The State News
East Lansing resident Tricia Griffin, 26, works out on the leg-press machine while 16-year-old Lansing resident Maria Forest uses another machine Friday morning at Curves, a women’s fitness facility, 3498 E. Lake Lansing Road.
The State News
Lansing residents, neighbors and workout buddies Marie Gile and Roxanne Hannah check their pulses in between aerobic and strength training Friday morning at Curves.
Women-only workout times
Several college campuses are adopting women-only workout hours to make exercising more convenient and comfortable for females.
Harvard University, Kalamazoo College and St. John’s College in Santa Fe, N.M., are three colleges offering gym times designed only for women.
Religious factors played a role in the decisions of other colleges, such as Queens College, City University of New York, to implement hours exclusively for women.
Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education
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Their own time
Standing above the busy backdrop of men toning their muscles and building upper body strength at IM Sports-West, Katie Toskey said the weight room can be an uncomfortable environment.
“I would never go down there,” said Toskey, an international relations sophomore. “I try to work out every day, but it can be intimidating.”
To alleviate tension, a handful of college campuses across the country have set aside women-only gym hours, but MSU doesn’t appear to be headed in the same direction.
Female students can utilize the workout facility at Kalamazoo College on Sunday afternoons and Tuesday nights during 90-minute blocks, said Sarah Westfall, vice president for student development and dean of students at Kalamazoo College.
“The weight room here doesn’t use pin machines and men use bigger and heavier weights than women,” Westfall said. “Instead of having to navigate weights around, women tend to have more similar weight capabilities. It’s just more convenient (in women-only gyms).”
MSU’s policy of inclusion applies to most intramural facilities on campus, although IM Sports-West offers an open gym for women interested in playing basketball on Monday nights from 8-10 p.m., said Rebecca Kegler, assistant director for the Department of Intramural Sports and Recreative Services.
“We don’t think it’s a great idea to restrict space to one group, but we’re always open to discussion for certain groups and their needs,” Kegler said.
Bianca Glendinning, owner of Curves, 3498 E. Lake Lansing Road, a nationwide women’s-only gym, said the gym provides a supportive environment for the women who attend.
“Exercise is a job and it can get boring, but you have to continue to get involved,” Glendinning said.
At IM Sports-Circle the atmosphere is geared more toward families and kids, which means gender issues don’t seem to play a role, said Rick McNeil, assistant director for the Department of Intramural Sports and Recreative Services.
“We have not designed anything for gender,” McNeil said.
“Women don’t seem to feel threatened or intimidated, but we kind of leave it up to facility directors based on interest and demand and our facilities.”
Fitness USA, 656 Frandor Ave., and 5611 W. Saginaw Highway, in Lansing, provides alternate exercise days for men and women to help ease any gender discomfort, said Jodi Berry, executive director of Fitness USA.
“That’s basically been our standard operating hours since inception,” Berry said. “I just think people are more comfortable and don’t have to be concerned with how to dress or what position they’re in.”
Issues such as lack of equipment knowledge and sexual harassment can make women feel uncomfortable at the gym, but women still should be able to share the area, civil engineering senior Rachel Chojnacki said.
“It’s never bothered me at all,” said Chojnacki, who competed on a coed track team in high school and has worked out with men for most of her life.
“Sometimes I feel kind of funny on the machines, but I think guys are only paying attention to themselves anyway.”
Other students said weight room issues such as overcrowding don’t seem to be a problem because of flexible hours.
“If people go late at night or early in the day, there’s usually space,” kinesiology freshman Allison Pomerantz said.
“Sometimes guys do too many sets, but if you ask you can usually cut in.”
Glendinning said many women choose to do cardiovascular exercises, and said a lack of fitness knowledge is putting young women at risk for health complications later in life.
“The missing link in women’s fitness is muscle building,” Glendinning said.
“The more muscle you have, the less at risk you are for problems in the long run.”
Published on Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Comments
Ben
03/26/08 @ 7:47am
Oh yes, the modern liberal college feminist: when we want, we are as big and tough as any man, and when it suits us, we are frail flowers that need our own gym.
AAA
03/26/08 @ 10:16am
Right on Ben. And yes, I am a girl.
Not a Gym Rat
03/26/08 @ 11:52am
So it’s ok to perpetuate the stereotype that men are self-absorbed and muscular? Imagine the intimidation of being a man who is “supposed” to be muscular and know about equipment, sets, etc., when in fact all we want is to feel comfortable too. Where do the ‘wimpy’ guys go?
Mike Saelim
03/26/08 @ 12:08pm
Can we have a slightly chunky hour, for guys like me?
Actually, all we need is 10 minutes. Then we’re pooped.
L.H.
03/26/08 @ 12:14pm
First of all, how does this article have anything to do with feminism? That comment doesn’t make any sense at all.
Also, it’s not just about feeling intimidated by the equipment. Believe it or not, there are a lot of women who do not enjoy being stared at or hit on by guys while they’re working out.
Doug
03/26/08 @ 12:20pm
I would imagine many guys feel just as intimidated about the weight room as these girls, especially if they are out of shape. However, instead of creating an environment exclusive to females, wouldn’t it be in the best interest of gender equality to instead cater to “beginners” as a whole? I just think moving towards female-only workout times is moving in the wrong direction, that’s all.
Steve
03/26/08 @ 2:13pm
I second Ben’s motion.
LH – So every guy at the gym hits on girls and stares at them? Maybe we should have separate times at the library too, that way your studying isn’t interrupted by guys hitting on you then. I also move to have Ricks allow only guys one night and girls another night, that way girls can drink without getting hit on.
Fine for Fit. USA, but...
03/26/08 @ 2:16pm
Gender specific workout times are fine for fitness USA as they are a private entity.
MSU, as a public institution, doing this would be a whole different issue. As a male, I attend some of the Yoga classes here at MSU. The vast majority of my “classmates” are female. In fact, in my current class, I am the only male there. Does that sometimes cause me to feel a bit self conscious? Sure. Does that mean we should have male only yoga classes? Of course not. It is my choice to attend a class comprised predominantly made up of females.
Arguing convenience or a reluctance to step outside of their comfort zone is hardly a reson to institute a gender exclusive program at a publicly funded university.
Overall, I agree with Ben.
clay
03/26/08 @ 2:17pm
I’m male and I can undestand both points of view, but I just say, your health is way to important to succumb to being uncomfortable about working out with other people around. No one likes the idea of having someone look at them when they are all sweaty and gross. Lord knows I look like a hott mess when I’m working out. But trust me, your heart, lungs, and the rest of your body will thank you in the long run for getting over it! Seeing other people work out is motivation for me. I might not want to be as big and muscular as some of the guys there, but if it gives me an extra push to do one more set, 5 extra minutes of cardio or 10 minutes more of stretching, then I’m the winner in the end.
A third here
03/26/08 @ 2:20pm
I second Steve, which means I third Ben.
Instead of seperate times for men and women at the gym, library, bar, etc, wouldn’t it be great if we could find a way to keep men from hitting on or checking out women in public places? Maybe some sort of device or clothing article that could be used to cover a woman’s shape so as not to arouse lust in men? It would probably cover the woman’s face, too to hide their physical attractiveness. Hmmmm…I wish something like that existed somewhere in the world…
Erin
03/26/08 @ 3:31pm
I think separate times and women only gyms are good things, as an option. If someone feels comfortable in co-ed settings, I don’t think everyone should be forced into gender segregated situations (which may cause added anxiety for many trans* people)
However it is important to consider comfort levels because of harassment, being treated as inept (many women know how to use exercise equipment in gyms, yet have to deal with assumptions from men in gyms that they need to be taught how to use a machine.) and women in certain religions who may be more comfortable in all women settings because of religious guidelines they follow regarding co-ed spaces. While it’s very much possible for women to dress modestly according to their religion, I know many women who for religious reasons would feel more comfortable working out without men around.
As well, I think it would be great if more women were not intimated by muscle building, which we are often taught is a masculine thing. In all women spaces women would see more women using muscle building machines and it would hopefully lose some of the stigma of being only a masculine thing.
Of course because I like lifting weights more than running on a treadmill, I would probably be using more weights than a woman who was just beginning to use weight machines, so anyone who thinks this would mean not having to change the weights on machines would be a bit mistaken. There are plenty of very strong women, and plenty who aren’t that strong.
“However, instead of creating an environment exclusive to females, wouldn’t it be in the best interest of gender equality to instead cater to “beginners” as a whole? “
If you want to make people more comfortable with equiment yes. Tell me though how this would help eliminate sexual harassment, paternalistic “let me show you how to do that” remarks for women who do not need to be shown how to use a machine, the stigma of weight machines being only for men or “masculine women”, and women who feel that because of their religion they need an all women space to exercise?
“So every guy at the gym hits on girls and stares at them?”
Of course every man doesn’t! I don’t think anyone accuse every man of doing that. But many men do. And if you have a problem with that, do something about it! It’s about damn time you and every other man stand up and make it known that you will not accept it when men try to harass women and make them feel unfomrtable and unsafe.
Why not?
03/26/08 @ 3:48pm
Why not have exclusive workout times for males and females? It would eliminate many problems such as sexual harrassment and, as Erin put it, men’s paternalistic remarks towards women.
Another option might be to allocate the facilities differently so that women have exclusive access to certain parts of the facility while men have exclusive access to other parts. It would accomplish the same goal.
As long as the gender are given equal shares of time and space, what is the problem? Keep them separate but equal. I mean, I can’t see any possible negatives from that.
Yes, that was sarcasm up there…
Mike Saelim
03/26/08 @ 3:58pm
Clay and Erin both make very good points. Unfortunately, the solution to these problems is culture change, which is a very slow, demanding process that takes years, decades, or even centuries.
I definitely agree with Erin’s final comments on doing something about guys who are harassing or patronizing. Be assertive, and let him know where you stand. If some guy’s really being a problem, kick him in the nuts – that’s a language any guy should understand.
Workout!
03/26/08 @ 4:10pm
This is all ridiculous. If you would benefit from working out in a women’s only gym, don’t join a co-ed gym. The weight facilities on campus are not your only option. I personally (as a woman) enjoy working out with my male friends and I would hate to have that limited to “co-ed” only times. What if your schedule only allows you to work out during “opposite sex only” times. It is a challenge sometimes to find time to work out at all. Why make that more difficult?
The whole conversation is nuts. Men, don’t be asses to women in the gym. Women, enjoy the health benefits of working out whenever and however you feel most comfortable. If you would like to go and learn how to use machines as beginners (both men and women) find a group of beginners and learn together. That way no one feels singled out.
The only part of this article that makes any sense is perhaps the inclusion of more lightweight machine options for BOTH sexes to utilize if they wish. Not everything is about gender inequality.
Chelsea
03/26/08 @ 8:46pm
Girls, grow up. Those with religious beliefs should probably go to one of the other gyms listed, but to the rest of you, just get over it. Yes, guys are going to look at you, yes you might look weak or dumb, but suck up your pride and do it. If you want to work out, you have to realize that you may have to lift some weights off the machines. Trust me, everyone can handle a 45. No one feels 100% comfortable when at the gym. I thought that were were moving in a direction of restricting this separation, but things like this just move us backward.
Lovin' Curves
04/01/08 @ 1:01pm
I think you guys are kind of missing the point here. I am a member at Curves and I love it. I was very intimidated to work out at a gym with people who would be more skilled than I was, or yes to have people stare at me. Not that I thought every man in the gym was going to hit on me but because I didn’t want people to see how out of shape I was. Curves in a zero-intimidation way to work out. There are people there to help you and make sure you are using the machines correctly to get a good work out. Working out with ladies just makes you more comfortable. Everyone is friendly and no one feels the need to strut around or show off. I am not saying that all people who go to the gym have perfect bodies or that they strut, but the environment is a little scary. Bottom line: if women feel comfortable at Curves why knock it? So many of these women wouldn’t work out if there wasn’t a place like Curves to go to. I would much rather they worked out at Curves than sat on the couch too afraid to join a big gym.