The gym is a place that people can go to let off steam, to get fit or stay fit. Everyone is different when it comes to his or her comfort level in the gym.
Gymtimidation is the fear of working out at a gym because they feel intimidated by others who may be more fit.
Gymtimidation also encompasses the idea that people should feel comfortable asking for help, whether it is how to use the equipment or general questions.
“I feel intimidated sometimes, but more so because I don’t know how to use the machines or know what to do in general, not just because I’m a girl,” said sophomore Pali Kaloi Jordan.
Some women feel more intimidated than men at the gym because they are not lifting as much weight as males, do not think they are doing it correctly or are afraid of judgment in general.
“Even though I do know how to use the machines, a lot of guys will leave incredibly heavy weights on them that I know I can’t lift so I feel too embarrassed to interrupt someone else’s workout to ask them to take it off for me,” senior Isabella Barcelona said.
Although some women do not feel intimidated at the gym, many women take a long time to get to the point of being comfortable to ask for help or to not be afraid of judgment.
“I feel that in a generally male dominated space as a female I don’t have the same respect as men and I don’t appreciate the stereotype that women are ‘cardio bunnies’,” sophomore Fallon Broman said.
Many women want to go to the gym or enjoy going to the gym, but are afraid to feel judged by the strong male presence.
Gymtimidation is a real issue in our society, especially at Pacific, and we need to create an environment where students feel less judgment and are more willing to ask for help.
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