I love the gym. To me, it’s a place of freedom, somewhere I can be confident about myself. But to say I was always comfortable walking into an often male-dominated weight room would be an overstatement. Most of my life I really didn’t feel like I was someone who could be ‘fit,’ and the thought of working out surrounded by ‘fit’ people was intimidating. The problem was not that there was, or is, anything inherently bad about the gym — it’s that I was constantly engaging in negative self-talk. Societal pressures or not, I was restricted by how I viewed my body.
And then in college, my relationship with the gym completely changed: I started working out six days a week. Now, a skipped workout feels like a bad night of sleep. So, take it from me, here are seven reasons why it’s time to befriend the gym:
1. For self-empowerment
Going to the gym is all about choice. What makes it a powerful experience is deciding to take a challenge head-on and see it through. It’s trusting that you can show up even on the days you doubt yourself. It’s repeatedly telling yourself: prove them wrong. My newly-found confidence is walking into a weight room full of men and setting up my squat bar like it’s nobody’s business. I encourage you to channel your gym experience for good, be it more body positivity or redefining what a strong female can look like.
2. To build character
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” – Charles Dickens, but also me halfway through a sprint. If you challenge yourself in your workouts, you’ll quickly learn how to celebrate victories and recover from failures with grace and patience. Remember, every workout comes with greater self-discipline and mental fortitude.
3. Mental and physical fitness
There’s no denying that exercise is good for you. My advice is: don’t be afraid to hit the weights. Resistance training is not only great for keeping on muscle mass and promoting overall physical wellness — it’s also linked to less depression and higher self-esteem. Point in case, my best workout highs are from lifting. Need another reason? Gains = Fergalicious.
4. Quality time with yourself
Solo exercise creates a quiet space for self-reflection and conversations with yourself that you wouldn’t have otherwise. It’s a good place to get away from the noise of the outside world and just focus on immediate, bite-sized tasks. As someone who is often stressed, it’s the equivalent of a face mask but for your brain. Magic.
Related: College Survival Guide: 9 Ways to Stay Healthy While Living On Campus
5. To strengthen bonds
Not everyone likes hitting the cardio equipment alone. I have personally found that regular workouts with others increase trust, improve communication, and builds empathy among those involved. This is especially true in scenarios involving counting reps, needing encouragement, or spotting weight racks. For highs and lows, pre-workout glam and post-workout sweat, give it a try and take a friend or partner to the gym.
6. It’s free
Your four years at university might be the only window of opportunity you have for free, nearly 24/7 gym access. It’s your chance to try something new and healthful without any repercussions to your bank account or social status. The gym might be everything you’re looking for, but you won’t know if you don’t show up.
7. Because you can do it!
Everyone, every body, belongs in the gym, regardless of fitness level. René Descartes once postulated, “I think, therefore I am.” The gym can smell fear, so the key is to walk in like you’re the vision of #goals. And you are because you’re there, and if you’re there it means you’re ‘fit’ to be there.
The gym can be a big, loud, intimidating place; but first impressions aren’t everything, and it deserves a chance. To go to the gym is to find love and joy in the unexpected extra rep, favorite anthem playing right when you need it, or wobbly walk after finishing a long stretch on the treadmill. I really cannot emphasize enough how much the gym can change your life if you walk in with an open mind.