Do we need a women-only bit in the gym or women only evenings?

I stopped going to a gym partially because I got fed up of not being able to use any of the equipment because the young men seemed to be using it as a social club and monopolising various bits. I had no issues working out alongside the men, and I'm a fairly assertive but I just generally felt uncomfortable faced with a largish group of testosterone filled youths and a impression that wasn't a 'safe' feeling space.

I also attended women only swimming for a while at the same gym which I far preferred than mixed sessions as it was much more relaxed and I didn't get barged and kicked by men (and it was always men) who didn't seem to be able to stick to the swim lane rules. The women only sessions only started at 9pm though which was slightly too late for me so I would go 8.30 - 9.30 and have half an hour of getting pushed around and then a more fruitful 30 mins when all the 'serious' male swimmers had left.

The main reason I stopped going to the gym though was because a Lifeguard essentially shamed two young women (who appeared to have some level of learning disability) into getting out of the pool because they weren't swimming 'properly' in the lanes. That made me really angry because they never did anything about the rude male arseholes who also didn't stick to the lanes properly earlier on in the evening but obviously thought these two were easy pickings. This was in a fairly empty women only session with mainly older ladies going at a very sedate pace and they really weren't causing a problem to anyone.

If they were available I would probably always feel more comfortable attending women only sessions in the future as my experience of them so far has been mainly positive.

Daft tbh. I've been to women only gyms and I was happy there. I'm now at a mixed gym and I'm happy there. I've never been ogled or seen anything like that going on. Everyone is concentrating on their own workouts and if I was at gym where it was going on i'd consider it a much wider issue and not something that could simply be fixed with "women only" nights. I'd move gyms entirely and find somewhere with a different environment.

I've been to gyms with a separate section, and TBH I like it - the machines are in better nick, tend to be cleaner, tidier, and there's not some bloke groaning, huffing and puffing monopolising them. To be fair, that's because the sections I used were used a lot less because it was women only, so like Catdogcat, it was more like having a private gym.

Also meant that there were a couple of machines with specifically smaller settings for the shorties amongst us (ie me).

I've also been to gyms without, and I'm pretty confident in the gym, but men do tend to sweat, and drip, and stride in, assuming that I'm not using whatever bit of equipment, or leave ridiculously heavy weights on the machines that I then have to unload to use, or bars up to high etc. so it's a lot less convenient.

I always go into the women only section of my gym which is a totally seperate room down a corridor with one of each piece of equipment and free weights.
I only used it because 9 times out of 10 I'm the only person in there, it's like a private little gym.
However if they didn't have this or if the machine I want is in use I'm perfectly happy to use the mixed area, I find looking like a sweaty mess having headphones in stops me getting chatted up

How ridiculous!! If anybody is busy watching anyone else in the gym They're not working he's enough!! I'd be pissed off as I can rarely go tonthe gym and I couldn't be arsed with waiting for all sorts of groups of people I'm not finishing their work outs

Specific women only hours seem rather restrictive, I'd prefer a women only gym. But would only go there if it was good. (I go to one where there are mostly elderly people, as it is focused on health. Very nice there, no men trying to hit on me - but some of the machines requiring pushing your chest out, and I would be more comfortable if it was women only)

I love the women's only section of the gym. Peaceful, no blokes grunting as they show off to one another.

its a bit rubbish if the whole gym is unavailable and this wasnt highlighted on the timetable or by staff when joining. I like the women only section of the gym though.

There are a couple of women only gyms near me. They've been open for years, and don't advertise much.

I haven't chosen to join them, and go to a mixed gym, but there's obviously a market.

Women only swim/gym sessions have been around for a while (at least since the 12 years since I started using a gym) and are timetabled so as not confuse the menfolk. I used to use the women only gym session to use the weights room without unsolicited help from male gym goers. Many use them for religious reasons.

Is that an argument for or against women only sessions, homeriliad?

I would totally use a women only hour, so all the teenage bros aren't in the free weight section!

Never been hit on but had guys ask me if my weight is too heavy or if I need a hand etc. And I'm not exactly a powerlifter, most of the time it is not a lot heavier than my work backpack...!

We have a permanent ladies only gym at our sports centre. It's not as big as the mixed gym (which I go to) but it has all the latest equipment. I've only been in there once so I don't know what clientele they have.

Well yes but I haven't seen at the gym women going over to men who are working out and try chatting them up and getting their numbers.

I'm sure some women ogle men in gyms.

I think female only classes are ok but not the whole gym. I was about to say most people just go there to work out but actually I was hit on and oggled quite a bit.

I'm really on the fence now. I would hate to be turned away from going to a gym that I paid membership for because it was men only at that time but yet some men still harass women in places like that.

I don't have a problem exercising around men. I wouldn't actively seek out a gym with women only sessions (or particularly want to go at those times) but I can understand why some women would rather not have men around if they are feeling very self conscious when they're exercising.

I don't think gyms should be forced one way or the other-it depends what their clientele want.

They exist because people want them. Gyms aren't charities they want to make money. Obviously this makes money. Annoying for your bro though.
I think women only gyms are a good idea. Rather than specific nights of mixed gyms. I'd go to a women's only gym if there were one near me. I think it's useful for Muslim women too.