By Lily Bourne
When looking out across my local YMCA’s gym floor, I am often disappointed to find myself outnumbered, both in terms of gender and age. Feeling rather out of place and surrounded by middle-aged men bench pressing more than I weigh, I opt for the outdoor machines while I wait for the gym to clear out. Although my gym may be an extreme example of this phenomenon–the YMCA is known for its older members– disproportionate demographics of gym members can be found in most gyms. The reasons for this? “Gymtimidation”, caused by a variety of factors, as well as a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of working out. While many people boil down the solution to physical health and self-improvement to a simple mantra, “just go to the gym,” it really isn’t that easy for many.
The most common reasons for not going to the gym are simple, really. People are scared to go, don’t know what they’re doing, and are afraid knowledgeable gym-goers will judge them. Both internal and external factors exacerbate this fear. Externally, social media has drastically changed the landscape of fitness. Scrolling on TikTok, users have created countless videos ridiculing incorrect workout form of others, non-consensually filming them and posting those clips for internet clout. For every supportive and informational resource for new gym members, there is a video discouraging them from ever trying out a machine. In addition, the gym itself proves an intimidating environment for a newcomer without any prior knowledge. Attempting difficult exercises in front of complete strangers, while completely normal for regular fitness enthusiasts, can seem incredibly daunting for some. It may seem obvious that a newcomer to the gym would have confusion regarding equipment and would learn through trial and error, but gym culture has tended to stigmatize this process. Instead of encouraging new people to learn and providing helpful advice, many “gym bros” hold a sense of superiority over others and look down on those who are less experienced.
In addition, many people face intense self-consciousness about going to the gym. In one survey of 1,000 Americans, over half of both men and women expressed that they feared being judged for their weight at the gym. This represents an important paradox in gym culture. While many people’s reason for going to the gym is to improve their appearance, they are often hindered by self-consciousness over their looks, so much so as to discourage them from ever going to the gym in the first place. On that note, the connection between appearance and physical fitness is an extremely important topic in the subject of gym culture. A vast majority of gym-goers exercise to improve their looks. For women, achieving a skinny, toned physique has become the default goal. For men, chiseled muscles and low body fat represent a similar ideal. While it is important to maintain healthy habits, these often unattainable goals can further discourage new gym-goers from coming back. Many people hope to see results within days, weeks, or months, but fail to realize that true “fitness” looks different and progresses differently for everyone. Again, social media has warped our sense of what is “normal”, and many gym-goers are often driven to feel as though they don’t belong without extreme changes in physique or insanely quick improvement. Gym culture has progressed to a point of idealism, discouraging many who feel they will never reach their goals.
Finally, as another side effect of toxic-gym culture described previously, many people fail to understand the gym’s fundamental purpose. Following the logic that exercising is solely beneficial in improving outward appearance, people tend to ignore many other valid reasons for going to the gym. For example, while some viral TikToks may criticize older generations for their questionable form and light weights in the gym, these creators miss the real reason for the unique workout plans. As we get older, our bodies need to keep moving to reduce risk of heart and lung problems. Light weights and smaller rep range may seem ridiculous to judgemental “gym rats,” but they provide a different type of benefit for a different demographic of gym-goers. Because they are so focused on physical appearance, many people don’t understand that working out can simply be used to benefit physical health. Harsh judgment of people who choose to workout for non-appearance based motives and follow specialized workout plans fit to their needs has added to the continuous discouragement of new gym members.
Going to the gym provides endless benefits when utilized correctly. Many people aren’t aware of the mental health benefits of exercising, caused by endorphins, which help to reduce anxiety and depression while improving self-esteem and overall mood. But toxic gym culture, social media, and exclusionary “gym rats” have transformed the gym into an intimidating place for many. Hopefully, new waves of encouraging, inclusive social media content, exercise plans, and gym members will arise, and people can more easily “just go to the gym”.