The Gym Culture

Since I can’t really work out like I was this summer right now, I’ve been doing a lot of research and thinking. While I was at work, I was thinking about what makes gyms different.

Every gym pretty much has the same basic equipment–treadmills, ellipticals, rowers, bikes, stair climbers, and a number of weight-lifting machines–yet every gym has a different vibe.

You have gyms that appeal to bodybuilders, others for women, and some for hardcore weekend warriors and former athletes.

What characterizes gyms that are for average people who just want to stay in shape? What if you live in an area only with gyms whose culture doesn’t suit you? Wouldn’t that be discouraging to people who want to introduce healthy habits into their lives?

I was in class yesterday, listening to people give presentations. This one group spoke about holding a focus group with people who haven’t used our university’s fitness facilities, and one of the reasons given was intimidation. One person had a bad experience at a gym. He asked one of the gym’s employees a question and they laughed at him, and other people acted like he was dumb, so that discouraged him from going back to gyms.

As health professionals, it’s our job to create a culture that is welcoming to all people, especially beginners and people who absolutely need to make healthy changes in their lives. The trick is finding out how that can be done, especially when people hold myths about gyms in their minds.

For example, some people believe you have to already be in shape to work out at a gym. People say “I’m too fat to work out” or “I don’t have any ‘gym’ clothes to wear to work out.” The perceived gym culture can be discouraging to the very people we want to help.

It’s hard to change perceptions, especially if they’ve been around for a long time, but it’s not impossible. The gym culture should be one of health and progress, not of discouragement and intimidation.

What can you do?

You can debunk myths your friends or family members give as excuses to not work out. You can be helpful, if you know yourself the correct answer, when someone asks a question.

You can also remember to leave your ego at the door when you go into a gym. We all started at the beginning at some point

A Question to the Trainers out there

In the world of fitness, you don’t see much diversity in the leaders of this industry. I could name a few black fitness leaders, but that’s about it.

But you do see diversity in clientele.

If you have read my previous post on my thesis, you know I have an interest in diversity in fitness.

I’m asking the personal trainers that read my blog, “How do you encourage, and deal with, diversity in your clientele?”

How do you take into consideration the different cultural issues that come up when training clients from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds?

I feel that personal trainers receive great and extensive training on exercise physiology and become very proficient in exercise selection and program design, but aren’t trained enough in communication and psychology. Sometimes you have to be culturally sensitve, meaning you understand how different communities view and approach fitness and then approach your client in an effective manner.

Even if you’re not a trainer, I still would like to know if you would appreciate trainers who are educated in communicating to different communities and if that would have an impact on you.

Leave your thoughts and have a great, active weekend!