Gyms with women's-only rooms

[JustGettingStarted]

I posted this on a Facebook group, so apologies if you've seen it.

How do you all feel about gyms that have a women's room? I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, if the equipment in there is decent, then it's convenient to have a less crowded space. I also recognise that I live in a very culturally diverse area and there are many people who might be more comfortable with segregated sexes.

On the other hand, they usually seem to be full of stuff that people assume women want. At best I've seen light dumbbells, the hip abduction/adduction machine, a few old machines displaced by the new stuff on the main floor, and some cardio machines.

They can also give off the impression that women should stick to their room and not venture into the main weight Area. I have gotten that vibe at one gym in Oldham. I was happy to see so many women coming in in veils to work out, happy that they had a place to feel comfortable, but then I started to feel like I was behaving strangely as I was the only woman in the main weight room.

If there was such a room that literally had everything I could want for weight training, this wouldn't be so bad, but I have never seen such a women's room.

I have also done a Google for women's-only gyms. All I've found has been pretty much like the rooms... Not a squat rack to be found.

I think they're shit tbh.

They should eject any men behaving weirdly and encourage us all to train together.

Unfortunately women's gyms and women only rooms in my area have been directed at a certain clientele in recent years 🙄

In theory I like the idea. There are certain exercises I hate doing with men around as you can't avoid the male gaze.

In practice it usually does turn out exactly like you've said and it stops women being 'allowed' in the weights area.

stressedoutmummy What type of clientele do you mean?

I've been looking for a women's gym too but haven't been unable to find one. I feel intimidated in a normal gym.
I lift quite heavy and still feel thus way so what must new people feel like. I think there's a massive gap in the market

Yeah, a gym that specialises in bodybuilding and powerlifting for women, as well as general fitness, would be awesome.

My gym has a relatively small room for women which I prefer when using weights. Not because I would feel uncomfortable exercising in front of men, I just feel more relaxed in the smaller space, not as "exposed" I guess. The choice and range of equipment is good.

Basically they're all aimed at women with cultural/religious beliefs who can't be around men.
However I saw a HUGE argument regarding the wet area in one of these gyms a while back. A very large lady wanted to go in and she had a very thin t shirt on over her swimming costume - obviously was very self conscious. Gym staff pointing frantically to swimwear only signs and insisting she take it off or leave. Hence the lady and several other members pointing out three women in full burkha's AND their shoes on in the very same area (not exactly sure what they were doing) but they weren't asked to leave. I thought that was massively unfair. This was in Ashton under Lyne.
I meant that the ladies areas/gyms I've seen in recent years have mainly been aimed at the women who cannot work out around men because of their culture/religion and no thought at all is put into the equipment really it's so basic

I like the fact they're mixed (I have no cultural or religious reasons that would preclude this though). Although the weights area is a wee bit intimidating to start with, my experience is that even the big body building blokes are kind and just want to be helpful. I am managing to increase to lifting quite heavy, and they'll happily give advice on form etc.

My old gym was brilliant. The women's area had everything that was in the men's section, it was just a slightly more private area with frosted glass screens for privacy. I guess it depends on the gym though!

Ours was fine, all the same weights etc, well all the one I needed anyway. I prefer the women only section.

I always go to the area for all. Each to their own I guess but I'm too bothered with my own shit to bother about anyone else's presence.

And woman in t shirt should have been allowed in the pool. All of these items are material at the end of the day t shirt burka or whatever.

Or better yet, none of them should have been allowed in the pool unless wearing swimwear - rash vests, full length swimsuits, whatever.

It wasn't even a bloody swimming pool it was the jacuzzi/sauna/shower area. The gym staff pretty much admitted later they couldn't possibly make the women in burkhas leave because they'd be accused of being racist

When I was with Fitness First they had a women's room with most of the cardio machines in main gym and a selection of the weight machines in the main gym, Some dumbells etc but had a tendency to disappear into the main gym. Staff told me some gym goers take free weights home which is why gym often had to buy replacements.

Seriously,I go to the gym😟.not during school holidays,so not been for 6 weeks..but I'd no idea this was a thing...no doubt the men will assume ownership of the main gym with the best equipment,and us women will expected to keep to our designated area..just NO

Nobody puts baby in a corner......well they won't be getting me in no woman's half arsed room.main gym for me,camel toe and all.

Women only areas can be good if they've been decked out with sufficient equipment. I find that there's always one -twatty- guy in a mixed gym who always dominates certain weight equipment for several minutes on end, not giving anyone else a chance to use them. If the gym isn't busy, then it's not a problem really.

So are they 'for women' or are they to allow women with particular religious belief to use the gym? There is a difference - with the former I object to being put in a space and implicitly giving the men more ownership of the main gym. If it is for the latter, it needs to be made clear so that all women don't feel that they are being put in a space.
If it's to help encourage women to exercise thennthats sexist because a lot of men feel intimidated in the gym.
I just want to know the purpose- but would the gym actually say??

The best gym I was ever a member of didn't have a women-only area, and said their view was that if any member felt uncomfortable working out in any part of the gym, something was wrong that the club should fix. And it was the friendliest, most inclusive, least testosterone-fuelled place I've known. So I agree with that philosophy.

If it's to help encourage women to exercise thennthats sexist because a lot of men feel intimidated in the gym.

Well actually the idea of trying to get more women exercising is because far fewer adult women do exercise than men. One of the biggest reasons women give is feeling self conscious, particularly going into a male dominated space - like a gym. So I don't think it's really sexist to aim services at a particular group with the aim of increasing participation of that group in-line with another.

Not sure how I feel about the womens area though. On one hand of it's a proper area with all the equipment of the main room then it could really help some women have the confidence to go. However on the other hand it has the potential to make women unwelcome in the main area, which can ultimately compound the original issue.

My gym (xercise4less)has a women's only room, it has cardio machines, adductors etc but also a full squat rack, benches, kettle bells and dumbbells up to about 20kg and some mats. I'm not particularly intimidated by men in the gym but do find myself using the ladies only bit for weights simply because the music is better in there!!

I've never come across one but I don't like the idea. It suggests that women shouldn't be training alongside the men and need to be hidden away in their own space. I think that if anything like that is required then there should be women only sessions in the main gym in a similar way to some swimming pools.

I think women only times is not a good thing. I can understand doing it in swimming pools, which are often closed to the general membership for classes anyway. But people need to go to the gym when they can. If you close it to men at, say, 6pm, then a large number of people won't be able to work out. If you put it at the quietest time (9am,for example), few women will be able to attend, anyway.