I was taking a break between reps at the gym when a guy came up to me to ask me if we could go out sometime. I turned him down, but he stayed nearby to finish his workout. My mind immediately started racing with all sorts of thoughts about myself and him.
“Did he stick around to watch me lift weights or am I being paranoid?”
“Am I lifting this wrong?”
“Maybe he asked me out as a joke.”
“Do these leggings make me look hot?”
This incident did not happen at the Auburn Student Act; however, when I started going to the Act again after the holiday break, I became curious about how the girls feel while working out with the guys.
The bold response: “If the guy is really here to work out, then he shouldn’t be thinking about me.”
“When I’m feeling good about myself and a guy sees me working out I think he’s thinking ‘wow she’s intense’ or ‘hot damn’, but when I’m not really feeling my workout, I try not to think about what guys are thinking in hopes that they’re just thinking about their own workout” says one Auburn collegiette.
A new survey from Cosmopolitan Body showed that fourteen percent of the women surveyed admitted to being intimidated by the thought of men judging them at the gym. In fact, there is some segregation between the girls and guys at the Auburn Student Act. The work out area upstairs has become the girls area and most of the downstairs has become designated to the guys.
One collegiette told us “I think if girls felt more comfortable with the machines, they’d be more inclined to step in and not be intimidated by the guys.” Another response was “I don’t want to embarrass myself trying to figure out how to use the equipment,” which is synonymous with the study.
Another collegiette said “For the girls who are worried about the guys’ opinions, most of them are really nice, and are willing to share equipment between sets during a workout. Just don’t worry about their opinion anyways.”
So what do the guys really think? Yes, there are how-tos for picking up women at the gym, but sorry ladies, it really isn’t all about us. We were told “I don’t really pay attention to the girls. I am focused on my own workout, not anyone’s work ethic. Girls deserve respect for coming to the gym and trying to be healthy just like the guys.”
The guys aren’t the only problem though. Some girls are also intimidated by other girls. Seeing other girls lift more or sweat more can be a confidence killer. According to the study, ten percent surveyed feared other women. However, most girls aren’t judging. All of the Auburn ladies reported they find motivation from each other, whether in or out of shape. They are at the gym to better themselves, and hope that others are doing the same. One collegiette said “I don’t judge unless she’s really in shape, and I’m like wow I want my legs to look like that, but never negative things.”
For next year, some girls are suggesting that the Auburn Act offer a class for how to lift properly. Either way ladies, don’t let self-esteem kill your workout buzz. Currently, you can try out the Group Fitness classes, such as Tiger Pump, which is a choreographed weight lifting and cardio class. Professionals suggest putting the ear buds to good use, and listen to music to stay in the zone. And many girls are saying “Just pretend you are awesome, and you will eventually believe it. Don’t look at others to compare.”