Boys In the Gym

Most of my gym experience has been at a women's gym.  It all started when my sister a-ster was home from college one year and we joined for 3 months or something like that.  My intention was that I would work out until I could run well and I'd probably extend my membership for a while after she went back to school.

Well, many years and fitness certifications later, I still teach and work out at that same gym.

I've taught at a couple of co-ed gyms and I didn't see a big difference.  It was strange to have men in my classes and I had to stop myself from saying "ladies" and "girls" all the time.  And telling everyone to "grab your balls and lay on your backs" had to stop.  Otherwise, it wasn't too different.

I have always stayed at the women's gym and probably would stay even if I didn't teach.

And it all comes down to smell.

Because one time, I worked at a co-ed gym that was mostly a boxing gym.  And it STUNK to high heavens.  Like sweaty mats (or sweaty Matts, I guess!)  It just always smelled soggy.  And DIS.GUS.TING.

And I think I've mentioned my smell issues.

At my gym, no matter how sweaty the ladies get, it never seems to smell sweaty.  Sorry boys, all one of you that read my blog, but I really think the sweat smells different.

Or maybe there were always just 2 of us working hard at the ladies gym, so nothing smelled.

Until now.  Now we have 2 men who are trainers.  At a women's gym.

Some of the ladies dont' like it.  And I am sure some left at the scandalousness of men in a women's gym.

But they teach specialty classes so that you would know who was teaching when you signed up.  And there are women trainers if you want a woman to train you.

I don't really care if men work at a women's gym.

I think it's fascinating to watch what happens.  Women who are going to their specialty classes or who are using them as trainers are suddenly becoming fit.  They are not afraid to get sweaty in front of these guys.  In fact, they seem to LOVE it.  They are doing crazy things that they won't do when women tell them to do them.

I took a group training class today that is usually led by a woman trainer.  And the girls gripe and whine and fuss the wholedamntime.

Bring in a boy and suddenly it's quiet, people are working so hard you can practically hear their bodies burning off the calories, they are sweating and all the while just about asking MORE PLEASE!

They tease, they cajole, they practically demand MORE PLEASE.

After that class, the other trainer came in with a woman for a one on one.  I see these all the time because the training room is the same room as the spinning room, so when a spinning class is going on, there is often personal training going on and everyone just manages to get along.  When I teach on Fridays, there is often someone being trained by one of these men and since the instructor's bike faces them and no one else can see them, I can't help watching to see what goes on.

The guys  also teach boxing and all my boss had to do was bring in the pink gloves and suddenly, they are lining up to box with these boys.  And you have to pay a lot more to do so.  And they do!

It is amazing how much harder these women will work for a man.  I'm sure they would deny it 100% and claim they work just as hard for anyone.  But it seems to me that they love every second of this one on one time with the boys.

And if it means women are getting fitter  because of it, I'm all for it.

Just please don't let those boys sweat on my mat!