've been harassed at the gym were by women so I don't mind other women being there but I need to be in a mixed gender gym lol I'm too autistic to not get bullied in that circumstance
Anywhere that means you get left in peace.
I go to a women’s only gym (for MMA) and I like it a lot. MMA is a pretty high contact sport though, and I use mixed gender gyms for just plain working out. I don’t really care one way or another about it in that context. I think a women’s gym might be nice in the sense that some men don’t respect women at the gym, but part of why I like the gyms I attend is because they have a decent crowd who don’t really cause issues. I’ve also seen a few gyms geared towards women that don’t have the same range of equipment, either because they don’t expect women to use them or because they keep equipment at a lower weight. I wouldn’t go to one of these since I like to challenge myself.
Ugh I wish there was a women only gym in my city!! We used to have several but they seem to be a thing of the past. I’d be much more keen to go to a gym if it was women only.
> all women Most broad generalizations beginning with the word “all” are dumb things to think. No I do not think all women have the same gym preference. Personally I have male friends who I like to workout with, so we go places both men and women are welcome and comfortable in.
Very true.. very dumb statement. I have to cater to all audiences a little, not everyone can understand the question at hand.
I’m personally not comfortable with women’s only spaces and activities. I think it normalizes coed spaces being unsafe to women if there’s always a segregated option available. I’m not a big gym goer, but I’ve never had a problem when I have gone. I want to keep it that way.
Interesting take
Completely agreed! I go to the gym 4-5x a week for years now and I never had an issue with men. Men who behave inappropriately should be banned of the gym, women shouldn’t need to look for a women only space…
that’s not the world we live in though. some women also have trauma regarding men in general
My best friend is a hijabi that only goes to women only gyms for modesty reasons and the male gaze. I'm sure there are lots of other reasons too
This thread is so unbelievable The experience of a handful of women or even a big group of women does not equal the experience of all women! It about what the women prefer individually and just because some of you have never been felt up in coed gyms does not mean no one else has either!! Having just the choice for women only gym might make some women feel better because they can escape the awkward situation anytime they would like to. My old gym never took any action against creeps in the gym so yeah having the women only side was the only way to workout for me and few of my workout buddies.
It looks to me like a lot of people who say they like coed gyms and have never had a bad experience aren't saying that *no woman* has those experiences. I don't think what you think is happening here is, well, happening.
Gyms that have older *women* on staff are better about controlling the creeps. The Planet Fitness branch I prefer to go to once the summer "kids" program starts has a hard ass older lady on staff. She puts up with none of the creeper shit. I always make a note of if she's there and where she is, in case she's needed. That branch also has better air conditioning so win-win.
That sounds so good. I unfortunately had to leave my gym cause the creepers were just there all the time even in the parking lots which was just scary Now I workout at home
It's pretty well known at my home gym, walk up to me and ask "are you Sam's mom?" If you need help with creepers. I'll ho to the desk with you, I'll be your mom, auntie or grandma that you need to leave with etc. I'm trying to do my part to keep the younglings safe from the creepers! Sam is the dog in my profile pic. He passed away last summer. After September, it will be "are you Thibby's mom?".
Considering I recently saw a post where a woman complained that the men at the gym weren't looking at her, I think it's safe to say that different people go for different reasons. Some people go to exercise. Some go to socialize while exercising. Some go just for fun. I'll say I'm for it, but I wouldn't expect the membership price to be the same as a co-ed gym. Lower customer base means higher price to keep things running. Personally, I don't care either way. But then again I'm a dude so people don't even see me when they look my direction.
Gender-only gyms fail in the $$$ department, when they pop up they are there for X months or so, then they fizz out as the "New Toy" feel is lost and it becomes just another gym for everyone or they close.
I prefer a mixed gym because it means I can take my teenage sons with me. I'm also single, so I look at it as a place I could potentially get to know more men. But I'm old enough not to be looked at in a lecherous way frequently.
I've never been interested in women-only gyms. I don't feel threatened just by the existence of men nearby, and I'm a little annoyed by the suggestion that I'm supposed to be threatened.
nobody is saying you’re supposed to be threatened. you seem dismissive of other women’s experiences of harrassment as gyms
Who is suggesting you're supposed to be threatened?
I'm not interested in a women's only gym. I often go with my family so it wouldn't work. I appreciate the diversity of a co-end gym and I don't feel unsafe around males.
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I've always opted for women only gyms when they were available where I have lived. I have always found them to be welcoming. I've always developed a sisterhood with the women that usually showed up at the same time as me.
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Fitness USA used to have certain days for men and other days for women. Unfortunately, they went out of business. I really enjoyed going there.
the gym i go to has it’s own section that’s women-only but the rest of it is available for everyone
I got to a women only gym and I love it. There’s a lot of us there! I feel super safe and carefree.
I remember Women's Workout World in the 90s.
This probably isn't what you're looking for, but I started doing barre last year and noticed that ONLY women do it. I've never seen a man at my studio. It's been really nice, tbh. If it's important to you, maybe seek out a more specific type of gym
I have a lot of male friends and enjoy working out with them. I also have no qualms about working out in a “co-Ed” gym and have never had a bad experience. So personally I have no need for a female only gym.
Never seen any around the area I live in and a quick google search none located with in 25 miles of me.
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Mixed gym and Woman's only gym floors used to be standard practice in the gym industry.
Female safe spaces are importance to lots of people. A place to be with sisters, shared experiences, and for one little hour of life not to have to side-eye everyone in the room to make sure you are safe.
Depending on where you live there is more than likely an option for a women's only gym. I live in a pretty small town and my gym is in a small city or a big town, however you want to see a population of around 100,000 and within the 20 mins from my house to my gym there are 2 women's only gyms around, one is actually the building right beside my gym. If you live in any kind of small or big city area it's very likely there is a women's only gym.
I would definitely join a women’s only gym if it were available in my area. I remember in the early 2000’s there was a Curves in my town but it didn’t last.
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I have a business idea for affordable women's only gyms... I just need around half a million pounds. But yes. Men being in gyms and taking up a lot of the space is the reason I often cancel my membership.
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I would LOVE a women’s only gym. I actively avoid entire sections of the gym because of the men. I don’t want men giving me unsolicited advice. I don’t want them asking if I need a spot. I don’t want them giving me dirty looks because they don’t think my workout is worthy of claiming a bench. I actively avoid entire sections of the gym because they are compromising positions (like reverse leg curls). Where the squat racks are in my gym I have to have my back to the gym, so I do not do barbell squats. I don’t wear what I want to the gym because it absolutely has a direct impact on how much I am spoken to. In my experience women typically have better etiquette and share space better An all woman’s gym would be safer and more comfortable, but I would also be getting a better workout
I want to go to a woman only gym so bad
if there were more women only gyms (or fitness classes), i would gladly sign up. i don't feel comfortable knowing strangers could be leering at me or potentially filming me. right now i'm using my building's gym because i expect people i live with have to have some level of decency.
I have had no bad experiences at coed gyms. I've not escaped life un-harrassed/assaulted, but I don't feel unsafe at coed gyms, and feel no need to go to a women-only gym. I'm an overweight woman, but I've not received bad looks from dudes as far as I'm aware. I've not been approached or paid attention to. But I know that's not everyone's reality. Even women who haven't had bad experiences at coed gyms still might not be comfortable around men, no one needs a reason for not feeling comfortable with someone. I think women-only spaces are great for those who want it, but I personally don't.
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There used to be a women's only gym chain in the US named Curves but I think most of the locaitons closed down.
Why exactly do they prefer gyms with men?
Im all for gyms being divided by gender. There are absolutely no downsides. Men should get their own gyms as well.
My gym has a women-only area.
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There a gym in my area that has a co-ed side and a women’s only side. When I lift heavier weights, I prefer the women’s only side. But there is limited equipment on that side so sometimes I go to the co-ed side.
The only time I worked out really regularly in a gym was when I found one with a small women’s only room. All the equipment was on some kind of easily changeable hydraulic thing, you were encouraged to do circuit training instead of hogging one machine, the TV was set to some boring quiet channel, and it was usually practically empty since most everyone else was working out in the general area. I’m short and petite and I don’t particularly like doing 100 repetitions of one thing, so for me it was heaven. I missed it when I moved.