While going to the gym should be empowering, many women find it comes with added challenges. For instance, finding supportive gym wear, dodging unwanted stares, and navigating a male dominated space. Between confidence, comfort, and safety, there’s more to it than just working out. Here are 15 reasons why hitting the gym can be a complicated experience for a woman.
Sports Bra Woes
Finding a good sports bra is absolutely essential. But finding one that’s both comfortable and genuinely supportive is more difficult than it’s cracked up to be. Many options are either too tight or not tight enough. Women with larger busts can have an especially difficult time finding the right fit.
Finding Quality Leggings
Nothing is more embarrassing than squatting and catching a glimpse of your sheer leggings in the mirror. While an essential gym staple, finding a quality pair of leggings can be a challenge. It takes multiple brands just to find one that stays in place, fits well, and feels good in motion.
Wandering Eyes
It can feel like you’re under a spotlight when you’re at the gym. Many women report feeling stared at, especially when using weights or doing floor work. Even a subtle glance can create enough discomfort to throw off your workout or even prompt you to avoid the gym all together.
Feeling Like You’re Interrupting Boy’s Club
In many fitness centers, it can feel like the men dominate the weight area. Some women, especially ones new to the gym, may feel like they’re trespassing as they walk through. Women might face condescending attitudes, unsolicited advice, or being completely ignored when waiting for equipment. It creates psychological and emotional barriers to accessing strength training.
Cute Enough But Not “Sexy”
Society places heaps of unspoken expectations on women— and that doesn’t end when they enter the doors to the gym. Women walk a tightrope of dressing too plain or wearing something deemed too fitted or trendy. Either way, you run the risk of being judged or objectified. It’s hard for many women to balance functionality with appearance when going to the gym.
A Lack of Inclusivity in Gym Wear
From crop tops to skin-tight leggings, a lot of gym clothes brands catered to a specific body type. If you don’t have a slim, hourglass body, it might be harder to shop. Women in larger bodies, postpartum bodies, or different proportions struggle to find gear that fits comfortably and helps them to feel confident.
Not Enough Privacy in Locker Room
It can feel extremely awkward and vulnerable to be changing in a public locker room. For some women, modesty, concerns, past traumas, or even just the fear of judgment can make the locker room feel like an emotionally taxing or even hostile space instead of a transitional one. Unfortunately, many gyms don’t take this into consideration when designing their locker rooms.
The Impulse to “Earn” Your Spot
From grabbing dumbbells to hopping on a bench, some women feel the need to prove that they belong at the gym. This can be especially true if they’re new to fitness. This sense of performance anxiety can be discouraging and even drive people away from making healthy choices like regularly going to the gym.
The Constant Fear of Judgment
Are there people watching my form? Do I look gross and sweaty? Am I even doing this exercise correctly? It can feel like the whole world is judging you when you’re new at the gym. These mental loops can run nonstop for women while training, overshadowing their actual workout. Feelings of judgment, even if no one says anything, are enough to destroy confidence.
Unwanted Gym Bro Advice
While some tips can be helpful, women frequently receive unsolicited advice, corrections, or egregious “man-splaining” from male gym-goers. This can feel unbelievably patronizing, intimidating, or just plain annoying. A lot of the time, the advice sold isn’t even accurate, which can add to the frustration. Women simply want to work out in peace.
Women-Only Fitness Spaces
Co-ed gyms are standard and prevalent. But there is a growing demand for women-only spaces that feel more supportive and less intimidating. Unfortunately, places of this nature can be rare and often more expensive. This limits the access for many women who would prefer a more comfortable atmosphere to stay healthy and fit.
Adjustments That Aren’t Female-Friendly
Gym machines and free weights aren’t always designed with a diverse range of bodies and abilities in mind. Sometimes, handles don’t adjust low enough, grips are too wide, or weight increments jump too far for a beginner. This creates both physical and emotional barriers to progress, potentially throwing off a newcomer.
Fear of Being Filmed or Photographed
With smartphones everywhere, we all have a camera readily available to snap a picture. As innocent as that may seem, the fear of being unknowingly recorded or ending up in someone’s “gym fail” compilation is real. Women have reported seeing someone filming without consent on many occasions. The sheer thought of this is enough to keep a woman out of the gym.
Unrealistic Hustle Culture
Hustle, results, and transformation — so many big names in the gym world make staying healthy sound like a full-time job. But most women are living full lives, trying to find time to better themselves while feeling tired and overextended. The last thing they need is more pressure to show up and hustle at the gym.
Comfort and Safety
Staying healthy, unfortunately, can cost a pretty penny. From high-quality shoes and moisture-wicking tops to noise-canceling earbuds, it can put a major dent in your wallet to create a comfortable gym experience. If a woman feels she can’t afford these luxuries, she may skip out on the gym completely. Hopefully, as we progress, there will be more opportunities for women of all walks to find their place at the gym.
