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 Young, professional women are discovering that
female-only fitness zones can be what a morning of golf or shooting
the hoops is to their male counterparts: a chance to network,
negotiate and bond while working out.
"Men have been combining fitness and a social aspect for ages, doing
business and creating relationships at the same time," said Leanne
Shear, trainer and founder of Uplift Studios, a boutique women-only
venue in Manhattan.
"Women have not, to their detriment."
Shear said her studio, which opened in 2012, attracts professional
women in their 20's, 30's and 40's, and aims to provide a social
atmosphere where they can come together as a community.
As for the workouts, Shear believes that while women are certainly
capable of doing everything that men do, many find the gym equipment
in weight rooms bulky, off-putting and ill-suited to them.
Equipment in Shear's studio includes an elliptical machine with a
smaller stride better suited to women, and instead of huge plates
and bars, there are lots of dumbbells, balls, balancing equipment
and body weight exercises.
A 2014 report by International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub
Association (IHRSA) showed that while health club members are
equally likely to be male or female, what they do when they visit
the club differs considerably.
LESS INTIMIDATING
Women are more likely to gravitate to group exercise classes,
Pilates, stretching, yoga, boot camps, and cardiovascular exercise
machines, while men are drawn to free weights, resistance machines
and sports such as racquetball and squash.
Curves International, Inc., the large chain of fitness centers for
women, is known for its 30-minute circuit of cardio, strength and
stretching training.
Hannah Karass, vice president of programs and science for Curves,
said the circuit is in a circle for a reason.
"The members face each other, help each other," she explained.
Karass said Curves has initiated a rigorous high-intensity interval
training workout designed by trainer Jillian Michaels, of the TV
reality show "The Biggest Loser," to attract younger women.
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Karass, 50, believes women's gyms are simply less
intimidating than coed clubs.
"I think of myself in a big coed gym," she said. "If I work with a
10-pound (4.5 kg) dumbbell and I see men lifting 25, there is an
emotional reaction." Dr. Barbara Bushman, of the
American College of Sports Medicine, said both sexes require a
balanced exercise program of aerobic activity, resistance training,
and flexibility and, for older adults, balance and agility.
"To me the women-only gym fits into the enjoyment aspect," she said.
"If someone feels more comfortable in that environment and that
helps them to stick with their program better, it's a great thing."
She added that women tend to lag behind men in resistance training,
which is important for bone health. Being properly fitted on
standard machines can also be difficult for smaller women.
"At university I was only female in weight room," said Bushman,
whose 5ft 10-inch height mitigated the sizing issue. "It wasn't an
environment that welcomed women."
Shear sees women-only venues as a place where women are free to work
their hardest without feeling self-conscious or trying to impress
the opposite sex.
"The workouts are just as hard and intense as any man's," she said.
(Editing by Patricia Reaney and Sophie
Hares)
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